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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To expect people in customer facing roles to be polite and friendly?

87 replies

digitalpaintartist · 08/09/2016 17:25

I am 39 weeks pregnant so wondering if I'm being hormonal here but in the last week I have come across some of the rudest people! Approached a booking clerk at antenatal, to book a scan. She barely acknowledged me and seemed agitated that I needed her to book a scan. When she couldn't book me in for when my consultant wanted to see me and I asked if there was a another option, she glared at me and said, 'Speak to your consultant, I just book what is available!'
Then today, I needed to grab a prescription. I went to a supermarket pharmacy and cheerily said hi as I approached the woman at the counter, she said nothing back, took my prescription out of my hand and walked to the back before returning to tell me they don't have it!

I mean, is it just me? I get that people can have shitty days but I seem to be coming across these rude people on a daily basis. If you are going to work in a role where you have to deal with people, then smack a smile on and be pleasant or AIBU?

OP posts:

squoosh · 11/09/2016 02:45

He's been sacked, I got a full refund.

Are you pleased about that?

Two sides to every story. I'd be interested to hear the barman's take on your account of events.

squoosh · 11/09/2016 02:47

Any argument that involves an old firm match is a bit suspect in my mind.

e1y1 · 11/09/2016 02:54

He did deserve to be sacked, but they should not have told you the customer. That is personal information about the employees employment status/record.

In my previous role in a call centre we would never tell a customer what was done to the employee on the back of a complaint (them being dismissed was rare and they would have had to have done something really bad for that). The customer was apologised to, issue rectified, and ususally compensation, that was it. Customers always used to ask if they could be told what happened to the employee and answer was always no. It's a personell matter between employer ane employee.

judybloomno5 · 11/09/2016 02:56

Hang on....rude customers aside, aren't you being paid to help and serve people?

carelesswhisper27 · 11/09/2016 03:04

Having worked in both retail and phone jobs, both customer facing I have to say the worst is phones. People are a lot lot braver over the phone. Just this week I've been called 'stupid' multiple times and a 'spotty youth' (I'm 29). Yes we're paid to help people but believe me; it is extremely difficult to help someone who is so vile and rude!

e1y1 · 11/09/2016 03:11

Yes careless, did it for over 10 years and customers can be down right evil on the phone. Somebody being told that it was hoped they would die in a car crash on the way home was a weekly occurrence.

myusernamewastaken · 11/09/2016 08:30

My son is 17 and working part time in retail whilst studying at sixth form....he has had some horrors but does stand up for himself....he had a customer who was very nasty to him over a jar of coffee which was priced wrongly...
Ds eventually said 'have you got nothing better to do than try to humiliate a 17 year old'......apparently the man and his wife sloped off.

SouthPole · 11/09/2016 08:54

I think calling a woman a "fucking psycho bitch" is grounds for gross misconduct, actually.

Can't believe others don't!'

Queenbean · 11/09/2016 09:07

But I can't believe the customer called the manager over and forced her to look through the CCTV to show her that the employer had put his head on the bar. He had answered her question, not rudely.

Then to insist that she shouldn't be spoken to like that because of paying £487 is a bit OTT. I'm not surprised he thought it was an overreaction.

Calling her a psycho bitch came afterwards which I agree is unnecessary.

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 11/09/2016 09:09

I don't want a meaningless chat with someone who is faking being interested and nice, I just want to be served, dealt with and on my way in the shortest amount of time possible.

This ^^ I've worked in customer facing roles where you're timed on how fast you get them through the tills. Under pressure to get them out so I prefer to concentrate on doing just that. They get eye contact, a hello, please and thanks. I really haven't got time for any more plesentries that could lead to a conversation that I just haven't time for and to be truthful am not interested in.

How long it's taken you to paint your fence is of no consequence to me.

Graciesmug04 · 11/09/2016 09:23

The woman who works in my local shop looks at me like she wants to set me on fire when I walk in. Omg she's brutal

Cloeycat · 11/09/2016 09:28

I spent years working as a banquet waitress/cafe assistant. Always got on very well with my boss to the point he trusted that whatever way I dealt with customers was appropriate and was always a friendly and polite to customers as possible.

