Why do some seemingly educated people treat retail customer service providers like they are beneath them?

Question

The most affluent appearing people are the worst offenders. They tend to "talk down" to clerks, cashiers, etc..., they are rude and demanding and say inappropriate things like "you have nothing better to do". They don't even have the common sense to put down their cell phone long enough to speak with the person in front of them, then proceed to curse out the service member for ignoring them. Why is this? Do they not realize that without retail employees that they would be hungry and naked?

Answer 1

Good question. I have a law degree, but due to my situation, I've had to work retail many times. It's upsetting to be treated like that. A lot of it may be that they don't think of anyone but themselves--that's how they got where they are, and they've forgotten that there are 6 billion other people in the world, most of whom are not as lucky as they are.

Answer 2

I'm glad you say just *some* people in your statement because not all are like that and it does cross all educational and monetary lines it seems - or should I say - there's one in every crowd. We as service providers have to remember that we do not know what previous customer service experience our customers have had - maybe they just came from a horrible experience and ya are still carrying a chip on their shoulder - so what - lets make this time one they will remember in a positive way - that is our job. No two customers are the same and each of them have to be approached and handled differently - the more you work with people the more you know how to read them. Also from a customers side - how many times have we gone into a store and received NO service? Where all the employee's are off chatting somewhere and you are being ignored or there is not enough staff and you have to wait forever. When we meet our customers we have to be professionals at what we do and provide the service we are there to do for our companies - do it with a smile and welcoming to the customer cause they will pick up on those non verbal clues too.
Yep .... some of them are still a little too high on the horse but we all get them and we all smile our way thru it - amazing thou - you can bring some of them down to your level with your approach and how you talk to them. Send them away happy because ultimately they are the ones that are keeping you in your job if you are in retail.

Answer 3

This is the reason people say "Your in sales,I could never do that".! If your going to deal with the public,and you want to be in a position of helping them with there problems,and not taking it personally,the future is all yours. However,and I say this from experience..Years learning my own way to react,and accept the rudeness,frustration,insults,attitude,threats of complaining to the supervisor, etc. etc, If you take it to heart,after a few years your heart will let you know how much you took.It has an effect on your whole life,family,friends, then you are the one on your day off ,venting at some poor retail employee. LOL what a circle.
If you look at the best jobs for the future, Healthcare,Engineers,Computers,etc,etc Retail Sales is right up there with all those college degrees,and years of education. You develop your own way,your own words ,and you watch that rude person with the phone in there ear,spend ten min. telling you where they got the phone,what they like about it,how much it cost,blah blah.. 4 words "I like your phone" usually does it. Your words,right up front,not even a hello, ! Oh the stories, I could tell. Good and bad, mostly good though. Best of luck with your job,and future. Craig
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Answer 4

As best that I've observed over the years the offenders in this regard are caught up in a cycle of ego destroying interplay with their very own perceived betters. This breach of social nicety is an attempt to regain dignity, a truly weak and despicable attempt at that. Those that perpetrate this foulness would do well to consider the fact that no one can make anyone feel something they will not accept and each time they engage in such misery they add a link to the chain they drag in life. Thankfully it is an anomaly and not the normal way most of society conducts itself. Excellent question, thank you.

Answer 5

it can go both way some retail employees also treat customers like their beneath them . I work in customer relations and get complaints about that all the time ...plus had an incident with my friend when she was just taking her phone in for repair with the retail clerk making insultting remarks to everyone that entererd the store

Answer 6

There is no congruency between being "intellegent" and being a "nice" person. The Germans and the Japanese proved this, along with a million others.

The Thai people are very friendly, you know why? They're too stupid to know how to be mean. You know how retarded people are always happy? Same thing.

Also, customers know you can't respond. If you do then they can cry to your supervisor and have you fired. They enjoy this power and control.

Just be nice to the dumb people, they will actually appreciate you for this.

Answer 7

Yes its very important to be courteous...1. its the way we should treat each other 2. its being decent.

Some people become conceited, and believe that they are better than others...but there is alway karma for that.

That said, customer services can sometimes really suck, but there are ways for the customers to express their anger in a civilized manner without degrading or humiliating people.

Humility is one of the greatest traits we can possess! Pity those who have forgotten it...

Answer 8

i would say it goes both ways. Once u have had a bad experiance with a retail employee u will treat every single one the same. Its the way it is, change profession if it bothers u that much. Otherwise it will eat u alive or one day ull snap.

Answer 9

Once again, it all boils down to class. Just because they may be more educated or may have more money or may want to appear important, doesn't mean they have the class to back them up. We all have to start somewhere in life, and if you're the type of person who looks down on others because of what they do for a living; you might want to watch out because next year--he/she may be your boss.......

Answer 10

because when they go in to hire the boss said the people come first! is what I heard then my boss told me different from his exsperence when he hired in the boss came first people last
my boss at the time was not like most snob bosses and the people were number 1 if it was not for them there would not be any jobs or business or food LOL I agreee 150% with you if that was possible
so I guess I half to agree 100%

Answer 11

folks like that are just mean, my husband runs service call for a lot of well to do people and that is his BIGGEST pet peeve.....( for someone to think they are better then some others ) and when they are rude and ugly to him.. he slows down on the job.... so what should have only taken 15. mins will cost them about an hour... what goes around comes around..