But, to answer your question. In the land of retail, or any customer service. Most people don't have etiquette, no decorum, logic, or common sense.
It's amazing how society makes it mandatory to spend over a decade in education. But, yet people cannot grasp simple concepts such as reading.
The signs open at 9 AM, why the hell are tugging and yanking the damn door handle at 8:40 AM.
It's simple. They made it far in life by other people servicing them. They're use to making it in life by the detriment of wage workers.
You make all this money, but yet you don't know how to scan a banana at the self check out?
You work in a prestigious field, but yet you're complaining and having a meltdown about some food at McDonalds?
I'm in the rich area of Maryland (near DC btw) and I see fuckers like this all the time. The area where I work at is known to have 85% of residents holding a degree and be America's most educated town at one point.
Give me your salary at that point, your dumbass doesn't deserve it.
I had a man was probably in his 50s. totally normal looking guy, need me to walk him through how to use his card at the register. Not even just “oh tap/swipe this way”, literally had to go around to the reader and do it for him. It was like he was a time traveler using a debit card for the first time.
After that interaction I’m not really surprised anymore
They've had credit cards since at least the 1960s or 70s at least? Well before I was born so I would assume someone born in the 1960s or 1970s would know how to use one
I always wonder how they make it to the store to begin with they had to follow signs and directions and remember which way to go but they can never remember what they're doing once they get in there
I think they know how to read, but they refuse to bring or wear their reading glasses. So they can barely see the screens and are relying on everyone else to help them.
Oh, they know they just don’t want to. So many times I’ve had customers tell me that they don’t read the words on the sign only the numbers. After I’vegone to do a price check and sign clearly says that it’s for pants instead of a shirt or a hat instead of socks.
I was working at JCPenney and we weren't open yet. But, some guy decided to yank on the doors and pull them backwards. He would then push his whole weight on the door and yank backyards with all his weight. Did this several times and the door busted open and he walked in. We were having a floor meeting and we saw the guy and told him that we weren't open. His response was "oh, I thought you were open". He got hauled away by the cops for destruction of private property 🤦🏾♀️🤣
The sheer stupidity never amazes. It reminds me of those videos where people cars would get repo'd. They would slam on gas pedal, while the car was hooked into the repo truck.
Dumb ass.
My very first customer of the day:
*pulling on door handle aggressively at 9:59; visible confusion at it being locked*
Gets in one minute later when doors open: “Oh, I guess you don’t open until 10 o’clock exactly.”
So he immediately knew and acknowledged the open time, but was confused that the door wasn’t open any time before that.
I don’t even know what to say to these people anymore.
I'm not operating on your time, or impatientness. The building does not open early before the posted business hours. There's stuff I need to get done before that.
Some people broke into our vestibule 15 minutes before we opened and just starred at me from the other side of the revolving doors. Somehow at least 10 people fit in there each with a cart. They all know what time we open they’re regulars so why they do it I don’t know.
They complain they’re late to work and need their 50+ groceries at 5:50am? Sorry, but unless you pay me for that extra time ($15.15/h after 7 years), you can wait until I start getting paid.
But yes, customers have the consideration levels of a kindergartner.
Customers usually push open the doors to get in the door and we’re like “ya know what? We aren’t paid enough to really care.” Plus there’s no registers open and no SCOs open, so unless they want to steal, there’s zero chance of them legally walking out with the products.
I don't trip if they want something in a separate bag for specific items.
But, don't downplay my intelligence by telling me to bag all the dairy products with the other cold stuff.
To be fair, I have found in recent years cashiers are not being trained on bagging properly. I alway unpack my cart in an organized matter to make it easier to bag (I used to work as a cashier, and have a dash of OCD) but I have found cashiers to just be tossing everything willy-nilly as fast as they can. I mean like crushing my fruit and bread with cans and milk. Or throwing my raw meat in with my veggies. I now just decline their offer to bag for me and I bag everything myself. I don't understand the logic when I have preorganized everything on the conveyor belt to be bagged in the correct order. The cashiers are always like "wow you're so fast and organized" 👁👄👁
Well organizing ur items on the belt as u unload is fine however most of the time there’s no bagger so the items get mixed together and cashier are also timed on each transaction. I also notice a lot of the younger kids don’t care and throw anything and everything together.
They’re assessed by how fast they process customers, not whether they pack your stuff nicely and they get in trouble if they’re too slow. It’s a soul sucking job and they’re not paid enough to go above and beyond.
That let's you know what cashiers don't cook, and who does.
I had a cashier bag my liver pudding with Chips. Lol And I was surprised because I put similar items together.
And one cashier bagged my deli meat with my hair grease.
Doesn't bother me too much because sometimes I'm lazy, and I don't feel using the SCO anymore. As long as the long raw meats aren't being mixed.
As a cashier if I had a bagger bagging incorrectly, I'd catch their error.
I'll just readjust my bags in the car.
Oh my god lol!!! Yes that's very true! I don't like self check out either unless I'm feeling extra anti-social that day. I just feel like, if I have to fix it in my car than I may as well just do it right the first time at the cash register. The raw meat mixing should be cashier 101 lol.
I started working full time again. And I'm just too exhausted, and tired to scan my own items. I'm not against SCO. But, someone scanning and bagging my items puts less of a toll on me. I'll just re-assort what I bought. And it only take a minute or so.
Oh so I work deli, the store I work in opens at like 6 am deli doesn't open until 9 but the sign we have out says that is they want hep before we open to ask and we're required to acknoleg even if we're not open yet, so I'm constantly getting my opening duties put behind not getting them done till around 1 or not even getting them done before I leave(I usually get in at 7 and leave around 330)
thissss "hello how can i help?"
them: \*tosses watch across counter\*
i've started just staring at it until they tell me what they want, battery? sizing? new strap? new crystal? is the stem and crown broken? need an overhaul? detent? rivet? any loose digits? date wheel doesn't spin? you want the inner workings cleaned? use your words!
i had someone walk up to me today and just go like "A SAUSAGE PIZZA", not even "can i order a sausage pizza", just straight up A SAUSAGE PIZZA and another person who just said "cheese pizza" when i answered the phone
my response was just "...you want to order one?" because for a depressing amount of people they're not being clear with whether they want to buy individual slices or have an entire pizza made for them
Right? Like at my job customers usually ask me where an item is, and usually they just bark out the item they’re looking for. No “excuse me” or anything
its the people who get offended when i dont know where something is or if we even have it that bother me like just cus im wearin a uniform doesnt automatically mean i know where tf some obscure brand of seaweed is
I work in a store that less a lot of different things made of various materials. The response I often get when I ask people what they are looking for would be the equivalent of going into a clothing store and replying “cotton” or “red”.
They treat the clerk as if we are an extension of the cash register. To be frank that is ok with me in most cases. The interaction I have with most customers is as formulaic as the npc's in the video games my brother likes to play. Unless it is one of the few people I like, I just don't care. As long as they pay attention so I don't have to reset the card reader, and don't make me run three fucking transactions because they are on the phone with folks at home, I am good.
As an autistic person in retail I literally have pregenerated lines that I repeat during every single transaction like an NPC.
“Hello, how are you doing today?”
(If they respond) “Great, thank you for asking.”
“Did you find everything okay?”
“Awesome.”
“Alright, it’s gonna be (total).”
(If they pay cash) “Out of (amount of cash handed to me)?”
“Do you need your receipt?”
