Page 3 | To think that customers are behaving in an increasingly unreasonable, rude and aggressive manner?

TheyBrokeMeToday · 2023-02-06T19:40:16+00:00

Customer service. Love my wee job. The customers broke me today. So much rudeness, aggressiveness and just general unreasonableness. It seems to be becoming a very regular thing lately. Anyone else? Broken.

Oopswediditagain2023 · 06/02/2023 22:23

Yes, it's really shocking how rude people are. I was in hospital over the weekend and the patients were SO RUDE to the doctors and nurses. Absolutely appalling and very aggressive too.

My mum retired 15 years ago and even back then people were extremely rude and behaved in really really obscure ways, so I don't think it's a new thing but perhaps people are more stressed so more likely to take it out on public facing people as PP said?

I also think customer service standards have dropped though 🤷‍♀️

BubziOwl · 06/02/2023 22:23

Keyansier · 06/02/2023 20:06

I find it completely the opposite experience. Staff attitudes in public facing roles has really gone downhill lately, rude, abrupt, abrasive, ignoring you, chatting amongst themselves and then being huffy when you ask for their help. Someone was so rude to me the other day in a shop that I'd had enough and after I paid for my things I said to them "I hope a computer replaces you by next year".

I've found both true actually, customers are worse and so are staff. I don't know if perhaps the former has led to the latter.

BubziOwl · 06/02/2023 22:32

StrictlyAFemaleFemale · 06/02/2023 21:50

I genuinely believe that no one knows how to resolve conflict. They don't have experience of being listened to, validated, and either a wrong being corrected, or having the thing explained. Often when you raise a valid complaint in the most neutral language possible the other person takes offence, with negative consequences. You often get shut down as being rude or abusive, especially if you're young. Probably worse if you're a person of colour. Add into the mix not enough staff so you have to wait for ages, staff not necessarily being trained in their processes (not their fault), clunky systems needing other people to authorise actions, being put on hold, passed from pillar to post, listening to awful hold music, the sheer amount of time it takes to resolve something, and I'm not surprised people sometimes explode.

I do appreciate that some people are just awful for no reason.

This has been my exact experience recently. Having worked a lifetime in customer facing roles, I am generally not a sort to complain as I just lack the energy and it reminds me of work too much!! But recently I did have a fairly important issue to complain about with a big chain, I didn't raise it remotely aggressively and I wasn't even looking for any refund or compensation or anything of the sort. I said from the offset that all I wanted was for my complaint to be passed on so that procedures could be rectified for others in the future.

The staff member on the phone repeatedly spoke over me, seemed almost to be deliberately misunderstanding what was quite a simple issue, and was arguing against the premise of my complaint - if I explained what their argument was, I promise you'd agree it was absolutely absurd.

It really shocked me as it was a really easy phone call to field from a customer service point of view - all they had to say was "ah sorry about that, yes I will pass that onto the relevant department".

But again, as a customer facing person myself I really did notice a worsening in behaviour post-covid, so maybe staff are all just fed-up and all the good ones have left their jobs.

EmmiJay · 06/02/2023 22:33

Its going both ways I think. Customer service people can be so rude/moody, unprovoked and the general public can be horrendous/entitled also unprovoked. I understand everybody is frustrated about alot of things but how hard is it to just be decent to each other?!

I will say if I've caught a company in a lie (I'm looking at you British Gas and Three) I am not afraid to ask (not scream and yell) direct questions to the representative I'm speaking to. That can rub them up the wrong way and then I'll get the attitude but I'm sorry when I need answers, I need answers.

justgettingthroughtheday · 06/02/2023 22:38

TheyBrokeMeToday · 06/02/2023 20:37

I'm afraid that I absolutely WILL lay it at the feet of the customer when they are criticising me for doing my actual job, and being unreasonable in not accepting that there are store policies which mean that I can't just do it their way because that's not how it works. I will also criticise them when they are just plain rude and aggressive. None of these have anything to do with genuine customer service, and everything to do with customers who think they know how to do your job and you don't, and that they can take their bad day out on the retail staff who don't count as actual people.

