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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask why the fuck some people are so rude to retail staff

198 replies

Abbinob · 08/05/2016 16:05

Been working in a shop for all of 2 months and I'm starting to hate people.
I don't care about people being on their phones or whatever but it's the people that just chuck there stuff down, almost throw their bag at you and then just chuck a bunch of coins in the counter without even saying a word. I am a person not a bag packing scanning machine robot thing. Or people who throw strops because there's a massive queue and half way through scanning there things they realise they have no money so want to go and get some out the cash machine round the corner and have a huge strop because obviously I void their stuff so I can serve everyone else.
And not to mention the man who came in today and demanded "oi girl! 20 richmond"
Don't "Oi girl"me you rude cunt
Angry

OP posts:
RubbishG3nericUsername · 08/05/2016 20:02

I too did my 'time' in retail whilst at uni, and encountered the same attitudes that you've mentioned and i too thought their attitude sucked. As a result I'm always polite and friendly to those I buy things from now. However a few years ago my father was diagnosed with terminal cancer, and was given such a woefully short an mint of time left. I and my sister spent 3 weeks almost constantly with him at a hospice, only leaving to go to the local shops for supplies, I don't think I managed to say a single word to any of the retail workers I encountered during that time, they must have thought I was the worlds rudest, must miaerable cow! I guess (and this is probably not an excuse for most people) but sometimes if your going through a tough time, even a smile or a please can seem like too much.

MintyChapstick · 08/05/2016 20:10

musicposy you're DS should have responded to that remark with, "And I bet you wish you'd worked harder at school because you'd be shopping at Waitrose instead of Tesco now".

I worked in retail for years, and I think there is some truth in the idea that a lot of people see service staff as beneath them. I think if I ran my own little shop and someone was horrendously rude or one of my staff I'd tell them to fuck off. Obviously this isn't an option in big chain stores, as these customers are the sorts who'd go and whinge to management/customers services and get themember of staff in trouble.,

The customer is always right is the biggest load of twaddle ever spouted.

slinkysaluki · 08/05/2016 20:11

I work in catering in schools and even reception age kids have no manners and an almost entitled attitude. The teachers don't prompt them either, hardly surprising since most if them don't say it either. I think if you work in a "serving" type job your just seen as being intelligent and low class. There is certainly let a them and us attitude at most schools I have worked in. I thought this was 2016 not 1816

slinkysaluki · 08/05/2016 20:13

Intelligent

slinkysaluki · 08/05/2016 20:14

Sorry that was meant to say unintelligent

MrsTerryPratchett · 08/05/2016 20:19

I've worked most of my life with homeless people, drug addicts and ex-offenders. Worst threats; call centre. One man wanted to know when I got off shift so he could come and beat me up.

When I worked at SS, we went to a training for Council staff and the two blokes who did the parking were so sweet about us and worried about how two young women were working in such dangerous situations. Then they told us a few stories about what they had to put up with. Being chased by someone with their car FGS.

Service industry is scary!

RiverTam · 08/05/2016 20:19

So, am I the only person who doesn't think most shop customer service is all that these days? I say this as someone who worked in retail for 5 years after uni (as my actual chosen job), and you simply would not have been allowed to carrying on gabbing to your coworker whilst serving a customer, and your manager would never gave interrupted you serving someone. These seem to be the norm in must supermarkets and high street shops and it pisses me right off. I mean, if my money isn't good enough for you to devote all of about 3 minutes of your day exclusively to me, just say so, eh?

And no, the customer isn't always right, but they are still the customer.

RiverTam · 08/05/2016 20:20

Sorry, should have said I worked in retail mid-90s.

YorkieDorkie · 08/05/2016 20:22

It's no different in hospitality either! 2 years in a bar job and I've never met so many twats. 'Ere luv go buy yourself a water'.

Go fuck yourself Angry.

YorkieDorkie · 08/05/2016 20:23

I did quit 3 years ago so shouldn't really be so cross about it still!