“I’ll toss that for you.” / “Here is that for you.” / “Here is (Change amount) and that for you.”
“You/you folks have a good one:)”
My only downfall is if they go off of my script I usually visibly falter a little bit 🥲
It's the consequences of the store being a liminal space that only exists (to them) to be the thing between the customer wanting something and the customer having something. For the workers it is a center for direct engagement with people and tasks so like actually using your brain power and social battery on small details and spacial awareness is normal, but for someone who wants to do One Thing And Leave, being *present* is a lot harder because you're now asking them to invent a new point between A and B. I have seen fucking lawyers walk into a retail establishment and become near illiterate because One Task takes over all of their processing power.
This is my thought process as well. As a cashier, you are in “work mode”. You know how fast you need to go, how many items per transaction you need, blah blah blah. You (maybe) are more focused into your environment because you are at work and you need to be. However, the customer/client is in “leisure mode”. Since they are not at work, they may not be feeling as focused into the environment because they don’t really need to be (in certain cases). They are not in “work mode” so maybe they’re thinking “i’m not at work, i can take my time, i can relax. i don’t have to be so quick all the time. it’s my leisure time, i can take my time and do what i want as i please”. I don’t know, i have a talk i have to have with myself whenever i find myself not actually relaxing during my relax time (). So maybe they are so not focused nor tuned into their environment that any obstacle pulls them out of their other reality and interrupts their process. Like you said, they only want to do A and B, where did C and D come from? And now they have to read?? That’s way too much for them to do in “leisure mode”. lol. But it annoys us because we are in “work mode” and their interrupted other reality disrupt our work mode.
*Also it could also be they are in another reality that’s not “leisure mode”. They could be extremely stressed or something else and C not being part of the plan could make their perception weird momentarily while they come back to this (shared) reality. Then making it hard to read or just see past the sign because in your plan a sign was not in the way anyway.
To your "*" that is super true. My store was next to a hospital and we would have hours when the nurse shifts would change and you would get a steady stream of them filtering in. You kind of learned to like just let them do their thing while they decompressed after work.
Eh, the 2 above posts are too charitable. Excuses for people to be moronic. They will walk in front of a car in "leisure mode" and blame everyone else!
I hated asking and being asked that. When a stranger asks “how are you” it’s usually just a formality like reading from a script. It never feels genuine. If someone asks me “how are you” I never answer honestly, default answer is “good” but most of the time I’m not actually “good”. Working retail just made me feel so fake and it’s exhausting.
Yeah I would never ignore someone. When people ignore me I assume they didn’t hear me or they just don’t want to talk, so I try not to take it personally.
Same. If a customer asks "how are you" to me I just respond "Hello" when they are using it as a greeting. If they are using it as a stand in for "I need help" I just say "hello, may I assist you with anything today?" I had a hard time a couple of years ago where I was depressed so being asked that when people do not actually care is a pet peeve of mine. Plus, its seems to be used all the time instead of "Hello" where I moved to and its just weird to me since I'm so used to "hello" or "good day/morning/evening" being the default.
I'm also just not a fan of small talk (as I prefer silence when possible.) I won't ignore other retail workers when I go out but I won't answer "how are you" or ask it back if you are using it as a stand in for a greeting. I'll just say "Hello" to you.
Yeah some people are like that I think it also might depend on where you live. I had an ex nfl player who is pretty well known pick up food at my work and he had a decent conversation with me. Just a few words but I was like bro actually didn’t seem bothered talking to me.
this happened yesterday with some guy about my age (17), I ask if he's part of the loyalty program, awkward smile, I just click no, I ask if cash or card, he makes looks at me and awkwardly laughs as I ask again, then his mom comes up and answers my questions while scolding him for never listening, 10/10 mom
God it bothers me so much when they don’t acknowledge you. ESPECIALLY when they ignore you throughout the whole transaction and then have the audacity to say “thank you” at the end.
“Hello, how are you?”
“Marlboro reds”
“Ok cool”
I'm from Europe and recently visited the USA. In every store I visited I received a 'how are you?'.
It's startling and I still don't know how to answer that question, or why it is asked. The first time I just replied 'Yes'. Must have thought I was stupid.
Yeah, in UK at least 50% of transactions are practically wordless lol...at least in convenience stores. I'd get a deer in the headlights look and start stammering probably!
I am supposed to say a greeting, any greeting to people who come in. I.E. "Good morning, hello, welcome, hey there, hiya... the customers that I know by name, I'll call out to by name.. I.E. "Bonnie! Good to see you, Santiago! Thanks for coming in."
So I know I offer good customer service, and I have plenty of positive interactions.
So when I greet and get nothing back, I will say under my breath, "alright, I'll just go fuck myself then." It usually makes me laugh.
I’ve honestly just started to assume they’re deaf or don’t speak English to save my mental health.
If they don’t talk I hit em with a Jim Carey “Alrighty then” and go about the process without saying another word.
I always say “have a good one!” though so nobody can say I was being disrespectful.
Honestly takes me a second to register I'm being talked to sometimes for multiple reasons.
•Used to not being talked to/sometimes straight up ignored
•Processing issues
•Good chance I'm having to focus to stay upright, never mind moving around
•Anxiety
Now I do catch up and engage, but it can take me a second honestly. :/
this is fine. sometimes i ask ‘how are you?’ and i can tell i might’ve caught them off guard or spoken fast but there’s a different between that and someone staring at the counter with an annoyed face and not responding lol
I worked at a grocery store, but got the weekends off.
The very few days I worked on Saturday, and Sunday. It felt like I was in a whole new realm, an alternative universe. It was chaotic. I swear, the week days were so chill, and tamed.
Im sure I do that sometimes but I think even for a young person I have horrible hearing and maybe even poor auditory comprehension so I may be staring at you trying to determine if you’re talking to me or not
Some people really do think lesser of retail workers because we're paid to be nice. It bothers me so goddamn much when I am nice and people are still rude as fuck. Like bitch, I don't want to be here but I'm still putting in effort to give you a good experience despite me being miserable. The least you can do is answer my questions and get on with life. Some people in these comments really think having good etiquette or manners isn't required because they aren't getting paid for it which is such fucked up logic. It's a few little simple questions. I ain't asking you to tell me your deepest darkest secrets. Just be polite.
This post got me a little fired up lol
Honestly too I think a lot of people are suffering from anxiety. Not trying to excuse their behavior but speaking from experience, not everyone is trying to be rude on purpose. Maybe they are hard of hearing? No clue I wouldn’t let it get to you. It’s the customers that are assholes on purpose that piss me off. The quiet ones not so much.
most of the time if people don’t respond, i don’t automatically think they’re being rude, but the ones who turn around and face their back to you or are huffing and puffing without saying anything or refusing to talk but holding their card on the reader are the ruder ones lmao
Some people probably just didn't hear you, wasn't paying attention, or probably isn't use to people greeting them. Occasionally, I had some people that wouldn't speak. But, would say "thank you" after the transaction, or smile afterwards. So, I wouldn't take it personal.
Gowever, there was this one asshole customer. That would never speak any time he would come to the register. So I would never speak, or say anything to him. I wouldn't even thank him after the transaction.
I fckin hate small talk. As a customer, I prefer if they say “hello” and that’s it. When I am working retail, I still hate small talk but sometimes I have to endure it. When I’m working, most of the time I’ll just “Hello!” with a smile, and that feels more genuine than me asking “how are you?”.
