to expect polite & pleasant service from M & S not an angry rant from a stroppy teenage staff member?

[NewPenName]

popped into my local M & S food hall in my lunch-hour and mistakenly thought it was reasonable to ask for help from a customer assistant as I hadn't used their self-service check-outs before.

I couldn't get the bloody thing to work, not helped by the fact that I was laden down with a heavy laptop and files, was late for a meeting and there were no bags/baskets for my stuff..

Anyway, scanner wasn't working for me so assistant came over as requested, but grabbed the stuff off me rather impatiently and remonstrated with me that I wasn't listening to instructions. I explained politely that she hadn't shown me how to use it. She told me off again at which point I again politely but this time firmly pointed out to her that i was
a) merely asking for her help
b) actually a paying customer and didn't expect her to get angry with me.

She retorted that she was, quote "angry with me for not listening"!! wtf?! Where does a slip of a girl get off on feeling it's acceptable to get angry with a customer asking (politely) for her help?!

I appreciate this is hardly up there as a majorly significant awful event of my life but I'm enraged that this casually rude and downright aggressive attitude is seemingly acceptable on the high street.

Is it my pmt over-reacting or is this v unreasonable??

My rant over now. I shall go and get a life...

I was rude to an annoying customer many many years ago, when I was a stroppy 16 year old girl on the deli counter at tescos.

The customer complained and I was hauled into the manager's office and verbally warned that this was totally unacceptable.

I was devastated and very embarrassed and I was never rude to customers again, I can tell you.

I actually ran into the manager the other day and we had a good laugh about it and she said the worst thing about her job was having to manage stroppy teenagers!

YANBU. I complained to M&S after a similar problem and they were very good - sent me lots of lovely vouchers .

They told me that they had told the sales assistant that her behaviour was completely unacceptable but they didn't sack her (and I certainly wouldn't have wanted them to) so you don't have to worry that she will lose her job if you complain.

"You certainly don't expect it in M&S...Lidl maybe..."

Can I just say here that I have always found Lidl staff to be more polite and helpful than any other supermarket staff!! They have removed ASBO type teenagers who were hassling us (kicking my 9 year old DS1 and tripping my 7 year old DS2) from the store and the manager didn't get stroppy last week when I complained about something that they weren't even doing wrong! They are always cheerful, helpful and friendly.

Please don't assume that a 'bargain' supermarket will have poor standards in their expectations of their staff!