Shop Assistants Can Be So Horrible.
By Janey1966
@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
January 16, 2010 4:34pm CST
Whilst I was at Mum's over Christmas she wanted me to buy some milk from a shop called the PG Store near to her home. I had to go into another shop anyway so I didn't mind at all. Anyhow, the first shop I went in was fine. Smiles all round, a "Merry Christmas" here and there, it was great. The problems manifested themselves in this PG Store I went in last...for the milk.
I found the milk in the fridge and took it to the counter. I smiled at the guy in front of me who was buying way more than I was and he handed over £10 to which he received some change. I also noticed he was a bit dishevelled but what's wrong with that? He was spending money like the rest of us, he was perfectly entitled to be there. Anyway, once the guy left there was a flurry of activity in the shop before I was served. Firstly, the shop assistant produced some Carex gel and proceeded to rub it into her hands, going "Errr, that guy was disgusting, he STINKS!" and another lady (I use the word "lady" loosely) sprayed room fragrance in the place the guy was just stood in. These two women then started discussing the fact that the room fragrance was running out and "there's another one that's just come in" and I couldn't believe this was happening, it was all so surreal.
What did I do or say? Nothing (to my shame) although, when I was being served I should've said something like, "What's he ever done to you, he's spending money isn't he? How would you feel if that was done after you'd been in a shop, have some compassion, it's Christmas for God's sake!" But I didn't. I will never set foot in the shop again though, I shall buy the milk elsewhere thank you.
Have you ever witnessed anything like that? Were you braver than me and said something?
1 person likes this
9 responses
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
17 Jan 10
I work in a store and trust me, there are some people that smell so so bad that the odor lingers long after they have left the store. I get embarrassed because I worry that the next people up to the counter may think that it is me. Still, I have never done the air freshner and sanitizer after they have left or talked badly about them. You have to be very careful on what you say in the public. The person that overhears you could be that person's best friend or relative. We've had young girls working at the store that have had to learn that lesson the hard way.
@sid556 (30960)
• United States
17 Jan 10
You should talk to the manager. It is not her place to judge what you are buying and for what reason you are buying it! You can make all sorts of assumptions about people by what they purchase and be very very wrong in your assumptions. The bottom line is that we are selling products and it is not a good business move to make customers feel embarrassed or uncomfortable in buying certain items. If the clerk stepped over the line and made you feel embarrassed then you should have a talk with her manager. She probably won't get fired but she will probably get talked to about how she treats the customers. If she did this to you then she probably does it to others as well.
@theskerne (33)
•
18 Jan 10
Hi there
Thank you for that advice. I think she will be told straigt away if she does this to me again. I will make her feek the way she makes me feel. Then i will walk out.
Thank you
@Torunn (8607)
• Norway
17 Jan 10
There's an elderly lady doing her shopping at my local grocery store, and you can smell her at 6-7 meters. She's always there with an assistant, I think they also come with a taxi. But the staff is always polite and if they wash anything afterwards, they don't do it so that anyone else can notice it. Those PG Store employees seemed horrible, you don't have to demonstrate like that. Stupid, stupid people.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
I know what you mean, it's the fact that they weren't even subtle about it that got me..AND the guy didn't even smell, not what you might call a BAD smell. It was a musty smell. Perhaps he'd put his jacket on that had been hanging up wet somewhere...it was that kind of smell, certainly nothing overpowering. He wasn't even in the shop long, the poor guy!
@Torunn (8607)
• Norway
17 Jan 10
And I bet you they wouldn't have said anything if someone had been smelling off too much perfume, even though that's worse for some people. I start sneezing of perfume, and some people are very allergic, and I don't think anyone would have reacted to the one you described.
Or it could have been me, coming straight from the stable and smelling of horse. I don't notice it myself when I've been there, but I suppose it smells a bit and noone has ever said anything. I only go to grocery stores, I avoid the posh fashion stores etc until I've changed :-)
@rameshkumaar57 (5908)
• India
17 Jan 10
You know Jany most of these shop assistants get a small salary, so they have an inferoity complex. That is the reason they make some mean comments about the customers behind their backs, and act in a superior manner, as if they own the shop. At times, I make some sarcastic comment about them right in front of their faces, I know that I am being mean, but when I do not like their body language, as their snobish looks, I give them back with interest. Usually the next time I go to that shop, the girl will not be there.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
I used to be like that! I really should be more assertive. I am good at complaining (not surprisingly lol) but in this instance I thought of something to say once I'd got home...and was kicking myself. Something else I could've done was ring the shop up as they have to answer it nearby. I'm good on the phone!
