I just complained about a grocery store employee who was rude to me

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mystery shop so I take a shitload of bad customer service with a smile and write my report.

However, when it isn't a shop, I happily will both complain and give positive feedback.

Personally, I can tell the difference in stores that get mystery shopped and those that aren't.

This is very interesting to me. Do the store employees know that there is always a chance a mystery shopper is there? Where have you shopped?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I mystery shop so I take a shitload of bad customer service with a smile and write my report.

However, when it isn't a shop, I happily will both complain and give positive feedback.

Personally, I can tell the difference in stores that get mystery shopped and those that aren't.

How does one get a job doing this? I would love it. I'm a nice person and I hate meanness

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mystery shop so I take a shitload of bad customer service with a smile and write my report.

However, when it isn't a shop, I happily will both complain and give positive feedback.

Personally, I can tell the difference in stores that get mystery shopped and those that aren't.

How does one get a job doing this? I would love it. I'm a nice person and I hate meanness

DCUM must drive you insane!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I spoke with a manager at Whole Foods today about an employee in the butcher section who did not know what the number on the scale should say when I told him "one third of a pound". He got the scale saying .74 and when I said "Oh, you're going in the opposite direction - it's one third, not three fourths" he STILL didn't know.

I told the manager maybe they could put a chart on each scale that has a chart for how to translate what people say to what the scale should say. Embarrassingly, the manager said "I recognize you - you've said this to me before." I didn't remember that and just said "Oh, well, it's still an issue."

You would think, after multiple complaints of this sort, they would have figured out a way to make it happen. It's not exactly a difficult request!

You'd also think that after multiple complaints OP would just say "point 33 pounds" rather than continuing to waste her time. That's not exactly difficult either.

Did you miss the part where I said I didn't remember it happening before? There were three or four guys behind the meat counter - I got the ONE guy who doesn't know how to convert. Is it really so wrong I don't remember him?

It would have been nicer for you to have been helpful to him when you saw that he was making an error (Actually I only want a third of a pound. Thanks!).

What were you buying 1/3 pound of? Such an odd request. I mean, I know how to convert, but it would never occur to me to buy something in that quantity.

Next time I buy deli meat I'm asking for 5/8 lb

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mystery shop so I take a shitload of bad customer service with a smile and write my report.

However, when it isn't a shop, I happily will both complain and give positive feedback.

Personally, I can tell the difference in stores that get mystery shopped and those that aren't.

How does one get a job doing this? I would love it. I'm a nice person and I hate meanness

DCUM must drive you insane!

It does!!! But I put on my armor And I try to stand up for the kind person- I feel like i'm doing some good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I mystery shop so I take a shitload of bad customer service with a smile and write my report.

However, when it isn't a shop, I happily will both complain and give positive feedback.

Personally, I can tell the difference in stores that get mystery shopped and those that aren't.

How does one get a job doing this? I would love it. I'm a nice person and I hate meanness

DCUM must drive you insane!

It does!!! But I put on my armor And I try to stand up for the kind person- I feel like i'm doing some good.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here:

I didn't expect this to blow up and just went to bed last night after posting.

Anyway, here's what happened:

I was in the self checkout section, of my fairly large neighborhood grocery. There are two people manning the self checkout. I couldn't find anyone, and was searching for a while, before I finally found a woman, who seemed to know that I was approaching (body language) but didn't look up or acknowledge me. Finally I got close enough and said- Excuse me, I just need you to verify my age (to buy wine).

She looked up at me, then looked away dismissively and said "You're not in my section."

I was thinking, "What the hell?" but another checkout worker had come up, so I moved over to her and told her what i needed to do. Then, because I just had a feeling about how I had been treated, I asked her whether she was able to do all the sections of the self checkout, and she said she was. I asked if all the workers were able to and she said yes- she seemed kind of confused as to why I was even asking such a silly question.

It was such unneccessary rudeness and hostility for no reason.

