Page 4 | Me or Sainsburys staff member?

Marcipex · 21/02/2022 16:04

YABU as you didn’t qualify.
I couldn’t be bothered with arguing though. It’s easier to just pick up enough groceries to spend £10.

fruitbrewhaha · 21/02/2022 16:08

Why didn't you get Argos to validate your ticket?

WindyState · 21/02/2022 16:11

YABU.

She was more than likely just doing what she was told to do.

RedHelenB · 21/02/2022 16:13

@HouseofSkullduggery

My local Sainsburys is in a shopping centre with chargeable parking. You usually have to spend £10 or more to get free parking unless you are also using the pharmacy or Argos which is also inside. So this morning I had to return some items to Argos that I bought yesterday. I did that no problem and never asked them to validate the ticket as I had a few other things to get from Sainsburys and thought it's quicker to go to the self service tills and do it myself. I bought items which were just over £7. Paid and started to walk to the machine to validate my ticket. The staff member immediately saw me approaching and stood blocking the machine. She actually had to walk backwards to make sure I didn't go round her. She then said have you spent £10? Where's your receipt? In a really snotty tone. I explained I'd just been to Argos too but needed other things hence why I was there. But no that wasn't good enough. She said no I would have to pay to park because I hadn't spent the £10. She was really off and I felt like a naughty child! I just said again I'd been to Argos, I was in a rush and as it made no difference to her please could I use the machine on this occasion. But no she wouldn't back down. I left and just felt quite bewildered at her attitude. Nobody normally mans the machine. I go in there all the time. Never had any issue. Even going through the normal tills staff have been happy to validate the ticket as long as youve bought something. I feel she was rude and a jobsworth. Aibu?

Yabu, she was doing her job. The rule was to spend 10 pounds and you hadn't.

Georgeskitchen · 21/02/2022 16:14

The colleague mustn't have had much work to do if she is able to monitor customer spending and mo it or the car parking machine!! I personally wouldn't shop at a supermarket that makes you pay for parking!!

arethereanyleftatall · 21/02/2022 16:15

@fruitbrewhaha

Why didn't you get Argos to validate your ticket?

It says in the op she didn't think she needed to as she was planning on spending £10 in sainsburys. And then, didn't.

Porcupineintherough · 21/02/2022 16:15

The contract is they provide parking if you do x (validate ticket) or y (spend £10). You broke the terms of the contract. I can see why you are annoyed but she was right.

Summerfun54321 · 21/02/2022 16:15

Them be the rules.

PizzaCrust · 21/02/2022 16:16

Threads like these really piss me off, to be honest.

There are so many customers who genuinely believe the world should revolve around them. In retail we are given tasks and rules. We personally do not choose these rules, but they’re dictated to us by those in Head Office. We have to follow them or risk facing a disciplinary hearing. Why should this employee risk her job for the sake of you not spending an extra £3? Why do you think you’re so important?

I had something similar happen a few days ago. One of the services we provide in store closes at 7. A woman comes up to the service desk at 7.40 asking for one of the services we provide. I explain, politely, that it is closed and I am unable to put it through the system. I explain that the closing hours are clearly advertised online and in multiple locations around said shop. Woman still keeps harping on. I go and attend to another issue and the woman proceeds to follow me to continue her rant, and for some reason brings up how she’s an NHS worker, as that is apparently relevant somehow. Woman also starts blatantly lying about how she’s got a service at this time before, when the closing time has been the same for the last two fucking years due to covid. People genuinely don’t know when to stop- they think if they stamp their feet like a toddler people will somehow be scared into doing what they want them to do.

It doesn’t work for me- rules are rules. I’m not risking my job for the sake of £3 or whatever value it is. Customers need to learn to be aware of the rules, understand that they’re in place and then accept that if they try to do something after it’s closed, or in your case, get away with free parking despite being under the threshold, there will be a consequence.

You wouldn’t show up late for a doctors appointment and still expect to be seen. You wouldn’t not purchase a parking ticket and expect not to get a ticket. You wouldn’t go to the till and pay for £10 worth of items and expect to be given everything if you had £7 on you- why would this be any different?

Get over yourself.

PizzaCrust · 21/02/2022 16:22

@Georgeskitchen

The colleague mustn't have had much work to do if she is able to monitor customer spending and mo it or the car parking machine!! I personally wouldn't shop at a supermarket that makes you pay for parking!!