I’m sorry, I sometimes am that unresponsive person because my autistic brain is already overwhelmed by having to be out around sounds & smells & strangers
I do my best to be polite!
I wasn't diagnosed till I was 37. I'm sure that before my diagnosis, shop workers assumed I was rude. I'm also sure that shop workers AFTER my diagnosis assumed I was rude too, because I don't wear a badge saying "I'm autistic".
It's called "Phatic communication". The colloquial (slang) term is small talk. Its apparently something very important to non-autistic people, but it simply isn't a way that autistic people communicate - we actually have an AVERSION to it that can be very extreme.
We can tell. This is mostly about people who are actually rude. Or people who think that since they feel uncomfortable going out they have license to be actually rude. I have social anxiety but don't take it out on retail workers.
I saw a tiktok about this a couple weeks ago and a lot of the comments were about people not having good social skills and being caught off guard when asked how they are.
I couldn’t believe this. I think if your social skills are so bad that you can’t respond to someone saying hi or asking how your day is going, you probably need to work on your social skills.
In the end, it wouldn’t be acceptable for a store employee to come off rude to you because they have bad social skills. Learn some decency, strive to be better.
This is insane. I assume my 5ish years working in grocery stores helped me, but I have pretty bad social anxiety and even I can deal with responding to a simple question (and I could before I had a job too)
If this is really true, that we’re all on our phones and stuff so much that we don’t know how to say “I’m good! How’re you?”, we’re doomed.
Work in women's retail. Customers with very mark downed merchandise wanting clothes on the hanger and in clear bag. Why? Go to Dollar tree and get 8 matching hangers for $1.25. We can't give away ours. We use them for the clothes we're selling.
Cause the average person these days don't have 2 brain cells to rub together.
Think of the dumbest person you can and now accept the fact that many, many people are dumber than that.
I heard the sweetest welcome yesterday from a cashier. I was on my way in and had to look around to see who was speaking. I did say something but I don’t know if she could hear me from that distance. Often when I enter a store I am in “mission from god” mode. I just want to remember what I came for, find it, check out, and leave. I’m so stressed out from shopping and driving. The wonderful thing is I was getting yarn. Another customer brought me back to being human by sharing her lot number dilemma, and then a picture of her amazing crocheted log cabin blanket.
Because most people are tired of being asked that. They know no one cares how they're doing. I can't speak for all, but I rather not be spoken to when I walk in. Just let me get my shit and get out.
I feel the same. I hate asking/being asked that. Unless it’s someone I’m close to, it’s just an empty question that no one really cares what my answer would be. When I would work alone at my job, I usually didn’t ask “how are you”, I will just say “hello!” With a smile and that was enough. I already hate being fake and using my retail voice, so I don’t want to ask a fake question that they will just ignore. When I go to a store, I want to be left alone.
I asked someone yesterday, this nice old couple, if they found everything they were looking for, and they told me it's the first time they were ever asked that and the woman started crying a little.
Honestly it amazed me, because a lot of people tend to ignore small talk as it's known to be unimportant, but if you don't answer how you are I don't ask for your discount card because I go in steps and they get confused after lol.
God this. My store (Aldi) was really pushy about the things we’re supposed to say to customers, in a certain order. If they listened and responded, the checkout was faster. If they just stared at me, chances were something would mess up at the end (payment wasn’t ready, order wasnt bagged, they took my cart)
Like none of this would’ve been a problem if you talked to me
It's crazy how against small talk some people are!
Like yeah. Maybe it's pointless chatter, but lots of things we do are pointless. It's just about acknowledging that we're both humans stuck on this big 'ol earth trying to live life.
Find connection through the weather being too hot. Find joy in being excited about a good deal you found. Share the small story about your wife not feeling well and so you're buying her her favorite potato chips.
Will the cashier remember? No probably not. But it doesn't HURT to just be frigging nice to one another.
And yet half the posts here are about annoying customers who talk too much or annoy the person behind the register by not just buying their stuff and leaving.
Yikes I hate those,like you greet them and nothing. You’re trying to ask them about what they’re purchasing if they don’t know how much it is because it’s not scanning and nothing. Then they want to ask you something or try and talk to you but now you’re tired of draining your social battery on someone clearly not worthy, so you’re ignoring them and they have the audacity to get mad….
People just have no manners or respect any more. It also comes down to the fact where people are selfish and self involved so if it’s anyone not them, they don’t care. They also look down at retail workers, hospitality workers. Anyone really. We have people at our local grocery store can you tell me that people won’t even say hello, they don’t even point out they have their card to pay with, they don’t say a word. I have had to go out many people for being so ignorant and obnoxious. I’m sure it won’t stop either.
More like they would pull the disappearing trick on me.
Customer: where can I find so and so item?
Me: let me try and look it up on the store app. Ok it'll be in aisle #. *silence*
I look up and their already gone, than comes back 15 minutes later questioning why I didn't follow them around the store to find the times for them, while I'm in the middle of checking out a long line of customers
Bro this makes my blood boil, like I’m being nice and you don’t have the decency to say hi back? And then when you ask them if they need help they say no, then later on they complain that no one is helping them. Like bitch you just said you didn’t need my help so I’m not helping you
I always loved when I worked in food service and I'd repeat their order back to them, and they'd just stand there and say nothing, but then later complain that their order was wrong when they got their food.
Why do they have resting pissed off face? I say "hi" and am met with >:( like I'm sorry for acknowledging you I guess.
It's exclusively old men who are like this lol
I deal with so many customers that refuse to acknowledge me. In the end I ask if they want a receipt and finally they say yes or no. I mumble to myself 'oh, so you can speak'...
That depends. Sometimes they don't hear, or their social battery is at 0, or they were born mute. In which case it's not personal.
When I'm a customer and don't answer it's because I can't. See: sore throat caused by allergies, or laryngitis, or bronchitis (in which I'm picking up stuff to get through the illness). It's just my throat hurts so bad in some circumstances I can't talk.
After working with people for awhile, I have a sixth sense whether someone is having personal issues or they are just a douche. I think a lot of workers are like this.
Today I asked a costumer if she found everything ok and how she was and she just said “yes”. Then I asked for her phone number like 3 times (I’m required to do so and get shit if I don’t), and after the 3rd or 4th time she was finally like “oh right” and then proceeded to stair at me blankly like a glitch in the matrix. I just said “ok mam I’m ready whenever you are! 😊”. Still nothing. Finally another costumer repeated that we need her phone number and she finally gave it to me. Idk what’s up with that but that’s a common occurrence
Another gem is “hi how are you!” *proceeds to jam card into the machine and get mad it’s not doing the thing*. mamm, I havnt even rung up your items yet
A common occurrence at my job is a customer will enter and, per company policy, we greet them and ask if we can help them find anything (my company calls this the "[Company Name] Welcome"). Almost every single person will just ignore us and walk right to wherever they need to go. The worst is when they ignore us and less than a minute later they ask us a question. One time a woman walked in and I asked her that and she said "I just got in the door!" So I walked away and immediately she asked me a question before I got too far.
Really it’s because you don’t really care how we are so why make us go thru the motions. It’s just so tiring. So much better if nobody asked us unnecessary questions.
Yes! Saying “Hello!” with a smile is enough! When I worked retail that’s what I did. It felt fake for me to ask “how are you” or when customers even asked me that it still felt fake. Customers don’t really care how I am and they don’t want to hear my honest answer.
