I witnessed a retail employee being absolutely vile to an elderly man today

[Greenfinc]

This afternoon in a small branch of Lidl at the self service checkouts. Nobody was on the actual tills so no option to use them instead.

An elderly man needed some help scanning his shopping and was explaining to the employee overseeing the checkouts that he was partially sighted and was struggling to find the bar codes.

The employee was absolutely horrible to him saying being partially sighted doesn't mean he can't see and that there's a difference between being partially sighted and blind. Her attitude was vile.

She begrudgingly scanned his remaining items, as though he'd asked her to pay for them herself, and as he was collecting his change from the machine she sarcastically said "oh you managed to see that well enough did you"

I asked him if he needed any help and if he was ok and he explained that he'd had two surgeries on his eyes and couldn't see very well, and that he was only able to get about to the shop on his own as he knew and was used to it but struggled with the bar codes.

I told him I'd heard everything that woman had said to him and that I'm going to contact the head office about her and report exactly what I'd heard. He said he didn't want to make a fuss and that she was clearly just looking for an argument.

WIBU to report her to her employer regardless? I feel really sad about it and don't think somebody like that should be in a customer facing role working with members of the public. Horrible bully.

Why do you have to make allowances because it's Lidl? What's wrong with Lidl?

Actually, I think you should leave it there. These nasty ablist individuals think they can get away with this bullying as they won’t get found out. Good, let her be identified. Why should she get another job, what if it’s in a sector which is desperate for staff like social care? Sadly @ LidlGB seem to have quite a bit of previous with their staff behaving in abhorrent ways to people with disabilities

I don't really understand this. I don't care which supermarket it is, rudeness is rudeness and I would not make any allowances. What an odd thing to say.

Would it be ok for the staff to be racist then? Would we also be expected to make allowances?

The staff members actions were appalling. No one should be made to feel shit because of a disability or something that they cannot help or change.

I think it's better to report as a) it might have upset the elderly man who just wanted scan and pay for his shopping, and b) hopefully by reporting the assistant gets fired or otherwise disciplined

100% report her. No excuses.

That's a pretty rubbish generic response. Al ost like sorry you found the bananas were bruised

What if this person disputes OP's version of events though, and Lidl sticks by her? OP could then be accused of publicly victimising someone whose bosses have decided did nothing wrong. It's not worth the aggro keeping the photo up.

That's so sad. For some old people the only contact they have with others is when they go out to the shops. I'm glad you were kind to him. I would definitely report her.

I'm 65. I would never have considered myself blind to discriminatory behaviour. I became disabled about 8 years ago, and never expected it. I am still gobsmacked how bad things are! I thought we'd improved as a society. I thought that most people tried harder. Honestly, no, we haven't and they don't. When it isn't you, no matter how hard you try, you don't notice it. I didn't. You don't. It's every single day at times. I'm so proud that you noticed and stood up. You have no idea what that means to someone. Ignore those who think it isn't worth it, it that nothing will be done. Maybe nothing will be done. But its always worth it. Some people here think it doesn't matter. It matters to me.

The twitter account handler seems more bothered than whoever is behind the customer service email. They've said they are extremely worried about it and asked me to DM them the details.

How would something like this generally be dealt with in retail? A verbal warning? Training?

Thank you, that's so kind of you to say ❤️

I'd highlight it on their social media page. Businesses hate that being done. Especially if the response you got was unsatisfactory.

If the £ in the trolley thread’s anything to go by, she’ll be fired. Which is exactly what she deserves.

Report her. Honestly, I would of told her exactly what I thought of her there and then.

@Blossomtoes I haven't seen that thread, what happened?

This.

the majority of those self service tills have cctv on so may well have captured the incident

The twitter account handler seems more bothered than whoever is behind the customer service email. They've said they are extremely worried about it and asked me to DM them the details.

That's because more people read twitter than private emails, they're concerned for their reputation more than the old boy, sadly.

About confronting her in person there and then, dispite that not being what the man wanted (he said himself he doesn't want a fuss and felt she was just looking for an argument) it could also give her enough notice to come up with a cock and bull defence

If she's pulled in, which I hope she is, it's better that she doesn't expect it or know who the report has come from.

From a similar situation where an employee was attacked at WH Smith's at Charing Cross by a man with MH issues, I tweeted to WHS as no one on staff there was looking after him and he was told to go and have a cigarette and come back to finish his shift. I sent a tweet to their account, got an immediate DM thanking me, telling me that a manager was going over there to relieve him and send him home. Next day I received a further note, saying he had been very shaken and they were giving him some time off and access to further help. Sometimes, you just have to step up and a company will do the right thing.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4841200-who-owns-a-pound-left-in-supermarket-trolley?page=19&reply=127430841

It’s full of posters defending supermarkets firing workers for gross misconduct for keeping low value items left behind by customers, most notable a £ coin left in a trolley. It’s bonkers.

I work in retail and that colleague's behaviour is downright disgusting, I'm glad you've reported it.

What does that mean ?

Definitely. At very least they need retraining. Poor guy, dm struggles too but most staff are very helpful.

I'd have called the manager over as soon as the gent had left. I used to work in retail and this kind of thing is just not on! Thank you for being so kind to him and hopefully letting him know that not all people are vile!

I feel so upset for the man.
Thank you for helping.
I never say this, but I think the local press need to be involved with this one.
I could weep….