Does anyone ever tackle bad customer service?

[Cheeus]

maybe the cashier doesn't like the OP's body language or the fact that they laugh while she is working.

OP's body language = genuine friendly smile coupled with 'hello'.
OP only started laughing after about 5 instances of real rudeness from this person. We are laughing because it's ridiculous and we can't help it. As I said, we switched cashiers because we didn't want to laugh at her.

This girl throws her eyes up to heaven. Never says please or thank you. Never smiles. Once an item didn't have a barcode on it so she said to me 'go and get a different one of these'. She never hands you your change; just leaves it on the counter even when you have your hand out - but she wouldn't know because she doesn't look at you.

I have genuinely considered that maybe she's depressed and therefore hesitate to even say anything to her. It's worth noting too that most of the customers in this supermarket are actually very nice because it is in a long established community. I would say the problem is just attitude and bad/no training at management level.

 

[truthseeker]

The customer is availing of a service provided by the assistant, that doesn't omit them from having to be civil in their dealings. I think from the replies we can safely say that we have at last become great at complaining. There are two sides to every story, maybe the cashier doesn't like the OP's body language or the fact that they laugh while she is working. I don't see enough of bad service to warrant a 4 page letter or to look for management and i think people are so wound up that they need to vent their frustrations on those that are not in a position to bite back.

Well everyone should be civil in their dealings, but thats not the world we live in.

Anyone is in a position to bite back - in both supermarket and restaurant working days if a customers behaviour was out of order they were banned from the establishment. On the other hand customers were thanked for bringing the genuine bad manners of staff to the attention of management.

Complaining to a manager does not mean the manager will automatically believe the customer and fire the employee - it just means that if they receive a number of complaints they know thats its probably well grounded, and it gives them an opportunity to observe for themselves how the employee behaves.

MrMan - you are more than welcome to a visit to my local video shop - the attitude of staff in it would have to be witnessed to be believed! Actually its so bad I havent used it in a long time now.

 

[DavyJones]

On the otherside of things, does anybody praise good service? I provide a service and will complain if something I paid for isn't up to scratch. however recently, i was in Argos and was looking for an ex stock item and one of the staff there bent over backwards helping me source it. At the time the manager wasn't there, so I made it my business to call him later that day to commend the additude of his staff. He was a bit speechless and told me he doesn't get too many of those phone calls these days. now if you want the feel good factor, praise someone!

 

[truthseeker]

On the otherside of things, does anybody praise good service? I provide a service and will complain if something I paid for isn't up to scratch. however recently, i was in Argos and was looking for an ex stock item and one of the staff there bent over backwards helping me source it. At the time the manager wasn't there, so I made it my business to call him later that day to commend the additude of his staff. He was a bit speechless and told me he doesn't get too many of those phone calls these days. now if you want the feel good factor, praise someone!

I do - but I tend to do it in writing so that the person/manager I send it to can show it about, put it on a noticeboard etc...

Had a very nice customer experience in a hair dressers when i was looking into buying ghd - place was packed and the girl couldnt have given me more time or patience. I wrote in and the manageress phoned me and thanked me for the letter. I do make a point of saying it either to the person themselves or the manager if service is good.

 

[DavyJones]

I do - but I tend to do it in writing so that the person/manager I send it to can show it about, put it on a noticeboard etc...

Had a very nice customer experience in a hair dressers when i was looking into buying ghd - place was packed and the girl couldnt have given me more time or patience. I wrote in and the manageress phoned me and thanked me for the letter. I do make a point of saying it either to the person themselves or the manager if service is good.

And no better person to write a letter, I thinks

 

[sam h]

On the otherside of things, does anybody praise good service?

I would agree with you that it is very important to make a point out having got good service & staff really do appriciate it.

But, I have to say, it's rare.

Staff regularly chat as if the customer isn't there in many of the supermarkets. Phone calls/e-amils not returned. I've had assistants talk away on mobiles which customers are waiting. I've seen people serve customers without making any eye contact or a please/thank you. Basic customer service used to be common courtesy.
I've tried killing them with kindness....big smile, "hello" etc, but you ususally get a blank stare.

So it really does stand out if someone goes beyond the call of duty & I have regualrly made a point to let their manager know.

I'm not saying the customer is always right, but he's always the customer!

 

[BOXtheFOX]

I was in Tesco Stillorgan this morning and the cashier while putting through my messages just coughed straight over them without as much as turning his head or covering his mouth. And yes I will complain.

 

[truthseeker]

And no better person to write a letter, I thinks

Ill be sending one straight to your boss telling them youre a nice fella

 

[annR]

Casual discourtesy doesn't seem worth the effort of complaining so I usually just decide not to go back there again.
But if I am well and truly annoyed I will usually kick up a stink or else call afterwards and ask for the manager. Depends on how much energy/inclination I have on the day.

 

[MrMan]

Seeing as people in general point to 'when manners were more commonplace', I wonder what the actual reasons might be in the change in behaviour apart from the obvious 'kids have too much money etc these days'.
My own theory is that the break down in the working week as in its now commonplace to have 24 hour openings, open bank holidays, late night shopping etc must be a factor.

When I worked in sales before, we started opening late wed-fri and only closed on xmas day. These late nights really affected morale, because the extra hours actually didn't yield that much in sales and you also had the added bonus of basically losing a whole day to work. I think that the unsocial aspect of the retail trade today has put a real dampner in the workplace. Minimum or low wage plus horrible hours don't tend to make happy workers, and its not as easy as saying look for another job.
Anyways just a thought.

 

[Cheeus]

Nearly every sector is over-worked these days. People commute long distances and often do longer hours without over-time. If I treated my clients with discourtesy I'd be out of job. Retail/hospitality shouldn't be any different. It's no excuse for bad service.

 

[Vanilla]

My job is all about customer service too. It's very important that clients feel happy with the service given for the sake of repeat business and word of mouth. Most clients are great, you do get the odd rude client or even a few rude odd clients! When I was younger this sort of thing would bother me, now I have enough experience to let it go. You must always remember that this person could just be having a bad day, or is reacting to a bad experience in the past. I find the majority of people react very positively to a good service, we often get thank you cards or little presents like chocolates or similar. Once I did a personal injury action from an old man who was absolutely penniless, living in very bad circumstances and before we finished one day he bought me a bottle of perfume from a pound shop as a thank you. I was really touched. Another time a manager of a financial institution wrote a letter to me thanking me for my help over the past few years. That was nice and I kept it. I certainly wouldn't expect thank you gifts, after all we are being paid for the service but it is still nice.