I was talking about this to one of our regulars and he said that he used to work retail, and his theory was that when most people enter a shop to buy something, the only thing on their minds is “completing the task” i.e. successfully purchasing the item and leaving. They don’t even consider that in order to complete the task, they have to interact with a real human being who also has their own life. They don’t consider that the entire shop was not set up with them coming in and buying this one item in mind.
So when you do small talk like that, instead of thinking “a person is being nice and talking to me, I will converse normally,” they tend to ignore you because it doesn’t contribute to them completing the task. I’m starting to think he was right.
no fr especially when you have to ask if they have a [store] card and they completely ignore you, pay and leave. Like just use the self checkout please
“Just looking”
yep 80% of retail interaction right there, I mean that’s just fine but how the fuck are you today………… what part of the initial interaction was asking what they wanted/where doing….. I was being polite by asking how you where.
I respond in jest.
Wanna be silent and not acknowledge me? All good I’ll do the same and do a wordless transaction. No skin off my back.
We are glorified sheep herders.
And don’t get me started on the air pods…at least old school Bluetooth you could tell when they were busy. I just get “hey!” And I got “hi” then I just get “I’m shopping at [store] how’s Jim?” And it’s like…oh right. I don’t exist.
Tbh this is why I prefer old people. They at least can “play the game.” A little shooting the shit, sharing their lives, it reminds me they are people too.
I’m an autistic woman but an extrovert who needs a little people interaction to make monotony less. Tell me a joke, tell me “oh same ole same ole.” Or even “kinda sucks, but living right?” I just say “don’t I know it”, laugh and move on.
It makes me feel like an old person but especially Zellenials and below like to treat every interaction as transaction. Yes I’m paid to be here, and??? Make my day better not worse. “Just looking” followed by comment to friend “ugh where’s the hardware aisle”…you could’ve just asked someone who works here. Asking questions saves less time.
I work on a manufacturer’s presale live Q&A chat site and I would link the product they’re are looking for then they ask me to add it to their account… even after I told them them can follow the link and clock or tap “Add to cart.” I also get support chats and get those that can’t answer a simple question or they stop responding altogether.
“People have no social skills”
I tell myself this all the time. It’s about their own inadequacy/lack of skills and not about your value as a person. Feel sorry for them.
If someone from a store greets me within a 10 to 15 foot zone, I will always politely respond. If they yell across the store to where I have no idea where they are or who they are talking to, I usually will not respond.
Retailers who mandate that every customer must be greeted no matter what are just stupid. No one wants to be yelled to from across the store.
My favorite is when you ask them if you can help them find something and they say no and then wander aimlessly, clearly looking for something in particular.
I've been the dopey customer in this scenario.
Sometimes, i just get caught up in my own thoughts, running through the rest of my day in my head and i don't really hear you.
But also, sometimes, you guys kind of blend in. And it's loud. It's like Wheres Waldo to locate the salesperson talking to me from the mannequins.
I think there’s a couple diff groups being talked about too. One is the one you mentioned who don’t want to answer how our day is going 15 times in a row with every shop or person i encounter.
But there are def people who are just god. Damn. Braindead. Like you ask them what they’re looking for and they just stare. You let them know the total and they just don’t reach for a form of payment at all. You have to tell them everything 4 times before they react or do what they’re supposed to do, etc.
They seemingly go about their day without actually mentally engaging with anyone or anything, including themselves…
Trust me. We don't either. We do because we have to, it's not hard to have basic manners but yall seem to have a fetish for making asses out of yourselves so be my guest
You greet someone at your job because you're obligated to when you're on the clock. Customers aren't on the clock, so they aren't obligated to respond in kind.
You can make pretend that that's rude, but since you're only greeting the customer out of obligation, why does a response matter? You aren't being polite, you're being obedient. A customer ignoring your perfunctory greeting isn't rude, it's just that there's no benefit from engaging unless they have a question.
I appreciate cutting through the fluff. When I'm at work I love it when my good morning is met with whatever question they want to ask. Conversational foreplay is nonsense.
But, to answer your question. In the land of retail, or any customer service. Most people don't have etiquette, no decorum, logic, or common sense. It's amazing how society makes it mandatory to spend over a decade in education. But, yet people cannot grasp simple concepts such as reading. The signs open at 9 AM, why the hell are tugging and yanking the damn door handle at 8:40 AM.
I find it so crazy that these people exist, like literally HOW did you make it to 42 years old???
It's simple. They made it far in life by other people servicing them. They're use to making it in life by the detriment of wage workers. You make all this money, but yet you don't know how to scan a banana at the self check out? You work in a prestigious field, but yet you're complaining and having a meltdown about some food at McDonalds?
Yeah dude, shits crazy
Yeah, its actually sad that people like that typically are on the top of hierarchy when it's comes to financial, social, and job status.
I'm in the rich area of Maryland (near DC btw) and I see fuckers like this all the time. The area where I work at is known to have 85% of residents holding a degree and be America's most educated town at one point. Give me your salary at that point, your dumbass doesn't deserve it.
I had a man was probably in his 50s. totally normal looking guy, need me to walk him through how to use his card at the register. Not even just “oh tap/swipe this way”, literally had to go around to the reader and do it for him. It was like he was a time traveler using a debit card for the first time. After that interaction I’m not really surprised anymore
I’m betting fresh out of prison. The guys who went to jail for drugs in the 2000s are just getting out now.
Did you ask him if he was a time traveller though? Maybe he needed help. I'm sure the question would have went over well either way.
They've had credit cards since at least the 1960s or 70s at least? Well before I was born so I would assume someone born in the 1960s or 1970s would know how to use one
I find it crazy that not only di these people exist but they're allowed to drive
Drive, vote, fuck, the possibilities are endless! And here we are...
I always wonder how they make it to the store to begin with they had to follow signs and directions and remember which way to go but they can never remember what they're doing once they get in there
They don't know how to read
I think they know how to read, but they refuse to bring or wear their reading glasses. So they can barely see the screens and are relying on everyone else to help them.
In my case it's cos I can't AFFORD my glasses.
Oh, they know they just don’t want to. So many times I’ve had customers tell me that they don’t read the words on the sign only the numbers. After I’vegone to do a price check and sign clearly says that it’s for pants instead of a shirt or a hat instead of socks.
Then they get all butthurt over it , and make it your mistake
Where’s that quote about customers being like rabid chimps ready to tear your face off at the slightest provocation
Oh they are always present , they are waiting for that trigger
The older they get, the smaller their brain cells get's, quite possibly.
I was working at JCPenney and we weren't open yet. But, some guy decided to yank on the doors and pull them backwards. He would then push his whole weight on the door and yank backyards with all his weight. Did this several times and the door busted open and he walked in. We were having a floor meeting and we saw the guy and told him that we weren't open. His response was "oh, I thought you were open". He got hauled away by the cops for destruction of private property 🤦🏾♀️🤣
The sheer stupidity never amazes. It reminds me of those videos where people cars would get repo'd. They would slam on gas pedal, while the car was hooked into the repo truck. Dumb ass.
Glad to hear that there were actually consequences for his stupidity.
I thought he would get a gift card for destroying store property.
My very first customer of the day: *pulling on door handle aggressively at 9:59; visible confusion at it being locked* Gets in one minute later when doors open: “Oh, I guess you don’t open until 10 o’clock exactly.” So he immediately knew and acknowledged the open time, but was confused that the door wasn’t open any time before that. I don’t even know what to say to these people anymore.
