AIBU to wonder why people are so rude to shop workers?

[Hofty]

I work in a shop. For context it isn't a supermarket, it sells quite expensive gifts. This is relevant only because it's not a busy and stressful place to shop.

Yesterday morning a woman came in, it was very quiet and I was quite bored so I left her for five minutes and then went over and said 'hi, how are you?' she then preceded to lean into my face and barked at me 'I don't want to talk to YOU. I want to shop' whilst looking down at me like I'm a piece of shit. I walked away. I cried out the back though.

At a different retail job I had a customer actually scream in my face once because I didn't hear what they said because it was loud in the shop.

I also seem to get quite a lot of tutting and eye rolling for absolutely no reason from the general public, I could maybe understand that if I was making mistakes, but I'm not. I'm just serving them on the till.

So, AIBU to wonder why on earth customers are so rude to staff in retail?

I once worked in a shop where we were required to: approach the customer and greet within 2 minutes, greeting had to be an open ended question, catalogue must be given,selling points pointed out on the back, project discussed all with open ended questions, find out room sizes, colour scheme, budget, make suggestions, offer quote, up sell. Blah blah blah.
If you were mystery shopped and missed things you got a warning.
3 warnings and you are out.
THAT is why you are bugged in certain shops.
That is also why I get pissed off by members of the public randomly doing mystery shops to earn a few extra quid. People's jobs hang on those reports.
No one likes being approached, no one likes approaching.

Pity you can't rabbit punch rude customers. Glad I work alone in Domestic cleaning. Way better than being in retail!

You're right, Fair enough @silverysurfer
It's definitely more accurate to say some people, most are fine.

@Hofty thank you for explaining how this works with regard to management and their expectations of staff and how they should approach customers, that was really interesting to hear. I shall be more mindful of this in future when shop workers approach me that they are doing what they have been told to do, and it sounds like they don't like doing it much either.

I remain of the view, personally, that doing this doesn't constitute what I consider good customer service. I do realize now though, that this is the responsibility of those training and managing staff and not of the staff who are doing the approaching. Also, there is no excuse for rudeness, "politeness costs nothing" as the saying goes

I don't think it constitutes good customer service either, I know it puts people off buying things. The shop I work for sells beauty products and gifts, we are forced by management to demo beauty products on customers hands. I asked what happens if they say no, and was told do it anyway unbelievable. Rest assured I draw the line there.

@Insomniac yes a customer can work it out, but what if they didn't realise which person in the shop was staff/that they were genuinely feeling apprehensive about approaching the till for whatever reason/they were looking in what they thought was the right place for somethign they wanted and might just walk out without asking because the person at the till was tap tapping on the computer (me doing website amendments) and they didn't want to interrupt?
It's just saying 'do feel able to ask' and quite a few people seem to appreciate that (how come I always get loads of sales when the (very lovely) shop owner walks out)

Tidiot, customers understand that too but its frustrating when you are just deciding what you want, to have someone almost agressively in your face. This is when you have said 5 or 6 times already that you are just browsing thanks. I am not rude but i will walk out and go to another shop where they give me time to decide

I’ve also noticed a decreasing lack of professionalism in shops by staff lately so it’s a two way street.

This. Seen with my own eyes.

Staff member (supposed to be serving) is at that Counter and is having a chat with her friend (not staff) who is in the shop and they are looking through wedding photos.

Customer approaches counter. Waits politely. Is ignored.

Customer says excuse me. Staff member glances and says something like "I'll be with you in a moment" and carries on the private conversation about the wedding.

Customer repeats and says something like "please could you serve me, this looks like a private conversation and there is no one else here to help me".

Staff member gives an exaggerated huffy sigh (think Harry Enfield Perry style) and says to her friend "I'm so sorry about this" and then turns to the customer and says "YES?" is a really aggressive tone.

If' I'd been the customer I'd have complained. I was just a mildly amused bystander. It was like something out of a sitcom.

Im never rude but have to be honest particularly in the fancier shops i really dislike the attention and to be honest it makes me feel a bit uncomfortable almost giving me a i shouldn't be in here feeling and i just want to get out of there! If you have to say hello to me but please dont eye me around the shop i can more than afford to be in there !

I really don't like when shop assistants pounce on me, but I know it's their job and they get shit off managers if they don't pounce within X minutes of a customer entering the shop/dept. God knows I've done enough retail to know what it's like to have a supervisor whip out a clipboard after "observing" me and whinge I don't smile enough or whatever.

So I say "No thank you, I'm just browsing for now. I'll come and find you if I need help".

I’ve seen both customers and staff be thoroughly rude. It’s very odd as manners are very simple and it’s easy to make eye contact with someone and say thanks etc. I do think a lot is to do with not only education and class, but also general culture where shop workers are considered to be the dregs. Curiously though, the customer dregs are the worst for treating staff badly. You don’t see an awful lot of it in Harvey Nichols for instance (in my experience)!

