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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be so tired of 'upselling'

290 replies

scaryclown · 02/08/2017 10:01

It's just bloody relentless! I took a bike into a nice independent bike shop today. It's a £45 fix, yet all the conversation was about 'time to buy a new bike', every day I say 'single espresso' to be met with 'double?'
I swear I'm going to punch someone!.

Throwing away a perfectly good bike to meet some oily dickhead sales target!?

Jesus Grin

OP posts:
Rufustherenegadereindeer1 · 04/08/2017 19:45

It doesn't change the fact that it's irritating for customers

Yeah we know

Partly because all of the hard stares and frowns we get

And partly because...

Dun dun durrrrr

We are all customers

Rufustherenegadereindeer1 · 04/08/2017 19:47

Dammit beer

This is why i should press refesh Grin

And i did dun dun durrrr and everything

MaisyPops · 04/08/2017 19:52

rufus
That was in reply to someone else telling us that staff are made to do it my managers.

So I said, no doubt that's the case but it doesn't change the fact that it's irritating which is why people are complaining.

Not sure why the 'dur dur dur... we are customers' sarcasm is needed for something that has already been established.

People are complaining about something that irritates them. Unsurprisingly, people are talking about the irritating thing.

Beerwench · 04/08/2017 19:56

Rufus

I bow to your dun dun durrrrr - far more effective and to the point than my post lol - I admit it - I'm a waffler (not when up selling though Wink!)

I guess the point though is for customers to actually vote with their cash and shop at places with no or less upselling - and let the policy makers of the places they boycott why they no longer want to shop there - I doubt that'll happen though, most people are satisfied with making their thoughts known to the staff - who are as stuck with it as the customers.

SpareChangeDownTheSofa · 04/08/2017 20:04

rufus Grin

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 04/08/2017 20:08

I know upselling is annoying but really some of you sound extremely rude to service staff. No need to say "if I'd wanted one I'd ask" etc. The staff, I can assure you, take no pleasure in asking and only ask because they'll lose their job if they don't. They could do without your sanctimonious retorts. I'm sure you think you're being very witty but you're just being a nob.

Obviously it's different if a high pressure salesman is in your home for hours, I think new laws have really cracked down on this.

I have been on the other side but it was over a decade ago and we didn't really do upselling then. As a result I'm always nice to service staff (unless they're extremely rude to me, which is very rare) and get a bit stressed at being sold to, I feel so compelled to buy, which is why I avoid make-up counters and Lush (which I used to love) like the plague.

OnlyGodKnowsWhy · 04/08/2017 20:09

Retail manager. I don't find yodelling soul destroying. If rude customers upset you, you are probably in the wrong job. We upsell, we don't hard sell. There is a difference. Yodelling I generally means it's an upgrade and better than what is being bought. Hard sell is trying to force a product down a customers throat. Upselling is actually important or you get some customers coming back saying, oi, how come my mate got offered the three for a tenner deal and I didn't?

People that are rude to sales staff are just the same as people that are rude to waiters.

MaisyPops · 04/08/2017 20:14

beer
Voting with their feet seems to be working at our local wh Smith. It's now moved to a premises half the size it used to have and it speaks volumes of what they actually sold. Now one aisle is snacks, drinks fridges, chocolate (and all around the till there's random stands of chocolate), another is magazines, there's a small amount of stationery, children's books and a small selection of adults fiction. Other than that it's just whatever books are currently half price.
Not sure why anyone would even buy drinks or snacks there if I'm honest because other shops are cheaper. It's probably being kept a float by the back to school shop.

CockacidalManiac · 04/08/2017 20:18

Retail manager. I don't find yodelling soul destroying. If rude customers upset you, you are probably in the wrong job. We upsell, we don't hard sell. There is a difference. Yodelling I generally means it's an upgrade and better than what is being bought

Eh?!

OnlyGodKnowsWhy · 04/08/2017 20:20

Ah auto-correct, upselling not yodelling which I do find rather soul destroying.

Baalam · 04/08/2017 20:21

I am not being rude. I am already a customer. There is no need to try to 'trick' me into spending more. Sorry if macdonalds staff think I'm being a nob but I'm not going to passively absorb the extra advertising without standing up for myself.

roundaboutshuh · 04/08/2017 20:22

Yeah, it's a crap part of modern life!

Smiths
Superdrug
Halifax building society (give me a break!!)

I avoid them all.

CockacidalManiac · 04/08/2017 20:22

If rude customers upset you, you are probably in the wrong job.

Being as the rest of the post doesn't seem to make any sense, let's look at this. I'd have thought it quite human to get upset if someone is rude to you? Whatever job I've ever been in, it's always been quite upsetting if people are being unpleasant, because there's no need for it and it's dehumanising. So what's with this 'wrong job' crap?

Beerwench · 04/08/2017 20:23

OnlyGodKnowsWhy

Retail manager. I don't find yodelling soul destroying. If rude customers upset you, you are probably in the wrong job. We upsell, we don't hard sell. There is a difference.