@MrKennedy (1978)
•
17 Jan 10
I've encountered many horrible shop assistants in my time. It never ceases to amaze me how they got such a job with such a vile attitude, to be honest. And, in my experience, it's always the younger assistants who are the horrible ones. The ones that have been terrible think that they are better than the customer, and that they own the shop
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
Well, it may surprise you to know that the woman rubbing her hands in Carex gel was dressed way too smartly for the shop and was middle-aged, which suggests to me she may have been the Manager as I had never seen her before. If she was then her behaviour is even worse isn't it, as she is setting a poor example to her staff. I hope she goes bankrupt!
@madteaparty (2748)
• Japan
17 Jan 10
I haven't seen something as extreme as that, but maybe they just wait until there are not customers in front to do that here.
I see that attitude really horrible, everyone has the right to buy in a shop, and it's not like that person was trying to steal, but he was a normal customer.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
Exactly! He was spending a fair bit of money so they should've treated him with more respect. I know that they started getting flustered after he'd left but that's not the point...they did it...in front of other customers, staff and young, impressionable people who will think that it's OK to make fun of people that are different from them.
@ShadowofHope2010 (173)
• United States
17 Jan 10
Well, being in that predicament, I don't think I would've said anything either at first, but then thought to say it later. Don't be ashamed, I would also be shocked that someone could be so bold as to simply say their thoughts out loud. I would've told the manager if I chose not to tell it to their faces, however. These days, a job is so hard to come across that people should be more cordial and polite to take care of their jobs. Besides, they don't know whether or not he is homeless or any part of his situation. Don't worry, that act of cruelty will definitely come back to haunt them and they will realize their mistakes much too late.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
Thank you for that well-thought out response...and welcome to MyLot. Yes, I am a great believer in what you say...their actions will definitely come back to haunt them one day and hopefully, they will rue the day they were so cruel when they are standing in the dole queue.
@Biomechanoid (2923)
• Estonia
16 Jan 10
I've seen similar shop assistants too. Young girls with bossy attitude. They stare at everyone and discuss them behind their back. They don't even try to hide their emotions, pulling faces and stuff. If you're going to buy something cheap, they're staring at you like you were a worst human being on the planet. It's funny, because the salary of the shop assistants isn't too big too, so they aren't rich or something, they're just like everyone else in the middle class, but they pretend to be aristocrats. Doh! How stupid one person can be?
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
I know what you mean. The woman who was rubbing her hands with all this gel was done up to the nines in a poxy, cheapo shop. I mean, why? I'd never seen her before, perhaps she was the manager, I don't know. In any case, I'm never going in there again so I'm unlikely to come across her, thank God. Thanks for your post.
@lelin1123 (15595)
• Puerto Rico
16 Jan 10
I hate to say this but I have witness this many times but with people of all ages. People just love to judge others and that is one of the problems of the world. I always think when I see people like this "that for the grace of God go I." People are so insentitive to other people and their problems and its a disgrace. The guy was spending money and who knows he may have just gotten off a job site and picking up stuff for dinner and then going home to take a shower. People who treat others like this are heartless and cruel to say the least. I probably would have said to them that "they are cruel and you just lost a customer."
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
17 Jan 10
Thanks for those words, my friend, you are so right in what you say. Something else I should've said is this; "Do you get the gel out for every customer? Will you use it when I'm out the door or what? MERRY F'ING XMAS TO YOU TOO!" I used to be sooo assertive when I was younger. I probably would've said that when I was in my teens but nowadays...I bite my tongue and say nothing...although I did say to someone last summer, "It's far too hot for you to put that jacket on your dog, it's cruel!" Whether it registered or not I don't know because I think the woman was Polish!
@theskerne (33)
•
17 Jan 10
If you still feel very angry about this behaviour towards customers then you can air your grieveances to the manager. This needs to stop. I know some shop assistants can be very rued to say the least.
I have made a comment in the page on how a shop assistant makes me feel when she homes in on what i have in my basket.
I feel i ought to have words with the shop manager.