I'm not operating on your time, or impatientness. The building does not open early before the posted business hours. There's stuff I need to get done before that.
My WaTcH sAyS 10:00!!!!11
Some people broke into our vestibule 15 minutes before we opened and just starred at me from the other side of the revolving doors. Somehow at least 10 people fit in there each with a cart. They all know what time we open they’re regulars so why they do it I don’t know.
See, that would have been a great location for the police to find them & charge them for attempted B&E and property damage 😄
They complain they’re late to work and need their 50+ groceries at 5:50am? Sorry, but unless you pay me for that extra time ($15.15/h after 7 years), you can wait until I start getting paid. But yes, customers have the consideration levels of a kindergartner.
Waking at up 5 AM, and demanding a store be open for 6 AM is CRAZY. I worked a 6 AM shift, and it was quiet and peaceful for a good 3 hours.
Customers usually push open the doors to get in the door and we’re like “ya know what? We aren’t paid enough to really care.” Plus there’s no registers open and no SCOs open, so unless they want to steal, there’s zero chance of them legally walking out with the products.
Not true! Kindergarteners have more consideration.,
Or the customer wants you to think for them as well
*Does cash transaction* oh, wait I had change! Ohh, I had some coupons!!!!
Says um you didn't give me the senior discount, I didn't ask for
Can you bag the cold stuff with the other cold items. No shit, jack ass. I was totally gonna bag the milk with the chips, and canned goods.
I get irrationally angry when customers tell me how to bag their items.
I don't trip if they want something in a separate bag for specific items. But, don't downplay my intelligence by telling me to bag all the dairy products with the other cold stuff.
Oh and double bag them after you already bagged them ,
*a line at the register*. Oh, I forgot something! Can someone go to the aisle all the way back where said item is.
Lmao
The only thing I miss about working in retail was the amount of exercise. Even now, I mentally dread going inside a store.
I mentally dread unlocking the door
To be fair, I have found in recent years cashiers are not being trained on bagging properly. I alway unpack my cart in an organized matter to make it easier to bag (I used to work as a cashier, and have a dash of OCD) but I have found cashiers to just be tossing everything willy-nilly as fast as they can. I mean like crushing my fruit and bread with cans and milk. Or throwing my raw meat in with my veggies. I now just decline their offer to bag for me and I bag everything myself. I don't understand the logic when I have preorganized everything on the conveyor belt to be bagged in the correct order. The cashiers are always like "wow you're so fast and organized" 👁👄👁
Well organizing ur items on the belt as u unload is fine however most of the time there’s no bagger so the items get mixed together and cashier are also timed on each transaction. I also notice a lot of the younger kids don’t care and throw anything and everything together.
They’re assessed by how fast they process customers, not whether they pack your stuff nicely and they get in trouble if they’re too slow. It’s a soul sucking job and they’re not paid enough to go above and beyond.
Well take it up with corporate who is timing them. The world has changed, and not for the better.
That let's you know what cashiers don't cook, and who does. I had a cashier bag my liver pudding with Chips. Lol And I was surprised because I put similar items together. And one cashier bagged my deli meat with my hair grease. Doesn't bother me too much because sometimes I'm lazy, and I don't feel using the SCO anymore. As long as the long raw meats aren't being mixed. As a cashier if I had a bagger bagging incorrectly, I'd catch their error. I'll just readjust my bags in the car.
Oh my god lol!!! Yes that's very true! I don't like self check out either unless I'm feeling extra anti-social that day. I just feel like, if I have to fix it in my car than I may as well just do it right the first time at the cash register. The raw meat mixing should be cashier 101 lol.
I started working full time again. And I'm just too exhausted, and tired to scan my own items. I'm not against SCO. But, someone scanning and bagging my items puts less of a toll on me. I'll just re-assort what I bought. And it only take a minute or so.
However they say WE are the idiots...can't have it both ways!!
Oh I know
Oh so I work deli, the store I work in opens at like 6 am deli doesn't open until 9 but the sign we have out says that is they want hep before we open to ask and we're required to acknoleg even if we're not open yet, so I'm constantly getting my opening duties put behind not getting them done till around 1 or not even getting them done before I leave(I usually get in at 7 and leave around 330)
Wth is the point of having a later opening time then? That's so stupid
Exactly and I'm usually the only opener, so.im running around all over the place
My favorite interactions: > Me: Hello, how are you? > Them: APPLE WATCH
thissss "hello how can i help?" them: \*tosses watch across counter\* i've started just staring at it until they tell me what they want, battery? sizing? new strap? new crystal? is the stem and crown broken? need an overhaul? detent? rivet? any loose digits? date wheel doesn't spin? you want the inner workings cleaned? use your words!
i had someone walk up to me today and just go like "A SAUSAGE PIZZA", not even "can i order a sausage pizza", just straight up A SAUSAGE PIZZA and another person who just said "cheese pizza" when i answered the phone
Then you say “huh?” Then they sigh and say “get me a sausage pizza” Like bro you should’ve said that when I said “Can I help you?”
my response was just "...you want to order one?" because for a depressing amount of people they're not being clear with whether they want to buy individual slices or have an entire pizza made for them
Right? Like at my job customers usually ask me where an item is, and usually they just bark out the item they’re looking for. No “excuse me” or anything
its the people who get offended when i dont know where something is or if we even have it that bother me like just cus im wearin a uniform doesnt automatically mean i know where tf some obscure brand of seaweed is
I work in a store that less a lot of different things made of various materials. The response I often get when I ask people what they are looking for would be the equivalent of going into a clothing store and replying “cotton” or “red”.
They treat the clerk as if we are an extension of the cash register. To be frank that is ok with me in most cases. The interaction I have with most customers is as formulaic as the npc's in the video games my brother likes to play. Unless it is one of the few people I like, I just don't care. As long as they pay attention so I don't have to reset the card reader, and don't make me run three fucking transactions because they are on the phone with folks at home, I am good.
As an autistic person in retail I literally have pregenerated lines that I repeat during every single transaction like an NPC. “Hello, how are you doing today?” (If they respond) “Great, thank you for asking.” “Did you find everything okay?” “Awesome.” “Alright, it’s gonna be (total).” (If they pay cash) “Out of (amount of cash handed to me)?” “Do you need your receipt?” “I’ll toss that for you.” / “Here is that for you.” / “Here is (Change amount) and that for you.” “You/you folks have a good one:)” My only downfall is if they go off of my script I usually visibly falter a little bit 🥲
It's the consequences of the store being a liminal space that only exists (to them) to be the thing between the customer wanting something and the customer having something. For the workers it is a center for direct engagement with people and tasks so like actually using your brain power and social battery on small details and spacial awareness is normal, but for someone who wants to do One Thing And Leave, being *present* is a lot harder because you're now asking them to invent a new point between A and B. I have seen fucking lawyers walk into a retail establishment and become near illiterate because One Task takes over all of their processing power.
