Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Original poster

AIBU to complain? Humiliated and angry about how I was treated in Waitrose.

109 replies

JustSpeakSense · 08/03/2017 15:15

I visited my local Waitrose cafe this morning, I placed my order at the counter (two breakfasts & two lattes, and a slice of cake) I was going to pay by debit card, the lady serving asks me to enter my card and then she goes off to make lattes. The card machine doesn't register my card going in.

She comes back and says 'oh sorry I didn't set it up right, put your card in again' which I do, nothing happens. She now gets quite annoyed with me and says 'you need to put the card in properly, all the way' I do this (again) and nothing happens, she lets out a massive sigh (I am obviously really dumb in her eyes!)

'Don't you have contactless?' she asks (I don't) 'You'll have to use another card then' she says. 'Or cash' (I don't have another card and I don't have cash on me) 'your card's not working she says' (loudly and rudely - shaking her head at me) everyone in the long queue is now showing interest in the kerfuffle.

I say to her 'there is nothing wrong with my bank card, I use it everywhere I go, in fact I have just used it in this store'

'I'm not disputing that' she snaps at me 'you'll have to go and draw cash and pay that way'

At this point I turned around and walked out the store (I was humiliated at how she spoke to me and fuming) We went down the road to Sainsbury's cafe and had a delicious breakfast (and no problems with card machine)

I was fuming and I want to complain (I have never complained anywhere before) do you think I should complain and who should I contact?

OP posts:

Touchmybum · 08/03/2017 16:44

Breakfast and cake???!

INXS · 08/03/2017 16:45

YANBU OP.

I've been in this sort of situation, where the cashier didn't know how to smooth things over, and it still rankles now.

I've also had times when there were problems with my card, but the cashier knew how to react, blamed the machine, and I don't give those occasions a second thought.

Oldraver · 08/03/2017 16:49

I've had a card declined (contactless) three times today at the self serve..I had that horrible moment when I thought the account had been wiped out. It seems to be happening all the more now. Last year our Sainsburys, at least had the good grace to say it was their machines, which have now been replaced. A good assistant would not bring attention to a card being declined.

MrsWhiteWash · 08/03/2017 16:59

I've been in this sort of situation, where the cashier didn't know how to smooth things over, and it still rankles now.

Yes - I remember this happening over 15 years ago in a shop.

Loudly claimed I must have no money in my account. I needed the item so when to cash machine with same card and got the cash. Went back and another assistant came up making conversation said it had happened to several other customer that morning - all of who must have had no money - apparently no thought it might be their machine.

Aldi frequently have issue with my card - to give up and wait for me to use an internal cash machine - so many times I now go down with cash. The staff nothing but apologetic and polite.

sameoldscene · 08/03/2017 16:59

YANBU not at all.
You were treated rudely.
I'd imagine she was panicking - it tends to make some people react like that.
I was treated to the most ridiculous customer service in the Waitrose cafe too.
Apparently the lady working there wanted to criticise my pronunciation of the word "mocha" l tend to say it like the Americans do - l lived there a long time.
Anyway, she went on and on and on about how she didn't know what coffee l was asking for. Then after l explained- she decided to tell me all about how the word was spelt, so l was definitely saying it incorrectly.
Finally l just decided to stare at her - she wrapped herself into an enormous embarrassment & asked if l travelled much?

The80sweregreat · 08/03/2017 17:00

you poor thing, write to the manager and complain. that was out of order!

flibflob · 08/03/2017 17:01

Another one who has worked in customer service with temperamental card machines. I would never make a scene whatever the reason - just politely explain the situation and apologise. Perhaps worth dropping your local Waitrose a quick email/phone call, if only to ask them to check their card machines at the cafe and mentioning the brusque reaction of the lady serving you.

plimsolls · 08/03/2017 17:04

I'm surprised you felt so humiliated and angry. Doesn't seem like it's such a big deal in the grand scheme of things.

unicorn5629 · 08/03/2017 17:06

I had a similar situation a few weeks back when Barclays went down...
I had no other cards
I had no cash... DH at work 20miles away

Cashpoint wouldn't even let me check balance let alone draw out cash

£80 food shop had to be left (at kiosk as they'd tried to scan things through again to see if it worked) - maybe a little dramatic as I was tired and emotional but I left the store feeling embarrassed, sniffling tears with my 1 year old and an empty trolley !

