customer service

[firewatch]

does it exsist any more?
We did the christmas shop the other week and i was one handed having sprained my wrist really badly and we went and did our shopping.

Got to the checkouts and the girl serving us could see i was one handed and did not help to pack the bags or offer to help, and kept chucking stuff down to me despite the fact i was struggling packing ( i am usually pretty quick having done it for a job)it should of alerted her to the fact i needed help.
when she told me the total it was quite exspensive i turned to my hubby who was looking concerned and said it is christmas, she laughed.
I was to tired and fed up to complain, but it got me thinking do they really value there jobs in times of insecurity like this to provide service like that?!
discuss.

[sara3]

bad wrist or not, sometimes I think the people on check-outs play a little game with you.. they whizz all the stuff through and snigger at your attempts to keep up, then frown at you when you "hold up" the queue when you try to catch up.

as my boss says, " just recognise that people don't really care, and it will get easier".

grrrrrrrrrrr!

[firewatch]

i used 2 work checkouts for a living and all ways helped pack if some one was struggling, or slowed down to let them catch up, it was just plain rude

[saxy_jag]

When I used to do checkouts, how the customer was treated depended very much on how they treated me. If they were rude and awkward, then I'd work as fast I possibly could. The nice ones always got help.

Now I'm on the other side of the counter, I'm deliberately awkward if the checkout staff are in a mood. If they try to rush me, I deliberately take my time and don't take out my purse to pay them until I've packed my shopping. If they tut at you, smile sweetly and say 'just a moment, dear' (the 'dear' is vital in the patronisation process).

Something else they don't like - you know when they give you your change, and they put the notes and the receipt in your hand first and then place the coins on top, so everything slides out onto the counter whilst you're fiddling with your purse. Try to keep a hand free and whip away the notes and receipt before they can do the coins. They hate it.

Then make a mental note of the assistant for next time and, when you pay them in cash, do it back - notes first, then coins on top before they've had a chance to think about it.

And finally, try to arrange a mock row with your partner over the checkout, the more 'threatening' the better. Nothing more certain to put the wind up them than the fear of being caught in the crossfire.

[sara3]

OMG saxy.. it's proper war!

and I thought it was all in my head!

[bednobs]

dont understand why you didnt just say "can you help me" or " can you slow down a bit" rather than expecting her to know what you wanted!

[bednobs]

dont understand why you didnt just say "can you help me" or " can you slow down a bit" rather than expecting her to know what you wanted!
also, why didnt your (two handed?) husband do the packing? I would be complaining about him rathe than the shop girl!

[dot.hawkes]

Most check-outs ask if you need help with your packing, why did you not ask??? Can't blame the check-out assistant if you did not let her know can you?

[Emz26]

I went into Tesco on Christmas Eve and couldn't find what I was looking for. I asked a lad if they sold this particular item and he said he didn't know but would go ask someone. He left me standing there for about 10 minutes before I spotted him serving someone on one of the counters. I went up to him and asked him whether they sold it or not and he just looked at me like I was an idiot and said 'what?' I found a manager and explained to him what had happened and he just said to me 'I'm sorry, but a lot of our staff are a bit like that' WHAT?!?!

[TCL-MUMPING]

What was yir husband doing while you were struggling then?

[MAD BUTCHER]

I read the question and wondered what your husband was doing, now find others wondering without any reply.

So, please put us out of our misery - Just what was your husband doing??? dear!

[trt]

The low wages they get paid for putting up with people like you shopping in Tesco, what do you expect..

If you want personal service, go to Harrods.

And like other posters have said, why wasn't hubby helping, what was he doing, looking at her boobs?

[gelda]

saxy,loved your post, I must try those things next time I go to Tescos.

[firewatch]

i have only just logged on this mornin, he was unloading the shopping from the trolley the other end. there was quite a bit being christmas and a stockup shop.
i did want to waste my breath she would only have ignored me stupid thing, whilst i was trying to catch up with what she had thrown at me she sat and adjusted a christmas badge.
and emz26, in the store where i worked most of the staff where like the one you came across working in places like that can turn you into a bit of drone, thats why i changed to a department where we had some brains and could actually help customers who had a question.

[TCL-MUMPING]

Would it not have made sense for you to unload the trolley and yir husband to pack the bags? As for calling the assistant stupid, you did not ask for help, so who is the stupid one?.

[gina32]

when i worked on checkouts our tills were on a timer and we had to get as many through as possible, as at the end of the week/month it was all down on paper and you would get taken into the office if you were slow

[terambulan]

What's wrong with saying if that's service, am not paying for it and walk off!

They'll soon chase you with apologies!