Just because I work in a shop...

[LunasOrchid]

... 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

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

Just pointing out that she had to ask you, or someone else, instead of doing it herself.
Next time do this.

I'm surprised she didn't go on a rant about the metric system and how from today it would be back to inches.

I used to get this all the time as well, I think everyone should work in customer services for a little bit, it might make them less likely to treat people like dirt.

Or multiply by 2, then add half.

GiveHerHellFromUs
@eBooksAreBooks even easier to divide by 10 and times by 4

d'oh! Thank you!

Every day's a school day!

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 was always taught to use 2.54.
54/2.5 is 21.6
54 cm is actually 21.26 inches

So it's actually 0.34 inches/86mm out. Depending on what is being measured, this could make a difference.

Some people are just heinous bellends and want to inflict their own misery on other people. Sorry you have to deal with them.

This brings back so many memories...

When I used to work in retail I remember having problems with one woman's gift card going through the till. She then asked my colleague who was stood next to me if I was an illiterate!?

On another occasion I remember one woman who mimed coats and where they were kept. God forbid having brown skin and wearing a headscarf meant I wouldn't understand English! Being the well mannered person I was, I chatted to her about the styles she was into and what she had in mind whilst taking her over to the coats - she was bright red, looked down and didn't say a thing!

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 have a maths A-level but can't do mental arthimatic well - I assume it's short term memory issues related to my dyslexia. Plus busy shop floor when your mind is on other things wouldn't help.

Public are very rude though - my Mum warned me before I took a role working with the general public but it was still a massive shock.

Even if someone is thick, it doesn't justify being treated like dirt.

I'm pretty good at maths and always do such calculations with an online calculator.
a) because the actual number is not 2.5
b) less chance of a mistake
c) can't be arsed with numbers more complicated than round numbers or multiples of 2.5

This is so funny. The people criticising and suggesting that the maths should be done in the OP's head and everyone must be stupid, either cannot spell your/you're or they think that there are 15cm in a 12 inch ruler. Wonderful.

Is misspelling Murphy's part of the joke?

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

So not acceptable. I’m sorry she was rude but there are arseholes everywhere.

Yes crypto.

Said it on these threads many times. Despite what people think the majority of shop workers are either students funding uni or parents trying to fit in round childcare. Education levels have very little to do with it. And there has been a big increase in the number of customers who are incredibly rude and sadly an increase in the number of customers who are intimidating or violent. I am middle management of a very large supermarket and it is rare that we get a day that goes by without at least the threat of violence.

I work in a shop. Many of the people I work with have had careers in an entirely different field, many are highly qualified and definitely not thick! I'm one. However, a lot of people work at our place because of various reasons: taken voluntary redundancy from previous jobs (me), early retirement and wanting a little job to keep busy, the hours suit family circumstances etc.

The general public are usually ok, you always get the arseholes though. Luckily enough I've only had a couple, the last one who got shitty with me doesn't come to my till any more- result!

It's 2.54 cm to 1 inch. I'd be using a calculator too.

waaahhmulance

@Cannotresist I love a MN flounce

@Cannotresist I wouldn't have thought a rough divide would be suitable for telling a customer a measurement and there's actually quite a difference between 54/2.5 which would give 21.6 inches and 54/2.54 which is the correct conversion which gives 21.26 inches.

Whether she had to use a phone or not, there's no excuse for someone to be so rude in a shop. I worked in a coffee shop for a few years after finishing my PhD and the way people treat other people is honestly appalling.