I think I'm becoming a grumpy old woman

I have worked in retail since leaving school many moons ago and found some customers hard work, but you never let it show. I saved the grumpiness for when I went into the stock room, an odd time punching a box, but always came back out to the customer with a smile on my face. We all have our off days, but some like to bring it to the shop floor which they should never do. Just smile, say thank you so much for all your help and walk away, it'll probably irritate them more.

When I am on the receiving end of a customers’ bad day ( and I must point out that were I work this is rare, I mutter just under my breath: “ it’s being so cheerful that keeps ‘em going” as they leave the till point.
We are sometimes very busy but the store policy is for all the tills to be woman/man(ned) to full capacity so that no one waits too long while staff chat amongst themselves, else we get a warning over our headsets.?
but….. I have come to the conclusion that some customers are determined to turn a simple uncomplicated transaction into an opportunity to be abrupt and irritable because that is how they feel, sometimes almost snatching the goods and receipt before flouncing off.
I’m just thankful that the overwhelming majority of our customers are polite and patient and I think I can recognise when someone is feeling stressed and hassled -usually about crying children or car parking - and wants to get away as fast as possible. I try and accommodate by being as efficient as possible - without being too officious.
I have observed staff who seem to make it there purpose in life though to be obstructive/ unhelpful to customers by following petty rules such as what end of the checkout queue to enter - even when there are no other customers waiting.
They are as good as saying “that’ll teach ‘em” coming in here expecting service like it’s..well..a shop or something! Perhaps it gives some staff a sense of superiority, who knows??

I don't shop in either Aldi or M&S because we don't have either of them in my town, but I do have interaction with a lot of people, and we often don't know what's going on in their lives. Death of a spouse, cancer diagnosis, runaway daughter/son, all meddling with their emotions. They are not taking it out on you, they are struggling with these emotions whilst trying to do their job

I don't think you're a GOW, it would have been annoying for you, but perhaps walking off was a bit of an overreaction.

I walked off and left two extremely full baskets of household goods many years ago when 8 months pregnant. I collected two baskets full of lamp shades bulbs toilet roo holders etc in BHS. I qued for quite a while only to be missed out by the assistant for the woman behind me. I had put mine on the floors they were heavy. When I said I think it's my turn she pointed to the baskets on the floor. So I left them there and walked off, saying she could put them back as I wasn't. I actually got a clap from quite a few in the queue. Don't feel guilty sometimes we are just pushed to the limit.

I enjoy shopping in Aldi because the staff are so helpful and polite. Particularly one young man who always slows down for me and helps me repack into my trolley (I use a crutch and am not perhaps the quickest). The last time I was in there a young man behind me in the queue helped me to put stuff on the belt then helped me pack it away again. My nice cashier thanked him as did I. I find I remember these nice incidents much longer than the occasional grumpy assistant.

I immediately think of what I was learned in church, let him who has no sins cast the first stone. If you never have a bad day you can criticize.

At our Aldi in Silsden the staff can't be happier or more helpful. Must be just your neck of the woods.

All my shopping is now done on line but when I did shop in town I encountered both rudeness and helpfulness. I do wonder if maybe the assistant is having worries at home in these trying times.

Not a store that I get into regularly but have found assistants incredibly pleasant and helpful when I have shopped in Primark, both in Exeter and in Lincoln.

Aldi staff vary a great deal. At the Moreton one today very helpful man both in the aisles and on the till.

Last time I went to the Chipping Norton one the staff look at you as if you'd just shot their dog!

I think there’s examples of poor service at times wherever you shop. My local Aldi have always been fine and I only paid 89p for my cauliflower yesterday when the local greengrocer wanted £1.89

Perhaps we've just been lucky but when we moved to this area the first thing that struck us was how cheerful, polite and helpful shop staff were wherever we went. So different to London. Only twice have we met with a negative response from shop staff.

We encountered a surly shop manager in a hardware shop who glared at us and answered every question with just one word. I eventually asked him if he had a toothache. He scowled and looked puzzled. I said is that why you only answer my queries with a single word? He gave me a sheepish smile then and apologised.

Another time I asked for help at a well known clothes store only to be publicly and loudly humiliated by the young assistant. I complained in writing to the manager but never had a reply. I never went there again and the shop has now closed down.

