Store Employees
What is it with some store employees? Some of them are so terribly rude or uninterested in their customers.
A few days ago I had to go on a mad hunt for a new wireless adapter as my previous one broke down. I have two options when it comes to shopping; the city which is a good 15 minutes away by car (and they charge you a shit load for an hour parking) or my town center where I can cycle to, or if needed go by car and pay 25 % of what the city charges me for parking. The downside to town is there aren’t as many shops.
I opted for the last and went into an local electronic equipment store to see if they had any in. Usually they are quiet friendly and they explain everything very well if you have any questions. Just my luck; they have a new employee in, a lady. She seemed friendly at first glance but as soon as I asked for the adapter she sort of sighed like I was bothering her, walked up to the part where they keep computer stuff and pointed at something I didn’t ask for. After politely saying I needed a USB adapter not a wireless router she turned around and told me in a very rude way they didn’t have any and weren’t getting any either.
I know I can have an attitude when it comes to these things but I stopped myself from bitching back at her and said “Thanks” in a polite but ‘I really didn’t mean that’ sort of way. After this I just couldn’t be bothered to buy from her even if they did have them in. To make a long adapter hunt story short; I managed to buy one in the city eventually.
Today I was in the town center with my mom and decided to go back to that same store to look for a notebook car loader for my trip to the Czech Republic in a few weeks. As soon as I walked in I noticed there were two employees. A guy who is always very friendly and helpful and my new found lady friend. The guy was helping another costumer and I was waiting at the desk for him to return or for the lady to come and help me. She didn’t come to help me until her colleague told her to pay attention (not in so many words but that’s what it came down to) and help me. Once again she wasn’t friendly and she only answered my questions about the car loader with short unfriendly yes and no answers.
It’s not the first time I see a store employee with an attitude towards customers. I got laughed at, at a local music store asking for a certain album. Needles to say I turned around never to set foot in that store again. I’m seriously saying I don’t buy from them again, I do not wish to be treated like that, especially not when I’m willing to spend money at your store. Luckily we have another music store in town where they have great customer service.
I’m not saying store employees just have to take crap from customers, I wouldn’t take it either if a customer kept cursing at me for no reason. But I would try to resolve it without making my boss (the store) look bad and NEVER take it out on any other customers.
We all have our bad days and we can’t always be the sunniest person around but as a store employee you are the face of the company and can make or break a store’s reputation.
If I were to talk or act like that around a customer when I still worked in either the department store or shoe store years ago I would have had my ass kicked out the door sooner than I could say ‘Sorry’.
And if you’re curious as to whether or not I bought the car loader; yes I did, but not because she was so friendly and helpful but because it saved me $80 buying it from them.
Plugged: Jessa, Kristina, Amanda, Sami
10 Comments on "Store Employees"
I usually make it a point to be nice to salespeople…or waiters/waitresses, etc. But sometimes, they’re the ones with an attitude problem! When that’s the case, I think it’s okay to give them a hard time. pfft! Customers who are actually nice AND willing to pay for their services don’t deserve to be treated like that…
Ugh~no kidding! You’d think they know that being nice brings the customers in and back again! But at least you handled yourself well~although that woman really needed a smack in the nose or something :p
Wow–that seriously happened in the music store? I always dread that would happen–because sometimes the people who work in there are so snobby about certain music genres 
-sigh- Why must people make living so difficult?!
Next time ask for a feedback card. If the refuse, ask for a manager or supervisor. A small complaint can go a long way. Where I work customer service is higher priority than anything, including profit. We will basiclly do anything a customer asks, even if it means loosing a bit of profit, because (at a grocery store where I work) repeat customers is so huge that it will make up for it in the long run. Then again we have incentive and rewards for good customer service, and are often rated and critiqued by people hired as shoppers to test us.
God, I hate that too. I never understand that attitude. I work as a waitress and I always make sure to be polite. I don’t smile as much as my bosses tell me too but that is just a me thing (I think I have a weird smile) but I always refill drinks as soon as they are 3/4th gone, I take away the empty plates from the first courses as soon as possible, and I make sure that all the customers have what they want. I don’t even get tips but I do it anyway.
Thanks for the plug.
Hey. I wish there was a reply feature so that you can reply to the comments on your blog.
But I do stuff. I used to Trick or Treat for UNICEF every year when I was younger. I volunteer at the local nursing home at least once a week. When we lived out in the country we used to find strays and take care of them before sending them to Tallywags (a animal adoption place). I give blood at least twice a year. I don’t litter and I pick up other people’s trash around the neighborhood. My family recycles. We give old clothes to this poor town in Mexico. I was part of the ecology club for two years and we used to go help the forest service on our field trips. I try to be a very good citizen of planet earth so it pisses me off when celebrities like Bono act like just because they give millions means that they can look down on me because I can’t. They can afford to do a lot things like buy only from small businesses or raise large sums. That shouldn’t mean that the rest of us are cretins because we dont have enough money to give and have too much to have their pity. That is why I hate Bono.
Sami how can you hate someone if you don’t actually know the person? You can dislike their music, dislike their actions but ‘hate’ is a very strong word and is almost always over used, just like I think it’s overused here.
I don’t see how they look down on anyone because we can’t donate as much as they can. I’m sure they are aware of the fact their paycheck is a lot bigger than ours.
If you do all what you said in your post above what’s the problem. You help out in the ways YOU can and he (and other artists) help out the way THEY can.
Like I said; some people think famous people don’t do enough. What gives you the right to say they need to donate more because they have a lot. Just be glad they donate and help out at all!
Hey Chans.
I’m just posting to say thank you for expressing your opinion on my site, it’s much appreciated and I enjoyed reading them! I’m sorry if my opinions don’t appear justified. I find it difficult to express how I feel on the computer, so I apologise if the opinions are a bit disjointed. Thanks again!
I’m not serious when I mean hate. It is a rant. It is illogical. It is suppost to be a little funny. I’m never really serious and everything in my blog is to be taken lightly because its all half a joke.
I do think that Bono is an ass. That is true.
If it was meant as only half serious, it sure didn’t come across as that Sami. And I’m apparently not the only one who didn’t see it was a joke.
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It’s not only me then? Most of the times I just want to strangle the store employees, they’re so damned rude. A few years back that kind of attitude would’ve gotten anyone fired.
Honestly, what is this world coming to?