Rude shop assistants

[Kate Ellery]

I had a sarcastic remark from a Deli worker in Woolworths ….. today , I asked out of habit ~ for 1/2 dozen mini Frankfurt’s …..she said in a rude tone how many is that ?

I couldn’t help myself I said , it should be common sense to know how many 1/2 dozen is …..I said it with a smile …. and she shot back at me ..,well they didn’t teach that in school ….. WHAT !!!!!

At a guess, I’d think she was about .20…

 

[John Brunner]

I guess we've all encountered cashiers where something is $11.26 so you give them a $20 bill, (2) $1 bills and a penny so you get back a $10 bill and 3 quarters, and they hand you back everything but the $20. "You gave me too much." *sigh*

 

[Axel Slingerland]

I have had a standard belief for the vast majority of my life, that if a cashier charges me too much I will correct them. But if they give me too much change, I just say thank you and leave. A few times of having to explain to their Boss why their cash drawer is short is good incentive to learn how to properly count change. Or find a new job.

 

[Beth Gallagher]

I had a sarcastic remark from a Deli worker in Woolworths ….. today , I asked out of habit ~ for 1/2 dozen mini Frankfurt’s …..she said in a rude tone how many is that ?

I couldn’t help myself I said , it should be common sense to know how many 1/2 dozen is …..I said it with a smile …. and she shot back at me ..,well they didn’t teach that in school ….. WHAT !!!!!

At a guess, I’d think she was about .20…

It's a good thing you didn't ask her for a "baker's dozen," Kate!!

 

[Marie Miller]

I had a sarcastic remark from a Deli worker in Woolworths ….. today , I asked out of habit ~ for 1/2 dozen mini Frankfurt’s …..she said in a rude tone how many is that ?

I couldn’t help myself I said , it should be common sense to know how many 1/2 dozen is …..I said it with a smile …. and she shot back at me ..,well they didn’t teach that in school ….. WHAT !!!!!

At a guess, I’d think she was about .20…

She probably did not know what 1/2 dozen is or wanted to make sure you meant six.

 

[John Brunner]

I have had a standard belief for the vast majority of my life, that if a cashier charges me too much I will correct them. But if they give me too much change, I just say thank you and leave. A few times of having to explain to their Boss why their cash drawer is short is good incentive to learn how to properly count change. Or find a new job.

I would never do that.

Years ago I was heading out of town on vacation and stopped to get gas on my way out of Dodge. I fill it up...$19 worth. I handed the guy in the booth $20, and he gave me back $19 in change. I pointed out that I bought $19 of gas, and my change should be $1. He argued with me. In that instance, I stopped fighting and pocketed the money.

I was at a local coin show and bought some stuff from a booth occupied by a woman and her father. He was tallying up the purchases using pencil and paper. When I got home and was entering the stuff into my investments spreadsheet, I realized that the guy undercharged me an even $100. (Obviously, I was not paying attention, and don't know what would have happened if he had overcharged me.) So I went back, told his daughter to fire her cashier, and gave her the $100.

When that stuff happens, I always remember when I was a kid and put my nickel into one of those cookie vending machines where you pull the long rod straight out and your purchase falls into the tray. The entire supply of my selection dumped! I had 10 paks of cookies!!! My father let me keep the one I paid for and take the rest that I had not paid for inside and hand over to the manager. The old man had his faults (as do I), but being a thief wasn't one of them.

Heck, I was at an ATM and it kicked me an extra $20. The bill was all folded up, stuck in the middle of the stack. I took it back. But that's just me. If I weren't that way, I'd have no standing to demand that others are honest with me.

 

[Marie Miller]

I have had a standard belief for the vast majority of my life, that if a cashier charges me too much I will correct them. But if they give me too much change, I just say thank you and leave. A few times of having to explain to their Boss why their cash drawer is short is good incentive to learn how to properly count change. Or find a new job.

That is mean.

 

[Axel Slingerland]

I would never do that.