I am fortunate in living in a country where shop assistents are still expected to be helpful and polite, so if any assistent had been so off-hand with me, I would probably have quote my great-grandmother's saying:

"Good manners cost nowt, young woman!" and left the shop.

I am a great believer in either both complain and praise when appropriate, or say nothing . For a role model rather than Victor Meldrew I prefer Stephanie Cole in Waiting for God. More my kind of person! The assumption that if you are older you may be spoken to as if you were an idiot or a child annoys me too. I certainly complain if necessary, so for example young man on checkout starts banging fruit down.Pears especially dont like being treated roughly so dont think he will do that again in a hurry, But at the same store on another day, a most helpful checkout person who put my shopping into bags , as my back is really bad at the moment , was most pleasant and helpful , and even when I went out to the car park the very nice young man dealing with trolleys came across unasked and lifted the bags into the car for me .So I went online and commended those people to the bosses and this will be , I hope, a good point for them. I was head of communications for Great Britain , for a large company and you do find that whereas most people will be polite and thank people on the spot, they rarely bother to put in writing in some form. Whereas complaints will be voiced but often written in, so it is rather a biased slant, if you look at comments on a specific person. I also some time ago went into my local Tesco and they did not have a disabled buggy to use. I queried this and was told various things - store not big enough , nowhere to keep it etc etc. I spoke to someone and did not feel I got anywhere so went higher up the chain and carried on lobbying, politely but also reminding them that it would benefit them as those of us who cannot stand or walk round , would be able to do their shopping and get all they require and of course Tesco would get the money. So it took a little while but now there is the needed buggy, and in the beginning it looked as though I was the only person using it. But now you can see (you have to sign in and out for it) quite a lot of people have been able to get round and it makes a difference to lots of people , and well done Tesco for this and their blue token charity support etc. Probably in the beginning I was seen as a very annoying customer but think they now see it has been worth it. Yes I think we should all expect civilised and polite behaviour , but of course include expecting it of ourselves

If there is one thing that makes me grumpy it's people who do not allow a driver to reverse onto their drive in order to turn round. What inconvenience does it cause to the owner?

Several years ago a GP was rude to me and dismissed my concerns - as I left I asked her if she was having a bad day or was she always this rude? I heard 2 weeks later she took her own life. Never underestimate what others may be going through!

Shopkeepers of all sorts should understand that for many people the act of choosing and buying their stuff in a shop is entertainment. This means what the customers buys is not only stuff it's also self expression or/and social expression.

Managers should therefore not require staff to lack time and energy to entertain customers' social and personal needs. However this business model is an expensive one to provide, and the customer has to face this extra cost.

It always seemed to me that Aldi and Lidl get all their profits from dehumanised selling. If any HARD-PRESSED shop worker who is paid for selling, but not human contact, adds human kindness to their service it's an unpaid service to the customer.

Kathmaggie, thanks for concise and significant illustration of practical morality.

Flakesdayout…
Aldi, huh? A German run enterprise. I can say they’re not that helpful or friendly even here in the states! Must be part of the chain’s manifesto… especially when it comes to the speedy, crash your stuff into the cart checkout process. “Move along, lady… Next!”
It’s not you, it’s them.
Cheers!
USA Gundy

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

My last visit to Lidle a young man was being trained at the till x being taught to be polite , ‘ Hello how are you today ‘ and ‘thank you enjoy the rest of your day ‘ he was very self conscious x bit did it with a smile x

I find the staff at Aldi unfailingly cheerful and friendly.
Likewise Waitrose. Although the big Sainsburys in MK can be a bit on the “cool” side, the smaller local one is quite different.
I’m sure it comes down to the individual store and the management. Happy staff are usually helpful staff.

Gundy

Flakesdayout…
Aldi, huh? A German run enterprise. I can say they’re not that helpful or friendly even here in the states! Must be part of the chain’s manifesto… especially when it comes to the speedy, crash your stuff into the cart checkout process. “Move along, lady… Next!”
It’s not you, it’s them.
Cheers!
USA Gundy

It surely depends on location?

Supermarket staff in most shops near here are generally cheerful and very helpful.

Apart from those in Lidls, perhaps they're just unhappy?

A German run enterprise
And? ?