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AIBU?

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Original poster

Just because I work in a shop...

221 replies

LunasOrchid · 31/01/2020 08:24

... doesn't mean I'm thick! 😡

I had a woman approach me on checkout and demanded (didn't ask) that I convert the size of something for her from mm to inches e.g. 270mm by 540mm.

I get my phone out and use google to convert 27cm and 54cm. I tell customer is x inch by y inches. Customer immediately says I'm wrong? That the box says medium and y inches is this long whilst holding her arms out to show me. I explain it is correct and show her my phone. She says no you can't be right. There's no way it's that big.

At this point, I reiterate what I've typed in, and explain that it is definitely correct. She snatches the box from in front of me and says she's going to ask somebody who actually knows what they're doing Angry

I have to admit I did lose my temper here and told her not to bother coming to my till as I won't be serving her. Luckily my supervisor heard everything and backed me 100%.

I was fuming. Why do people assume that people who work in shops are thick and speak down to them. I have a first class degree and a post graduate degree. I work in a shop because it's stress free (most of the time), flexible hours and I enjoy it. I am not thick Angry

OP posts:
devilsadv0caat · 31/01/2020 08:25

You’re not thick. She’s just an arsehole.

Iusedtobeapartygirl · 31/01/2020 08:27

Some people are just rude and nasty to everyone. I wouldn't take it personally, she probably talks to her doctor like that too!

Sexnotgender · 31/01/2020 08:27

She’s a dick.

I worked hospitality for years and you got people who thought you were thick too. I was waiting tables to pay my mortgage and through my degree (mathematics, first class honours). Some people are just rude.

TARSCOUT · 31/01/2020 08:29

You could have been a top class surgeon at a private hospital and she would still have treated you the same way.

AllergicToAMop · 31/01/2020 08:35

That's what you all get for not using just one metric system 😂

She was a dick. That said. I don't know how long have you worked with general public, but you really need thicker skin. Somehow people change into brainless dicks as soon as they enter shop/restaurant/any place people work in.

Cannotresist · 31/01/2020 08:39

I don’t think your thick, but I am horrified that phone culture / lack of basic arithmetic teaching over the last 20 years means in society 2 adults cannot rough divide simple figures like 54 by 2.5 in their head

Ayemama · 31/01/2020 08:40

What an arsehole. Shes probably just one of those people who speaks to everyone like that.
Just leave her to her own miserable little life and move on with yours.
I get the same at my job sometimes.

WitchyPoos · 31/01/2020 08:42

Until you work retail/food/hospitality you don't realise how many knobheads there are out there. I work in retail and had my fair share, someone shouted and ranted last week cos I told him to get in the queue, he was queue jumping and it was busy. I stood my ground and were polite and he came back two mins later after ranting and apologised 🤣

You get used to it. It makes them look more of a knob if your polite and have your fake customer service smile on though ✌🏼

TeddyIsaHe · 31/01/2020 08:43

You’re not thick, some people are just bellends. Don’t give a moments thought.

GiveHerHellFromUs · 31/01/2020 08:51

I don’t think your thick, but I am horrified that phone culture / lack of basic arithmetic teaching over the last 20 years means in society 2 adults cannot rough divide simple figures like 54 by 2.5 in their head

I'm horrified that phone culture / lack of basic grammar means in society one adult doesn't know the difference between your and you're. Get off your high horse.

OP she's definitely just one of those people. If she already knew the answer why ask?

Maduixa · 31/01/2020 08:56

Ugh, sorry that happened. I grew up back and forth between the UK and USA (one parent from each) and now live in another EU country. I STILL can barely do any of those conversions - inches/centimeters, fahrenheit/celsius, pounds/kilograms/stone - in my head. I always have to check. You were providing a service to this person which is probably above and beyond the requirements of your job, and she was an arse about it.

Kiki275 · 31/01/2020 08:57

This is so true!! When I worked in a supermarket:

Walking through the bakery department a customer asks if there are any ciabattas. As it wasn't my department I responded that I'll go and ask. She then explained to me like I was a 4 year old that's "It's bread". I smiled outwardly but turned the air blue inwardly. Really exotic stuff that ciabatta.

