I just wanted to add that, at 50 years old, and being in the same business (foodservice) my entire adult life, because I love what I do …
… the reason for the nametag is entirely so that you have a name when you complain to corporate. They want a name when you complain, so that they can put the blame on that one named person. “Our employee was not following procedures”.
Fuck that. I don’t need a nametag, and I refuse to wear one. (CREDIT: standup comedian who said something about being over 30 and still working a job that required a nametag). Fuck nametags. I will personally place the food I cooked on your plate, and stand there while you eat it, and I will personally TELL you my fucking name. If you didn’t like it, I’ll fucking ask you how I could have done it better. Because I fucking care. I don’t need a fucking corporate overlord to make me do my job right. I’m a fucking awesome cook, and if you didn’t like what I cooked, I’mma not gonna get mad, I’mma gonna ask how I can improve.
I agree of course no one should ever be rude. But unless it is Pepsi, Coke, produce, milk, or beer it really IS NOT “in the back” at my large supermarket. Maybe it is different in other types of retail business? I can only speak for grocery.
Minor pet peeve, but it can get on my nerves: people who, in public places, talk to themselves,–I do NOT mean those who are mentally ill–in such a way as to attract the attention of others, and who make noises, laugh, do others things, anything, that makes it nearly impossible for anyone close to them, literally within earshot, to focus on something other than them.
This happened to me yesterday at a public computer in the library,–thank God I don’t have to use them–when a woman sat down next to me and basically could not keep quiet while I was writing and was trying to keep my thoughts and ideas straight. I did indicate my displeasure, but it seemed so natural to her style there seemed no point in actually complaining.
This is not a big deal, I admit, and I think that what annoys me most about it isn’t the noises or words themselves so much, that’s bad but bearable, but the lack of self-knowledge: people who behave like this seem to lack the understanding that they’re seeking attention. Lonely? I dunno. They just do it. This is probably why I’d rather simply move away,–easy enough on a bus, train or in a store–than point things out to them.
No offense to the wonderful salespeople we no doubt have here on the dope, but this just proves my point. Salespeople are the fakest people I can imagine. Besides, why are THEY selling themselves to ME? Frankly it should be the other way around.
What if the person works that department and knows for a fact that they are out of it? I was specialized to one area in my store, I knew what we had on the floor and in the back off the top of my head. Although that phrasing is rather curt for my liking.
This isn’t so much a standing pet peeve as one that I just saw, so it’s fresh in my mind. People who drive with their dogs in their laps. Sure, it’s all cute and fun and games - until you get into a fender-bender and your airbag deploys, and the last experience you and your dog will enjoy together is the crunchy feel of him being squashed flat against your chest.
Yes, we’re in the business to sell things, so we hide them in the back.
Aisle workers know their stock, and my store’s standard reply is “What we have is on the shelves.” But no, they are supposed to waste time going to the back and seeing that nothing is there.
Another retail one: People who call to see if you have an item. If you say “no” they keep on “Are you sure? I know I got one there once. Could someone check for me?” If you say “yes” it’s “How many? What brands? What colors? What price? What do you mean, you can’t give prices over the phone?”
If the person knows they are out of the product they can simply say.“sorry we out right now but I think we should have more by…”
That shows good customer service not like you are just there for a paycheck.
OK. I have no problem with that. When I go spend my money somewhere I expect the people there who are hired to help me to actually * do their jobs*. Sorry you have had to deal with such lousy service. Shop with a competitor next time.
Another pet peeve I thought of: I hate it when someone interrupts me in the middle of a task in order to tell me to do the task that they just interrupted. That drives me crazy.
It used to be Richard Kind, but now that he’s becoming more and more of a fading supernova in my universe, I believe I’m almost completely peeve-free, as I speak.
