Customers’ behaviour has made colleagues leave

[Hmlp]

This year had:
. Colleague A left because he was grabbed by the wrist and told to FO
. Colleague B said to me that she will work another Christmas and retire after that. She mentioned this in Jan. Three months later she left
. Colleague C has worked for company for 45 years - first 5 years at a different store. She handed in her retirement notice as she is getting fed up with customers’ behaviour. She came home on Thursday in tears - the first time in 45 years. She is not retiring until next month.
. Colleague D had two weeks off sick and handed in her notice as customers have upsetted her.

These colleagues will not be replaced as according to head office we are 320 hours over a month!

We are stressed. We can’t cope as it is. No idea how HQ say we are 320 hours over when it feels 320 hours under!

Customers need to understand that shouting at retail and hospitality workers is bullying and totally unacceptable. What happened to treat others as you wanted to be treated yourself? Ie don’t talk down to retail workers like they are piece of dog shit on your shoe.

We can’t say to customers that we are 320 hours over. They will go ballistic.

Any ideas on how to stop customers being rude and bullying

No it didn’t. She said a man had a go at an old couple about it.

I agree this is a free country and people can shop when they want. Maybe they are still working during the week or caring for grandchildren. Even if not they can shop when they want.

Of course not; the damage to standards has already been done....the pp is correct; this change in behaviour is partly led by those in charge.

Had to chuckle at Cherie Blair’s dad banging on the doors whilst peshed. I wonder what he was like at home?

Anyone who complains about customers and staff being sick whilst they are being attended by first aiders/paramedics should be banned. How would they like it if their DP, DC or any loved one had people stepping over them when they are unwell?

@Hmlp and @Auburngal , it would be a good idea if you use the same login for the one thread instead of posting under both ID's

Wow this just shows how unhappy a lot of people are. You don't get to tell someone else when they can shop wtf.

Only been using this username. Obviously another MN user that isn’t happy working in retail. There’s 1m people who work in supermarkets

I think you are right about not tolerating abuse by the public, obviously.

I really don't understand your hatred for elderly people shopping though. Realistically, how much slower is an old person likely to be? How much delayed is another customer likely to be by being behind an elderly person at the till? Few seconds, couple of minutes, maximum.

It would never cross my mind to get annoyed at an elderly person in front of me. Or anybody in front of me to be honest. If these elderly people are shopping at 'the busiest times", then other people are too, that's why it's busy. And if other people are too then you are just as likely to be delayed by someone/many someones as you wait in line in a busy supermarket. If you can't wait a minute or two maybe YOU should be the one shopping at a quieter time 🤷🏻‍♀️

Also, on this:
Also my store has a load of elderly shoppers coming in at 10:30-12pm on Wednesdays. Yet most of them walk or drive so no need to come that time.

What's wrong with midmorning on a Wednesday? Surely that's not too busy. It sounds like you just have a problem with elderly people shopping to be honest.

And Im the pope :)

You went through god alone how many names in the other place with your slagging of the elderly and how bad customers were for your MH. Seems you are on a mission here as well

Who cares when older people shop, they only buy about five items at a time anyways. It's also their right to go when they see fit.

Excuse me,
I am elderly, I am 77 so I assume elderly.
I went shopping yesterday. I bought ten garlic bread (now in my freezer) one tub
of margarine, 12 bottles of wine, one loaf of bread. I think that is 24 items.
I did ask the young person who checked if I was over 25 how she was and I did thank her for allowing me to buy the wine (I was not in any way nasty or sarcastic).
This trail of posts has made me decide to take a few moments every time I shop to try to help the staff feel valued.

Well just to make things confusing, back in the day, when I worked for Sainsburys, You would have been allowed through the 5 items check out as that would have been classed as just 4 items :)

Shop whenever you like :) Not all shop staff are like the OP

You all need to work to rule.

Do what you have to, no overtime - leave the rest. Doesn't matter what's left - when head office ask, you tell them you're short staffed.

Only way HO will take any notice.

With regards customers, having worked in retail for 20+ years the only thing you can do is refuse to carry on serving them if verbally abusive or remove yourself from the situation and call the police if it's physical.

Imagine if we're stereotyping and ageist!

Are you one of those irritating people clogging up the aisles waiting and hounding the assistants for the yellow stickers food? You're very irritating.

This what I did As soon as it was time to clock off - I was gone . I was working many hours over what I was paid for to get the job done . When I stopped doing it and the shit hit the fan I reminded them of the modern day slavery act . I soon got help . When customers were abusive I walked away . If anyone dared assault me the police would be called by me no discussion first .

Some elderly people may need help from their family to get to the shops so have to wait until the weekend. You'll be a doddery old person one day 😉.

Trying to say this as gently as I can but you maybe need to look for a back office job as it sounds like you've 'done your bit' at the coal face.

This is so infuriating.

Countless times I've been to an unwell customer, put barriers round for privacy and had them moved out the way by customers who want to get to the fish but its ok as they will only be a minute and 'wont look'. Unreal.

Myself and my retail colleagues have been threatened, physically assaulted or just generally abused for mostly factors beyond the control of anyone in store. There has definitely been a shift post-covid in attitudes. Police do all they can but then are let down by the court system.

I've always said everyone should experience a job on retail at some point in their lives. You really do see all aspects of human behaviour. I feel for you OP.

What the fuck is going on with the spate of ageist posts in here from people who work in supermarkets??

OP. Get another job.

Sorry op but just from reading your first post I think that maybe you should be taking this up with your line manager to let them know your issues regarding the hours and their expectations of you.
I work in one of the big 4 supermarkets too and wouldn’t dream of being as ageist as you are coming across on here.
I say this kindly but I really think that you should be looking to get out of retail altogether

It feels like from some of your responses that you are projecting your issues onto the elderly who shop. You are assuming that most aren’t busy in the week and just come on a Saturday to annoy others. Unless you know the specifics of their situation then you cannot say for sure. At the end of the day a customer can come and shop at any point during trading hours. That really shouldn’t upset you as much as it does.

Just because someone is in their 70s doesn’t mean they have nothing to do during the week. One of my parents works for a charity during weekdays, the other has various clubs and commitments that take up a lot of Mon-Fri time. It’s very ageist to prescribe that older folk only shop at certain times! Plus plenty of grandparents host Sunday lunch for extended family, so want the freshest bread / veg / fruits so Saturday makes a lot of sense.

What supermarkets should do is staff up accordingly, open all tills - maybe even embrace what some European supermarkets do and have a ‘slow’ lane for customers who take a little longer, want a chat etc. so those who want to whizz through self check out can do so.

I think there has been an eroding in standards of behaviour, both by staff and customers. I am frequently served by a cashier chatting to someone else through a microphone and earpiece. As they are scanning they will be saying - yeah we are going out Friday night...etc.
I do not care, but I do think it is not surprising that some customers also think the normal rules do not apply.

OP, if you work in my local Tesco, customers are probably fed up because of (1) price hikes, (2) all regular tills with friendly staff have gone, (3) the first row of self service tills don't work properly, (4) the guy on cigarette counter doesn't notice people waiting to be ID'd for alcohol and (5) we resent watching shoplifters walk away with steak, knowing that we're paying higher prices as a result

I'm always polite to staff, but customers are not getting a good service

And YABU for criticising older customers for shopping on Saturdays

Sorry but no they don’t need to understand anything. They have every right to shop when they want and to take as long as they want. Other people’s impatience isn’t their problem. Jeez. No wonder elderly feel lonely and like no one gives and man about them.