AIBU to react upon overhearing this remark voiced by a member of staff in Poundland towards another member of staff?

[SuperFlyHigh]

AIBU to feel that this overheard remark was out of order?

Was at Poundland the other day overheard quite loud a supervisor or manager saying to someone who seemed new (both Poundland staff),

"Yeah well make sure you get them to come down the queue as they often stand there like braindead zombies" it was obvious she was talking about customers not staff... The person saying this then walked away I was a bit shocked and said to the woman she had said this to "that's not the way your customers should be spoken about don't you think?" As i said this the woman who had said the original remark came back but I didn't want to get into an argument but just left the store.

Really put me off if that's how the staff refer to their customers within hearing distance!

I would object on the grounds that it's a tautology.

You were actually shocked about that remark?

I'm not sure what's stranger - that or the fact you woke up thinking about it and started a thread.

You've never worked with the public, have you OP?

Lottie of course it's unprofessional but it's funny not offensive.

I'm spending a lot more money in a restaurant and the customer service and 'atmosphere' in a restaurant (assuming it's not fast food) is part of what I'm paying for.

In Poundland Customers are shopping there because it's cheap. Atmosphere and even customer service aren't necessarily critical success factors.

I always end up on a till that's behind a display and I keep shouting next please, poking my head round and people stare at me and then say oh sorry I was miles away, or I didn't know you were serving.

Brain dead zombie customers can get you moaned at by managers- the queue builds up quickly and it's apparently your fault for not being quick enough not the brain dead somzies fault for standing in the way and ignoring you

Setting foot in Poundland turns me into a brain-dead zombie. Something about the artificial lights. It's factually correct ime.

Did any other customers hear the remark or were they too busy being brain dead zombies?

Maybe your home town is actually in the grip of a zombie apocalypse this morning and you are one of the last to realise? I'd get out while you can.

YANBU to think that a manager should know better to than to say something like that within ear shot of the zombies customers.

YABU to have snipped at the wrong person.

so, the level of customer service can be rubbish as long as the shop sells cheap stuff? Ok...

""I would object on the grounds that it's a tautology""

Not if 'Warm Bodies' and 'In the Flesh' are anything to go by.

I love all the discount type shops and I'd say that Zombies walk round with more purpose than most who shop in them.

OP, as said, you were out of order, challenging a new member of Staff and not the person who said it. Can you explain why you did that?

Seriously? This annoyed you?

Also, I hate all the sugar coated corporate speak that's crept into the workplace. I wish we could have proper conversations, saying what we think, without any bigotry, of course.

Didn't you read my Harrods post lottie?

YABU. It's poundland. Half the staff are forced to work there for workfare, the other half are on minimum wage. Of course they are going to feel a little ambivalent towards their customers - who can blame them? They aren't going to give you the read carpet treatment!

I often have to urge people to a free till when I'm in the queue so YABU.

Maybe you should've bitten her.

Zombie, innit?

Sounds like a fairly accurate description. I stand there like a brain dead zombie whenever I'm in poundland.

Joffrey you've been watching too much Walking Dead.

Yes Lottie that's exactly right.

Compare the customer experience at the extreme ends of any service experience:

Primary versus a designer boutique
A fast food van to a Michelin starred restaurant.
Ryan Air to first class on Eithiad airways

You get the same basic product in each case (clothes, food, transport) but the more you pay for the product the better you expect the service to be on a sliding upwards scale.

It's fairly basic economics.

It's a trade off between service and costs. Poundland customer service doesn't have to be as good as more expensive stores.

Excellent customer service is expensive to provide, Poundland's business model is based on keeping it's prices low not on delivering an excellent customer experience.

Now that doesn't mean that the manager was right to disparage the customers openly on the shop floor but it does mean that most customers (OP and you aside) wouldn't be that bothered. (As this thread proves). Less good customer service won't stop them shopping their because they go for the price not the service.

I don't call the customers ' brain dead zombies '
I loving call them CUNTstomers

Oh dear, that'll teach me not to preview.

primary - Primark
It's - its
Their - there

off to hang my head in shame

Yabu
Im always stuck behind the zombies, how many times does the shop assistant have to shout next please, i often shout tills empty to get the zombie shuffling in the right direction.

Off thread, but daydreaming in the till queue doesn't annoy me as much as the zombie'fied behavior in the isles of supermarkets.

People who just abandon their trollies mid isle and go and stand staring at the shelf. Ditto people who stand having a long conversation in the middle of the bloody doorway. Grrr. MOVE OVER!

Epona I have often wondered if there was some way to speed segregate supermarkets. There's your "need out the house having a little wander shopper", your "need to get the weekly shop but happy to have a chat shopper" and finally your "I'm sooo late get out of the way of the bread" shopper.

Perhaps different times lots would work?

Poor thing must be bored/frustrated, bit like the majority of customers on many days in many a long queue.