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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

customer told me I was miserable as sin.

161 replies

loserlily · 31/12/2019 15:51

Feel very pathetic. Working in retail over Christmas during the Uni break.

On my shift, a woman in her 60s comes to the till. I serve her, and she snaps at me "I said I didnt want a bag!". I say sorry, take the bag off her purchase and carry on. After this, I didn't make an conversation with her, like I normally do, because she seems impatient and not wanting to talk.

She then decides she wants the bag, so I pass her it.

She snaps at me "are you having a bad day?" I said no.

She then shouts loudly "well you look as miserable as bloody sin". Grabs her receipt off me and leaves the shop.

I could feel my cheeks burning up, and my lip start doing that stupid wobbling thing. Had to carry on serving the next customer, who heard.

I feel pathetic for getting upset. AIBU to think she treated me like a piece of shit? Or is this an okay thing to say?

OP posts:
Rosebel · 31/12/2019 18:39

I work in retail and have lost count of the amount of times customers have been rude. Now I just ignore the rude fuckers and concentrate on most of the customers who can be civil and polite. It backfires on rude customers though because they never get as good a,service as those who are polite.

1forAll74 · 31/12/2019 18:48

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SilverDragonfly1 · 31/12/2019 18:49

Take it as a compliment- sin can be great fun!

SheChoseDown · 31/12/2019 18:52

I had a customer who didn't have any ID, she thought saying 'I'm taking chemo tablets' would be acceptable.... I was gobsmacked. How does one even respond to that? So awkward

mumwon · 31/12/2019 18:52

re behaviour (not in retail) dh & I had just been to one of his hospital jaunts - & were about to cross the road to the car park still inside hospital grounds. " drivers stopped on cross in front of us (with passengers either going to hospital or visiting relatives presumably) they had a stand up argument because one stopped suddenly on crossing - I thought they were going to have pitched fight - I put on my best don't cross with me mother voice & asked them what the heck they were doing they were in a hospital & told them to get straight back in their cars - they did , straight away - the nurse coming of duty was in hysterics of laughter ( dh was probably trying to look like he didn't know me - unsuccessfully) but honestly, after yet another hospital appointment, my tolerance for child like behaviour of 2 supposed adults was zero. Op best thing you can do is this when you have finished serving the rude blighter - smile insincerely & and say nice to help you or words to that effect - it will drive her nuts Grin

augustusglupe · 31/12/2019 18:56

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Herbalteahippie · 31/12/2019 19:00

YANBU I used to get very rude customers when I worked in retail. Once the card machine didn’t work first time and I was told how and get someone who knows what they’re doing as you’re clearly having a bad day’ CF!

Dumakey · 31/12/2019 19:00

heartsonacake

You sound like a wonderful manager, if only every employee was lucky enough to work for someone like you Smile

heartsonacake · 31/12/2019 19:12

Dumakey Thank you Smile I try my best but there is always room for improvement and much to learn.

I can’t expect my team to respect me, work hard and be motivated if I don’t respect them and look out for them. However, because I do have their backs and their best interests at heart I have a team who tries their best and is eager to please and learn.

Customers are important yes, but without my team there is nobody to serve them, and I’m sure we would all rather be served by happy, confident staff than truly miserable ones who hate their jobs.

Dizzygirl00 · 31/12/2019 19:13

Don’t take it personally there are some utter arseholes out there 🙄 for every a-hole there’ll be a lovely one 😀 Flowers

Jellybeansincognito · 31/12/2019 19:21

She was horrible, but perhaps retail isn’t for you if this sort of thing is enough to make you nearly cry? I say that in the nicest of ways...

You’ll end up a wreck.

heartsonacake · 31/12/2019 19:50

She was horrible, but perhaps retail isn’t for you if this sort of thing is enough to make you nearly cry? I say that in the nicest of ways...

You’ll end up a wreck.

Jellybeansincognito Actually in my experience as both a former retail employee and now a customer facing manager, these sorts of encounters make staff stronger.

Rachelfromfriends1 · 31/12/2019 19:55

I too worked in retail whilst at uni, I agree that older women tend to be the rudest and most condescending.

