Why are some customers soo rude to retail staff?

Question

I have worked in retail for a while now are have desided that some customers are just plan RUDE.
They treat staff as something that they stepped in on the road. When they lose their receipt they start with the "consumer rights act"
they don't look at you when they are specking but want you to stop what your doing to help them!!!

if you deal with consumers what do you hate?

Answer 1

It really bothers me when they get upset for turning my attention away from them for one second. A lady was trying to decide what bread to buy and a coworker asks me how to ring something up on the register. I take a second to tell her, and when I turn back to the woman, she acts all affronted like I spat in her face or something. And then she decides to pay for her $4 purchase all in change, and I have to wait there patiently while she counts it all out in pennies and nickels, and meanwhile a line is forming. And then, of course, everyone else is upset because I couldn't see to them right away. Grr!

Answer 2

I haven't ever been rude to retail employees,,but they have been rude to me before,,,so I guess everyone has their bad days.
Some people think that they are in a better postition than the other one is: depending on the person I guess.

I have had store employees act like that this was their store, and that if I didn't buy anything it was a waste of their time, ..etc. The whole time I wanted to tell them,,that I wasn't the one working,,that they were.

I also hate it when they are talking on the phone when they are suppose to be working,, or when they talk about a customer after they leave the store.

One day at Foleys,, I was returning 2 shirts that I had bought for my husband and I had 3 different receipts.,, and I gave them to her, because I couldn't find the sku #. So,, she looked at it, and circled 14.99... I ask her why she circled that one... and she said, " Why do u ask', and is said,, because although the shirt was on sale,,it cost more like 38.00 instead of 15.00..and she looked at me and said, " Well, because that is the number that matches!" and I ask her to show me where,,and she o.k. then I'll show you if you don't believe me.. " and sure enough!! I was right!! it wasn't the correct one.

So, I guess if you work in retail, or if you are a customer,,,both can be rude at times,,which can be prevented because I don't know about others,,but I shop enough that I know the staff at Dillards, Foleys, etc..that I look to them for help, and in return ,, i would like great customer service..and I will go back to them each time if i like them and their opinion enough.

So, hang in there,, sorry about the rude people..they are everywher,, and I say " Kill them w/ kindness"..

Answer 3

I don't what is going on in our world. Now a days people think it is perfectly acceptable to be rude and treat people like crap. Some people think when you work retail your stupid or something or not educated so that gives them free reign to treat you like crap. Which is so not right. Some people are students, for others it's a part-time job or a second job to make ends meet, some people who retire just want to work. There is nothing wrong with having a job. But you are always going to have those people for whatever reason think they are so far above the rest of the human race, to bad they are not. All I can tell you to do is take a deep breath and count to 10, it's not only retail it's all over in every profession.

Answer 4

It doesn't just happen to retail, it happens to anyone who works with the public. My family owned a cyber-cafe and computer store for a long time. There are just some people out there that can't be pleased! No matter what you do.
The one thing you have to learn with dealing with the public is to kill them with kindness. Even when you want to spit in their face and tell them to get out of the gene pool!
When you are sickly sweet to those who are a thorn in your butt, it really does make a difference, you might not make them nice as a result, but there are those out there who do respond very well to kindness, you never know it just may soften their hard shell.
It does go both ways as well, I know I have been to a store where I have been ignored by retail staff. I do not frequent a store where I am treated as unimportant, and the staff ignores me.
Next time you have to deal with a rude customer, make it a challenge to you to see if there is anything you can do (within reason!) to make that person at least smile....be kind, smile and treat them as you would want to be treated.You won't be giving in to them, you will only be getting what you want......a happy customer.
Nobody says you can't have a good b*itch about them after they are gone (in the privacy of the stock-room of course!!)

Answer 5

The funny thing with this is, they are mostly rude over the phone, hardly ever in person unless they suffer from megalomania. Remember, the customer always comes first, but is not always right.
When they start swearing at you over the phone, put it down on them. When they get rude to you in person, try to assess the situation they are rude about. If the customer is just plain rude without reason, you may take back their purchases, give them the money back and request that they leave your premises. This is called firing a customer and works like a dream.

Answer 6

I have found most clerks to be very nice and friendly and have enjoyed doing business with them for several years. However, others are truly horrible to work with. Sometimes it is a matter of etiquette. For example, I have noticed that several clerks will look at an older person's ID and refer to them by their first name. Although management sometimes tells clerks to do this under the guise of being "friendly" it often comes across as being disrespectful. Some clerks are just downright rude, they do not greet the customer, roll their eyes when questions are asked and throw merchandise. Or they will encounter a rude customer and then will be less than friendly to others who follow.

Answer 7

I think some customers are rude because they thiink retailing is beneath them. They fail to recognize that you chose your job just like they did.

For 2 years I was a gas station attendant. One day, I was changing the paper on the receipt printer while I had one customer waiting. When I was done, I apologized for his wait (like 30 seconds). He says, "That's okay, some people are just born stupid." My response? "Well some are just born stupid and some stay that way all their lives."

Answer 8

pretty much all the same stuff that you have to put up with. i should know working at fast food previously and now a major retail store. but for every 10 rude customers you get one great customer that reminds you why you like to work with the public

Answer 9

All the customers are not rude--why? Some are rude--right.I have seen one who gets more than what he should get--becomes rude--undermining others.But who is genuine and of standard never misbehave.People becomes polite when he or she earns knowledge--what ever may be the knowledge and also how they are born and brought up.So dont mind as all are not equal.

Answer 10

Usually because their job is a lot crappier than yours and you are on the pecking order or food chain. Some people just do not get that being nice is better.