At the end both workers were next to each other and I think the nice worker could tell I looked kind of annoyed, and she said to me, "Was everything okay?" so I asked her, "How do I go about giving customer service feedback?" And she directed me to the website. The whole time rude cashier lady was standing behind her, literally staring me down.

I don't think someone like that should be working with customers. I truly doubt I'm the first one she treated that way as the hostility came out of nowhere

If you said exactly as quoted to her, it's sounds more like a command than a polite request. May have been more to the interaction but if not, I can see that she might bristle.

[Anonymous]

Wow. All of you complaining that OP must have issues have certainly set some low standards for yourself. If I'm going to give a company my hard earned money, I expect - at minimum - a painless experience. If an employee is rude, if products are inferior, if products are not available, I'm not going to want to spend my money there. I am certain that business owners would prefer to know why I choose to spend my money where and how I do, so why not tell them. Why on earth would you insist on giving your money to a company that cannot provide a pleasant experience?

[Anonymous]

Hasn't anybody here ever been to a big box home improvement store? Noticed how the employees walk around, carefully avoiding eye contact because if they see a customer, they might have to help a customer? These are people who should not be working in retail. I do not have empathy for them. I do not believe they might be having a bad day. This is how they treat people because this is how they are AND because this is what their bosses allow. Stop putting up with it! Be more assertive!

[Anonymous]

I worked in retail for years. Always was kind and nice to customers. In fact I was known among our store as the one who would gladly take on the difficult, mean customers because I could win them over. My secret? I was just nice to them and didn't get exasperated like everyone else. It's not hard. And if you can't do it- don't do customer service jobs. Work in the back.

[Anonymous]

OP here.
To update: The manager of the store has emailed me to get more feedback on what happened (he was very apologetic). He wants to ask more about what exactly happened since all I wrote in my report was that she was extremely rude and unhelpful. I am not sure whether to respond because in retrospect IDK whether it was that big of a deal or not. I don't want to seem irrational since I shop there every week. But I don't know if I should ignore the manager either. Does DCUM have any thoughts?

[Anonymous]

You complainers should all move to San Francisco, Portland, or Seattle.

There, everyone finds SOMETHING to be offended over, all the time. They walk around constantly annoyed and pissed off at anyone/everyone around them, and they don't hesitate to complain.

They are SO empowered out there!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You complainers should all move to San Francisco, Portland, or Seattle.

There, everyone finds SOMETHING to be offended over, all the time. They walk around constantly annoyed and pissed off at anyone/everyone around them, and they don't hesitate to complain.

They are SO empowered out there!

OP here. Funny you say that- I am in Portland- a recent move for me. I have been shocked at the lack of service and the way employees treat me. I think that's why i usually might have brushed this off at home in DC but I realize now it's a pattern of behavior and standard for the employees here, and as such I'm going to start saying something each time this hostile service happens

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.
To update: The manager of the store has emailed me to get more feedback on what happened (he was very apologetic). He wants to ask more about what exactly happened since all I wrote in my report was that she was extremely rude and unhelpful. I am not sure whether to respond because in retrospect IDK whether it was that big of a deal or not. I don't want to seem irrational since I shop there every week. But I don't know if I should ignore the manager either. Does DCUM have any thoughts?

I think you should respond, I mean, you were so damn proud of yourself for doing this in the first place that I'm surprised you're not dying to follow through.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here.
To update: The manager of the store has emailed me to get more feedback on what happened (he was very apologetic). He wants to ask more about what exactly happened since all I wrote in my report was that she was extremely rude and unhelpful. I am not sure whether to respond because in retrospect IDK whether it was that big of a deal or not. I don't want to seem irrational since I shop there every week. But I don't know if I should ignore the manager either. Does DCUM have any thoughts?

You've already done the damage. I say leave it. It will already go to her record, so your job is finished. Maybe the store will hire someone who is friendly now