I Have An Attitude Problem

[mpsmith60]

I live in a small town and often shop at a small country store for things such as coffee, newspaper, sandwiches, occasional pizza. I guess I visited the store 3 or 4 times a week for years. Then one day, there is a new employee, a young lady about 25 or so.
I went to the register with my coffee, said the usual pleasantries, and decided to buy lottery tickets. She has a 32 inch screen right in front of her with the lotto games and icons in a vertical list, Powerball, Megabucks, etc. I said I would like one each ticket per game for the four games shown there, with all of the kickers. She printed out the Powerball ticket, then turned to me and asked what else I wanted. I pointed to the screen and said just follow the list as it is and that will be fine. She immediately said 添ou have an attitude problem?
I was floored because I am always a please and thank you kind of guy, I have no problems with people, and I made my living on the road in a professional capacity. (I know anybody can say that but I am not a rude person).
I then said I want the tickets which she did print and I paid. Then I said you have no clue that you are in a customer oriented job, and you were way out of line coming after me with this attitude thing. A couple were eating breakfast nearby and agreed with what I told her. The owner came over to talk with her as I was walking out.
It has been a year and she is long gone but I have only been to the store twice in a year. I am not a delicate person, but I do not like being talked to that way.

You were right to reprimand her. Even if she had been having a bad day, she shouldn't have taken it out on you. However, I hope you haven't been avoiding going to that store because of the incident.

 

[Industrial Toys]

I will never forget the sign at a local wrecker.

This isn't Burger King
You don't get the part your way.
You get it MY way
Or you don't get the son of a B#$H thing.

 

[drssg]

My dad went through a cranky old man phase in his early eighties. It was kind of embarrassing to go to restaurants with him. There was always something wrong with the food and service, and he'd make derogatory comments about the waitress. In his brain, I'm sure he was just talking to me, but he spoke loudly enough that she could probably overhear him.

As he got older and more helpless, he became much more good-natured and appreciative of any assistance he received. He regularly needed to be woken up in the middle of the night for medication, and he always said thank you.

 

[CobyRupert]

Totally agree.

A lifetime ago, I worked retail. I worked in their jewelry dept (which included watches). They got into the replacement warranty game.... I'd make a passing comment about it to everyone and rang up those who wanted it and (politely) finished the transaction for those who didn't.

I was always one of the upper tier sellers as far as percent of contracts sold.... why? I played the game. Someone brought (what was originally a cheap/shoddy) watch back where the band broke three months later.... I'd mention the replacement warranty.... and since the store policy was 30 days only, they technically had to go back to the manufacturer......HOWEVER, if they wanted.... they could purchase the warranty "today" and I'd simply swap out the watch. So now, I'm getting credit for a warranty sale, NO watch sale (so my percent of warranties to watches went up), AND I made the customer very happy because they thought I was "bending the system" a bit for their benefit.

Boss is happy with me because my warranty sales were very high.....customer is happy with me because I took care of them.

Seems like your warranty sales percentage probably made a bean counter happy somewhere.....as long as that bean counter doesn't also see the abnormally high warranty claims or check dates. One would imagine the cost of the warranty is based on a low rate of claims versus nearly 100%

Something doesn't seem right about selling warrantees after the object has broke.
As a customer I'm all for it. Wish I could buy house insurance after the tree falls on the roof and still be covered, but I imagine the cost would be more than the cost of a roof repair if the insurance company knows there's a 100% chance of having to pay out.

 

[Sigarms]

Too often, I see people treat cashier's or wait staff as servants. One time I was in line at a convenience store, and a very new and very young clerk was checking out a very rude tourist. He was loudly and cruelly accusing the clerk of shorting him on his change. The amount was only a few pennies, and he was wrong because he didn't consider an item that had sales tax on it.

I reached in my pocket and pulled out a large handful of change and threw it on the counter. As the coins were spinning around l said "leave the kid alone. Take what you want, and please know it's not ok to treat people in our state like this."

The kid had been nearly in tears, but was grateful for the support.

The rude tourist took no money, and left in a huff.

Sincere question... if a clerk tells you the amount due is $6.73 and you give them $11.73 and they give you a blank stare and start fumbling with the change because they didn't enter $11.73 cash tendered, if you look at them like they are an idiot, is that rude? (not saying anything or making ANY body gestures, just looking at them like they don't know basic math).

Math has never been my forte to boot.

 

[airbiscuit]

The clerk had given the correct change. The tourist was a pompous ***. He was simply being unpleasant and self important. The clerk was RIGHT, and didn't deserve to be treated so poorly.

 

[Sigarms]

The clerk had given the correct change. The tourist was a pompous ***. He was simply being unpleasant and self important. The clerk was RIGHT, and didn't deserve to be treated so poorly.

You didn't answer my question... I'm just curious if I'm out of line if I look at the clerk like an idiot because they can't figure out basic math (simple job function IMO to hand out change). Please keep in mind, I've worked in fast food when I was younger, and know the pressure of "new idiot on the register!" LOL

 

[CobyRupert]

Sincere question... if a clerk tells you the amount due is $6.73 and you give them $11.73 and they give you a blank stare and start fumbling with the change because they didn't enter $11.73 cash tendered, if you look at them like they are an idiot, is that rude? (not saying anything or making ANY body gestures, just looking at them like they don't know basic math).

Math has never been my forte to boot.

Are you asking "Is it rude?" or "Do they deserve it?"

As a rule: it's generally rude to make people feel bad because they lack a skill.

....although probably deserved...and hopefully a motivator to improve.

 

[airbiscuit]

You didn't answer my question... I'm just curious if I'm out of line if I look at the clerk like an idiot because they can't figure out basic math (simple job function IMO to hand out change). Please keep in mind, I've worked in fast food when I was younger, and know the pressure of "new idiot on the register!" LOL

It might feel good to be smug, but I think it is generally better to be kind. BTW, the young clerk in my example wasn't an idiot (he was right!), but the rude tourist customer was (an idiot).

 

[paulfun9]

Sincere question... if a clerk tells you the amount due is $6.73 and you give them $11.73 and they give you a blank stare and start fumbling with the change because they didn't enter $11.73 cash tendered, if you look at them like they are an idiot, is that rude? (not saying anything or making ANY body gestures, just looking at them like they don't know basic math).

Math has never been my forte to boot.

My favorite has always been having to teach basic math to what are basically high school students working a part time job when the electronic registers break down and they have to figure out the total and your change without the computer. It痴 amazing to me how poor thier math skills are.

I would expect an average high school student be able to do simple math without trouble but it seems that痴 not the case?