To rant about a customer complaint?

[Superlooper]

Just need to get this off my chest

Frontline essential staff who are still working, serving customers when the rest of the country (non essential workers) are told to stay home and stay safe and getting paid to do so in many cases. Meanwhile many frontline staff are stressed and worried and have to keep working.

So this customer puts in a complaint that the person who served her didn't serve her with a smile.

AIBU to be mad with this customer?

(I will hopefully calm down before I respond)

I'd have smacked them round the head. Well done you.

@Ohtherewearethen

Good grief. People never cease to amaze me. Maybe respond with something like,

Thank you for taking the time to comment upon the lack of smile from one of our dedicated, hard working and exhausted staff members. I'm sure you're aware that there is a global deadly virus pandemic at the moment, the like of which had never been seen in our lifetime. It prays on everybody's mind that they are at risk every time they leave the house. It has been a pretty joyless and thankless task working in supermarkets at the moment and some staff members have even been sworn at by members of the public whilst they are trying to keep things going for everybody. I will be certain to pass on your concern for our staff member's lack of smile and that you hope they have a better day and customers will help them raise a smile tomorrow by showing their gratitude for all their hard work.

Perfect response 👍👏

This made me laugh out loud. As if someone actually said that whilst everyone working in the shops are risking their lives to provide a service.

Get real. They need to remove their head from their arse.

Dear customer,

Thank you for bringing this to my attention. As an employee of Tesco/Asda/Waitrose/Morrison’s we pride ourselves on our customer service, and the current pandemic is no different which is why we are still open and serving our customers during this difficult and scary time. As I am sure you can imagine, working at the time is difficult and a lot of our team members have worked overtime in order for us to still serve our local community and try to make sure that their shopping trip is both safe and quickly. A lot of our staff members have a family who they go home to each night knowing that they are not properly protected against this virus as, quite rightly, PPE needs to be prioritised to our NHS staff who are fighting to keep our nation alive and healthy.

As a reminder, our staff are humans too trying to deal with this pandemic without having the luxury of working from home so sometimes they may be a little down, so I appreciate you bringing it to my attention that one of my team members might need some extra reassurance and kindness during this time, which I am sure you showed him/her during your interaction with them today.

I hope that I have provided you with the assurance you require, but please do let me know if there is anything else I can do for your miserable fucking face

Yours sincerely,

@Superlooper

Some customers need stuffing with the rough end of a pineapple 🍍

Oh what an idiot, @Nanalisa60! It’s not as if Christmas sneaks up on us while we aren’t concentrating, or that the fact that shops have shut over Christmas since the dawn of (retail) time.

Slightly off message could I big up the security staff at supermarkets. They do a really horrible job for minimum wage and loads have been dumped on the front line to control queues and the nutters who try and get in when not allowed. At our local Asda there was a guy saying he only wanted to use the loo. Guard said yes that's what you said yesterday and came out with a trolley, now f$%^ off, you're banned. I think supermarket staff, bin men, etc are all doing great work and I don't care if they smile

@TrainspottingWelsh

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

I have to say that I've always found excessive politeness and OTT deference is a really effective way of dealing with a**ehole customers, Hard to always deliver but as those of us dealing with the public know, we have to manage their behaviour in any way that we can!

I would love to reply.

Thank you for your email.

We have now fired Sue. Please be assured all staff will now be singing and smiling whilst working during the global pandemic.

I would also keep in mind that most supermarkets have taken on temporary staff to help them keep stores up and running. Many of these people may never have worked in a customer service role before. Really if people are judging shop workers for not smiling they need to have a word with themselves.

I had a complaint last week that I didn’t stay in someone’s house very long.
I had phoned ahead, checked COVID-19 indicators and asked about any worries or concerns and discussed them.
I am a Nurse.
I was carrying out an essential clinical procedure.
I had no PPE.
Some folk are just muppety mcmuppetsons.
I value you OP, could not do my job without the undervalued front line at the supermarkets making sure I can nip in on my day off to get some food —and lots of gin—

Love it. Thanks for making me laugh

Thank you Tofty. I have no idea why nobody has ever suggested retail customer complaints could be my calling.

