To Think This Was A Fuss About Nothing

[zukiecat]

This was from a casual acquaintance, he had an issue with a Tesco staff member, he had purchased a few items and went to the self service till which of course said “Unexpected Item In The Bagging Area”

The assistant came over and asked “Would you like some help mate”

Friend got really angry and said “I’m not your mate, don’t call me that, have some respect”

Assistant then said “Sorry, was only being friendly, meant no offence”

Friend then went to Customer Service and reported this poor chap. I work in my local shop and I’m pretty sure that nothing will happen to this poor assistant, and my friend will forever be known as “That customer who is so up himself” Or worse!

I don’t think the assistant did anything wrong, calling anyone “mate” up here (NE Scotland) is a pretty standard way of greeting anyone, “Pal or Dear” if you’re female

Would anyone really be offended by this, to the point of reporting them?

Very ill mannered of your friend. Unpleasant and unnecessary. What is with all this ‘reporting’ people business?

I saw a woman give a checkout operator a massive earful for calling her "Madam" because, she said, a madam is a prostitute. The poor girl was so confused that it slipped out again: "I'm sorry, Madam..." and the customer was incandescent. My opinion was that she should definitely not have used the word because it is a term of respect to a lady, and this customer was certainly not that.

Up here it's an offense not to call someone pet.

You are obviously in the north east Platypus - I'm from the NE, too, and I have heard the Bishop of Durham called "pet" in his own cathedral.

"Mate" and "love" are both inappropriate, but I would tell the employee that and not take it any further.

At out local Boots chemist, there used to be an assistant who called everyone lover,i think she was from the Devon area,by her accent

I have heard the Bishop of Durham called "pet" in his own cathedral.

I LOVE IT.

Miaow Rhiannon
Aye up me ducks, y'all reet?

Everyone's called lad where I live.
First time an assistant asked DH and I,
'now lads, whaddy want?'
I turned around expecting to see a group of youngsters.
(I'm in my 50's and he's 60's)

"I saw a customer having a go at a shop-worker for reminding the customer they'd left their wallet on the conveyor belt once."

Not the same, but similar twatishness.

I was a student in an evening class and this knobhead came in. He said he had lost his car keys and asked if anyone had seen them anywhere.

One lad stuck his hand up and said "Yeah - I found a set in the entry hall. I gave them the the bloke on security"

The knobhead went ballistic! "What! Why didn't you leave them where they were? How can I be expected to find them you pick them up and move them?" etc - he went on and on about how stupid this lad was and how he should keep his hands off other people'e property and it was none of his damn business etc etc etc. We were all just

The lad just said - "Fair enough. If it happens again I'll leave them on the ground to get stolen or kicked under a unit or something."

The lecturer had come in partway through knob head's tirade and tried to calm him down - turned out the knobhead was his son.

He must have been so proud.

It was John Pritchard Rhiannion - later the Bishop of Oxford. He was a lovely man (and as far as I know still is),

Fab, Schadenfreude.

'ey up, Fluffy, have you got your snap for tomorrow? And some tuffees?

Zaphodsotherhead

Hang on, I WORK in a supermarket, and the customers call me love, dear, sweetheart, hun on a regular basis...

Who do I complain to?

I missed your comment when posting mine, but that's a really good point, it's seen as 'expected' in the customer facing role to just be called what someone sees fit to call you, and accept it. You'd be deemed unreasonable and silly and probably get complained about for being rude if you were to ask not to be called a name like that.
As I said in my post I tend to accept it as a term used by people who need to address me and who wish to be polite but don't know me or my name. I answer to just about anything, did say something to the guy who addressed me as 'hey Chubb's, can I have a drink?' Apparently though to even object was unreasonable because he was only joking......

Oh I like 'pet' too. Is 'poppet' a NE thing? I like those too.

Your acquaintance is an unpleasant piece of work.

Witch I've heard "poppet" used towards children only - it's not very common even then.

Usually "pet", "bonny lass/lad" or, if the speaker is elderly "hinny".

Massive overreaction. Agree that i prefer friendly customer service to the creepy grovelling kind.

I recently moved to the midlands and my heart sings every time i get called "duck".

Schadenfreude, I've only been called a poppet once, by a police officer when I thought I'd lost my car and it was in the services on the other side of the motorway.

I do like 'pet' particularly. I've never heard 'hinny' before. I think I must have NE roots somewhere.

Well when I worked in shop I had a customer who got annoyed because I said hello.. after that I made a point of not serving her.. think your mate has just made buying a loaf of bread harder than it needs to be

Always fill in those forms or phone the company to say thanks. It really boosts morale, especially as most feedback will be negative, it’s just the nature of the beast.

In future, staff will probably say: "Can I help you Knobhead." that's Mr Knobhead Sir!

Fuckery

Mr Knobhead Sir!

I love that!

Our lovely customer services man at Sainsbury's calls me dear or darling and I love it! He's like a kindly uncle.

I work for Tesco. Unlikely anything will get said to the customer assistant.
At the moment we're asked to make chatter with customers and make them feel welcomed and happy.
Bit your fella complained though!

As a southerner "mate" is pretty common name to call someone.