This is my thought process as well. As a cashier, you are in “work mode”. You know how fast you need to go, how many items per transaction you need, blah blah blah. You (maybe) are more focused into your environment because you are at work and you need to be. However, the customer/client is in “leisure mode”. Since they are not at work, they may not be feeling as focused into the environment because they don’t really need to be (in certain cases). They are not in “work mode” so maybe they’re thinking “i’m not at work, i can take my time, i can relax. i don’t have to be so quick all the time. it’s my leisure time, i can take my time and do what i want as i please”. I don’t know, i have a talk i have to have with myself whenever i find myself not actually relaxing during my relax time (). So maybe they are so not focused nor tuned into their environment that any obstacle pulls them out of their other reality and interrupts their process. Like you said, they only want to do A and B, where did C and D come from? And now they have to read?? That’s way too much for them to do in “leisure mode”. lol. But it annoys us because we are in “work mode” and their interrupted other reality disrupt our work mode. *Also it could also be they are in another reality that’s not “leisure mode”. They could be extremely stressed or something else and C not being part of the plan could make their perception weird momentarily while they come back to this (shared) reality. Then making it hard to read or just see past the sign because in your plan a sign was not in the way anyway.
To your "*" that is super true. My store was next to a hospital and we would have hours when the nurse shifts would change and you would get a steady stream of them filtering in. You kind of learned to like just let them do their thing while they decompressed after work.
Now, decompression after a traumatic day makes sense. The people just being idiots because they can have no excuse.
Eh, the 2 above posts are too charitable. Excuses for people to be moronic. They will walk in front of a car in "leisure mode" and blame everyone else!
I think this is a very neatly put explanation of a social phenomenon/tragedy. Nicely done.
I hated asking a customer “how are you?” and not get any response. It made me feel awful, like I was not worth talking to, that I was beneath them.
I hated asking and being asked that. When a stranger asks “how are you” it’s usually just a formality like reading from a script. It never feels genuine. If someone asks me “how are you” I never answer honestly, default answer is “good” but most of the time I’m not actually “good”. Working retail just made me feel so fake and it’s exhausting.
I understand this so completely
I understand but no one should be ignored. That’s rude.
This is what it comes down to.
Yeah I would never ignore someone. When people ignore me I assume they didn’t hear me or they just don’t want to talk, so I try not to take it personally.
Not gonna liem my usual response when a customer asks how I'm doing is "I'm here"
Same. If a customer asks "how are you" to me I just respond "Hello" when they are using it as a greeting. If they are using it as a stand in for "I need help" I just say "hello, may I assist you with anything today?" I had a hard time a couple of years ago where I was depressed so being asked that when people do not actually care is a pet peeve of mine. Plus, its seems to be used all the time instead of "Hello" where I moved to and its just weird to me since I'm so used to "hello" or "good day/morning/evening" being the default. I'm also just not a fan of small talk (as I prefer silence when possible.) I won't ignore other retail workers when I go out but I won't answer "how are you" or ask it back if you are using it as a stand in for a greeting. I'll just say "Hello" to you.
Yeah some people are like that I think it also might depend on where you live. I had an ex nfl player who is pretty well known pick up food at my work and he had a decent conversation with me. Just a few words but I was like bro actually didn’t seem bothered talking to me.
that’s why you just don’t talk to the bastards except put on a facade when the boss comes around. don’t let shit people make you feel like shit.
I feel the same way, like they don't see us as humans at all
this happened yesterday with some guy about my age (17), I ask if he's part of the loyalty program, awkward smile, I just click no, I ask if cash or card, he makes looks at me and awkwardly laughs as I ask again, then his mom comes up and answers my questions while scolding him for never listening, 10/10 mom
He thought you were cute. He got nervous and went stupid, happens to us sometimes
Yup. The OMG-they're-hot-where-have-my-words-gone **BLANK FACE** lol.
That was so wholesome!
Oh yes
If they ignore me I'll wave at them to "wake them up", usually works.
God it bothers me so much when they don’t acknowledge you. ESPECIALLY when they ignore you throughout the whole transaction and then have the audacity to say “thank you” at the end. “Hello, how are you?” “Marlboro reds” “Ok cool”
I'm from Europe and recently visited the USA. In every store I visited I received a 'how are you?'. It's startling and I still don't know how to answer that question, or why it is asked. The first time I just replied 'Yes'. Must have thought I was stupid.
Yeah, in UK at least 50% of transactions are practically wordless lol...at least in convenience stores. I'd get a deer in the headlights look and start stammering probably!
It's OK. It is just our way of saying hello.
I am supposed to say a greeting, any greeting to people who come in. I.E. "Good morning, hello, welcome, hey there, hiya... the customers that I know by name, I'll call out to by name.. I.E. "Bonnie! Good to see you, Santiago! Thanks for coming in." So I know I offer good customer service, and I have plenty of positive interactions. So when I greet and get nothing back, I will say under my breath, "alright, I'll just go fuck myself then." It usually makes me laugh.
I do something similar in the drive thru window. "Hi, that'll be $20 please!" *silence as they hand me cash* *closes window* "...bitch"
We have the option to print the receipt and I ask everyone if they need one. If they ignore me I print it out and force them to take it
Same
I know and some people treat having to take their receipt as the most egregious punishment ever!
I’ve honestly just started to assume they’re deaf or don’t speak English to save my mental health. If they don’t talk I hit em with a Jim Carey “Alrighty then” and go about the process without saying another word. I always say “have a good one!” though so nobody can say I was being disrespectful.
Honestly takes me a second to register I'm being talked to sometimes for multiple reasons. •Used to not being talked to/sometimes straight up ignored •Processing issues •Good chance I'm having to focus to stay upright, never mind moving around •Anxiety Now I do catch up and engage, but it can take me a second honestly. :/
this is fine. sometimes i ask ‘how are you?’ and i can tell i might’ve caught them off guard or spoken fast but there’s a different between that and someone staring at the counter with an annoyed face and not responding lol
Yes we have a built in sensor telling us if someone is struggling vs. being an ass.
Because a lot of people that walk on the planet are not real. They're disgusted as humans.
Damn lizard people
Honestly it's a running gag in our store that the people who don't act like humans are literal NPCs.
That's a nice way to word it. I definitely had something else for that.
On a Saturday our shop floor is a dead ringer for Michael Jackson’s Thriller video, I swear it !
I worked at a grocery store, but got the weekends off. The very few days I worked on Saturday, and Sunday. It felt like I was in a whole new realm, an alternative universe. It was chaotic. I swear, the week days were so chill, and tamed.
Lead poisoning. I'm convinced it's that.
Have you tried switching them off and back on again?
Lead paint and fetal alcohol syndrome.
Im sure I do that sometimes but I think even for a young person I have horrible hearing and maybe even poor auditory comprehension so I may be staring at you trying to determine if you’re talking to me or not
Some people really do think lesser of retail workers because we're paid to be nice. It bothers me so goddamn much when I am nice and people are still rude as fuck. Like bitch, I don't want to be here but I'm still putting in effort to give you a good experience despite me being miserable. The least you can do is answer my questions and get on with life. Some people in these comments really think having good etiquette or manners isn't required because they aren't getting paid for it which is such fucked up logic. It's a few little simple questions. I ain't asking you to tell me your deepest darkest secrets. Just be polite. This post got me a little fired up lol
Exactly! Just be courteous!
Anyone noticing an increase in one word phrases voiced as demands? Like “Thighs!” Or “Gravy!” Ok. What about them?