AdmiralCLingus · 08/05/2016 20:24

Im a dispenser for boots, and occasionally cover the healthcare till as well. I had a man YELL in my face that I knew nothing and no wonder all I did all day was stick stickers on boxes Shock

As a pp has said, I'm overly nice to the cunty ones now to piss them off

TaliZorahVasNormandy · 08/05/2016 20:25

Not just retail. I work as a receptionist at a GP's and we get treated to abuse on a regular basis. We've been called names, sworn at and made to feel like shit on their shoes.

FreshHorizons · 08/05/2016 20:27

I like the saying that you can tell a nice person by the way they treat those they see as their inferiors. If they treat them differently it is quite simple, they are not nice people.

PunkrockerGirl · 08/05/2016 20:27

It doesn't surprise me OP. In all my years of nursing I've never ceased to be amazed at the vitriol and bad manners directed towards nurses/doctors from people usually relatives that we're trying to help.
However, if there's a good side to this, it's made me ultra polite towards retail staff. I wouldn't expect anyone to be spoken to as rudely as I am sometimes at work.

DrDreReturns · 08/05/2016 20:28

It's a power thing. I've got money therefore I can treat you like shit. Most punters weren't like that, but there was always at least one obnoxious person a day.

MintyChapstick · 08/05/2016 20:29

It takes nothing to say please and thank you Tam but you'd be amazed at how many people seem to lack even the most basic of manners. I'd say the decline in standards within the service industry is down to a decline in manners, it's sould destroying when people can't even be bothered to treat you with basic common courtesy, most people just give up.

RiverTam · 08/05/2016 20:32

Yes, true. A nothibg thing that seems very common in supermarkets is the refusal for staff to tell you the total. I wirked in supermarkets as a 16 yo, and you always said at the end 'that's £37.45 please' or whatever. Now they just look at you and don't even necessarily get the till to show you the total.

IonaNE · 08/05/2016 20:33

Tbh I find there is nothing worse than going into a shop and having shop assistants coming up to you with "Are you all right there?" (what question is that anyway, do I look like I'm having a heart attack?), so I don't mind at all that there are no shop assistants on the floors. (I can't imagine why you'd need help for clothes shopping, as one poster here commented... I've never yet needed help for that and I'm late 40s.) In supermarkets I tend to scan things myself (unless it's a really big weekend shop) because of the "Are you planning anything nice today/this evening?" and "Oh, that cake/ice-cream/mango looks really delicious!" and similar coming from the person at the till. I usually answer politely, but what I'd really like to say is "sorry, none of your business, I do have friends, I discuss these things with them, I'm here to shop and get out, could we omit the chatting please."

Also... well, sorry to say but the people who did well in school work as lawyers, doctors and university lecturers, and not in retail, hairdressing or "beauty therapy". And while it was none of the business of that customer and s/he should not have voiced it, a degree that leads to working in retail was a waste of time and money.

LemonySmithit · 08/05/2016 20:34

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

JuxtapositionRecords · 08/05/2016 20:36

It's not just retail, any job where you have to "serve" the public you realise 60% of the population are rude twats. And they do it because they know you can do fuck all about it.

JuxtapositionRecords · 08/05/2016 20:38

And iona proves my point wonderfully.

LemonySmithit · 08/05/2016 20:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

OliviaStabler · 08/05/2016 20:42

They know they can. They know that you have to be polite to customers so they bank on that and treat you like shit. They take out their own insecurities and anger on people they bank on not fighting back.

PunkrockerGirl · 08/05/2016 20:49

Well aren't you an absolute delight, IonaNe
I did well in school and work in nursing, so not a doctor or a lawyer, or even a university lecturer.
You sound like a complete, arrogant arse. Degree or no degree, there's nothing , absolutely nothing wrong with working in retail, hairdressing or beauty therapy.
Where do nurses sit on your arrogant/ignorant career scale?

Janeymoo50 · 08/05/2016 20:54

YANBU. The best thing I can say is try and remember the nice ones, the ones who were chatty, jokey, made you smile and were polite and grateful for your help. They do exist but often are blotted out by the Mr "oi girl, 20 Ruchmonds" (what a knobwomble).