why are customers so rude and ignorant towards sales assistants?

Question

Towards assistants that are pleasant helpful and not rude at all.

And NO I dont try to sell products! I simple serve behind the tills

Also to let you know ive a degree in Psychology

Answer 1

Because of the couldn't care less attitude of a minority of sales assistants,this is mostly among the younger ones

Answer 2

If you want to continue giving them your business, you should speak to a manager. If the sales assistants wear name badges, do some 'research' shopping in advance and after you leave write down the names of all the assistants who were rude or ignored you, and exactly what they did to make you upset. If they don't wear name badges, a brief description of the person (age, hair colour & length, any distinguishing features etc), the area of the store (eg makeup counter) and the time will help the manager work out who it was. Take this list to the manger and politely explain how this treatment upsets you, and that while you wish to continue shopping there, you will stop doing so if such treatment continues. It will help if you actually do buy things there regularly, and can mention a few examples, such as "I came into the store this afternoon to buy a new lipstick, but I couldn't find the right one because no one would assist me..." I used to have a similar issue when I was in uniform and around your age - the shop assistants in one particular shop watched me VERY carefully as though I was a shoplifter! I simply stopped shopping there unless I couldn't find what I needed elsewhere. It is just unfortunate that all teenagers tend to be tarred with the same brush, as there are a large minority who do cause trouble.

Answer 3

The "customer is always right" policy has gone too far. When I was a manager, I never let a customer abuse a cashier.
There is no excuse for some of the things I've seen. I had a customer ask me to get someone "younger and faster" to ring her up, I had an employee who was 65 years old, she had worked at the store for 10 years. Loyal, dependable, and yes, sometimes a little slow. The woman said "you should have people who know what they are doing, running the cash register." I said "She knows what she is doing, more than anyone here. If you have a problem with the speed of our service, shop somewhere else. I can do without customers like you, but she is a valuable employee to me." So the customer wanted the name and number of MY boss. I gave it to her. And she got another earfull when she called her. MY boss hired that cashier, to work for her when the store opened 10 years ago.

Answer 4

nowadays, it's really hard to get a good sales assistant. some tends to discriminate you or just don't mind you at all and these are the most common reasons why customers are being rude to sales assistants bec. they want some importance and attention.

I had an unhappy experience. I went to an expensive shop to check out the jacket on display. I asked the lady how much it costs since there was no tag. she looked at me and replied, "why? can you afford it?"! to my disgust, I bought all 3 colors of the jacket and that really caught her attention!

see? it usually depends on the person and the attitude.

Answer 5

Because they can.
In reading the post from CALCULUS, I feel I need to add that although he is right, that a person should be able to shop without being bothered, he also needs to understand that it is an actual requirement of the job (at least mine) to say hello to a customer and offer assistance, even if its obvious that they dont want or need it. I dont work on commission, its just a company policy. But if Im bothering you while shopping by being too polite, why take it out on me? Ya know...

Answer 6

I do believe that customers with cell phones are incredibly RUDE'

But I have actually checked out from some stores when the clerk had a conversation with someone else and never acknowledged me even once.

Good manners have slipped by at least 60 percent in the last 20 or thirty years.

Store management don't seem to have classes in customer conduct any more.

Answer 7

It's a subtle form of bullying and superiority complex. They have a go at shop assistants because they know they can't really say anything back. When I have worked in retail, I find that being blunt yet civil when dealing with a ride customer, and continually restating the obvious, is a very powerful weapon. It makes them realise that their gripes or nitpicks are really silly and pointless.

Answer 8

You think being a sales assistant is bad? Try being a secretary in an insurance office! I get blamed for things I don't even know anything about! I get blamed for people's premiums being high, for their agent not being in to wait on them hand and foot 24/7, for inconvenience because their claims adjuster hasn't called them yet, and my most favorite one, for them "not getting their bill". Yeah right! Surrrre you didn't get it.

And I used to work in a grocery store photo lab back in the day, so I know all about rude customers, especially around this time of year. Most labs now offer photo Christmas cards, and people are SO finicky about the way they want their cards to look. If they aren't exactly right, they want you to drop eveything you are doing right then and reprint the entire site, nevermind the line of people standing behind them waiting to pick up their photos. Ridiculous!

Answer 9

Unfortunately there are alot of answers. But here are the first 4
I thought of. 1. They are having a bad day
2. The service is no good
3. They are that way to most people already
4. They themselves never delt with customers.

Answer 10

I went to get a lottery ticket, stood there watching the two assistants chatting about the forthcoming weekend, totally ignoring me. I coughed, made no difference, after a couple of minutes I knew where they were going that evening, what they were wearing and that they were going to have a great time. I just walked away. Now, what was the question.

Answer 11

Because they see them as servants to be tromped all over. I think that some people need to be above others, hence, the nasty people.

What truly amazes me is when people are rude in restaurants - do they truly believe that they're not dining on someone's loogy?

If you're a sales assistant, keep your chin up. Karma's a b*&$%. And the jerks you're dealing with are probably going back home or back to work be be crapped on by someone else.