If I were you I wouldn't expect to keep your job for long if that's your attitude!

MsAdoraBelleDearheartVonLipwig · 06/02/2023 22:39

I absolutely agree with the lack of conflict resolving. And also that people seem to take offence and automatically assume that they are somehow in the right because they are offended. No, offence is just an opinion, yes you are perfectly entitled to that opinion but no, it doesn’t actually mean that you’re right.

Drywhitefruitycidergin · 06/02/2023 22:42

Customer service standards have fallen hugely & companies don't allow any pragmatism or flexibility or in most cases the chance to speak to an actual human without either a) waiting forever or b) fighting with chatbots/pass codes etc - It's chicken and egg in terms of which came first......crap service or frustrated customers

TomatoSandwiches · 06/02/2023 22:46

The general public have always been rude and will continue to be so, however customer service is practically non existent these days, really very poor in most places.
I do compliment when I have a good interaction with retailers though, sadly it just happens less often than 4, 5 years ago.

Original poster

TheyBrokeMeToday · 06/02/2023 22:48

justgettingthroughtheday · 06/02/2023 22:38

If I were you I wouldn't expect to keep your job for long if that's your attitude!

Show quote history

Perhaps didn't make myself very clear there, but I obviously don't criticise the customer when I am serving then. I am very polite, and I do my job to the best of my ability. I've done it for 5 years now, and won awards for my customer service. What I won't do anymore though is pretend to myself that the customer is not being unreasonable when they are, and I will not carry that home upon my shoulders and blame myself for other peoples behaviour. So, yes, privately I am
critical , and publicly I will stand up for myself because it's a necessity.

OP posts:

WhiteFire · 06/02/2023 22:53

It seems as though everybody has become very demanding and have just lost all filters and ability to deal with others with any kind of respect or kindness.

I agree with this.

mogsrus · 06/02/2023 22:53

It should be made law that everyone who leaves school should be made to do 1yr compulsory customer service they wouldn’t last long

Amortentia · 06/02/2023 22:54

I’ve seen some shockingly bad behaviour on both sides since lockdown. I think so many companies that used to give good customer service have given up so don’t support staff to do likewise. But it’s not just in retail. I spent my youth working part-time in call centres, I can’t believe how bad the standard of service has dropped. I’ve had some spectacularly bad experiences recently over the most basic questions.

Eyerollcentral · 06/02/2023 22:55

There is just no excuse for rudeness and yes there are some people who wrongly think that by throwing a strop and shouting the loudest will enable you to change store policy. However, a lot of stores are now totally ridiculous in terms of their policies. Like others on the thread I’ve also increasingly experienced terrible service, ignored or treated with a shrug of the shoulders. I vote with my feet and go elsewhere where I can. People are also under massive pressure in general, but there is definitely a rude element that will never be satisfied and no you don’t have to tolerate it.

Daisymay2 · 06/02/2023 22:55

These stories are appalling, but explain why an assistant in Sainsburys sought him out in the queue the other day to say his response when she told him something was out of stock had made her day. He'd asked her if there were any 4 pint "bottles" of milk left and thanked her for looking and said he'd get 6pints instead, after she had checked the stockroom and found that there weren't any more.
I comes to something when a store assistant is grateful you don't lose your cool.

TheObstinateHeadstrongGirl · 06/02/2023 22:56

I do think COVID has made a lot of people forget their people skills.

However I also think customer service is at a diabolically low level, I’m sick of paying for piss poor service by people who can’t be arsed doing their job properly.

Eyerollcentral · 06/02/2023 22:57

Amortentia · 06/02/2023 22:54

I’ve seen some shockingly bad behaviour on both sides since lockdown. I think so many companies that used to give good customer service have given up so don’t support staff to do likewise. But it’s not just in retail. I spent my youth working part-time in call centres, I can’t believe how bad the standard of service has dropped. I’ve had some spectacularly bad experiences recently over the most basic questions.