However if anyone felt the need to shout at me (or the other girls by the time I was a supervisor) I never had any problem telling them that no one comes to work to be shouted at and until they can speak to me like an actual human I will continue to serve other customers while they wait. I always enjoyed when they'd ask to speak to a manager and I was able to tell them that was me. And you'd be suprised what people fly off the handle at! One person went nuts because o wouldn't refund her for the soup she had eaten an entire bowl of before she decided she didn't like it, and then stood screaming at me in front of other customers. The general public can be awful.

emilywemily · 11/09/2016 09:29

YANBU customer service is the area in which I consider myself flawless - not blowing my own trumpet at all I've had cards and gifts from customers so happy with my service. Even if someone is horribly rude my attitude is always to kill them with kindness (review sites can throughly damage a reputation)
I've never been unlucky enough to experience intimidation or violence. However I think if I felt threatened my demeanour would change completely and the council estate girl in me may come out

WhateverWillBe · 11/09/2016 09:30

He's been sacked, I got a full refund

Good grief. so the guy was hungover, didn't smile at your dh and didn't her a question from him...and you kicked off and got him sacked?

After your recent story on another thread i'd say Karma is one to watch out for tbh.

Original poster

digitalpaintartist · 11/09/2016 09:31

To clarify, my idea of being polite and friendly is to simply make eye contact, greet me warmly and handle any queries or my transaction in a professional manner. I'm not expecting to be engaged in conversations about the weather or what my plans are for the weekend. I wouldn't like to hold the next person up. I really don't think it's a lot to expect that I'm greeted with a smile and not made to feel like I've ruined their day by asking a question about the services. In the case of MsJamie, her DH asked a question and was met with a rude response which escalated pretty quickly. If the barman had just been polite and explained that they weren't showing the game but that DH could catch it over at XYZ, the barman would still have his job.

OP posts:

OliviaStabler · 11/09/2016 09:31

Many people go into retail and do not understand that it is a hard job. Sometimes you get rude and abusive customers, that is just part of the job unfortunately and you have to learn how to deal with them.

However my role was to be polite and helpful so I would always smile and do my best whatever I was feeling inside.

MuseumOfCurry · 11/09/2016 09:40

It obviously goes both ways.

Unfortunately there's a lot of badly behaved customers, and the people serving them are only human.

Queenbean · 11/09/2016 09:43

MsJamie, her DH asked a question and was met with a rude response which escalated pretty quickly. If the barman had just been polite and explained that they weren't showing the game but that DH could catch it over at XYZ, the barman would still have his job.

But why should the barman have an encyclopaedic knowledge of all the bars in the local area that is showing the game? We used to show games at a pub I worked at but I'd have no idea where other games we weren't showing could be watched!

Ragwort · 11/09/2016 09:46

Many people go into retail and do not understand that it is a hard job.

^^ Totally agree with that comment; I have worked in customer facing roles all my life - mostly retail and hospitality and I love it but I accept that many people look down on it as a career and just aren't prepared to work very hard and understand that you need to be friendly and polite at all times. Even on Mumsnet there are sneery comments towards 'sales assistants' and 'McJobs' and the view they aren't proper career routes for young people. Lots of people approach me for work, but have such a bad attitude that there is no way I would employ them.

PikachuSayBoo · 11/09/2016 09:49

I think the barman probably got sacked for calling her a psycho bitch rather than not having an encyclopaedic knowledge of what bars were showing which matches.

PikachuSayBoo · 11/09/2016 09:52

I've worked in retail for quite a few years when younger and now as a HCP have a "customer" facing role. I may sometimes think people are crazy bitches but I don't say it. I remain professional and polite. If I called patients psycho bitches not only would I lose my job Id probably be struck off the register and barred from practising.

SaggyNaggy · 11/09/2016 10:03

I worked retail for a while too.
Its amazing how people will use any minor issue as an attempt to get something for free, to get money off, to get some kind of monetary reward.
I say good luck to them, if they want to be money grabbing pathetic arseholes who like to blow things out of proportion, if they enjoy being sanctimonious gutter dwelling scum then they'll be repaid in spades at some point.

MegEmski · 11/09/2016 10:06

I worked in McDonald's for 7 years, through A levels, full time in gap year and then through Uni. I dealt with many many many horrendous customers. During Uni it was in Stratford upon Avon so a super busy one.

I reckon I managed to be cheerful 98% of the time, and helpful and professional 99.9℅. it bugs me dealing with rude customer service. I've been there and I know the job but I managed to be polite so why can't others?
Had a weeks holiday in San Fran this year. Amazing customer service everywhere we went. I loved it

Shockers · 11/09/2016 10:12

If I went into work stinking of stale alcohol, ignored someone who spoke to me and put my head on a desk with my arms over it, I'd be sent home and given a written warning.

If I called someone a psycho bitch, I'd be sacked.

I work in a school, but why should the rules be any different for any other job? don't get me started on footballers

RufusTheSpartacusReindeer · 11/09/2016 10:18

But why should the barman have an encyclopaedic knowledge of all the bars in the local area that is showing the game? We used to show games at a pub I worked at but I'd have no idea where other games

Then you say "i dont know" politely

He may not have been sacked just told to bugger off for a week

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