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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be irrationally irritated by Morrisons trolley collector today

112 replies

pippa737 · 23/10/2018 17:12

I know he meant well, but he really pissed me off!

I had a bunch of stuff in my trolley - about 60 items... shower gels, shampoos, chocolate bars, crisps, talc, washing powder, fruit, cream crackers, tinned food, veg, frozen food, fridge food (like milk and yogurts,) bread, etc. I pushed the trolley back to my car and I started pulling everything out of the boot, and opened my cool bag for the fridge and freezer stuff. I had bathroom and kitchen stuff, smelly stuff, frozen items, fridge items, tins, packets that would easily crush, so was taking my time.

I had packed about a third of my stuff away, and this guy comes up to me and says 'can I take your trolley Madam?' I said 'er no thanks, I am still unpacking...' He said 'I'll wait,' and stood there while I carried on pulling the stuff out (and making me feel under pressure to hurry!) Hmm

So then I said 'the joints in my hands are a bit inflamed today, so I will take a while putting it all away, so it's OK I don't need you to take the trolley, I can take it back in a few minutes......' So then he said 'I will help you then,' and proceeded to start picking my foodstuffs and goods out of my trolley, and shoving it all over my car boot. Tins of beans on top of my bloody crisps and cream crackers and all sorts! Confused Which are now somewhat crushed! Hmm

So I gathered up everything as quick as poss, and lumped it all in the boot just to get rid of him!

'Here's the trolley then' I said. 'There you go, saved you a job taking it back haven't I?' he said smugly!

The more I thought about it, the more bloody annoyed I got. I TOLD him I didn't need - or want his help, and he kept pushing and pushing, making me feel flustered and rushed and irritated.

So if any MORRISONS manager is reading this, please tell your staff to not do stuff like this! If you offer someone help, and they say 'no thank you,' respect their decision. Don't push it on them. It's patronising and rude, and puts people under pressure.

To add insult to injury, because I was irritated and flustered, I didn't zip up my cool bag, and my frozen food had started to thaw out by the time I got home! Hmm

Sorry, I needed to rant somewhere about this! And hopefully someone from Morrisons sees it!

(nc for this by the way. Didn't want to use my regular username sorry!)

OP posts:
Original poster
pippa737 · 23/10/2018 18:40

No @usedtobeginger, there was no coin in the trolley. So he wasn't after that

OP posts:
Greggers2017 · 23/10/2018 18:46

@pippa737 why didn't you just take your bags into the supermarket and pack at the checkout? Much less faff. You were at Morrison's boy Aldi 🙄
I just put my stuff on the conveyor belt at the checkout together. Ie, tins, bread etc

Stevienickssleeves · 23/10/2018 18:50

If he is indeed autistic as pp have suggested, then he will not have picked up on social cues, noticed you feeling awkward and likely misinterpreted you saying you were going to be a while as you worrying that you would inconvenience him by making him wait. He was trying to reassure you that you wouldn't. It's just a miscommunication. It would have helped to be more direct e.g. "I want to take my time. I'll put the trolley away as I'd prefer to do it myself. Thanks for offering".

ineedaholidaynow · 23/10/2018 18:51

I was going to ask why didn't you pack it into bags in your trolley? Don't think I have ever known anyone take it loose in the trolley and pack it in the car.

SemperIdem · 23/10/2018 18:53

It’s the customer service manager you’d want to speak to, and most likely would end up speaking to, even if you did ask for the store manager.

I get why you found it annoying. In all honesty I probably would have too, in the moment. I’d have let it go before I’d left the carpark though.

We all know that invisible disabilities exist. I know a few people through work with additional needs that are in no way obvious in a brief first time interaction (as yours was with this man) but are quite obvious thereafter.

theonetowalkinthesun · 23/10/2018 18:54

I feel like there are a few harsh posts! YANBU I wouldn't have liked someone watching me as I unpacked either, you would feel pressured to go quickly!
Interesting however what PPs said about Morrisons often employing people with additional needs. As this is the case, I would just quietly put up with the person waiting next time and try not to feel rushed.

Original poster
pippa737 · 23/10/2018 18:54

@stevienickssleeves

I want to take my time. I'll put the trolley away as I'd prefer to do it myself. Thanks for offering".

Yeah good point. I will be more firm next time. He just caught me unaware.

I took it all to the car to pack it in there because I left the bags in the car.