When the bag charges came in, a woman was incredulous that I dared to charge her 5p for a bag as I would have to break her £10 note and give her change. She demanded a free bag and gave the whole “I shouldn’t pay to advertise your store” spiel. Normally I’d just not charge for the bag but my manager was next to me and I didn’t want to get in trouble for flagrantly ignoring the bag charge.

She then started loudly ranting about how I shouldn’t be on tills/should get the sack and that she “knows her rights” etc and refused to accept the £9.95 back. It wasn’t even my mistake! My manager overheard the entire conversation, he didn’t offer the customer a free bag either as she was that rude to me. He just refunded her entire purchase. Love it when retail managers have your back & don’t undermine you!

finn1020 · 31/12/2019 20:19

She was a rude cow, and that’s how some people treat retail workers.

My teen has an after school job restocking shelves in a large department store. A relief teacher shopping in the store, who did not recognise him, got cranky with him when my son told the teacher the store had run out of a particular product. My son who is normally polite in class said next time he has the teacher at school he’s going to be rude and muck up. While I’d not normally encourage this I did say go for it.

WaggleWiggle · 31/12/2019 21:07

She’s a nasty cow. Some people feel entitled to be as rude as they like.

Cherrysoup · 31/12/2019 21:12

Some people are just arseholes. Practice a big smile and overly subservient tones-think Rowan Atkinson in Love Actually. Alternatively, if feeling brave, say ‘I don’t see the reason to be so rude. I’m trying to be helpful’. I don’t see that you should be abused whilst working, it’s not like you’re in the police!

Lana1234 · 31/12/2019 21:18

Had many customers like this when I worked retail. You gotta honestly just shake it off and carry on with the day. Don't let them win and make you as miserable as they are

Rachelfromfriends1 · 31/12/2019 21:21

Whenever someone was rude to me, I was just extra cheery with the next customer. It annoys the rude customer because they didn’t succeed in ruining your day, makes them look irrelevant as you’re still doing your job etc so it looks like they were the problem vs you. And the next customer tends to be nice and chatty in return, so you’re breaking the cycle of having a bad day with nasty customer after nasty customer.

Cherrysoup · 31/12/2019 21:33

@Bluerussian Happy birthday! 🎉💐🎂🍾

TrickyKid · 31/12/2019 21:35

She's clearly miserable! Ignore her.

SamanthaJayne4 · 31/12/2019 22:58

I was behind an older lady (around my age) in M & S and she was unpleasant to the staff. She told them off for talking and not concentrating and snapped about something else. It was really funny when her credit card wouldn't work! That's another good reason to be nice, you never know when you might need help from the staff.

Yummymummy2020 · 01/01/2020 08:25

You are not being unreasonable at all what a rude woman! Also I noticed from your post it sounded like it was HER being miserable and spoiling for a fight, you were the easy target to take it out on! I worked in retail for years and it’s amazing how shitty people can make you feel! To be honest, having had a rough year of it myself I know better than to pass comment on anyone’s humor this time of year anyway, it sounds like you were just doing your job and you were giving her the bag! Retail is really tough this time of year even if you have no troubles or woes so she was just being a brat!!!

Ilovenutellaaaaa · 01/01/2020 08:30

Op the problem was with her....you was serving her, she didn't want the bag, you took it bag, she did want the bag you have her it...then she insulted you....she is the problem not you, I doubt you could have pleased her even if you were smiling and talking as she sounds like one of those people who find fault with anything....don't let her comment worry you op, the issue is with herself, not you

Spitsandspots · 01/01/2020 09:02

ShabbyNat I had similar but, even though my till was spot on, the twat of a manager actually gave the cow the extra money because she was making such a fuss in front of other customers saying I had stolen her money Angry

ohprettybaby · 01/01/2020 09:17

Although it was rude of her to point out you were as miserable as sin, there are many occasions where I'd love to have the courage to say that to the person serving me.

I'm amazed by how many retail staff don't even look at you as they ask for money or give you change and trot out the "have a nice day" line. I know they are busy but if they can't make you feel your custom is appreciated by paying you attention and sticking a smile on their face, then they are probably in the wrong job.

I'm sorry the customer upset you but it might be worth thinking about whether you do need to try and be a bit more welcoming.