It was probably her assigned job for the day/hour

. I’d imagine plenty of people have been taking the utter piss and they’re stamping down on it, just like the OP tried to do. If people are hogging the car park the whole day and not purchasing anything, it means that customers cannot get parked and actually spend their money on a weekly shop. It must be an issue in this parking location due to high activity for them to bring in such a measure.

So rather than berating the employee for doing her job and what she’s been told to do, maybe berate someone who knew the policy, didn’t abide by it, tried to argue with an employee and then scurried off home to post on Mumsnet because they’re overly entitled.

planningtomakeaplan · 21/02/2022 16:24

You didn't meet the requirements. She doesn't set those requirements but has to enforce them.

I work in marketing. The OP is a customer. No store staff should speak to a customer like that. What's the point of the marketing team spending all that time and effort trying to encourage people to shop there, and think of the brand favoyurably, if that work is then undone by the staff instore?

And, the parking arguably comes under marketing as it's a measure you can put in place to encourage people to use the store.

The £10 limit is meant to deter non-customers, not be used to harass actual customers! It makes no sense at all, and it's not something that needs to be strictly enforced, it's not a law. FFS.

Original poster

HouseofSkullduggery · 21/02/2022 16:25

I forgot to validate the ticket in Argos as I was rushing. Admittedly this is not the staff's fault and I get that she didn't know I was telling the truth but it was the way she backed up to the machine then arrogantly blocked it that I found wrong.
Surely it would have been better to take the customer's word and say next time you will either need to spend £10 at this till or get Argos to validate it but don't worry this time you can do it here.

OP posts:

Arabellla · 21/02/2022 16:26

@PizzaCrust

Threads like these really piss me off, to be honest.

There are so many customers who genuinely believe the world should revolve around them. In retail we are given tasks and rules. We personally do not choose these rules, but they’re dictated to us by those in Head Office. We have to follow them or risk facing a disciplinary hearing. Why should this employee risk her job for the sake of you not spending an extra £3? Why do you think you’re so important?

I had something similar happen a few days ago. One of the services we provide in store closes at 7. A woman comes up to the service desk at 7.40 asking for one of the services we provide. I explain, politely, that it is closed and I am unable to put it through the system. I explain that the closing hours are clearly advertised online and in multiple locations around said shop. Woman still keeps harping on. I go and attend to another issue and the woman proceeds to follow me to continue her rant, and for some reason brings up how she’s an NHS worker, as that is apparently relevant somehow. Woman also starts blatantly lying about how she’s got a service at this time before, when the closing time has been the same for the last two fucking years due to covid. People genuinely don’t know when to stop- they think if they stamp their feet like a toddler people will somehow be scared into doing what they want them to do.

It doesn’t work for me- rules are rules. I’m not risking my job for the sake of £3 or whatever value it is. Customers need to learn to be aware of the rules, understand that they’re in place and then accept that if they try to do something after it’s closed, or in your case, get away with free parking despite being under the threshold, there will be a consequence.

You wouldn’t show up late for a doctors appointment and still expect to be seen. You wouldn’t not purchase a parking ticket and expect not to get a ticket. You wouldn’t go to the till and pay for £10 worth of items and expect to be given everything if you had £7 on you- why would this be any different?

Get over yourself.

Well said.

Arabellla · 21/02/2022 16:26

@HouseofSkullduggery

I forgot to validate the ticket in Argos as I was rushing. Admittedly this is not the staff's fault and I get that she didn't know I was telling the truth but it was the way she backed up to the machine then arrogantly blocked it that I found wrong. Surely it would have been better to take the customer's word and say next time you will either need to spend £10 at this till or get Argos to validate it but don't worry this time you can do it here.

It's her job to block it. You really don't get it, do you?

Arabellla · 21/02/2022 16:27

@planningtomakeaplan

You didn't meet the requirements. She doesn't set those requirements but has to enforce them.

I work in marketing. The OP is a customer. No store staff should speak to a customer like that. What's the point of the marketing team spending all that time and effort trying to encourage people to shop there, and think of the brand favoyurably, if that work is then undone by the staff instore?

And, the parking arguably comes under marketing as it's a measure you can put in place to encourage people to use the store.

The £10 limit is meant to deter non-customers, not be used to harass actual customers! It makes no sense at all, and it's not something that needs to be strictly enforced, it's not a law. FFS.

All you've got is OP's version of the story. I'd love to hear the staff member's.

And working in marketing doesn't make your opinion more important.

planningtomakeaplan · 21/02/2022 16:29

And working in marketing doesn't make your opinion more important.

