AIBU To be annoyed at the way M&S staff treat their customers.

[Bridewel1]

I regularly shop in my local M&S and there have been a number of instances where the staff have been rude when speaking to me through no fault of mine. A number of years ago whilst queuing for clothes even if there was no queue you had to wait for a member of staff to check your items (this now no longer applies). I waited no queue no member of staff to check items and empty cubicles. I got fed up waiting for member of staff so went in an available cubicle only to be confronted by a member of staff whilst half undressed a few mins later saying in a rude tone and stern expression ‘Thought there was nobody in’.
Whilst I was nosying at some food a member of staff was reducing on a trolley they piped up in a stern rude tone ‘you cannot take anything until it’s on the shelf’. 2 occasions this happened.
And during this COVID situation which I know is frustrating they told me off and shouted at me for not keeping my distance just before I’d had chance to stop within 2 metres! And recently when they’d just implemented a one way in the store and one way out. I didn’t realise this was in place and when I was heading towards the entrance to leave I was literally rudely shouted at me across the floor from quite a distance ‘you can’t go out that way’!
And the other day I’d finally decided to buy some boots I’d had my eye on and they’d none left in store. Yet next to the shoes I noticed some green stacked baskets with the boots in that I’d had my eye on that looked like they were waiting to be put out. So I asked a member of staff near by who wasn’t dealing with the shoes who said it should be ok to look in basket, so I did. Then a member of staff who was obviously dealing with the shoes noticed and came over and bit my head off saying ‘they’re not in the sale, they’re just waiting to be put out’ I explained why I was looking and she just wheeled the trolley away. So I asked a member of staff on the counter if the nearest store that i saw online that had the boots in my size would if they’d deliver as that store is a bit for for me to get to and she in a rude tone said ‘no it’s not possible, but we may get some returns in here’. I work in retail myself and I understand that stores have there own policies but that doesn’t give staff the right to be rude to customers! I’ve always been told to be chatty and pleasant when dealing with customers. As much as I love M&S I feel as though I shouldn’t be shopping there anymore! Do you feel I’ve been treated badly.

In the stores where Ive worked in, in particular Sainsbury’s I’d be up in the office being given a disciplinary charge if somebody complained about me speaking rudely to them even if the customer was in a similar situation to the M&S situation. They’d have to be doing something far serious for me to be able to speak out of tone in Sainsbury’s. So I’m very surprised they’ve got the nerve to speak to me like they do. If I’d got a job at M&S I’d be watching my P’s and Q’s as I’d assume I’d get in trouble. Although I’d never and wouldn’t speak out of tone when working in retail as I’d be worried it could cost my job. So obviously M&S customer service is lax.

The poster who said retail wasn't hard and they enjoyed it, were you doing the job in the middle of a global pandemic? Thought not!

I wish they'd reduce the items out of view of the customers. In my very small local store, 2 staff members will be reducing items from a trolley.This can be duplicated all across the food hall and it makes distancing very difficult.
I think the real strength of the store is that they do listen to their customer feedback and I see procedures around distancing being tightened all the time.

@Streamside It would definitely be worth feeding that back to the store if you haven’t. I posted earlier about how they used to reduce in the milk aisle in my store which was nonsensical and stressful for staff and customers - after I complained and heard others had too, they changed to marking down the stuff out the back and that’s worked even better now there is the need for distancing.

Last time I was in M&S there was a customer being horrific to a member of staff.
It works both ways.
If I'm not happy with service I just don't go back.

I think the pandemic has made shop workers a bit snappy. Sometimes it's understandable (eg with the stupid toilet roll thing) and others, they seem to be enjoying their new found authority-and this is also coming from a fellow retail worker

I think that you need to have a good long think about your attitude.

@Rosebel

Keeping 2 metres apart is standard everywhere, lots of stores have a one way system its marked. Customers going through reduced items before they're on the shelf is fucking irratating. The boots? Perhaps you are justified on that one but I imagine they don't want lots of customer handling goods. Retail staff are actually humans. They are scared, they have things going on in their lives. Yes customers can be scared and have things going on but you don't have to go shopping, especially for clothes. Staff have no choice, they have to work. People are quite nasty saying retail staff are being Covid police when all they are doing is trying to keep people safe. Do send head office an email though, they could probably use a laugh.

I work in retail and see both sides. I’m never rude unless it was something serious as I’d be worried it’d cost me my job. And I understand we’re in stressful times. I always stick to the 2meter rule and the Marks staff member who I was walking near felt she had to jump in telling me to stop before I even had chance to stop. The assistant barging in the changing cubicle could have asked if there was any body in before barging in and as she did barge in could she not have had the decency to say sorry before she said that she thought no one was in. Yes I’ve done some things that have gone against their policy like rummaging in baskets of stock and going in the cubicles without my items being checked but I was frustrated at being kept waiting. Yet if it’s because of theft then the assistant shouldn’t have wandered off for so long. And I didn’t rummage in the baskets without asking politely. Yet they think it’s ok to respond in a rude tone.

Staff in my local M&S are really lovely (except for one of the deputy managers who can be a bit snotty sometimes). They're always friendly and chatty and willing to help.

Boo fuckety hoo, cope.

Yes! yes! yes!
Or perhaps we just shop in the same branch? It's staffed almost entirely by really miserable older women. Terrible customer service. Hate shopping there.

I'm a pensioner on a fixed income. I have found our M&S food store staff absolutely fine and the prices similar to the local Co-op.

They probably have to say these things to customers several times a day, so aren’t being rude but just lacking the social pleasantries. It must be difficult repeating yourself constantly.

Happy new year to retail workers and thanks for working through 2020. We would all be stuffed without you. I couldn't attempt to do your job for ten times the money. If it gets to you sometimes, its not surprising.

I've always found M&S staff to be helpful and polite

@longwayoff

Happy new year to retail workers and thanks for working through 2020. We would all be stuffed without you. I couldn't attempt to do your job for ten times the money. If it gets to you sometimes, its not surprising.

Well said. Ditto.