B & Queues

It will come as no surprise to most of you that I like to shop.  I may be slightly addicted to that 'new stuff' feeling.  I love shopping mostly for clothes, shoes, handbags- the usual... but any shopping is great as far as I'm concerned.  There is just one thing that can spoil this treat- well, two things if you include lack of funds, but I'm referring to shop assistants.  I'm not sure that's the most accurate description since they rarely seem to 'assist' these days.

There are various types of these people.  There are some that are just too keen.  You're happily browsing away and there they are, lurking, waiting to pounce.

Them- "Can I help you?"
Me- "No thanks, I'm fine." *wait for them to leave*....  *they don't*
Them- "Oh, good choice.  I have that.  How about this?"

At this point, I'm wanting to leave the shop.  I don't want opinions, I don't care what's in your wardrobe and I certainly don't want to be bullied or persuaded to look at things that earn you commission.

There are the 'anti-sales' types that will do anything to avoid helping you.

Me-"Do you have any of these left in stock?"
Them- "I don't fink so."
Me- "Would you mind checking please?"
Them- *rolls eyes* "I fink we sold the last one yesterday."
Me- "Ok, but could you please check? Then we will both know, rather that you just 'finking'"

There are also those that mean well, but are just highly irritating.

Me- *picks up re-usable bag, clearly marked '10p', about to scan on self-service*
Them- "D'you need a bag, love?"
Me- "I have this one, thank you"
Them- "That's 10p you know, that one"
Me- "Yes, I see that... thank you." *Turns back to scan the bag*
Them- "You 'ave to scan that y'know"
Me- *Beginning to boil with rage* "Yes.  I'm about to- thank you. I'll ask if I need any help- thanks" *Gives reassuring smile*
Them-*still lurking whilst I scan and pack* "D'you wanna hand love?"

Seriously... and whilst we're on the subject- what happened to manners?  So many times have I waited for 'please' and 'thank you' to appear, but they don't!  I am a customer, you are serving me, at least thank me for purchasing something and helping to keep you in a job (that you don't seem to want and definitely don't deserve).  Try, just try, to speak properly- 'ain't' and 'dunno' are unacceptable and unnecessary.  Don't call me 'babe'.  If my hand is out, please put my change in it- not on the counter in front of me.  If you're having a conversation whilst I'm waiting to be served, that's ok, but at least acknowledge me- don't just carry on without so much as a glance in my direction- that is very rude.  I don't care what you did at the weekend, it makes no odds to me what he said, I don't give a damn what she said and don't think for a second that I care an ounce as to what happend next, so please, serve me, give me a smile, then by all means carry on.

I have also been on the other side of this- I have worked in shops in the past.  I have served the general public and I must say, we too can be a rude bunch.  Yes, I may have been paid to serve you, but is that phone call on your mobile so important that the entire queue must listen to you finish it before you put away that '1 minute' finger you are pointing at me and finish up with an insincere 'Sorry about that' when you really aren't.  I still deserve a thank you after packing your bag when you can't even be bothered to say hello.  I manage to say please, even if you haven't even realised I'm a human being that you are ordering your lunch from, the least you can do is say it back when you demand your sandwich.

Today I was at the supermarket self-service checkout.  I got to the end, fed my £20 note in, to which the machine said "Please insert cash, or touch 'pay with card."
My shopping was £8.50, I was pretty confident £20 covered it.  I flagged down the nearest assistant- "Excuse me, I've put my money in but it's still asking for payment.  Can you help please?"
"Nah, I don't work in this bit.  Wait for that woman." *Gestures vaguely whilst walking away*
Now I'm mad.  But here comes 'that woman' now.  Again, I explain my situation.
"Put some money in, it'll be alright then."
"You don't seem to understand, I have.  My £20 note is in there, it just hasn't registered it so I don't want to pay twice..."
"Yeah, put it in there- that one *points to cash slot*, that'll do it."
"No, you need to open the front of this machine, it already has my money- so you need to retrieve it and then I will try again."
"Err... I'll have to call someone.  I don't know what you mean."
Blood.  Boiling.

I shan't bore you with the rest of this tale, other than to tell you that eventually I got my cash back- after much arguing (on my part) and accusation (on theirs).

My least favourite shop is B & Q.  Not once have I ever had a pleasant experience shopping here.  As I said, I like all kinds of shopping, it is not the nature of goods for sale in this store that puts me off, but the incompetent staff.  Oh, the changes I would make to the staff in this place if I could.  Never have I been so enraged after such a short time in a place!  Mr T will confirm just how much I despise this shop- he often follows behind at a distance as I rant 'Can anyone in here actually help me? Or are you all incapable?'

Yes, I'm one of those people.  I can't abide rudeness and will vocalise this should somebody irritate me.

I suppose the solution is simple- if we, the public, remember our manners, remember that these people are at work, they are people and we should be equally as polite as we expect them to be to us and if they, the 'assistants' remember their manners and that we require their help and they are in fact being paid to provide this help- we should all just get along just fine.

Thank you- please come again!