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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To hate hate working in retail/hospitality

14 replies

Christmasgrinchthesecond · 09/12/2017 21:20

I'm probably BU.

I work in a coffee shop and have just had yet another shite day. Sad

Rude customers.

customer sits with hot drink for 20 minutes, doesn't drink any of it.

"My latte isn't warm!"

Then proceeds to ask (demand) I make another one, disrupting the queue and making things even more hectic

customer looks at three of us working hard, making coffee, on till and tidying dirty trays in a clearly manic store

"The customer service is appalling, I've waited forever!" Then continues on like this for five more minutes. I wouldn't mind a comment, but please don't rant at me, I'm clearly not the manager and I'm suffering from the being staffed too!

And then just the general snappiness, "cappuccino! Extra hot!"

No basic manners like please or thank you

I probably sound pathetic but after a ten hour shift, six days a week I'm so fed up :(

I'm only doing this job for a year as I'm beginning a new degree next year and this a stop gap but it just feels so lengthy

Sorry I had to moan

AIBU and a wuss?

OP posts:
Original poster
Christmasgrinchthesecond · 09/12/2017 21:21

*clearly we're short staffed

OP posts:
arethereanyleftatall · 09/12/2017 21:22

Yanbu.
Remember there's hundreds of nice customers for every twat, and try to focus on those.

RestingGrinchFace · 09/12/2017 21:23

You would love NotAlwaysRight

Winterfellismyhome · 09/12/2017 21:23

Yanbu. I work in customer service and have met some of the rudest people. Most customers are perfectly polite but its the rude ones I remember and it can put me in a horrible mood Thanks

KarmaStar · 09/12/2017 21:31

Yanbu I've worked in the public sector for many years.the public can be anything from absolutely amazing to downright ignorant and facing the sixty hours a week must be soul destroying.
Hold on to the fact it is only for one year.
You are right to let off steam.so grumble away😊
I used to go running after work and turned the frustration and irritation into dust,came back exhilarated and ready to face them all again the next day.
Hope your future customers are a happier lot!😅

PumpkinPie2016 · 09/12/2017 21:36

YANBU - I worked in waitressing in my student days and although most customers were nice and polite, there were a fair few who seemed to think it was perfectly acceptable to be rude to staff.

I am very glad I am no longer in that line of work!

Just keep in your mind that it isn't forever Flowers

Feckitall · 09/12/2017 21:40

Rubbish day in retail today...so you have Flowers from me...

JoshHommesWife · 09/12/2017 22:18

It's awful!!

I work in a supermarket pt whilst studying and the amount of times i want to say to every rude fucker who tuts because something doesn't scan I'VE GOT A FIRST CLASS DEGREE YOU DICKHEAD.

"you wouldn't have a job if it wasn't for me shopping here!" is a common one

ohcecelia · 09/12/2017 22:33

Nope, ive always worked in retail and some people are shit. This time of year brings out the worst too. Try and focus on the nice ones ❤️

Unihorn · 09/12/2017 22:35

Nope I'm a restaurant manager, I've been in hospitality for 8 years. Many people this time of year are absolute pricks. We've had a fair few office party wankers out in full force snorting coke in toilets and throwing up everywhere, smoking weed outside our entrance and smashing glasses. Merry Christmas...!

alltoomuchrightnow · 09/12/2017 22:39

I work in retail AND hospitality (two jobs) so you have my sympathy!
The retail is in a large, famous retailers and is utter hell right now. Frequently coming home in tears..not just stress of customers but from the stressed out managers . On Thursday I got to work straight after a car crash, and there was no thanks or how are you...even though they knew the reason why I was an hour late.. and had made the effort to get their car less ..(no public transport where I live) and before I'd even had a chance to get to the police station to file a report (driver hit me and fled the scene, my car is probably written off).
The other job is stewarding at football matches and I get screamed at by the losing team's spectators
Josh, am experiencing the 'faded bar code won't scan' most days. Why do customers take it so personally ? It starts with the tutting and tapping of their credit card before often launching into verbal abuse because they don't want to wait while I manually tap in the code

gunsandbanjos · 09/12/2017 22:40

You have my sympathies, I worked hospitality for 13 years, never again!!!

nancy75 · 09/12/2017 22:43

I did retail for many years, December brings out the very worst in people ( to be fair they are pretty bad the rest of the year too) I don’t work in retail anymore & really don’t thunk I could go back to it ( without potentially beating a customer with a coat hanger!!)

MammaTJ · 09/12/2017 22:44

YANBU. I clearly remember the day I went in to 'Mum mode' though. A customer came in and said 'Show me the 4' fitted sheets' and I replied, totally without thinking 'I will if you say please' and he said 'Please show me the 4' fitted sheets'. I was lucky he did not report me to management, but I was also right!

Most of my working life has been spent in care work though, where I have been bitten scratched, punched and had my hair pulled, so a bit of rudeness is like water off a ducks back.

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