If you work in retail how are you feeling about all the new changes?

[GachaBread]

I posted on a thread regarding the joys of shopping and this is what I put...

Out shopping today in a local retail park. In a shop called The Works buying some worthless tat for the kids I witnessed the manager shouting and humiliating one of the workers because she had accidentally let two people enter when she should have told them to queue outside due to maximum capacity. It was not nice at all and the young girl was close to tears.

Around an hour later I came across the young girl sitting outside another shop. I asked her if she was alright and she told me she had just quit as she could not take this bullshit anymore. (Her words) She said it is not a nice experience to work in retail anymore and for the money that they are on it is not worth taking flak from staff or members of the public and the cleaning that they have to do is just too much. She said she will never work in retail why this is all going on.

Made me think how many others feel like this.

So I am curious to know if you work in retail have you adapted well or not to the changes or any of the new things that you are required to do?

Are you experiencing abuse from customers in any way?

Is working in retail harder or easier for you?

What's it like with management?

Can you see a future in retail?

Are you doing anything that you are not comfortable doing?

What new rules do you agree with or not?

Can you also say what sort of retail setting you work in too , boutique shop, department store etc

So many questions.Are you a journalist?

Journalist for sure. Not even covertly done.

Oh please 🙄.

If I witnessed a manager taking it out on an underling unfairly I would say something. Colleagues can't protect each other but customers can.

It is not my job to tell a manager how to do her job. Especially if she has to adhere to stringent new rules set in place.

I work in retail. Have done for the past 8 years. It was hard at the start with everything changing but it's just the new norm now.

Customers are starting to get angrier with the whole distancing and queues for the tills. Had some angry words said to me the past two weeks 😂

I work in food retail. Done 13 years between food and clothing. The last few months have mainly been good....management very supportive and the majority of customers in good spirits and have made a bit of a joke about it all.

The awful customers though have been truly horrendous. I've been sworn at more than once, when making sure they stick to the distancing and one way system. I've had customers throw baskets of shopping down and storm out.

We've had to deal with customers arguing amongst themselves too. I've also been pinned up against a wall twice when on both occasions a customer has charged at me and I've had to back away quickly and ended up against a wall.

Management have told all staff to take no nonsense and ask people to leave if necessary, and even call the police if we feel the need to. Staff have definitely been put first.

If customers would wear masks and adhere to social distancing it would be fine. No telling some thick twats.

I don't work in a shop - but I have in the past.

I will avoid going in a shop as much as possible whilst ever we are supposed to wear a mask.

I am never and have never been rude to a shop assistant. (Except once in New Look where the staff were too busy chatting to serve)

If I do go into a shop and and a member of staff is rude to me I will put down whatever shopping I may have picked up. Including a full trolley in a supermarket and walk out.

I will never go in that shop again.

I would also never return to any shop where a manager/supervisor or whatever was being so unprofessional as to tell a staff member off on the shop floor.

I will also call out on social media any shop where I am or I witness anyone else being treated rudely. I will also praise on social media when appropriate.

@Sparklyring

If customers would wear masks and adhere to social distancing it would be fine. No telling some thick twats.

Nice

Also wondering if shoplifters are going unchallenged too with light of all the new safety and hygiene practices in place.

I can't hear a word anyone is saying anymore because I have a visor and they have masks .. that aside my shop is fine , all normal really , a new normal but normal and everyone still getting cross about stuff that is not important 🙄🤷‍♀️

Also wondering if shoplifters are going unchallenged too with light of all the new safety and hygiene practices in place.

We've seen a massive drop in shop lifting. The one way system in my shop makes it hard for thieves to nip up and down aisles and back out the entrance (the route of choice pre one way system!). Also, due to the one way system and social distancing customers are often walking in single file up and down the aisles (narrow shop so no room for walking side by side). Thieves would be seen far more easily.

Some customers are just vile and think they can speak to you like utter shite. Well I wont stand for it and I'll tell them to stop it or I'll walk away and get a manager. There is a new law coming into place when gone through parliament to protect shop workers against abuse. People forget we have been risking our health and that of our family so people can get food all the way through it. Customers are not always right. That has gone a long time ago. We also dont have to wear face masks and off customers moaning about that.

But there are some most lovely customers but sadly outweighed by the idiot ones. I want to get out of retail more than ever and am looking loads but sadly got to put up with it for now.

We also dont have to wear face masks and off customers moaning about that.

My employers have made it company policy we have to wear them to avoid this. We have to be seen to be 'doing our bit'.

@GachaBread

It is not my job to tell a manager how to do her job. Especially if she has to adhere to stringent new rules set in place.

No, it's not your job. It's your social duty to intervene if you see bullying occurring.

@rosiejaune I live in inner city Birmingham and the last time I stepped in to try and help someone who was getting bullied I got punched in the face so no thank you to being a busy body. If someone who is able bodied can not stick up for themselves then that is their problem. What would I have gained by telling the manager off anyway lol think that would have made life worse for that poor girl!

Thanks for telling me off though- made me chuckle 🤣

You don't literally have to step in. And there is a difference between the way a random stranger on the street may react and a manager working in a store. They are unlikely to punch you in the face or it will be them getting sacked.

What relevance does it have if they are disabled or not? Not that you can tell by looking.

@rosiejaune it was not my place to say anything so I will leave it their. I am not that person who will step in and intervene sorry! That's just who I am.

@Sparklyring

If customers would wear masks and adhere to social distancing it would be fine. No telling some thick twats.

Agreed. The arrogance of some is astonishing. I’ve been sworn at because they didn’t agree with being asked to keep 2 metre distance while in store, customers getting really close, had one today actually and we’re how many months in? Was assisting with a query and she literally leaned in looking over my shoulder, really close, I told her to get behind the line on the floor. You do lose your patience though. It’s been really horrible to be honest. Fear it’s going to get worse with the mask wearing as people seem to think they can do what they want with one on. (I totally get why we’re wearing them obviously so that’s not the issue )

@WatchingFromTheWings

Also wondering if shoplifters are going unchallenged too with light of all the new safety and hygiene practices in place.

We've seen a massive drop in shop lifting. The one way system in my shop makes it hard for thieves to nip up and down aisles and back out the entrance (the route of choice pre one way system!). Also, due to the one way system and social distancing customers are often walking in single file up and down the aisles (narrow shop so no room for walking side by side). Thieves would be seen far more easily.

We’ve seen a rise 😆 think with the masks the Dick Turpins who have been banned for shoplifting will just be coming in now as we can’t see their faces what can you do though, it is what it is and I’m all for the masks but bit late in the day to be honest, should’ve been made to wear them much earlier IMO

I wear a face mask if on the shop floor. If I'm out the back then I won't or if I'm doing some job involving working with ovens I wont either but anywhere near customers then mask will go on. But all well and good manager saying to wear one when he dont.