Shop Assistants

Personally, around here, the shoppers are fine. But I realise that that is not the case everywhere.

Do your bosses say that you are supposed to stand there and take it?

No, your not being sensitive. There is never any excuse for bad manners and certainly not for what is technically assault.
Where was your boss at the time? If I were the boss, I'd have barred her.

Would you recognise this person if you saw them again? If they came to my till again I would refuse to serve them, and explain why to the management. That was assault and you do NOT have to take that.

My DH works for a large supermarket chain. He says that if this happens in his place of work they are advised that they may ring the police as this is abuse, both verbal and physical. It depends upon how far you want to take it, and what the circumstances were. He has been punched in the past, but he let it go as the customer was clearly drunk.

There is never an excuse to be rude to anyone. I hate the way people hold phone conversations at the checkout as if the operator is simply part of the machinery.

nannabo

No it is most certainly not acceptable.

It is unbelievable the difference between folk isn't it. Some will hold a door open, others slam it in your face. Some say please and thank you , others need a lesson in politeness.

The biggest worry is personal attacks are occurring more often , either verbal or physical. There appears to be a breed of the populas that has simply no idea of how to behave and they keep getting away with it I'm afraid.

nannabo, you are certainly not unreasonable, shoppers never have the right to be abusive either verbally or physically.Did you ring for the manager?

That is totally unacceptable behaviour. What is wrong with people? And if by 'I'm supposed to stand there and take it', you mean that this is the expectation of the management then you should go to your Union if you belong to one, because your employer has a duty to provide a safe working environment for its staff. And this means that they should not expect you to 'stand there and take it' when a member of the public physically assaults you.

I would have hated shop work.

One of my sisters was a shop assistant and told stories of the rudeness of customers.Her worst hate was them using their phones while making a purchase as if the assistant serving them was not a human being.

When I was working for Sainsbury's I had a customer screaming abuse at me until I really thought she might get behind the counter to hit me. The store manager told me I had upset "that poor woman" and gave her £50 in gift vouchers! I didn't stay for long after that!

I don't think that you have to take it. You don't have to be rude. Just tell her that it is unacceptable behaviour and refuse to serve her- call the management.

Deedaa Not an appropriate response by the management unless you had been rude to her. They should be supporting their staff against any unacceptable behaviour.

Nanndo I certainly do not think you should have to put up with behaviour like that and certainly keep a look out for this customer returning to where you work and notify the manager of her presense in the shop just in case she performs again.
Since I have returned to shop work I have found a lot of people very demanding to the verge of nastiness sometimes when we inform them we are not available right away to collect furniture they want to donate to our charity,we have one van between two shops and when we inform people we
have a waiting list for collections they get very aggressive thinking we can collect that day,but we are governed by weight on the van and health and safety with regard to storage but they refuse to see this side of the business and stamp their feet,the main problem is not having safety certificates on the said furniture we are just not allowed to take it,but does this register with people sadly not and we get the abuse and fallout from the client.

Thank You ladies for the comments makes me feel 100% better knowing it's just not me The managers are never around when you need them and they would probably tell me off for not treating the customer with respect but how can you do that when they have no respect for you.

If I had been in the wrong I would have apologised but she as in the wrong and not a word.

Put behind me now but thanks again for the support xx

nannabo I would be looking around for another job where I was more respected. You do not have to put up with that type of abusive behaviour. The customer is not always right.

No the customer is not always right, and nobody should b expected to put up with rudeness and physical attack. When I rule the world, I shall introduce mobile phone free check outs and anyone caught chatting on their phone and treating the check out operator as part of the machinery will have their shopping confiscated, donated to the food bank, and then they will be barred. On a more serious note, I run a small service business and I have fired clients for being rude to my staff. They ( the clients) were stunned.

I wish I could work elsewhere but I have worked in retail all my adult life. Most of the time I love my job talking to people but sometimes it only takes one lol but thanks for the support it means lot

Why do you feel obliged to "stand there and take it"? Who says you must? If it is your employer who obliges you to so so, a word with your union might be in order. Refuse to put up with it - phone the police.

nannabo That sounds horrible - people who behave like that should be ashamed of themselves. I don't think under law you are expected to put up with verbal abuse or any sort of aggressive physical contact. Your employers/manager should support you if you are subjected to this sort of rude and threatening behaviour.

Most shops and business premises, places such as clinics, bus stations etc., have signs saying that the use of abusive language and/or physical violence will not be tolerated. Perhaps you could ask your line manager?