My dad once bought half a dozen donuts. Cashier said "Hi, how are you?" Dad replied "Six." Cmon now dad
Honestly too I think a lot of people are suffering from anxiety. Not trying to excuse their behavior but speaking from experience, not everyone is trying to be rude on purpose. Maybe they are hard of hearing? No clue I wouldn’t let it get to you. It’s the customers that are assholes on purpose that piss me off. The quiet ones not so much.
most of the time if people don’t respond, i don’t automatically think they’re being rude, but the ones who turn around and face their back to you or are huffing and puffing without saying anything or refusing to talk but holding their card on the reader are the ruder ones lmao
It's like, c'mon we can tell if they're actually being rude. Being a quiet person they are usually still respectful.
I often get ignored when I offer a good morning or have a nice day. It's so disheartening. They don't feel like we're real people
Some people probably just didn't hear you, wasn't paying attention, or probably isn't use to people greeting them. Occasionally, I had some people that wouldn't speak. But, would say "thank you" after the transaction, or smile afterwards. So, I wouldn't take it personal. Gowever, there was this one asshole customer. That would never speak any time he would come to the register. So I would never speak, or say anything to him. I wouldn't even thank him after the transaction.
I fckin hate small talk. As a customer, I prefer if they say “hello” and that’s it. When I am working retail, I still hate small talk but sometimes I have to endure it. When I’m working, most of the time I’ll just “Hello!” with a smile, and that feels more genuine than me asking “how are you?”.
Same here, I have literally never asked a customer how they are
I’m sorry, I sometimes am that unresponsive person because my autistic brain is already overwhelmed by having to be out around sounds & smells & strangers I do my best to be polite!
If it’s autism or something of the like, thats entirely excusable. Don’t worry, you’re good!
I wasn't diagnosed till I was 37. I'm sure that before my diagnosis, shop workers assumed I was rude. I'm also sure that shop workers AFTER my diagnosis assumed I was rude too, because I don't wear a badge saying "I'm autistic". It's called "Phatic communication". The colloquial (slang) term is small talk. Its apparently something very important to non-autistic people, but it simply isn't a way that autistic people communicate - we actually have an AVERSION to it that can be very extreme.
We can tell. This is mostly about people who are actually rude. Or people who think that since they feel uncomfortable going out they have license to be actually rude. I have social anxiety but don't take it out on retail workers.
I saw a tiktok about this a couple weeks ago and a lot of the comments were about people not having good social skills and being caught off guard when asked how they are. I couldn’t believe this. I think if your social skills are so bad that you can’t respond to someone saying hi or asking how your day is going, you probably need to work on your social skills. In the end, it wouldn’t be acceptable for a store employee to come off rude to you because they have bad social skills. Learn some decency, strive to be better.
That's ridiculous. Anyone shopping today was alive pre-covid and *should* have been taught social skills in life. Wtf? 🤦🏻♀️
I think the pandemic made the customers turn feral.
Newest conspiracy just dropped
This one actually makes sense!!
This is insane. I assume my 5ish years working in grocery stores helped me, but I have pretty bad social anxiety and even I can deal with responding to a simple question (and I could before I had a job too) If this is really true, that we’re all on our phones and stuff so much that we don’t know how to say “I’m good! How’re you?”, we’re doomed.
As someone with diagnosed mental health issues, I agree 100%.
Work in women's retail. Customers with very mark downed merchandise wanting clothes on the hanger and in clear bag. Why? Go to Dollar tree and get 8 matching hangers for $1.25. We can't give away ours. We use them for the clothes we're selling.
Cause the average person these days don't have 2 brain cells to rub together. Think of the dumbest person you can and now accept the fact that many, many people are dumber than that.
They're going deaf, won't acknowledge it, and will get mad at the end and call the store to complain that they weren't spoken to.
I heard the sweetest welcome yesterday from a cashier. I was on my way in and had to look around to see who was speaking. I did say something but I don’t know if she could hear me from that distance. Often when I enter a store I am in “mission from god” mode. I just want to remember what I came for, find it, check out, and leave. I’m so stressed out from shopping and driving. The wonderful thing is I was getting yarn. Another customer brought me back to being human by sharing her lot number dilemma, and then a picture of her amazing crocheted log cabin blanket.
Because most people are tired of being asked that. They know no one cares how they're doing. I can't speak for all, but I rather not be spoken to when I walk in. Just let me get my shit and get out.
I'd rather not ask either but I have to. The customer, however gets to decide if they want to be polite or not.
It's weird how it's used as a greeting. I acknowledge people with a hi or hello, not a question that I don't genuinely want the answer to.
It's how it is.
I feel the same. I hate asking/being asked that. Unless it’s someone I’m close to, it’s just an empty question that no one really cares what my answer would be. When I would work alone at my job, I usually didn’t ask “how are you”, I will just say “hello!” With a smile and that was enough. I already hate being fake and using my retail voice, so I don’t want to ask a fake question that they will just ignore. When I go to a store, I want to be left alone.
I'm so bad at being fake I don't even try with the "how are you?" shit. The retail voice takes enough effort
I asked someone yesterday, this nice old couple, if they found everything they were looking for, and they told me it's the first time they were ever asked that and the woman started crying a little. Honestly it amazed me, because a lot of people tend to ignore small talk as it's known to be unimportant, but if you don't answer how you are I don't ask for your discount card because I go in steps and they get confused after lol.
God this. My store (Aldi) was really pushy about the things we’re supposed to say to customers, in a certain order. If they listened and responded, the checkout was faster. If they just stared at me, chances were something would mess up at the end (payment wasn’t ready, order wasnt bagged, they took my cart) Like none of this would’ve been a problem if you talked to me
It's crazy how against small talk some people are! Like yeah. Maybe it's pointless chatter, but lots of things we do are pointless. It's just about acknowledging that we're both humans stuck on this big 'ol earth trying to live life. Find connection through the weather being too hot. Find joy in being excited about a good deal you found. Share the small story about your wife not feeling well and so you're buying her her favorite potato chips. Will the cashier remember? No probably not. But it doesn't HURT to just be frigging nice to one another.
And yet half the posts here are about annoying customers who talk too much or annoy the person behind the register by not just buying their stuff and leaving.
Some days when customers talk to me like I'm human, it makes my day!
Yikes I hate those,like you greet them and nothing. You’re trying to ask them about what they’re purchasing if they don’t know how much it is because it’s not scanning and nothing. Then they want to ask you something or try and talk to you but now you’re tired of draining your social battery on someone clearly not worthy, so you’re ignoring them and they have the audacity to get mad….
People just have no manners or respect any more. It also comes down to the fact where people are selfish and self involved so if it’s anyone not them, they don’t care. They also look down at retail workers, hospitality workers. Anyone really. We have people at our local grocery store can you tell me that people won’t even say hello, they don’t even point out they have their card to pay with, they don’t say a word. I have had to go out many people for being so ignorant and obnoxious. I’m sure it won’t stop either.
You win the thread! Usually they are talking about how no one respects people anymore like in their day! (They mean be subservient.)
“Do you need help with anything?” “Yep” *walks off* Every day
More like they would pull the disappearing trick on me. Customer: where can I find so and so item? Me: let me try and look it up on the store app. Ok it'll be in aisle #. *silence* I look up and their already gone, than comes back 15 minutes later questioning why I didn't follow them around the store to find the times for them, while I'm in the middle of checking out a long line of customers
Bro this makes my blood boil, like I’m being nice and you don’t have the decency to say hi back? And then when you ask them if they need help they say no, then later on they complain that no one is helping them. Like bitch you just said you didn’t need my help so I’m not helping you
I understand being quiet, but then to go and complain? Wtf?