That's interesting Concise, because though I've never worked in a properly posh shop, I have worked in supermarkets with a mixture of clientele.

And though the shoplifters/"I gave you £10 not £5" chancers were "dregs" the general cuntery was from the toffs. Never seen a "dreg" bellow "YOU THERE, BOY!!!" at a man in his 20s.

Weird how you are made to engage in set numbers of conversations that's a little OTT.

Though if you get me in there you'll get my life story and probably be made to look at pictures of my cats ...☺️

I was in a shop the other day and tried to use a money-off coupon. The young girl couldn't get it to go through and, when she looked at it properly, it was for a bigger pack than I was buying (my mistake). So I said not to worry, I'd use it another time and she actually thanked me for not shouting at her! I said something like 'I'd never do that' and she replied that customers do it all the time. Such a shame and I agree with what someone said earlier, people seem so angry nowadays.

Massive generalisation but going back to visit family recently, I was struck with how some of the UK shop workers were very rude and abrupt when asked for something out of the ordinary compared to the ones in Ireland who seem more keen to oblige.
Maybe it's in response to dealing with stroppy shoppers, I don't know?

On one hand, people who are rude to members of staff in the service industry (shops, waiters etc) are absolute bellends who usually haven't been brought up properly or have suddenly come into money and think that's how you should behave. Mortifying and I judge them immensely.

On the other hand, some members of staff are SO RUDE these days!! I've been treated like shit in several places recently after being my friendliest. No idea what it is but some people just don't want to be there or feel the need to be polite.

I worked in a supermarket when I was doing my A Levels and every Saturday afternoon one guy would come in, find a checkout line to stand in, wait til he reached the front and then go ballistic at whoever was scanning his shopping. Every single week.

He never chose checkouts with men scanning items, though, only ever women. My Managers never once asked him to fuck off and die and whilst I appreciate it's not great customer service, allowing customers to repeatedly behave like arseholes to staff is vile.

Anyone who goes into a shop and shouts at an employee is a twat.

My favourite work story

I got it second hand as i worked in admin but it whipped its way through the bank

Angry customer, called the cashier stupid, incompetent you name it. he demanded to speak to her manager and by this time she was crying

Manager came out listened to the ,now very polite, man and then said to another cashier

Close every account this man has and give him the cash. He is no longer welcome in my bank

(Obviously manager had been given the heads up and had checked his accounts but still....very effective)

No one should be rude like that. I don't think I ever have been (even though I hate the shop people asking me what I want - one reason I shop on line now actually to avoid that pressure and interaction).

Some people are rude because they get their 5 minutes of superiority and a feeling of 'I told her/him!' To see them on their way. It's on the increase and I'm afraid that for me, if you're rude to me, I am indifferent and shruggy. Shout at me because we're out of stock? Well there's no offer from me to order it in if I can and ring when it's arrived. I treat people how they treat me, and if you're a cunt I'll be one right back. I may be getting paid, and you may be spending money, but it's still absolutely no reason to treat someone like shit because you are having a bad morning.
If you don't like being approached then vote with your cash and shop elsewhere, because I can guarantee that having a go at the shop assistant will change absolutely nothing at all - we pass the info on that customers don't like it and are ignored. Management don't listen and don't care. The power is with the customers really, if you don't like how the place operates either tell someone who can do something, or go elsewhere. But most won't because they know all that, they just use it as an excuse to feel superior, and I've found that in all so called 'classes' as well.

I love it when some customers come to you and complain about the price 'this is so much cheaper at X shop!' and then they are looking at you waiting. Waiting for what? To say 'oh dear! No, we can't have that, here is 50% off just for you!!' ? Or as if i am making the prices and i am to blame! I have never found the appropriate answer to that statement since all i am thinking is 'Well, go to the X shop then!'

And I also agree that for people who are nice to us or at least civil we will go the extra mile but for people who are kicking off about things that aren't even our fault well we just don't bother. I wish more people realised that instead of thinking that by shouting and 'putting us in our place' they will get better results.

For someone who said they have the 2 min rule, we have the 30 second rule. Every customer must be acknowledged within 30 sec!

I find those who consider themselves a bit “well to do/ultra middle class” are the worst to shop/restaurant staff.

As in, are utter cunts and should be ashamed of themselves.

One once asked me who I thought was when I apparently failed to give good enough service (didn’t lick her shoes essentially). The urge to respond “your equal, you vile woman” was very nearly overwhelming.

I have worked in many shops in many areas and the great majority of customers are nice. I think you need to develop a thicker skin. I don't think anyone has ever made me cry. I just think the unpleasant ones are tossers and pity anyone that has to live with them.

As I said on a post yesterday, I work in a customer service role in a large supermarket and last week I was spat at for not overruling the cashier who had refused an alcohol sale to a youngster with no I.D. There is not one day in my job when I am not sworn at or threatened or both.

I work retail and I think the majority of customers are lovely, but you tend to remember the arseholes.