And doing it all at the till is time consuming and holds up the queue..

I think I should be allowed to do it how I want. I usually do it this way, and have never been bugged like this before.

OP posts:
Original poster
pippa737 · 23/10/2018 18:55

I am not going to complain about this, but would have to have a word with the manager if it keeps happening. (When I have said no thank you again...)

OP posts:
Vanillabloom · 23/10/2018 18:56

Think about if you were to speak to the manager. What would you say? The guy was helping me put away my shopping? The manager would think he was being helpful. Really think what happened is such a non-issue

Original poster
pippa737 · 23/10/2018 18:57

@theonetowalkinthesun

Thanks … Smile Yes, I genuinely believe that most people would have felt irked and harassed, even if they insist they would not have felt this way!

OP posts:
Original poster
pippa737 · 23/10/2018 18:59

What would I say to the manager if it continued/happened again?

'Can you please ask your staff on the car park to respect people wishes when they say they don't want help?'

Even if someone has special needs, they still have to learn a certain level of customer service.

OP posts:
SemperIdem · 23/10/2018 19:00

To be fair Vanilla - if a customer was to articulate themselves nicely and explain they felt harassed, as much as they understood the person was trying to be helpful, it is likely a gentle word/further training would be offered behind the scenes.

Original poster
pippa737 · 23/10/2018 19:01

It didn't feel like a non-issue to me.

I felt harassed and flustered, and as a pp said, so would most other people if the same thing had happened.

And some of my food got crushed, and some defrosted as I left my cool bag unzipped as I was flustered and stressed.

So yes I will have to say something to the manager if it happens again.

OP posts:
Laiste · 23/10/2018 19:01

There is a young man working at my local tesco at the moment who is very friendly keen to help and when he's on trolley duty outside he likes to fetch a trolley for you while you get your child/bags out of your car. ''Stay there miss i'll get the trolley!''.

The last time he did this for me he spent an age getting it across the car park for me because the one he'd picked had wheels which were stuck pointing in different directions. I met him half way in the end and thanked him. I then had a laborious job getting the trolley back to the entrance to the store with these damn wheels while he watched me smiling. I kept smiling back all the way. When he'd stopped looking i abandoned it and switched trolleys. No way i'd have hurt his feelings by refusing the trolley. I saw the funny side of it tbh.

sparkli · 23/10/2018 19:01

As PPs have said, he likely has ASN. I really can't believe you would consider reporting this! In the grand scheme of things does this event warrant being upset? My 15yo DD has just come in howling after discovering her best friend found out she had cancer today. That's worth getting upset about, not a packet of crushed crackers or slightly defrosted veg Hmm

Original poster
pippa737 · 23/10/2018 19:02

Thanks @semperldem

Some good points there. Smile

OP posts:
Original poster
pippa737 · 23/10/2018 19:03

Oh FGS @sparkli! Really?! Hmm You're pulling that shit on me?!

OP posts:
sparkli · 23/10/2018 19:06

This reply has been deleted

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MereDintofPandiculation · 23/10/2018 19:07

It's difficult to know what to do about speaking to a manager. I've seen what happens in another organisation where people are employed at minimum wage of just above - the job has tightly defined processes, and any minor transgression leads, not to a bit of extra training, but to an "investigation" which almost certainly is followed by a "disciplinary" and a formal written warning. I am very chary of complaining about customer service for this reason.

CelebBigBother · 23/10/2018 19:11

Sometimes, supermarkets employ people with special needs for these jobs. Maybe you could have just been a little more patient and not so condesending?

ilovesooty · 23/10/2018 19:11

I was wondering why you'd felt the need to name change for this but given your responses I'm beginning to see why you didn't want to use your regular name. Why you'd consider reporting this customer interaction to the store manager is beyond me.

Original poster
pippa737 · 23/10/2018 19:12

Problem is @mere, how will this man know he is doing wrong?

Being overly pushy is never a good idea, and will really irk some people.

Some people would have been a lot worse, and gone in and complained right there and then.

OP posts:
Original poster
pippa737 · 23/10/2018 19:13

I mean how will he know if no-one says anything, and he isn't told?

OP posts:
Original poster
pippa737 · 23/10/2018 19:14

I only said I'd report it if it kept happening @ilovesooty

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LittleBookofCalm · 23/10/2018 19:15

You have a tongue in your head, just speak up, or get over it please don't complain in writing