Asked for help in ASDA and she had a breakdown.

[Springingintolife]

Not sure what I'm asking about being unreasonable for, but am I unreasonable to be shocked?

So it was my fault. I had gotten round and started scanning things on the self checkout after having done my whole shop and realised I had take my card out of my pocket and left it on the side at home. I'm a single mum with a condition which affects my memory, so I have to check 100 times for things before I leave the house but this morning DD was taking her time getting ready for school and I was being picked up by a local minibus service as soon as I had dropped her off and was in a rush.

But I had some ASDA vouchers on my phone from free school meals for the holidays and £7 in cash as I had had a 10 euro note lying around and had cashed it in at the beaureu de change booth. (Remembered that but couldn't remember my card!). My phone doesn't let me do that google pay thing, as it isn't a good enough phone.

I explained to the supervisor that I wanted to cancel my order and put some bits back and he took me to the customer services, but the lady was talking to some of her friends for ages. Eventually I explained to her the situation and told her that I wanted to just scan enough for £37 and put the rest back. She didn't help me figure it out, but just cancelled what I scanned so far.

So I went and grabbed one of those scan and go things as I have an account with them, so I could add up the most important parts of my shopping and put back anything over £37.

Anyway, after I had spent about half an hour doing this, I had 15 minutes left until the minibus was leaving and I went over to the bit to pay for scan and go. As I never use cash, I didn't know that you couldn't pay for cash at the scan and go bit, as it doesn't actually say that when you queue up, and I'd never tried to before, so it wasn't something that crossed my mind.

I scanned the vouchers I had on my phone and had £5.53 left to pay. It was only then that I noticed that there was nowhere on the machine to put cash into.

So I called for assistance to explain, thinking they could maybe transfer my payment over to customer services for me to pay the rest in cash, or help me re-scan everything in the self service bit.

When a different girl came over this time, I calmly explained the situation and she looked at the screen and got really stressy, saying she didn't know what to do, as I'd used gift vouchers for some of my shopping. So she asked for help on her headset and I think they told her to find a supervisor and she stomped off (I think they said this, because she walked over to the cash registers and the ladies on the minibus later mentioned in passing, that they had gotten the supervisors to man the cash registers as it was a bit busier than usual).

As she was stomping off, a lady with limited english was trying to get to the self service tills for trolleys and she was getting aggravated at them for walking through the scan and go to get to the self scan for trolleys, next to it. Kept shouting at them to leave the scan and go back around to get into the two person queue, but they didn't understand. She had a huge loud huff about it, threw her arms up and walked off.

But on her way to the cash registers, she let out a huge shout and said "I'm OUT", and kicked her headset angrily across the floor. I don't know if she threw it on the floor or if it fell off her head first, before she kicked it. I wasn't watching I only looked up and saw her because of her shouting and huffing.

Then she walked past me and in the opposite direction to the customer service desk, and never came back. A lady who had witnessed it all (customer) looked and me and said "I'm standing back", as this staff member had been so angry walking past her.

There was no one left in the scan and go area, and I couldn't press the button again for assistance, as she hadn't scanned her pass to reset it. I couldn't just cancel the transaction and go to self scan as I had already scanned my vouchers on my phone and would have lost them.

After about 5 minutes, another worker came into the scan and go and started helping other people. I asked her if the girl was coming back and she said 'no.' I said 'did she just quit?' and she said 'no, she just...' and kinda sighed with exasperation. I asked her for help and she looked at the screen and said 'yeah i know', and scanned her pass to reset the assistance screen and walked off. I had to wait for her to finish with new customers and then asked her for help again and she got really annoyed at me and said 'it's because you can't use cash here'. I calmly said, 'yes I know, but it was a mistake, I didn't realise.' She walked off again. I was about to just leave my £5.53 cash at the customer services desk and walk out, as I'd been standing there for ten minutes now waiting for help, and the minibus was due to leave, when the man next to me (who was also annoyed as he had just been made to re-scan his entire shop for picking up 2 different flavours of hams on an offer, instead of 2 the same) paid for me on his card and I gave him my cash. So the staff were refusing to help me otherwise.

I know I created the situation with my forgetfulness and not realising I couldn't pay cash until too late, but surely there's a better way to handle someone having made a mistake and asking for help to pay. They were all huffing and puffing about having to help customers, and normally they're just standing around chatting, so it seemed like they just didn't like having to engage with people for that busy day.

I was wondering if I should complain, but maybe the girl who shouted and kicked her headset across the shop after my request blew her mind, had been having a bad moment in her life.

Firstly the scan and go machines do not give an option for cash which is quite clear on the payment screen which says contactless/card, gift card, voucher. No mention of cash at all. At that point you could have used the scan and go handset on a selfscan checkout and paid with cash and the vouchers.

And 2ndly @Friedchickenrocks plenty of people with degrees work in retail. They have both brains and manners which you appear to be sadly lacking in.

😂

Just be very thankful for the guy who helped and make sure you have a way to pay in future.

Don’t complain. I feel for you both. She may have been having a very difficult day (not a professional reaction obviously) or been autistic.

I was in Tesco the other day trying to buy an Easter wreath (last one one the shelf). I got to self service and realised it didn’t have a tag. I asked the woman supervising if she had a code or if I could go to the shelf and take the code or take a picture so I could key it in. She had a complete meltdown and said there was nothing she could do because her supervisor wasn’t there. I am autistic myself, so empathise, but it was a shit show. It’s great that people who mightn’t be employable otherwise get a chance to work, but obviously more support is needed.

