To make a complaint against cashier at supermarket?

[Tess1011]

I have an invisible disability (neurological) and I was made to feel really small and stupid during our shop visit today. I have only recently began joining my husband and children on the weekly shop again run to rebuild my confidence after an operation.

The cashier was scanning very quickly and the shopping was piling up before my husband was able to get to it. I was keeping an eye on our son (who has special needs and is prone to running off)

She remarked to me, in a way I can only describe as sarcastically, that I should help him.

Following this, because we were paying for the shopping in two parts (because I was using a healthy start card for my fruit and vegetables) she then commented to me again that I should have just used that card in the first part of the shop. That part of the shopping totalled £68, it wouldn't have worked because there was only £17 on the healthy start card IE enough for the fruit and veg only.

I felt put on the spot and under pressure as I stood there trying to work out if I had made a mistake. Other people in the queue were looking at me and I was embarrassed.

My processing isn't very quick and I can only do things the way that I know them. It took my husband explaining to me after we left the shop that she was wrong and the way I did it was fine as it would have been declined if I had done as she said I should

I'm generally a very laid back person and this is the first time I've ever felt the need to make a complaint like this but I left the shop feeling humiliated, judged and very small.

I also think its pathetic that OP is being told she should shop online as a solution to the rudeness of an employee.

Exactly.

How my shopping gets packed is none of the cashiers business, as long as I don’t leave it on the belt and fuck off for an hour.

Not everyone agrees that the cashier was rude, though.

I think she should shop online because she'd find it less stressful.

What does your invisible disability have to do with this. It's invisible so how is the cashier meant to know anything? And what if she had one? You can see how that can go on, so I think it's irrelevant.
Seems like you felt embarrassed about not knowing the HS thing and wanted to make an issue of it. Just move on op. Really this is something so trivial.

But as has been pointed out by the OP herself...none of us were there.

You can't seriously expect the OP to remember exactly what the cashier said as the op has a neurological disability and does not process information quickly and has recently had an operation.

Also she was focused on her special needs child who is prone to running away.

I would put it down as a less than ideal interaction. It happens.
It wouldn't even cross my mind to complain.

Yeah, one where they just make conversation with customers.

You sound a bit precious, really

It sounds like you're in a busy packed store, and you and your DH are faffing about causing a backup behind you.

Nobody was rude to you she gave you simple instructions on how to use your card efficiently than dividing your stuff into two orders.

Maybe go shopping at a quieter, less busy time.

In what way was she faffing about?

There has been a few threads like this in the last few days, how someone with a brain injury endured the wrath of an Asda employee, and today we have one in Tesco.

someone pointed out that it isn’t just the customers who wear the sunflower lanyards, it’s also the staff.

in our local supermarket, we have a gentle giant who collects the trolleys, he lives with his mum, and he certainly has a condition or two - he is not unpleasant at all, but I would think he could get “confused” easily.

a few of the cashiers definitely have “conditions” too. They are lovely people, but as the op is fully aware, disability is not always visual to others, and life long conditions aren’t always easy to manage.

Every Bank Holiday in a supermarket is manic, because the shop is only open for a few hours, and I bet the staff have not had a break, and everyone was queuing to get served.

Its a shame, that the people who don’t want to speak to cashiers don’t use the self service tills.

In what way was she faffing about?

Unnecessarily splitting her shopping in to two transactions.

Not packing it after it was scanned as she was using her eyes to look at a child.

Right, so 1) making a mistake because she didn’t understand a system

2. supervising her disabled child

I presume you haven’t ever made a mistake?

and you let your children run riot in the supermarket (Fuck knows why you think that’s better)?

Alright! I was just answering your question!

That's a lot of bloody stupid presuming.

and you let your children run riot in the supermarket (Fuck knows why you think that’s better)?

And naturally I get my shopping delivered by ocado.

Oh- so @HurricanesHardlyHeverHappen does make mistakes? And does supervise her children in the supermarket?

So just like the op then!

*Right, so 1) making a mistake because she didn’t understand a system

2. supervising her disabled child

I presume you haven’t ever made a mistake?

and you let your children run riot in the supermarket (Fuck knows why you think that’s better)?*

What the fuck!!!😂😂😂

No! I get it delivered.

*Oh- so @HurricanesHardlyHeverHappen does make mistakes? And does supervise her children in the supermarket?

So just like the op then!*

What a familiar posting style you have poster who has only ever posted on this thread with a name that was registered under an hour ago.

Me? I’ve been on here for 15 years or so. I name change frequently 🤷‍♀️.

Who am I similar to??

Were you hoping I was a pbp or a troll? Sorry to disappoint you.

Troll hunting is against the talk guidelines btw.

Isn't that what she did? Tell you a better way of doing it for next time?

With respect, its not coming across that way.
And that's the problem with all communication. We all see/gear things slightly differently.
You think she was rude....many of us with ND tendencies can come across rude when all intentions are good.
A little bit of tolerance goes a long way.

Cashiers don't usually tell customers what they should be doing with the packing or children or anything really. Even in Lidl or Aldi. And a lot of fiddling and faddling goes on at the cash desk by people taking forever packing, digging deep in bags or pockets to find their money or their cards and vouchers or getting the cards to work and some are so slow it's exasperating for people in the queue (i.e. me) but cashiers don't say anything.

Admittedly some can be nicer than others, more polite or friendly and occasionally you will come across a blunt or abrupt one and you wonder what's wrong with them but you just let it go. You were feeling vulnerable and upset and it's up to you whether you want to send off an email or make a phone call, highlighting needs of customers with invisible conditions or just let it be and not let it put you off going shopping again.

@alittleprivacy You say it’s a shitty job but for some people it’s their only means of income.
Have you ever done it?

She sounds a bit opinionated, but what you've described is not remotely complaint worthy.