On the fish counter another lady asked for two fillets in a cook in bag. When I handed it over, she asked me if I had put two in. Like I was going to loose count halfway?

Sparklyring · 31/01/2020 08:58

I work in retail and one thing I find baffling is when people come in and ask for something specific, a red v neck cardi for example. When I explain we dont have one in they ask where they can get one. How the feck should I know?!?!

LemonPrism · 31/01/2020 08:59

@cannot why? We shouldn't have to know what inches are because we're meant to use the metric system. I wouldn't know that you'd have to divide 54 by 2.5 to change cm to inches because I've never been taught what an inch is because it's old fashioned Phones are a useful resource. I'm horrified by imperial culture.

Tallilah · 31/01/2020 09:00

I was a hairdresser and people were he same to me.

The worst was at the end of the haircut spending 2 LONG minutes holding both sides and testing the are even. I sort of didn’t mind that but the longer it goes on the more of a pillock you feel standing there

GiveHerHellFromUs · 31/01/2020 09:01

@LemonPrism I'm not having a go but did you honestly not know one inch = 2.5cm? How old are you? Genuine question not being nasty.

MrsToothyBitch · 31/01/2020 09:04

She sounds an absolute arse. I worked in retail for 4 years and people really don't regard shop staff as human, somehow! You get talked down to, people do and say all sorts of patronizing things and some people really seem to get off on the idea that we're "servile" somehow. See also: being incredibly rude about us in front of us, similar to what the op experienced.

My absolute favourite was people talking about "real jobs". If you would like to swap & be duty manager for this shift, so that you're responsible for the staff, customers, all the monies and the building rather than continue your nice day at the shops, let me know, I'll be off like a shot!

PrincessPain · 31/01/2020 09:05

I've had it in the past.
I wanted a week off in December to go on my honeymoon but its usually against company policy, I had to put my request in writing to my line manager and the store manager for approval.
All good, I wrote my letter and passed it over to the appropriate people.
My manager (the one at the time was known for both being blunt and quite rude) told me she was surprised by the standard of my letter and the way in which it was written seemed quite formal and well written and wanted to know if someone else had written it for me Hmm
People dont understand circumstances. I'm quite bright and have always excelled in English, but I'm the eldest of 8, my DM had me very young, a string of abusive stepdads, a struggling financial upbringing, sharing a box room with 2 siblings and no importance put on education meant I quit college, got a job and moved out.
I'm happier with lots of aspects of my life but I do regret not pursuing education (I'm 27, so who knows what the future holds) but my job description is just that and my abilities shouldn't be shoved into one pile because someone presumes they know me based on my role.

Redlocks28 · 31/01/2020 09:07

@LemonPrism I'm not having a go but did you honestly not know one inch = 2.5cm? How old are you? Genuine question not being nasty.

I’m early 40s and have hardly ever used inches for anything!

HowlsMovingBungalow · 31/01/2020 09:08

Some people have dyscalculia.

How old are you? ... not being nasty *head tilt

Deathraystare · 31/01/2020 09:08

It is not just the assumption that you are thick. Why ask you then say you are wrong!

I usually just shrug and say "Oh if you know the answer then...."

Not in retail , on reception and get some lovelies that come in with both guns blazing, wanting you to 'fail'.

GiveHerHellFromUs · 31/01/2020 09:08

@Redlocks28 I understand that many people wouldn't use inches as there's no reason to really, but I thought it was one of those things that everyone just knows

Redlocks28 · 31/01/2020 09:10

@Redlocks28 I understand that many people wouldn't use inches as there's no reason to really, but I thought it was one of those things that everyone just knows

Clearly not!

GiveHerHellFromUs · 31/01/2020 09:10

@HowlsMovingBungalow as mentioned below I'm genuinely asking because PP said it's 'old fashioned'. I'm 24 and thought it's one of those things people just know so I'm not judging @LemonPrism based on her age. That's why I'm interested.

PurpleDaisies · 31/01/2020 09:11

Dividing by 2.5 in your head isn’t that easy. Most people wouldn’t be able to do that particularly quickly. There’s no shame in (correctly) using a calculator.

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