Err, no. Where did I say that? Jesus wept.

I was giving another perspective. One I don't see already stated on this thread, do you?

SweetFelicityArkright · 21/02/2022 16:29

Customers need to learn to be aware of the rules, understand that they’re in place and then accept that if they try to do something after it’s closed, or in your case, get away with free parking despite being under the threshold, there will be a consequence.

Ah but some people seem to think that in the name of good customer service, the employee should should be the one to face the concequences of the customers demands or actions, because they are parting with their money, and tend to forget that buys the service or item they're paying for, not to dictate unreasonable demands around that and have someone else pay the concequences.

PizzaCrust · 21/02/2022 16:30

@planningtomakeaplan

You didn't meet the requirements. She doesn't set those requirements but has to enforce them.

I work in marketing. The OP is a customer. No store staff should speak to a customer like that. What's the point of the marketing team spending all that time and effort trying to encourage people to shop there, and think of the brand favoyurably, if that work is then undone by the staff instore?

And, the parking arguably comes under marketing as it's a measure you can put in place to encourage people to use the store.

The £10 limit is meant to deter non-customers, not be used to harass actual customers! It makes no sense at all, and it's not something that needs to be strictly enforced, it's not a law. FFS.

But it’s perfectly acceptable for the customer to speak to the employee like they’re a piece of trash?

I highly doubt the employee started WWIII in the foyer of the supermarket. What is a lot more likely is that the OP was embarrassed at not being allowed to get away with it after begging for an exception to be made, and as a result made a bit of a scene before leaving.

We absolutely want people to come into store, shop and have a good experience, but there are boundaries. I’m sure everyone would love it if cashiers didn’t scan half the items in their shop and let them off with paying £10 rather than £30, but no one in their right mind is going to do that.

Your attitude shows a real lack of actual experience on the shop floor, to be honest. It’s all well and good working in marketing in a nice cosy office, but you lack the real life understanding of what it’s like dealing with people who are stealing, playing the system and being rude and abusive to staff.

OperationDog · 21/02/2022 16:31

I forgot to validate the ticket in Argos as I was rushing

That's not what you said before and even if you forgot it doesn't put you in the right.

planningtomakeaplan · 21/02/2022 16:32

OP, there are loads of people on MN who are absolute sticklers for the rules and love to roast people on AIBU for breaking minor rules.

I can't work out if

a. loads of people really are this petty and inflexible in their thinking in real life
b. we get a higher proportion of those kinds of people on MN
c. they're not actually sticklers for the rules, really what they're after is a stick to beat the OP with as that's how they get their kicks.

planningtomakeaplan · 21/02/2022 16:34

But it’s perfectly acceptable for the customer to speak to the employee like they’re a piece of trash?

You're just making things up now! 😂 The OP hasn't said anything about speaking to the employee "like trash".

redbigbananafeet · 21/02/2022 16:35

@OrganisedChaos22

SHE USED ARGOS.! Therefor doesn't have to pay. Whether she'd gone in to spend in argos or return. She still used the shop!

I wouldn't have backed down.

Then it was OPs responsibility to get Argos to validate her parking.

PizzaCrust · 21/02/2022 16:37

@OrganisedChaos22

SHE USED ARGOS.! Therefor doesn't have to pay. Whether she'd gone in to spend in argos or return. She still used the shop!

I wouldn't have backed down.

You know people lie quite frequently, don’t you? She had no proof of “using” Argos. She couldn’t be bothered to get her ticket validated, but wasted much longer time-wise on arguing with (a more than likely) employee on minimum wage, being rude and utterly tragic in the scenario by begging for free parking over the sake of £3.

You saying you wouldn’t have backed down doesn’t make you admirable- it makes you look like a dickhead. Arguing that you’re in the right when you clearly aren’t is pathetic and a waste of everyone’s time.

redbigbananafeet · 21/02/2022 16:38

@HouseofSkullduggery

I forgot to validate the ticket in Argos as I was rushing. Admittedly this is not the staff's fault and I get that she didn't know I was telling the truth but it was the way she backed up to the machine then arrogantly blocked it that I found wrong. Surely it would have been better to take the customer's word and say next time you will either need to spend £10 at this till or get Argos to validate it but don't worry this time you can do it here.

Perhaps you were the 73rd customer that shift claiming you met free requirements but 'forgot'?

ilovesooty · 21/02/2022 16:38

If the OP didn't get the ticket validated I don't see that she has any grounds for complaint.