To all those running out to get their last minute holiday items, or heck, even on those everyday outings, when you are being served by staff please take the time to be respectful to them. A please or thank you always goes a long way. You may not be working then, but we still have to deal with it, you may make higher pay then us, but we are people too! Now finally, hang up your damn phones! I will not serve you until you hang up, do not mumble your order while you chat and refuse to look me in the face. Do not hold up the line while you finish your call. Do not shush me if you take a call when i’m in the middle of asking for your order. Tell them to hang on or call them back! Jeeze. I have better things to do then wait for you. Have some respect.
—Taunted by Cellphones.
This article appears in Dec 24-30, 2009.
here here…
just want to reiterate:
“A please or thank you always goes a long way.”
Maybe it’s I’ve worked with the public and know how crappy they can be to deal with, or maybe it’s just how I am, but I’m always polite to people in the service industry. Maybe TOO polite, at times, given the crappy service I’ve had.
What DOES bug me though is, when you’re leaving after you bought something, and you don’t get a “thank you” from the clerk — you say “thanks have a nice day” and they say “you’re welcome” like you OWE them a thank you. This happens A LOT at a certain music store at a certain “halifax” shopping centre. Yes, I should be thanking YOU for allowing me to spend my money to keep you employed. That really chaps my ass.
A simple “thank you” to the customer, and *gasp* telling them to “have a nice day” goes a long way towards making the general public stop being assholes. A lot are assholes to deal with because they’ve had bad service and don’t give a shit about being nice anymore.
I don’t care how warm or friendly a service worker is BUT I do expect ANYBODY I give my money to to at least say thank you. This irks me too, OP. It has NOTHING to do with the holiday rush.
the worst places for this to happen,are the large grocery stores,case in point,just afternoon,some fool was on a cell,giving someone else,all the prices of every fucking thing she had in her cart.was the other party adding it up,don’t know,but the people behind her looked like they wanted to start a lynch mob.hell,i would have supplied the rope for that one.idiots on idiot phones,can’t you leave the fucking thing off for 5 fucking minutes.
If a customer feels they can take time out for a call while in line, feel free to wait on the person behind them. I’ve done it before and would do it again.
Working in the NSLC drove me nuts sometimes. I’d have people dump their basket with upwards of 10-20 items in it while they took another call, made a call, or continued one that they were already engaged in. Then they’d get annoyed because their order isn’t processed immediately because I had to take items out of the basket, scan them and bag them properly. Its amazing how snarky people could get if you ask them to give you a hand taking a gazillion items out of a basket. The worst is when they dump a pile of change on the counter and expect you to count it. Often I’d do a quick scan of $1/$2 coins to make sure there was enough for their order and then just take ALL their change and dump it in my register. If its my job to count it then I’m going to take it all.
Oh, and don’t get huffy and ask, “Do I gotta stand here and wait for you to count it?” Yes, you do so don’t be an asshole.
Fat, why do you care what the customer is doing while you do YOUR job? Is there some kind of participation required by them while you count?
I dont have a cell phone and I dont want one ever… but I like listening to people while they scream and cuss on their own cell. Some of their conversations are interesting to listen to.
kay— Yeah, there is some participation on the customer end. It’s called being courteous. Something that is lost on you, I’m sure.
Peace on Earth goodwill to all men
Can I bum a 5?, fuck you I’ve only got a 10.
taken from the SGR Bums Christmas Party and crack festival.
I don’t work in retail, but I used to work in a call center, and would end most calls with “No problem” as the caller generally ended with “Thanks”. This became such a habit that I found myself responding to every conversation end with “no problem” which often just made no sense. That could be the case with the music store PK, they’re just not used to people telling them to have a nice day as they leave.
One of my pet peeves: I was asked by the checkout person at SS in Tantallon “did you find everything you were looking for?” I truthfully replied “no I didn’t” – a long pause ensued – I then said “what’s next” they replied “I don’t know, we’re instructed to ask the question, but that’s it”.
That is customer disservice.
Basil Fawlty – That’s where you are supposed to tell that what you didn’t find, not just put them on the spot and make them hate their job just a little bit more so you can leave and chuckle about it afterward.
Neville – if I say “what’s next” then that’s their opportunity to take up the challenge. I am not faulting the checkout person, my beef is with the Management who come up with these policies without ensuring the staff are instructed correctly.
kay, what if something costs $25 and there’s only $20 in change? There is an obligation on behalf of the customer to ensure that they paid for their purchase in full.
But you’re too dumb to think outside your box.
You’d think common sense would prevail once the question was answered with ” no i didn’t “. Even a stoner like me would say ” well what was it you were looking for – I can help you find it”. Really now that clerk or whatever was just plain playing with a 49 card deck .
Oh i just thought of something – because back here you can get your answer in english . Try going places to shop in calgary and finding a clerk or whatever that doesn’t speak english – just stares at you stunned because they have no idea what your saying . It can be fun when you ask them where the dickfors and canned farts are kept . lol .
I’m always amazed at the number of comments on “Love the way we bitch”, yet on the other side of the coin ‘Love the way we Love” zippity do. I suppose this tells us something about ourselves.
So to all the folks here and there, I would like to extend a warm “Seasons Greeeting”.
Hey Puss-N-Boots, I post on Love the Way We Love all the time. More than anyone, as a matter of fact, althought admittedly not all my comments are necessarily loving. I like the glory of being the “Top Commenter.”
Oftentimes, however, I find there isn’t really much interesting you can post to the Loves, especially when it’s just a thank you for something (unless you happen to be the person being thanked). This relative lack of controversy tends to keep people away. And if your comments aren’t loving enough, they get removed by Andy. Some of mine were removed when I dissed the Maple Leafs because they fucking suck.
oh boy… I don’t see that pic/post lasting long….
be it chocolate or not…
To say “no problem” when a customer thanks you for DOING YOUR JOB is ridiculous.
I say “thank you” for bringing me my order, or for handing me my purchase or my change, because I am polite. I don’t care if it was a problem for you, nor do I want you to tell me it was “no problem.” It is your job and I don’t care if I troubled you by asking you to do it. The appropriate response on your part is “you’re welcome”. If you get tired of saying “you’re welcome” over and over, throw in an occasional “my pleasure”. Or you could always say “thank you” since you wouldn’t have a job but for people like me.
silver balls silver balls its christmas time in the city
ah shit i didn’t get a dora the explorer back pack that i asked santa for; christmas sucks
Queen, you’re actually mad because I replied to thank you with no problem? For the most part I was doing things like placing orders for things and tech support. So to me if someone thanks me for doing something for them, telling them that it’s no problem/no trouble is exactly the same as saying you’re welcome, only in different words, and more akin to my personality.
kinda like ‘cheers’ instead of ‘catch ya later’ or ‘see ya’ …
Queen, pull the stick out of your ass and lighten up. You’re defining the Entitled Bitch today.
In Australia, it’s either “cheers mate!” or “ta,” a shortened version of “thanks,” which in turn, of course, is a shortened version of “thank you.”
Interesting Christmas fact for the day. CHHHRRRRIIIISSSTTTTMAS! Sorry, Mom’s playing way too much Christmas music today.
Do they know it’s Christmas time at aaalllllllll?
oh oh ran out of shine guess i’m gonna have to drink the aqua velva i got from santa
If Jeebus heard that Yoko Ono singing, he would have returned the myrhh, and crawled right back in the womb…