Years ago I was heading out of town on vacation and stopped to get gas on my way out of Dodge. I fill it up...$19 worth. I handed the guy in the booth $20, and he gave me back $19 in change. I pointed out that I bought $19 of gas, and my change should be $1. He argued with me. In that instance, I stopped fighting and pocketed the money.

After my friend Gary got out of the Army in 1976 we set off to ride the full length of US Route 66. Somewhere along the way we stopped for food and I wanted $100 for places that would only accept cash from strangers. So when I was asked if I wanted any cash back I said yes. When I went to put the money away I noticed the stack of $20 bills was too think and counted it, and realized the cashier had given me $200. I tried to give it back to her, but she said I was trying to trick her. She said to get out or she would call the police.

So we left. A few miles down the road a County Sheriff stopped us and said we had be reported for trying to con the woman out of $100. I told him that she made a mistake and gave me too much change, I tried to give it back but she wouldn't take it. He accepted my side of the story, which I think may have had a little to do with the fact that our ID's were military issue, since were were still in the Army Reserve. So I asked him if he would return the money for us, and he said no. "She gave you the money, it's yours." So I said "But she made a mistake." He said that it didn't matter, she handed it to me, it was mine. So he said he was going to go back and tell her that he believed us, that she made a mistake, and that it was hep problem. She would have to explain it to her boss why she was $100 short.

The County Sheriff may have been wrong, I have no idea. But he said since I repeatedly tried to give it back and she refused to take it, he was satisfied that we had not broken any law. I may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer, but I know better than to argue with Police. Specially if he says you're right.

Heck, I was at an ATM and it kicked me an extra $20. The bill was all folded up, stuck in the middle of the stack. I took it back. But that's just me. If I weren't that way, I'd have no standing to demand that others are honest with me.

That's great, John. But you actually have no standing to demand anything for anyone, no matter what you do. The best you can do is hope that people will be fair if you are. But you know what they say, wish in one had and...

 

[Liz Adams]

It REALLY annoys me.
I have worked in retail quite a lot and have owned my own shop, but you are never rude to customers.

Don't get me wrong , they are not always right, but never be rude.
There are ways in which to talk to them even if they're ranting and raving at you.

But I agree , some of the dim wits they get working in these stores, with no apparent training and certainly no common sense is beyond belief.

 

[Ken Anderson]

I think we see that among retail workers because they are usually young, are not paid very much, and don't plan on staying long anyhow. So, unless they are working in a store where they can get a commission on top of their hourly pay, they don't try very hard. I haven't come across too many who were outright rude, but then I seldom go into a retail store other than our local hardware and grocery stores, and here they're not rude because it's a small town and people know one another.

We do have a second hardware and lumber store here, where the owner is the rude one, as he doesn't hire a lot of other people. For a while, I thought he was just rude to end users who came in looking for one or two things because he mostly supplies construction companies or other contractors, who buy large quantities and generally know exactly what they are looking for. However, a friend, who is a construction contractor, told me he's rude to everyone. He was rude to me shortly after we moved here, and I was doing a lot of renovations and repairs on the house that we just bought in 2000. I've been back there only a few times since, and just for topsoil because he carried it after the other stores around here had quit for the season.

What I have seen a lot of is that there's no point in asking someone where something is because they don't know and are apt to tell you the store doesn't carry whatever you're looking for, even though they clearly do.

 

[Liz Adams]

True points ken .
I must point out too that they are not all rude , there are some very nice young assistants out there. But it appears to me that a lot them are bored.

 

[John Brunner]

I've often wondered if some rude people start their own businesses because they can't survive working for others. I've worked for one or two arrogant control freaks. I've not encountered a lot of rudeness from the working class. I can't say whether or not the rudeness on the part of customers is a larger issue than in the past, but the competition for our dollars has got some people a little too big for their britches.

 

[Marie Miller]

Retail pay is not the greatest if you are working the floor but it can come with nice perks. I have been in stores quite a bit over the last two weeks from farm supply to fashion and not one negative experience.