There are always rude customers, but this is something that irritates a good few people and the front line staff bear the brunt of customers dissatisfaction. And do your staff have targets to meet with regards to upselling? And suffer consequences of not meeting such targets? Because to me that's a 'hard sell' forced through staff fear of sanctions. I'm not saying your company specifically does this but I have worked for those who do.

Yodelling I generally means it's an upgrade and better than what is being bought. Hard sell is trying to force a product down a customers throat. Upselling is actually important or you get some customers coming back saying, oi, how come my mate got offered the three for a tenner deal and I didn't?

Yep, and I myself am grateful for that as I'm sure some others are but there's a difference between "they're on a 3 for 2 offer" at the till and having to offer a variety of tat, explain that weeks targeted sales and giving the customer half a tree with their receipt of 'special offers' glares at WHSmith!

People that are rude to sales staff are just the same as people that are rude to waiters.

Yes because IMO they like to have a go at someone who they know can't retaliate because they're at work and risk losing their job if they dare defend themselves against unreasonable behavior.

Baalam · 04/08/2017 20:26

It's not unreasonable to point out that if you'd wanted a large meal you would have asked for one.

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 04/08/2017 20:27

Baalam how is snapping at service staff standing up for yourself? If you're that aggrieved by it then boycott it or write to head office. Why would you treat people like that and make them feel crap?

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 04/08/2017 20:31

Sorry if macdonalds staff think I'm being a nob but I'm not going to passively absorb the extra advertising without standing up for myself.

It's McDonalds, and it's not "extra advertising". It's simply making sure you're getting what you want, because like I say, people aren't good at actually communicating that; you have to tease it out of them.

For example:

"I'll have a chicken legend."
"Is that as a meal?
"Yeah."
"Is that large?"
"Yeah."
"Do you want the mayo, BBQ or spicy?"
"Bbq."
"What drink do you want?"
"Fanta."
"Are you eating in or taking away?"
"Eating in."

Those are some of my least favourite customers. My best customer interaction goes like this:

"I'll have a medium Big Mac meal with a coke to take away please."

Perfect. I don't need to ask any questions at all; simply tell them the total, because they've actually told me exactly what they want.

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 04/08/2017 20:33

It's not unreasonable to point out that if you'd wanted a large meal you would have asked for one

It is unreasonable because it's rude. And I don't know how many more times I have to say it, but people don't always ask for what they actually want.

WhatToDoAboutThis2017 · 04/08/2017 20:33

It's not unreasonable to point out that if you'd wanted a large meal you would have asked for one

Also, how are they supposed to know you want a medium? Because you haven't asked for one.

CockacidalManiac · 04/08/2017 20:34

It is unreasonable because it's rude. And I don't know how many more times I have to say it, but people don't always ask for what they actually want.

Totally agree. There's no need to be arsey with someone serving you; it just shows you up as having poor manners.

DropZoneOne · 04/08/2017 20:36

My DD needs glasses. A few years ago the only pair she liked were in Vision Express. So we handed over our free prescription. These frames aren't free. Ok no problem. Would you like scratch protection? Yes please.
We offer a free second pair for children. Great we'll have the free frames for those.
Would you like scratch protection on those? No thanks, they're the emergency pair.
We recommend super light lenses. No I'm sure the normal ones are fine.
Are you sure? They'll look much better and it's only £150 for the two pairs.

At which point I spluttered and replied "These free glasses are getting very expensive". Grin

We go to Specsavers now. I pick up frames, hand over prescription, end of.

Rufustherenegadereindeer1 · 04/08/2017 20:38

maisy

Honest apologies

My post wasnt meant to be a dig at you personally, i know you realise that shop assistants are also customers

It was meant more as a general comment about some of the people who dont seem to get it and have posted similar

And to be fair...it took me ages to work out how to spell dun dun durrrrr

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 04/08/2017 20:38

There's been a few threads recently about McDonalds workers and I'm surprised how many people seem to think it's ok to be rude to them, I'm sure they wouldn't treat a waiter the same way.

And I bet my bottom dollar that if people got a medium meal when they meant large they'd be the first to go in to kick off!

(No I don't work for McDonalds or in customer service at all)

And sorry I don't think working in customer service means you just have to put up with rude customers. How about treating fellow humans with a bit of respect? People haven't got the god given right to be twats just because they're forking out £4.50 for a burger and chips.

CherryChasingDotMuncher · 04/08/2017 20:40

I also agree there's a difference between being useful and upselling. So if I go in to a shop and buy a bottle of pop for £1.30 it's nice when they tell me it's actually 2 for £1.50. This is not the same as saying "would you like Dairy Milk with Something Disgusting in the Middle That We Couldn't Otherwise sell for a huge mark-up of £2". Just no

Rufustherenegadereindeer1 · 04/08/2017 20:40

I dont get rude customers to be honest

I think thats partly because i only work 6-8 hours a week and the law of averages must mean that the more you work the more you get them

And i work in a nice dress store with generally nice customers