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.

Going through the stickering trolley is like if you decided to make a round of sandwiches and someone stood there eating them off the chopping board one by one. Rude.

I don’t know why we are praising some shop staff for being “lovely” that’s as it should be.

I remember going to M&S for a suit for an interview once(a rather large store too). I didn't see any out on the shop floor so I asked someone and she said we don't have them in store only online. Why?! I walked out and went to Next and bought one. Some staff are lovely some aren't but that's the same in most shops

What has this to do with the behaviour of the M&S assistant? The suit was only available online. What, in your opinion, should that particular assistant have done to gain ‘lovely assistant’ credentials with you? Personally driven you to a warehouse? Bowed you out of the store apologetically with a free bottle of consolatory champagne?

Some shop staff are using the current crisis to act like dicks towards customers........they will have been dicks before. But now their dick gloves are well and truly off. I'm currently boycotting Morrisons after a complaint I made about the way a member of staff treated a customer who had obvious cognitive difficulties and didn't understand the new system. The staff member was nothing short of an aggressive bully towards someone who just needed a bit of help. Which could have easily been done whilst maintaining distance.

I got an eyeroll for my efforts. I stick to Aldi now which have been amazing throughout despite the fact out of all shops their staff probably work the hardest. At one point the manager of ours was personally dropping off shopping for isolating families.

I do think tho in your case you could have been a bit more mindful of the way things are .......these are confusing times for a lot of people with different rules seemingly every. As a basic just keep space from shop staff and if you aren't sure check the floors and walls for signage.

You sound ridiculously over sensitive. None of what you’ve meticulously reported sounds like they were actually rude, just a bit fed up of dealing with entitled customers like you. Why on earth are you still fixated on stuff like this, some of which happened years ago? If you really think M&S staff are so rude, shop elsewhere.

I while it’s nice to be polite it should be unconditional especially when it’s you keeping them in a job.

It works both ways.
It should be unconditional if someone wants something too. Customers should stop being bunch of cunts who think it's fine to tell staff how stupid they are, shout at them because they can't fit their fat arse into small jeans, scream because they didn't realise that chipotle sauce is hot, throw stuff and actually trying to punch staff members.

I suppose you will be feeling offended because we haven't all agreed with you?

Get over yourself

Honestly, I am glad staff is not having it anymore. Hopefully people might realise that if they don't like being treated like that, they should stop treating others like that. Simple

@WhatWouldYouDoWhatWouldJesusDo

Some shop staff are using the current crisis to act like dicks towards customers........they will have been dicks before. But now their dick gloves are well and truly off. I'm currently boycotting Morrisons after a complaint I made about the way a member of staff treated a customer who had obvious cognitive difficulties and didn't understand the new system. The staff member was nothing short of an aggressive bully towards someone who just needed a bit of help. Which could have easily been done whilst maintaining distance.

I got an eyeroll for my efforts. I stick to Aldi now which have been amazing throughout despite the fact out of all shops their staff probably work the hardest. At one point the manager of ours was personally dropping off shopping for isolating families.

I do think tho in your case you could have been a bit more mindful of the way things are .......these are confusing times for a lot of people with different rules seemingly every. As a basic just keep space from shop staff and if you aren't sure check the floors and walls for signage.

I would try and escalate the complain that is so unacceptable and also discriminatory someone should lose their job over that

@annevonkleve It is to prevent theft. There’s many types of shoplifters; counting the items upon changing room entry and confirming on exit deters opportunistic thieves, which the majority of shoplifters are. Shoplifters get apprehended all the time, as long as it’s safe to do so.

I used to work at TOPSHOP. Changing rooms were where the majority of theft occurred - to the extent that I know all retailers are seeing a reduction in clothing theft since the pandemic! In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if loss prevention is the reason why fitting rooms have remained shut.

@starfishmummy

I suppose you will be feeling offended because we haven't all agreed with you?

Get over yourself

No just rudeness and exploiting the crisis to be dick

I don’t know why we are praising some shop staff for being “lovely” that’s as it should be

Sometimes these things get missed in a culture of complaints and little acknowledgment for the good things.

I don't consider you have encountered rudeness.

On the the other hand it seems to me you are rather a liability in the stores, interfering with items not put on the shelves, and not listening to staff who are doing their jobs.

But maybe you have made all this up?

In my local store the older staff are lovely and the young uns are clueless and rude. Sorry but thats how it is.

Our store is great. I don't think they automatically select staff based on their arseyness, which is what you seem to be implying.

Grow up.

And, btw, you can always order things online to be collected at your local store and return them there too.

Let me just add that I also tried to stuff my fat arse into small jeans😂 But i didn't end up shouting at anyone like that women there at the time👀

I find it a tad strange that Edith12 has posted 26 times in a thread of 158 posts and has ONLY posted in this thread

The rudest staff I have encountered have been in marks and Spencer’s.

You should see the floor staff in my local Tesco Extra. They crack me up how obvious they make it that they couldn’t give a fuck about your shopping or the pandemic they all huddle together next to the self scan bit, not a mask in sight, chatting and flirting with each other and completely blanking the people whose self scan machines are invariably not working and are flashing a light for attention. The customers are always doing gymnastics in the aisles to avoid even being perceived as possibly considering getting too close to each other, and the maskless staff brush against them to jump through the gaps they create as if that was the intention. It really cheers me up, but I imagine some people that shop there have conniption fits! I don’t blame them in the slightest - I couldn’t bring myself to care either. And when you do manage to get their attention they’re always incredibly polite. The ones on the tills are even funnier - they all gab away to each customer for about five minutes with a queue of six or seven irate people behind them doing their big shop. You’d genuinely think they had no idea anything was going on.

@slashlover

I find it a tad strange that Edith12 has posted 26 times in a thread of 158 posts and has ONLY posted in this thread

So strange isn’t it

I have a love hate relationship with M&S. their over the phone customer service hasn't been great. Their problems with hampers this year was shocking. However, I did food to order this year (like every year) and was dreading it. However, it was very well organised. Staff were all really great and extra helpful!

As someone who has worked in retail, people going through stock you're putting out is highly annoying without asking. You said you asked another member of staff but if the other person came immediately, they couldn't have been far.
Someone picking up things when you're trying to reduce things on the trolley is also highly annoying, even more so when they stand with it there in their hand waiting for you to reduce it.

The thing with the exit, so many people do not pay attention to signs.
I have been in many shops now, including ones with giant arrows on the floor and a no exit sign and people still don't use their eyes and continue to do so.

Not saying it entitled them to speak rudely, however, having to tell people the same things over and over can be highly annoying.
Especially when (if it's like other M&S stores) the signs are very clear stating no exit with arrows.

My local M&S is Ashton Moss, the staff are nice and helpful. I used to call in the café with my friend, before its closure, and all the ladies working there were lovely.

I find that if you are polite to people they will be polite to you.

The OP states they regularly shop at M&S yet experienced a mere 4 bad experiences, spanning over several years. Surely that means she has had significantly more good experiences than bad?