Working in a shop would be a far less demeaning job if managers were to back their staff up in requesting basic decency from their customers. Sadly, they don't, which is a large part of the reason why retail is absolutely soul-destrying.

Honestly, some managers would just shuttle another staff member in to deal with them. One or two I've had over the years would kick them out of the shop, but that's the exception rather than the rule.

Plenty of shops I go to, the staff are having conversations with each other while I pay, they say please thank you etc to me but nothing more. Should I be upset about this?

Kow wrote:

Plenty of shops I go to, the staff are having conversations with each other while I pay, they say please thank you etc to me but nothing more. Should I be upset about this?

Yes, you should.

Yossarian wrote:

Kow wrote:

Plenty of shops I go to, the staff are having conversations with each other while I pay, they say please thank you etc to me but nothing more. Should I be upset about this?

Yes, you should.

Well I'm not. I go to the shop to buy stuff, not to socialize. Give me an automatic check out any day.

Kow wrote:

Yossarian wrote:

Kow wrote:

Plenty of shops I go to, the staff are having conversations with each other while I pay, they say please thank you etc to me but nothing more. Should I be upset about this?

Yes, you should.

Well I'm not. I go to the so to buy stuff, not to socialize. Give me an automatic check out any day.

I had no interest in socialising with customers, it's got nothing to do with socialising, it's about showing the person who is doing a shitty but necessary job for you that they have some worth.

And whatever you think, it shouldn't impact on the transaction. People who are going to impose their standards on the customer shouldn't be in retail.

Kow wrote:

And whatever you think, it shouldn't impact on the transaction. People who are going to impose their standards on the customer shouldn't be in retail.

Bullshit. So if I own a shop I shouldn't be allowed to request that you don't walk around naked? If you walk around calling all of my staff cunts I shouldn't be allowed to throw you out? I own a food shop and you're walking around licking things to see how fresh they are, I should put up with it?

As I said there are normal levels of decency. If you're going to compare being on the phone to walking around naked then your argument is over.

Um.

May have bee drink in g.

Kow wrote:

Well if I go into a shop on the phone and from my perspective I'm being polite and the attendant decides that their politeness trumps mine for some reason and won't serve me, then all they've done is lose a customer.

Alternatively, they've stood up for politeness and respect and they are no longer going to have to deal with someone rude because of it. Win win.

The argument of "well you've lost a customer" so shitty, pervasive and used to justify so much terrible behaviour in retail that it quickly loses any meaning, TBH.

Kow wrote:

Well if I go into a shop on the phone and from my perspective I'm being polite and the attendant decides that their politeness trumps mine for some reason and won't serve me, then all they've done is lose a customer.

Your perspective might not be right though. I need you to confirm something, and you're gabbing away. You're being rude.

When someone is asked a question but they're talking to another person who isnext to them, they apologise and then answer the question. People on the phone ignore you, and then get pissed off at you that the transaction hasn't moved forward.

I'm with Kow, long as your body language is correct, eye contact, nod, smile a wink even.

Kow wrote:

Nah, it's dumb. Being on the phone is not rude, it's the other shit that's rude - ignoring, not saying hello, no eye contact, etc.

As I say, I wouldn't personally react that strongly to an individual on the phone who was at least acknowledging me, but it's also worth saying that every time I served someone who was on the phone rather than dealing with me, I had a small piece of self-esteem chipped away. Not much, but a little bit, and I very much doubt that I am the only sales assistant who felt that way.