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I notice retail comes up a lot on these boards lately.
Just curious if any of you have or would stick up for a retail employee when they are getting berated by an obnoxious customer.
I have worked retail in the past and actually currently do. I always stick up for retail workers when people are screaming at them b/c I know they can't say anything without losing their job.
Whatever a retail worker is doing that's making you mad is generally a company policy they have to follow or will get hired or may even be their system or computer will not even allow them to do what you want them to do. Plus you got some people who just thing they should always get their way no matter waht.
Many people seem to think retail workers are below them, less important people, etc. I once when working third shift in a drive through going to college was told by a guy "I drive a Jaguar you work in a drive through". That is probably one of the nicer things I've been told
I notice retail comes up a lot on these boards lately.
Just curious if any of you have or would stick up for a retail employee when they are getting berated by an obnoxious customer.
I have worked retail in the past and actually currently do. I always stick up for retail workers when people are screaming at them b/c I know they can't say anything without losing their job.
Whatever a retail worker is doing that's making you mad is generally a company policy they have to follow or will get hired or may even be their system or computer will not even allow them to do what you want them to do. Plus you got some people who just thing they should always get their way no matter waht.
Many people seem to think retail workers are below them, less important people, etc. I once when working third shift in a drive through going to college was told by a guy "I drive a Jaguar you work in a drive through". That is probably one of the nicer things I've been told
Since I've moved to the South, I've never witnessed this kind of behavior towards retail workers. I guess good manners really do make a difference.
Once on a commuter train I saw a passenger screaming at one of the conductors for not knowing why the train was late. The passenger was tall and standing so close to the conductor that he seemed threatening, and the conductor maintained his cool but did try to calm the passenger down.
I wrote an email to the head of the commuter train explaining what I saw and how well the conductor handled it. The next day I asked another conductor something about it, and when he found out I was the one who wrote the email (I guess my email helped!) he called over the conductor that I wrote about and they all thanked me.
I was pretty happy I helped the conductor. The passenger was out of line and seemed like the type to complain, and judging by how happy the conductors were that I wrote the email, I bet the passenger did complain.
IMO, retail workers are no more likely to have good manners than the customers. So to answer the question: sometimes.
I mean, last time I had to go to a customer service counter, I said, politely, that I was quite unhappy about the quality of the product, and the agent just shrugged and said, oh, well, what do you expect? This is at a store that sells their product for considerably more than the competitors, on the reputation that they sell a better quality product and also service it better! Now I didn't go off on that person, but I did write a complaint to the store manager. I'm just using it as an example that sometimes the problem is frustration that customers have over apathetic workers.
And yes, I have worked retail in the past, and while my work is no longer retail sales, it does involve pleasing customers, so I know plenty about dealing with customers both good and bad.
On occasion, when the customer was wrong, I have jumped in to help the worker. About 10 years ago, my employer at that time had an account with what was oine of the two largest groceries in our region, and since it was a rural area, our account mattered to them, as we'd at times have company-wide cookouts and such, and run up a fairly high bill. When I saw the manager not backing up his cashier with an out of control customer, I closed the account, and we moved to the other grocery store for our purchases. Prices were pretty much equal; it was simply a matter of principle. We did send a letter explaining the reason for our action to the regional office, and the manager in question was issued a courtesy copy..personally delivered. He indicated this would not look good for him; I smiled and told him that was my intent.
If it's conducive...without making a bigger scene...often times I will try to get the employee to handle my transaction positively afterward then I call/email the store manager and let them know how happy I was with my transaction without mentioning the negative one. I figure the nasty people aren't likely to take the time to put in a good word and even if they do there's something official to "combat" it.
I worked retail in back in high school so I have a soft spot for retail employees. Unlike some other rude and entitled customers, I accept when company policy prevents them from doing something I want them to do or when the cash register breaks or when something isn't priced right. I like seeing the look of utter relief on an employee's face when I say "don't worry about it".
It's pretty easy to tell the difference between someone who would love to help you but can't and another who has an attitude, hates his/her job, and is taking it out on you.
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