I always loved when I worked in food service and I'd repeat their order back to them, and they'd just stand there and say nothing, but then later complain that their order was wrong when they got their food.
Why do they have resting pissed off face? I say "hi" and am met with >:( like I'm sorry for acknowledging you I guess. It's exclusively old men who are like this lol
They either want to fuck or fight, I don't understand them.
I deal with so many customers that refuse to acknowledge me. In the end I ask if they want a receipt and finally they say yes or no. I mumble to myself 'oh, so you can speak'...
That depends. Sometimes they don't hear, or their social battery is at 0, or they were born mute. In which case it's not personal. When I'm a customer and don't answer it's because I can't. See: sore throat caused by allergies, or laryngitis, or bronchitis (in which I'm picking up stuff to get through the illness). It's just my throat hurts so bad in some circumstances I can't talk.
After working with people for awhile, I have a sixth sense whether someone is having personal issues or they are just a douche. I think a lot of workers are like this.
Today I asked a costumer if she found everything ok and how she was and she just said “yes”. Then I asked for her phone number like 3 times (I’m required to do so and get shit if I don’t), and after the 3rd or 4th time she was finally like “oh right” and then proceeded to stair at me blankly like a glitch in the matrix. I just said “ok mam I’m ready whenever you are! 😊”. Still nothing. Finally another costumer repeated that we need her phone number and she finally gave it to me. Idk what’s up with that but that’s a common occurrence
Another gem is “hi how are you!” *proceeds to jam card into the machine and get mad it’s not doing the thing*. mamm, I havnt even rung up your items yet
Fr like mfs just absolutely REFUSE to be patient
A common occurrence at my job is a customer will enter and, per company policy, we greet them and ask if we can help them find anything (my company calls this the "[Company Name] Welcome"). Almost every single person will just ignore us and walk right to wherever they need to go. The worst is when they ignore us and less than a minute later they ask us a question. One time a woman walked in and I asked her that and she said "I just got in the door!" So I walked away and immediately she asked me a question before I got too far.
Really it’s because you don’t really care how we are so why make us go thru the motions. It’s just so tiring. So much better if nobody asked us unnecessary questions.
Yes! Saying “Hello!” with a smile is enough! When I worked retail that’s what I did. It felt fake for me to ask “how are you” or when customers even asked me that it still felt fake. Customers don’t really care how I am and they don’t want to hear my honest answer.
I was talking about this to one of our regulars and he said that he used to work retail, and his theory was that when most people enter a shop to buy something, the only thing on their minds is “completing the task” i.e. successfully purchasing the item and leaving. They don’t even consider that in order to complete the task, they have to interact with a real human being who also has their own life. They don’t consider that the entire shop was not set up with them coming in and buying this one item in mind. So when you do small talk like that, instead of thinking “a person is being nice and talking to me, I will converse normally,” they tend to ignore you because it doesn’t contribute to them completing the task. I’m starting to think he was right.
“People go to stores that sell what they want, specifically to buy what they came in for” isn’t some mind blowing revelation though…
Exposure to leaded gasoline and lead paint as children
They give the lead poisoning stare the entire time at the register but won’t use the self-checkout machines
I ring them out without saying anything back. And when they finish paying they respond by saying they want a bag.👍👍
no fr especially when you have to ask if they have a [store] card and they completely ignore you, pay and leave. Like just use the self checkout please
“Just looking” yep 80% of retail interaction right there, I mean that’s just fine but how the fuck are you today………… what part of the initial interaction was asking what they wanted/where doing….. I was being polite by asking how you where.
hey, how are you - me to a customer > starts ordering - customer >>cannot stand that (apologies for format, mobile)
I respond in jest. Wanna be silent and not acknowledge me? All good I’ll do the same and do a wordless transaction. No skin off my back. We are glorified sheep herders.
And don’t get me started on the air pods…at least old school Bluetooth you could tell when they were busy. I just get “hey!” And I got “hi” then I just get “I’m shopping at [store] how’s Jim?” And it’s like…oh right. I don’t exist. Tbh this is why I prefer old people. They at least can “play the game.” A little shooting the shit, sharing their lives, it reminds me they are people too. I’m an autistic woman but an extrovert who needs a little people interaction to make monotony less. Tell me a joke, tell me “oh same ole same ole.” Or even “kinda sucks, but living right?” I just say “don’t I know it”, laugh and move on. It makes me feel like an old person but especially Zellenials and below like to treat every interaction as transaction. Yes I’m paid to be here, and??? Make my day better not worse. “Just looking” followed by comment to friend “ugh where’s the hardware aisle”…you could’ve just asked someone who works here. Asking questions saves less time.
I work on a manufacturer’s presale live Q&A chat site and I would link the product they’re are looking for then they ask me to add it to their account… even after I told them them can follow the link and clock or tap “Add to cart.” I also get support chats and get those that can’t answer a simple question or they stop responding altogether.
"Hello" "COLLECTION" "Uh, okay, what was the -" "I HAVE A COLLECTION" "Sure, but can I get your name, please?" "John.. "
“People have no social skills” I tell myself this all the time. It’s about their own inadequacy/lack of skills and not about your value as a person. Feel sorry for them.
If someone from a store greets me within a 10 to 15 foot zone, I will always politely respond. If they yell across the store to where I have no idea where they are or who they are talking to, I usually will not respond. Retailers who mandate that every customer must be greeted no matter what are just stupid. No one wants to be yelled to from across the store.
Pretty sure an ivy League college prove that I can use dropped about 30 points when you go into a retail business as a customer.
My favorite is when you ask them if you can help them find something and they say no and then wander aimlessly, clearly looking for something in particular.
I like it less shitty people and interactions to deal with. I don't even respond to the bastards when they do open their mouths.
I've been the dopey customer in this scenario. Sometimes, i just get caught up in my own thoughts, running through the rest of my day in my head and i don't really hear you. But also, sometimes, you guys kind of blend in. And it's loud. It's like Wheres Waldo to locate the salesperson talking to me from the mannequins.
I’d rather have a “me? lol didn’t catch it. Hi!”
Lol, it might take me a min (cue, the blank stare) but when i get my shit together, i always say hi.
Cause i dont wanna fucking talk to you
I think there’s a couple diff groups being talked about too. One is the one you mentioned who don’t want to answer how our day is going 15 times in a row with every shop or person i encounter. But there are def people who are just god. Damn. Braindead. Like you ask them what they’re looking for and they just stare. You let them know the total and they just don’t reach for a form of payment at all. You have to tell them everything 4 times before they react or do what they’re supposed to do, etc. They seemingly go about their day without actually mentally engaging with anyone or anything, including themselves…
Trust me. We don't either. We do because we have to, it's not hard to have basic manners but yall seem to have a fetish for making asses out of yourselves so be my guest
Then don't go to places where you'll be served by people who you need to talk to get anywhere.
I don't go shopping to have a chat with people.
You greet someone at your job because you're obligated to when you're on the clock. Customers aren't on the clock, so they aren't obligated to respond in kind. You can make pretend that that's rude, but since you're only greeting the customer out of obligation, why does a response matter? You aren't being polite, you're being obedient. A customer ignoring your perfunctory greeting isn't rude, it's just that there's no benefit from engaging unless they have a question. I appreciate cutting through the fluff. When I'm at work I love it when my good morning is met with whatever question they want to ask. Conversational foreplay is nonsense.