It took longer than expected for her to be 'diagnosed' autistic. Fuck sake.

Eh? I suggested she may have been having a hard day either? No diagnosis love.

Definitely complain. Quite frankly, you might be helping the staff by complaining because if there are problems with management etc those will only get sorted by people complaining. If it's just that staff can't be bothered then it's their own fault they're receiving complaints. I'd complain on the basis that 1)signage about paying in cash was insufficient:; 2) staff were rude; 3) staff left you without resolving your problem, not just affecting you but also lengthening the queue for everyone else. All this 'oh they're paid minimum wage, their jobs are hard' - sorry but that's not the customer's problem and it is completely unacceptable for staff to try to make it so. I worked in retail previously and I had incredibly rude, entitled customers in a very busy environment and was still able to be polite. Complain on your break in the staff room, don't have a strop because you don't know what you're doing.

Eh? I suggested she may have been having a hard day either? No diagnosis love.

You don't see the problem with suggesting someone is autistic based on a snapshot of them having a bad moment? Really?

Also OP I forgot my card today too and had to pay with cash for my shopping - luckily I realised on the way into the shop so could cut my cloth accordingly but it is stressful so I'm sorry you had that experience and then some!

I hope the inherent anger you’ve directed at me is cathartic.

There’s no shame in being autistic. I was empathising with someone else’s struggles and suggesting it as a possibility. Not making a diagnosis.

Happy to report you for doing so.

I wasn't suggesting it was shameful. I am autistic myself. I am completely sick of seeing people suggest shitty behaviour is down to autism.

Just for future reference if you go to the usual self check outs - not the signed scan and go ones, and use one that is cash & card you can scan the QR code on the first screen and pay there. I know in your post it was after the fact you realised you couldnt pay cash but just so people know.

You’ll understand my anxiety at returning to this thread and watching/unwatching then 🙃

@Friedchickenrocks · Today 17:59

Sorry but you chose it. Nobody forces you to work in retail. Study and get a better job then. I wouldn't be seen dead working in a shop.

Ooooh, go on, don't keep us all in suspense! What job is it that you do that is clearly massively superior to the 'plebby' shop assistants and checkout operators? I m dying to know. Bet you're on £100K a year, have a company car, and have a 'long commute' to work. Probably have dozens of minions working for you, as you're so terribly and important and well paid. I bow to your superiority! 🙄

#sarcasm. (I am willing to bet you don't even have a job!)

nb: shop assistants and checkout operators are NOT plebby!

😂

Sounds stressful but I’m pretty sure that all the relevant machines have a very large sticker on them saying ‘card only’.

You did cause a big kerfuffle and think how bloody stressed one would have to be to walk out of a job. Sounds like the shop worker had a worse day than the OP.

Do complain.. the service you received wasn’t good enough. I would make it more general rather than specific so that it’s not about ‘getting at’ someone and more about the issue of understaffing/poor training.

however, I do think you should get apple\google pay on your phone if your memory is bad… your post is disingenuous that money is tight noting a recent trip to America and probably Europe (Euros laying around..)

@Springingintolife I understood your post and sorry you had this experience - sounds really stressful especially with the transport.

Agree with PP about the phone wallet which I have for cards and cash - easily pick one up in a charity shop or cheap online.

Think the complete tantrum - kicking a work device across the floor was totally unprofessional. If I did the same with work equipment and IN work there would be serious consequences. As much as posters are suggesting they may have been having a bad day / something else going on there’s no excuse to behave like that on the shop floor - it should be taken off floor. Yes CS is shit and customers can be absolute testing twunks but you are still the face representing that company and her behaviour was unacceptable.

I couldn’t be arsed to complain though personally. Perhaps it was an off day but if she carries on like that she won’t retain the role or she’ll leave.

It's stressful in retail when you have a complicated query like yours to fix and don't know how to do it. I always used to feel bad when in that sort of situation, but generally I could get hold of a more experienced member of staff to help out. It sounds like the store just isn't staffed properly, TBH.

In essence:

• You had ASDA vouchers, £7 in cash, and 10EUR (equivalent to approximately £8.50).
• Initially, you aimed to cancel the order and return some items.
• Then, the plan was to scan items worth £37 and return the rest.
• You rescanned your items and returned anything exceeding £37.
• You were left with a remaining balance of £5.53, which you couldn't pay because the machine didn't accept cash.
• Additionally, you had no cash or card, only vouchers.

Honestly, the situation you created was quite complex, making it challenging for anyone to assist you effectively.

The best course of action would have been for the staff to politely request you to cancel the order, return all items for a refund, and start again i.e. you returned with the appropriate payment methods.

Sorry u are having a hard time on here , I’m glad u went into detail or u would have been accused of drip feeding. The way u were treated was dreadful. If the staff can’t cope they should be professional in front of the customer and seek more help. I would complain as we all see advertising saying how they value their customers. No excuse for that behaviour from staff , More training needed.

Clearly sounds like she was stressed and had enough and couldn't take any more. We all have days like that, I wouldn't complain about her personally but the general service. That's the problem now with everything being technical, very difficult for staff to change things on a platform. Xx