Yes you are right and I think wrongly so people expect they are going to be put through the ringer for the most basic requests so their backs are up already.

Quisquam · 06/02/2023 22:57

I've found both true actually, customers are worse and so are staff. I don't know if perhaps the former has led to the latter.

DD has had abuse from so many customers, about things which are beyond her control; and often they are procedures to protect the customer (its a pharmacy); that she can no longer be bothered to explain things at length to customers. She just gives them the shortened version. None of her colleagues want to work on the counter.

In fact, she has quit retail, as she is so fed up with it - and she was very good at her job. Her previous employer asked her 4 times to go back.

mogsrus · 06/02/2023 22:58

It’s amazing the snide comments I get in my work ( amusement arcade) when the machines they are playing develop a fault, they know exactly what’s wrong with it & amazingly, how to put it right. Here you go mate, have a screwdriver & circuit tester while I go for a cuppa? good luck

PositiveIntelligence · 06/02/2023 22:58

wellpaddedintherear · 06/02/2023 21:34

I hear all these stories

ive been spat at,sexually assaulted 6 times in 6 years (and called a liar when I wrote that on here),swung at,been spoken to like im scum,had pissheads/druggies start on me,sworn at-the list is endless

i once helped a lady put her order in,she paid and turned round to tell me that ‘you are utter scum,now fuck off and leave me alone you fucking bitch’ her young grandchildren who where stood next to her,didn’t bat an eyelid

i always have a smile and a friendly,helpful and ‘can do’ attitude-even when I feel like telling someone to fuck off

just today,I asked someone if I could help as I could see he was struggling with our self service machine-so he swung at me (thankfully he missed and stormed out)

police do fuck all-even though the whole building has cctv

99% of our customers are fantastic-it’s that 1%

where do you work?!

wellpaddedintherear · 06/02/2023 23:01

PositiveIntelligence · 06/02/2023 22:58

where do you work?!

Show quote history

Customer service at mcd’s

cawca · 06/02/2023 23:01

Keyansier · 06/02/2023 20:06

I find it completely the opposite experience. Staff attitudes in public facing roles has really gone downhill lately, rude, abrupt, abrasive, ignoring you, chatting amongst themselves and then being huffy when you ask for their help. Someone was so rude to me the other day in a shop that I'd had enough and after I paid for my things I said to them "I hope a computer replaces you by next year".

This ^

MrsRosieBrew · 06/02/2023 23:04

Agree. Worked in the same industry for 30 years and definitely an increase in horrible entitled people since COVID.

Rebel2023 · 06/02/2023 23:09

TheyBrokeMeToday · 06/02/2023 20:37

I'm afraid that I absolutely WILL lay it at the feet of the customer when they are criticising me for doing my actual job, and being unreasonable in not accepting that there are store policies which mean that I can't just do it their way because that's not how it works. I will also criticise them when they are just plain rude and aggressive. None of these have anything to do with genuine customer service, and everything to do with customers who think they know how to do your job and you don't, and that they can take their bad day out on the retail staff who don't count as actual people.

That ^^
I told someone not to carry on speaking to me in the manner he was. He told me I deserved to be spoken to like that

I've worked in customer service/contact centres/care work/retail since 2006 and it's probably at the worst it's been at the minute
Mostly people complaining we don't have appointments. I can't do anything about that, we are busy and full

mogsrus · 06/02/2023 23:09

Been threatened with screwdriver, wait for you in car park, pushed against machines, go ahead make my day 18 cctvs are watching & listen to every word, most holiday makers are fine but some are so scary

Jossse · 06/02/2023 23:11

When we need to ask or complain we have to go into the spiral of doom, searching through whichever website to find an answer or what the process is only to then find out hours later that it hadn't worked. Once we eventually get to speak to an actual person we're livid. I hate having to spend hours of my time trying to resolve something that 10 years ago would be dealt with over the phone and effectively.
Bring back people in customer service.