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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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

366 replies

Bridewel1 · 29/12/2020 11:26

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.

OP posts:
LittleBearPad · 29/12/2020 11:46

@LoveNote

telling you what to do in their own store is not being rude to customers....you need to comply
There is a way of speaking to customers so staff don’t seem to have mastered.
LoveNote · 29/12/2020 11:47

@Edith12 nobody has done anything horrible to the op!!!

i await the op return with a massive drip feed.....

Edith12 · 29/12/2020 11:47

shop online then....staff are human too and when its their own health at risk they are allowed to be rude/snippy/snap. Many retail workers have to drag home customers germs to the family....being slightly rude back may make customers realise and think about their behaviour

Staff who are CEV should shield and the store should have procedures in place to protect staff. The main symptom of the virus is nothing as the majority of cases are asymptomatic and the next biggest chunk are mild symptoms

Newkitchen123 · 29/12/2020 11:47

My local M and S is lovely
If it wasn't I'd shop elsewhere
You seem to have a lot of problems... Is there a common denominator here?

Edith12 · 29/12/2020 11:48

[quote LoveNote]@Edith12 nobody has done anything horrible to the op!!!

i await the op return with a massive drip feed.....[/quote]
They were rude during a frankly horrible time without knowing what was going on in the OPs life I would call that horrible.

Edith12 · 29/12/2020 11:50

While I don’t condone abuse or being rude back many staff need to learn to keep their mouths shut and stop being so rude, disobeying government guidelines and deliberately inflaming situations

KaptainKaveman · 29/12/2020 11:50

YABVVU and ridiculous to moan about a triviality which occurred "a number of years ago and which was very clearly a result of low staff numbers. Are you the Queen or something?

Chloemol · 29/12/2020 11:50

No you have not been treated badly bayou see, to have broken loads of rules

Goodbye2020Hello2021 · 29/12/2020 11:50

Queuing to get into the food hall last week and get to the front of the queue. Chatting to the assistant manning the queues and she was telling us about some of the horrible things customers have said to her in the run up to Christmas to upset her - bet you were one of them.

I had this recently. I asked her how things were in the lead up to Christmas, was it busy etc. and it was like opening the floodgates. Poor woman said people were awful...

LoveNote · 29/12/2020 11:50

@Edith12 how, exactly,were they rude? and does op know whats going on in the staffs lives whilst shes there touching everything buying her none essential items?

MrsToothyBitch · 29/12/2020 11:51

They're nearly all lovely in our M&S. There are a couple there and a couple at Waitrose who seem to be getting off on Covid restrictions but for the most part they've all been nice during a hard year and I've always found M&S staff friendly if not always able to help. IME staff mostly take their attitude from that of their management.

I used to work in retail and it does sound like they've been quite rude to you on some occasions- the reductions, the boots. It's a tough job staying calm and nice to everyone, especially at present but there's no excuse for the tone they used on you. I wouldn't treat a customer like that or let my staff do it - even though the general public can be incredibly annoying en masse. I can understand redirecting you at volume with the one way system though. I can also understand the two meter rule warnings, although it is annoying when people say it preemptively and make you feel about six!

For the most part, I think retail staff are doing a thankless job very well atm, but there a few people who will be very sad to hand their brass buttons back once they no longer have an excuse to bully others and get paid for it.

Goodbye2020Hello2021 · 29/12/2020 11:51

I await the op return with a massive drip feed.....

This.

Santaisreel · 29/12/2020 11:51

'A number of years ago' Hmm

Why are you holding on to this?

Meepmeeep · 29/12/2020 11:51

@Edith12 I can read. She alleges these things have happened to her - to me she sounds like a nightmare customer. 💁🏻‍♀️

LoveNote · 29/12/2020 11:51

@Edith12

While I don’t condone abuse or being rude back many staff need to learn to keep their mouths shut and stop being so rude, disobeying government guidelines and deliberately inflaming situations
oh come on....you are clearly here to moan .....start your own thread!! what was it.....you are mask exempt and got asked to prove it???
Edith12 · 29/12/2020 11:52

[quote LoveNote]@Edith12 how, exactly,were they rude? and does op know whats going on in the staffs lives whilst shes there touching everything buying her none essential items?[/quote]
Do the staff know what’s going on in the OPs life? It’s them who’ve been deliberately inflexible and inflamed many of these very minor situations

MaryLeeOnHigh · 29/12/2020 11:52

Do you feel I’ve been treated badly.

No. At various times they've answered your questions or given information they feel you need. You perceive that you didn't like their tone of voice, but that is hardly the end of the world.

I usually find M&S staff friendly and nice. Could it be something to do with the way you approach or respond to them?

SchrodingersImmigrant · 29/12/2020 11:52

There is the thing called mirroring. I knew someone who was just such a miserable rude arse and she always complained about staff being rude.
People often mirror behaviour. Added to it the fact that customers are often unable to follow simple instructions, I can see why these situations are happening.

I don't know ehat happens to people when they step through shop doors, but the "shopping dockhead" thing should be studied😂

Bridewel1 · 29/12/2020 11:53

I see your point yet with the social distancing I stopped within 2 metres but was told to stop just before I had a chance to. Yet as with the other situations too they needn’t be rude and speak out of tone when talking to me. I wasn’t as if I was doing anything serious. And I did ask a member of staff if I could look in the crate of shoes even if she wasn’t dealing with them who said it should be ok!

OP posts:
Meepmeeep · 29/12/2020 11:53

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LoveNote · 29/12/2020 11:55

as a retail manager i am heartened to see almost everyone has sympathy for the staff here!!

my store has always employed lots of youngsters (mainly on the tills).....aged 16 up. These kids have been superstars but my god, the way they have been spoken to by customers through this entire shitshow has had me there at the till supporting them and kicking out the absolute arseholes who are just on a mission to take out the covid situation on someone else.

I think we've all been physically assaulted at least once! at least

LoveNote · 29/12/2020 11:57

@Bridewel1

I see your point yet with the social distancing I stopped within 2 metres but was told to stop just before I had a chance to. Yet as with the other situations too they needn’t be rude and speak out of tone when talking to me. I wasn’t as if I was doing anything serious. And I did ask a member of staff if I could look in the crate of shoes even if she wasn’t dealing with them who said it should be ok!
'out of tone'??? out of bloody tone???

what ARE you talking about? there is NO tone!! they are just people, theres no bloody set 'tone'!!

CrochetOrBust · 29/12/2020 11:57

Our local M&S used to employ a lot of people who sang in the local choir. Was impossible to actually get served as they were all chatting to their mates who had popped in (which is how I know they all sang in the choir!) Haven’t been in for a while, but hopefully management have sorted that out.

LoveNote · 29/12/2020 11:58

@Edith12 they are not MINOR when it comes down to covid guidelines.....stores are audited on how the guidelines are implemented so whats minor to you could be enough to close down a store!!

CakeRequired · 29/12/2020 11:59

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