Who Is to Blame? Bad Customers or Bad Retail Staff?

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  AAAB on 22/04/2016 - 05:01

  +6

  I work in retail so my opinions are likely biased.

  I hate the customers who feel like they're entitled to special treatment for whatever reason. Also the customers who use the "The customer is always right" argument, they're just never nice to deal with regardless of the end result.

  As for your example: Yeah that's pretty bad behaviour from an employee, don't get too caught up on it cos there is always that one bad egg.

  Essentially to answer your question it's a mix of both bad customers and bad staff.

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  [Deactivated] on 22/04/2016 - 07:58

  +10

  I used to work in retail in my uni days. The short of it is, there are so many rude / abrupt / unreasonably demanding / plain crazy people out there in the general public, that you learn it's not worthwhile extending more than the basic civilities and just finishing the job quickly and efficiently.

  I don't get your comment regarding breaking company policy, firstly it's the wrong thing to do, secondly there are checks and balances to ensure it is followed and they shouldn't risk their job security for an unreasonable customer's benefit.

• 

  kolorijo on 22/04/2016 - 08:08

  +15

  It's people. You get good and bad on both sides (customer & staff). Case closed.

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  [Deactivated] on 22/04/2016 - 08:26

  -1

  Retail workers feel overly entitled for whatever arbitrary reason like most customers are rude or crazy or whatever their excuse is.
  If you don't like giving service and dealing with customers of all kinds then stop working in a customer service job.

  I've worked six years in retail all the way from a Junior Sales Assistant to being a Regional Manager.
  Rude customers are part of the job description.

  You think rude customers in a retail setting is shitty work? Try working at an airport where you're dealing with tired and cranky people, now those people have a hard job.

  People just get jaded and unhappy with their work so they look for an outlet and complaining about customers is their scapegoat.
  Like the comment above about putting in minimal effort, does that really help or just piss off customers even more? Probably the later right? Just making your own job harder by being slack.

• 

  Settero on 22/04/2016 - 09:04

  +5

  you are right , they wont get a bonus for following the company policies 100%… but they might get fired if they dont…

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  [Deactivated] on 22/04/2016 - 09:36

  +1

  both. i'd say roughly 50 percent of customers and staff are idiots. this world is dumbing itself down so much now that intelligence and manners are no longer things people strive for.

  • 

    Diji1 on 22/04/2016 - 10:36

    Let me guess: you self assessed yourself and found out you were on the side of the smarties.

    • 

      [Deactivated] on 22/04/2016 - 10:37

      lol, no need to self assess, i've been tested

      • 

        altomic on 22/04/2016 - 11:02

        -1

        so you're in the other half then.

      • 

        Settero on 22/04/2016 - 11:03

        did it go something like this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc86ZXFsriM ?

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  PJC on 22/04/2016 - 10:14

  There is no loyalty. These are just convenience stores. That Target may become a KMart by Christmas. I would have said "I'm not here to find out what is important to you".

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  purplelady on 22/04/2016 - 11:50

  +1

  Just on your 1 experience alone, that's the employee's issue. She shouldn't have made that comment. That's if that's the whole story. i.e. you didn't previously call her a cow :P

  I used to work in retail for years, and honestly I could be a bitch sometimes if the customer was rude or too much or unreasonable. But I would be an angel if they're decent too. So it's really both sides. Sometimes customers think employees work just to give them customer service, not filling, stocktaking etc etc. Some customers expect me to hold their baskets while they're shopping in a store. That store is just a small souvenir store that has 2 employees at a time max. I'd understand if it's Hermes or something.

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  Banana on 22/04/2016 - 16:21

  Sorry if this comment offends anyone, but it's probably the area you are in (or should I say we). I actually just submitted a complain letter regarding employees around the area, as they have been consistently rude and like to make insensitive comments.

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  minniethemoocher on 22/04/2016 - 18:09

  Wow that's really poor form for a Target employee. Recently at my local store I was told to turn the EFTPOS machine containing my card away from view and hide my pin. The reason being people outside of the store might see my card. shortly after they built a wall so people couldn't see in. I think management must take card security fairly seriously.

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  Tal_Shiar on 23/04/2016 - 02:37

  Quite frankly, rude staff get weeded out over time like everyone else in their job. No one here is really to blame, but customers level of service they receive is dictated indirectly by them and how difficult they choose to be. You create a scene or raise a voice you'll be dismissed as quickly as they can get rid of you. (And then you'll be talked about in a whiney voice) If you don't waste their time by dragging out their interaction with you, talk on your phone at the service area or wear headphones when they're communicating with you, you'll probably get friendly service especially if you allow them to engage their product knowledge with you. Sadly you have to take with the good and the bad in life and customer service, it's just how it works…

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  Daabido on 23/04/2016 - 10:36

  +1

  "Oh no, I'm not covering it for the reason you think. It's really because my PIN spells our "F*** You B****!"