@TrainspottingWelsh
I used to have to deal with customer complaints (thankfully not face to face). Your reply is just perfect and some arseholes out there deserve it 😁 Better than anything I’ve been allowed to say 😂

Thanks all, and thanks for the suggestions of a response!

It was a written complaint.

I will respond soon and use some of your suggestions. I will use others in my head

Employee and customer both female.

I am a bit biased as the employee was in tears that day over customers not keeping their distance.

Customer asked if something not on the shelf could be in the back. (Slight sense of entitlement here?) Employee said no and walked away (according to the customer). Yes, they should have apologised and normally would also have tried to offer a substitute. Not sure if the customer kept 6 foot away I have my doubts

The complaint included whatever happened to service with a smile. Erm, covid19?

I am in awe at so many of our staff who are still smiling and giving great service. Some are scared stiff

Tofty yes, some customers do absolutely deserve it, I would have immense respect for any business that did allow it when the customer had earned it

Vahni, I totally get what you're saying - "SOMM we're being urged not to make unnecessary trips. I suspect the supermarket thought/ hoped that people would realise it only takes one person to go and get the shopping. ... If you knew your DH would have a problem with the list, could you not have gone in yourself?

...And sometimes you need to take the lead. 'Gosh, all this is so difficult isn't it? Sorry I'm all fingers and thumbs, I'm not good with technology and I haven't done this before'."

I suppose my point was, it hadn't been made clear at that time that if you were living in the same household only one of you could go out. It didn't cross my mind about the shopping list because I thought the two of us would be allowed in; we shop together but separately (for ourselves) if you see what I mean. He normally works away during the week. He gets stuff for himself and I get stuff for me at home. Plus, as old-fashioned as we are, he's the one who pays.

As for blundering along with technology, I've been in enough situations when I've learned that offering excuses for being useless tends to earn you looks of disdain from those who have no idea what it's like to be thrust into a whole new world. So I put up with it, don't complain, but don't forget. Every time another small piece of yourself is taken away.

On the other side, I've had far more positive experiences than negative ones over the last few weeks. I'd certainly never expect shopworkers to be taken to task because things weren't great for them on their shift, now more than ever. It doesn't stop being made to feel 10" tall making me feel bad.

Sorry to hear about your situation HarrietThePly; believe me I do understand and empathise.

No way, that is absolutely absurd! It makes me mad, and it didn't even happen to me. These idiots obviously aren't paying attention. They think the world revolves around them. People like that need a reality check, and I'd love to be the one to give it to them.

In Aldi today a member of staff was behind me with a couple of items obviously for his tea break I let him jump in before me as I had a basket full. He was extremely grateful, I said no problem you must have had a couple of weeks of hell and he replied that it had been unbelievable. Apparently customers had done nothing but complain to staff about the lack of items on shelves and during the first week they couldn't replenish stock because everytime they brought it out before they could get it on the shelves the customers had ripped open boxes and helped themselves to everything, buying a dozen packets of pasta etc at a time. I applaud all front line staff for the tremendous job they have done in last few weeks. They have shown true grit and dedication throughout and a bit of understanding and a smile from us the general public is the least we can give them back.

We did keep to the guide lines 2mtrs apart before anyone says.

YABU. It sounds like the member of staff was rude. Covid is no excuse for that, sorry. People not on the frontline are not staying at home for their own safety unless they’re vulnerable - in which case their employer should not be making them work. The vast majority staying at home are doing so to protect the vulnerable and the NHS, not themselves — and it’s no piece of cake being stuck indoors all day with no respite from kids, home schooling etc. Not saying it’s all hard, but it has its challenges. All food service staff are really being asked to do is their normal jobs. As I said, if they’re vulnerable to Covid then they shouldn’t be working, and if they’re not then it doesn’t pose much risk to their safety — at least not as much as you’re making out.

All food service staff are really being asked to do is their normal jobs

Except in the most challenging and stressful circumstances. I bet loads of them would love to be at home.

I thank all key workers for working, as without them didn't the country wouldn't run, we would eat etc.

I can't actually believe that someone would complain about the non-presence of a smile during these unprecedented times! Erghh, how awful. I'm just grateful they are there and would say thank you regardless of whether they give a bloody smile or not, poor fuckers