They were kind about it but it's still slightly humiliating

Livelovebehappy · 08/03/2017 17:09

I would have been annoyed too. Not at the fact that the card wasn't working, but because of the woman's attitude. Obviously it wasn't her problem, but she should have dealt with matter a lot better. Maybe using a bit of discretion. TBH, reference to someone up thread who said she was happy to pay more and shop at Waitrose because of their good customer service, I find the absolute opposite to be true. The more upmarket the store is (or presumes to be), the worse the service is.

MuncheysMummy · 08/03/2017 17:18

I'd complain definitely about her rude manner

lemonsandlimes123 · 08/03/2017 17:20

humiliated and angry? massive overreaction on your part.

SheSaidHeSaid · 08/03/2017 17:24

I'd complain. There was no need for her to react how she did. She could have managed this a number of different ways other than how she did.

Tartyflette · 08/03/2017 17:24

It is humiliating to have your card 'declined'; almost exactly the same thing happened to me in our local co-op, I could see the assistant was not waiting for the card to register properly after I'd put it in the card reader, she was inputting the amount far too quickly, she tried three times and said sorry, it's not working, try another card.
She wasn't rude but I did feel embarrassed, (queue had built up behind me) even though there were ample funds in the account to pay for the transaction. The card worked fine elsewhere the same day and I double checked my balance to make sure.
So in your case, OP, given that the sales assistant and/or the equipment seem to have been at fault and that this was compounded by her unpleasant attitude I really hope you do complain -- it's certainly not too late.
Phone the branch and ask to speak to the manager, or call in again in person.

ephemeralfairy · 08/03/2017 17:53

Free sushi???

Aeroflotgirl · 08/03/2017 17:59

She was very rude, something was obviously wrong with her card machine. This happens to me sometimes in ASDA, they are very polite, and explain that they sometimes have problems with their card reader, ,move me to another till.

JassyRadlett · 08/03/2017 18:44

Free sushi???

The Waitroses that have had sushi bars installed recently do a great line in free samples. Very generous, they are. I certainly do not exploit that generosity.

plimsolls · 08/03/2017 19:44

It should be clear to everyone witnessing a situation like the OP and examples given by other posters that it's nothing to do with not having funds because for that to be an issue you'd have to put in your pin, have pin accepted, wait for the machine to contact card issuer and then come back with "card declined" or whatever.

All these examples given of a card not being read, either because the chip is not working or because the card machine is faulty. There's no need to feel humiliated as if you're being accused of having an empty bank account.... if the card or machine isn't working, there's no way of telling what your funds are.

Astoria7974 · 08/03/2017 19:44

This is why I use contactless. It's more reliable & has guaranteed refunds for errors and fraud.

Squills · 08/03/2017 20:54

I think you're over reacting... let it go

SquidgeyMidgey · 08/03/2017 20:57

I think you should have said something at the time if you were going to. I know it's annoying when your card isn't processed, I've had it a few times recently because of anti-fraud checks on my card, but it's not humiliating unless you let it be.

bunnylove99 · 08/03/2017 21:03

You are right to be cross. But it sounds like you are just as cross with yourself for not acting on it at the time, but sitting stewing on it all day. You need to toughen up and stick up for yourself as these situations arise!

KingJoffreysRestingCuntface · 08/03/2017 21:07

Waitrose is savage. Only been in one once. Was like Lord Of The Flies.

If I was going back I'd slap on the war paint and take weapons. Scary place.

Sounds like she's been in there too long. She's lost her humanity.

Breakfast and cake sounds epic, BTW.

gandalf456 · 09/03/2017 10:23

How do you mean, 'savage?'

KingJoffreysRestingCuntface · 09/03/2017 11:12

Lots of shouting and pushing. Manners left at the door.

Seemed really loud in there. Like the kind of noise you get at a really busy children's swimming pool.

Woman next to me at the checkout was very shrill.

Tesco is nice and calm in comparison.

Flip

1 2 3 4 5

Please create an account

To comment on this thread you need to create a Mumsnet account.

Join Mumsnet Log In

This thread is closed and is no longer accepting replies. Click here to start a new thread.

Swipe left for the next trending thread