What's going on with retail workers?

[IWouldRatherBeOnHoliday]

Recently I've found it really irritating going to supermarkets/large chain stores and finding that the store assistants don't seem to be doing their jobs the way they used to. I often pop out on my lunchbreak to run errands and, whilst I accept that sometimes there might be queues due to customer demand etc, I don't expect to have to wait 5 minutes to be served while two colleagues have a chat! The worst seems to be my local Asda, where every member of staff seems to find it annoying having to deal with customers.

I don't want to put people down, and I know many store assistants do work incredibly hard. I'm also well aware that some customers are extremely rude, and so I don't feel like I should say anything when I am being inconvenienced.

Is it because staff feel disengaged and underappreciated by their employer? I have a lot of sympathy for their feelings if that's the case. BUT can they not also recognise that customers are just trying to get their shopping done, and its actually really rude and disrespectful not to serve them properly?

You can serve yourself most of the time in most supermarkets.

YANBU! It doesn't just apply to supermarkets. I went into a John Lewis cafe recently, and me and another lady had questions for the hot food counter. Three young-ish (early 20s) employees were just having a chat right in front of us, and not even about work.

Yes and that's where the issues often arise. Waiting 5 minutes to get approval for an alcohol purchase, or because the packing scales don't like something, because two assistants are having a conversation instead of coming over.

The worst place for this is the doctor's surgery. Waiting and waiting at the window just to collect a prescription when the staff members are just there chatting.

Or the post office. Pharmacies and post offices are not happy unless you have to queue/wait for ages.

Well you can if you don't buy anything too complicated, or too light, or needing approval.

Having worked in retail, please make a complaint if this is happening. Even if you don't know the names of the staff involved. It's really not acceptable and management needs to know.

Thanks @usernother I guess I'd been wondering whether this was a good idea or not? I know when I worked in retail (at 17/18) I found management could be quite heavy handed, but I was also very conscious of giving good customer service. I'll see if Asda have a feedback section on their website.

Its a training need. They don't have the time to train them. It can take years to become fully trained in the art of customer service but the super markets pay peanuts so people move on

The thing is if staff are working an eight hour shift it's unrealistic to think they won't ever communicate between themselves. l work in retail and can go hours without talking to another member of staff, then when l do say hello etc, you get a customer tutting, or manager asking if everything ok? It's sods law the minute you talk to another member of staff a customer will need help. Obviously staff should prioritise customers but l don't think people who have never worked in retail see the bigger picture, and they no doubt talk to their colleagues during working hours.

I’ve worked in retail since 2002 and this is nothing new. It’s bad enough when two staff members working on supermarket checkouts are having a full blown conversation with each other in English instead of focusing on the customer but my Polish colleagues scream to each other in Polish while serving customers. I find it all so embarrassing and can’t understand why customers aren’t complaining.

Or ---- when the person on the till knows/or is related to the customer in front of you.
I was getting just a few little things (total was <£10), but was unfortunately behind a family who - I swear - bought £160 pounds worth of crisps, for some reason.
Even though the chute to push them down (Home Bargains) was divided into two, and the other side was empty, the assistant insisted in having a prolonged chat with them, while they - slowly - packed all their crisps into the baby pushchair. I said nothing, and I don't even roll my eyes, but I turned to one side and heaved a silent sigh of irritation - really I am just very fed up and wishing I hadn't bothered.
It just seems very social for the staff, and select customers.
I just want to be in and out.

Superdrug used to be awful for staff not even breaking conversation and scanning your things whilst still having a conversation…

I really hate shit customer service, no matter who is giving it.

I've noticed a lot of checkout staff these days just don't bother to talk to you, not even a hello. They will only speak to tell you your total or ask if it's cash or card, I find it so rude.

I wonder if it varies in different parts of the country. I can't remember this ever happening to me. Retail workers and similar all seem to do their job in a really friendly and helpful way.
A little bit of chatting with colleagues and customers (it is a very friendly part of the country), but not enough to inconvenience anyone or seem unprofessional.

Different opinion, I know. But having been in retail for a while (not anymore!) and still having lots of friends there - post covid and the cost of living crisis, there has been a HUGE rise in antisocial behaviour from customers.
Whereas you used to get one awful hellraiser of a customer, deal with them and go back to providing decent customer service to everyone else, this has changed and I think most retail workers are facing far more abuse than ever before. I don’t blame them for (again, on the most part) ‘giving up’ and not constantly being as positive as the world expects them to be.

It's training. Till operators are lucky if they get half an hour's training before they are expected to get on and serve customers by themselves, certainly in our shop. Quite a few are a bit 'rabbit in the headlights'- terrified of making a mistake, having to watch everything they do and every button that they press in case Management come down on them for not banking money often enough/banking too frequently/not scanning everything/not checking for loyalty cards/making a mistake with lottery etc etc etc. Until you get the hang of it - and for some older people that can take quite a while - it can be really scary out there.

Retail staff should be able to spend time being trained and not expected to 'go solo' until they are comfortable. But stores can't afford to carry staff who aren't working flat out, so they don't get that time.

Hell is other people.

Superdrug is the absolute worst! In my local branch they are constantly talking over their headsets even as they serve you.
I asked one woman once who she was talking to because I wondered if they were expected to answer customer enquiries at the same time and she said "Oh we are all just talking to each other around the shop".
It's so weird and inappropriate, they barely draw breath.

Is it because staff feel disengaged and underappreciated by their employer?

maybe being paid shit wages, having to either be in their feet all day or stuck behind a till sitting down for hours, and having to fend off grumpy rude customers has something to do with it,

No, I wouldn't do this as I wouldn't want the individual worker to get into trouble. It's the shop's problem imo.

I definitely don't envy them!

I worked in retail for years (a department store and a supermarket) so I totally get it, generally took my A game to work 99% of the time.

On the flip side my local Dunelm tills are never manned enough (no self serve option), I know I have to get in the Q a good 15 minutes before I need to leave.

Also had this as RHS Wisley a few weeks ago, one person on the till, very busy weekend, the Q to pay was going off in 3 different directions. I told the manager twice before they got anyone to help.

I had this in b&q thr other day. Left waiting stood in front of two staff members for 90 seconds (long time when you're visibly waiting to talk to someone) whilst they finished their conversation.

Then the kitchen planner (who's help went so far as 'what do you want for it?' - I'm not sure I was hoping you could provide some inspiration on how I use the space best?) Told me she hates doing kitchens, then had a conversation with the other about how much their boss was getting on their nerves and minute detail as to why. I was so shocked !

Mind you in tesco they barely make eye contact with you anymore

I appreciate the people I get to know in the supermarkets and shops in our local town, they deserve a medal. We're on first name terms it costs nothing to be pleasant and it makes their job a bit easier.