 

[John Brunner]

Retail pay is not the greatest if you are working the floor but it can come with nice perks. I have been in stores quite a bit over the last two weeks from farm supply to fashion and not one negative experience.

I grew up in retail because my father managed G.C. Murphy stores his entire career, so it was part of my life. My first job out of high school was at Dart Drug (a defunct version of CVS.) There was only one troublesome customer who made complaining his retirement hobby. He would come in every Sunday morning with that week's circular in his hand and go around the store, making certain we had everything that was advertised in stock. (The delivery for many of the items did not arrive at our store until Tuesday, so there were always blots.) He never bought anything that I recall...he was just our not-so-secret shopper.

He came in one Sunday and discovered that we did not have the large jar of advertised Planters Peanuts in stock.

Me: "We can give you a Rain Check, or sell you the smaller jar at the same per-ounce price. That's a better deal because you don't have to buy as much and they are less likely to go stale by the time you've eaten them all."

Him: "That's not the point! This is false advertising!!!"

Me (the smart-mouthed 18 year old): "Sir, if you feel that way, you have a duty to your fellow consumer to report us to The Better Business Bureau."

Him (a wonderful shade of red): "I shouldn't have to do that! Where's the manager? What's your name???"

Me: "The manager is behind the drug counter. I can tell you're upset and will likely forget my name by the time you get back there, so take this with you." I removed my name tag and handed it to him.

A few minutes later the manager walks up, gives me my name tag back, and says (not really angry) "Don't do that again." Gee, I was just trying to be helpful.

 

[Marie Miller]

I grew up in retail because my father managed G.C. Murphy stores his entire career, so it was part of my life. My first job out of high school was at Dart Drug (a defunct version of CVS.) There was only one troublesome customer who made complaining his retirement hobby. He would come in every Sunday morning with that week's circular in his hand and go around the store, making certain we had everything that was advertised in stock. (The delivery for many of the items did not arrive at our store until Tuesday, so there were always blots.) He never bought anything that I recall...he was just our not-so-secret shopper.

He came in one Sunday and discovered that we did not have the large jar of advertised Planters Peanuts in stock.

Me: "We can give you a Rain Check, or sell you the smaller jar at the same per-ounce price. That's a better deal because you don't have to buy as much and they are less likely to go stale by the time you've eaten them all."

Him: "That's not the point! This is false advertising!!!"

Me (the smart-mouthed 18 year old): "Sir, if you feel that way, you have a duty to your fellow consumer to report us to The Better Business Bureau."

Him (a wonderful shade of red): "I shouldn't have to do that! Where's the manager? What's your name???"

Me: "The manager is behind the drug counter. I can tell you're upset and will likely forget my name by the time you get back there, so take this with you." I removed my name tag and handed it to him.

A few minutes later the manager walks up, gives me my name tag back, and says (not really angry) "Don't do that again." Gee, I was just trying to be helpful.

I survived six months in retail. Belk’s in the office shielded from the blue haired discount mafia by a half door. Mothers Day! The mayor had $1.99 panties boxed and wrapped individually for his wife. I could not look at her from that moment on without chuckling about the “foundations” which was the proper term. One of the bats reached over the half door, had my necklace in her claws and demanded to know where it is in the store as she did not see it. A “it is real” in a low voice threw her into a tantrum. Lessons learned - how to gift wrap, how to hold managers hair when her mystery illness overcame her (Long Island Iced Tea) and understand markup/markdown.

 

[Mary Stetler]

It REALLY annoys me.
I have worked in retail quite a lot and have owned my own shop, but you are never rude to customers.

Don't get me wrong , they are not always right, but never be rude.
There are ways in which to talk to them even if they're ranting and raving at you.

But I agree , some of the dim wits they get working in these stores, with no apparent training and certainly no common sense is beyond belief.

I worry that I am turning into one of those dim wits and hope for forgiveness.

 

[Liz Adams]

I worry that I am turning into one of those dim wits and hope for forgiveness.

you are forgiven ! ( I'm sure you're not one of the dim wits )