Tesco... and manners

[Iveagh]

I was in Tesco today and a lovely old lady dropped a box of eggs on the floor. I was near her, and proceeded to pick up the box and large parts of broken shells. Then a female Tesco shop assistant came over and told me how careless I was, and that students 'have no respect for anything'. The little old lady then started arguing with the Tesco woman asking if she 'had no respect', as she had dropped the eggs. The woman was really vulgar to the old lady and stormed off saying 'Leave it... I'll get someone to clean it up'

The lady who dropped the eggs was furious and she thanked me for being so polite and helpful, and she said she was going to ask to speak to the manager when she made it to the till.

I just can't get over the attitute of some of the staff at Tesco towards students; it's not the first time that I have faced hostility from them (particularly the older ones).

I would venture to Morrisons if only it was nearer.

[hr]

[KateBush]

did this woman have sort of golden hair and glasses? does she often work on the fag counter?

If so, she's been bloody rude to me on occasion too, and I got a manager to speak to her about the way she dealt with customers! clearly the old bag hasnt been sacked yet...long overdue tho!

[hr]

http://www.livejournal.com/users/vasovagalvegan/
POTS and Vasovagal Syncope- not for the *faint* hearted
See me in my wheelchair? Keep staring--I might do a trick!

[LK Today]

Totally argee about the woman at the tobacco counter. She is so rude. I was in there one night when she pretended not to have heard the girl in front asking for cashback, even though I, who was a good bit further away, heard her. I can never remember the PIN for my credit card, and she refused to accept it, even though she cannot do this until the 14 Feb (I think that's the date). I wrote a letter to the manager complaining about her, and usually try to avoid using that counter if she is working. I know fags are a bit more expensive in Bottoms Up, but I go there to avoid having to deal with this woman.

Think of the amount of money 7000+ students spend in there on a weekly basis. Most locals shop in Morrisons to avoid having to bump into us, so it is not exactly as if our custom is not a substantial partof their takings.

I suggest we keep a diary of out dealings with the staff, and literally 'name and shame' them. Oh, I feel dead militant now!

[Steveo]

It's one of the most expensive Tesco stores in the UK and the most profitable small supermarket in Scotland.

They manage this with:

1. Shockingly bad customer service,
2. An inability to restock shelves during the day
3. A complete lack of understanding that they need to order in more of the things students buy (sandwiches sold out at 1pm anyone?)

[hr]

Strangers passing in the street, by chance two seperate glances meet.

[Iveagh]

To be honest I don't really take much notice of who's serving me, and I never use the till where the fags are; quite often I just use the self-servive checkout thing.

This woman was in her early-mid 50s and did have blonde hair, sort of going grey. I don't recall if she was wearing glasses or not though.

I agree with the 'name and shame' policy. There is absolutely no excuse for bad manners.

[hr]

[KateBush]

Sainsburys in OXford is worse- at least in Tescos up there I could get wheat free bread and pasta, and soya milk! here they are USELESS and do none of these things.

I said to tehm the other day "can you tell me why you don't stock these things?"

Blank looking sainsburys manager replied "because we're a convenience store, madam."

So I said "well, it's not very convenient for me, is it?"

to which he replied "again, because it's a convenience store."

And at least staff in st andrews speak english and are numerate!

But anyway, back to grouchy tesco lady- let me tell you my story.

I was at the fag counter waiting to buy a pack of wheat free pasta and some soya yoghurt. I waited there because all the checkouts were really busy.

She was piling up fags.

turned round and looked at me. saw me. scowled. then turned round and carried on stacking the fags.

so I coughed- "ahem"
in case she thought i didn't know she had seen me. so she turned round and glared at me again.

this time i said "are you serving?"

she looked me up and down and said "I saw you the first time."

so i replied "so you are serving then?"

she said "why aren't you at acheckout?"

I replied "because it's much quicker over here- the queue is smaller."

she said "well you should be at a checkout over there."

VERY ABRUPT.

So...I said very calmly "but i'm here and you can serve me now I'm here, can't you? i;m allowed to buy things here too."

She muttered something. So I paid and went over to the checkout and said "please get me a manager now as I am outraged by the customer service I've just received."

THe manager came over and couldn't have been nicer. I explained that I have worked in supermarkets myself and I know they're not the most enjoyable places to work in all the time, but that I knew how to be civil to people.

I also said that it seemed to be because I was a student that this woman had a problem- she had been nice to older customers. I then said that my money was as good as anyone else's and that without students being in the town, she might not have a job in there.

The manager agreed with everything i said and i didn't see her on the checkouts/fag counter for the rest of my time at st andrews. I honestly thought she'd gone. (I graduated this June).

I'm miffed to hear she's back annoying people. Start complaining to managers- it isn't right that people can get away with being so rude.

And Iveagh- you did absolutely the right thing in helping the little olf lady. Go you!

[hr]

http://www.livejournal.com/users/vasovagalvegan/
POTS and Vasovagal Syncope- not for the *faint* hearted
See me in my wheelchair? Keep staring--I might do a trick!

[Malcolm]

Even the people who work in BESS hate the students. At least, in my experience.

[flarewearer]

Does the old witch with the grey hair, glasses, northern accent and a stick still work there? She was easily the most obnoxious and rude member of staff at a supermarket iv'e ever had the displeasure to be served by. I should have stolen her bloody stick, then we'd see who was laughing.

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image:www.magnificentoctopus.com/x/elgar.png

[A66]

As a complete aside, I love the way Google ads decideds from this thread we might be intrested in buying stuff from Tesco. Well it made me smile

[OneEyedGav]

Just because you had one bad experience with ONe member of tescos dont go bad mouthing us all. I was a student at St.As and ironicly now work in tesco as a manager yes you where in the right and the member of staff wasnt understanding or as helpfull as possible but do u appreciate that after a 12 hour shift of taking shit from people day in day out cleaing up there accidents that they are Soo sorry about that sometimes they get a bit hacked off and that maybe just maybe they had a bad day too.!!

Quoting Iveagh from 23:37, 20th Jan 2006
I was in Tesco today and a lovely old lady dropped a box of eggs on the floor. I was near her, and proceeded to pick up the box and large parts of broken shells. Then a female Tesco shop assistant came over and told me how careless I was, and that students 'have no respect for anything'. The little old lady then started arguing with the Tesco woman asking if she 'had no respect', as she had dropped the eggs. The woman was really vulgar to the old lady and stormed off saying 'Leave it... I'll get someone to clean it up'

The lady who dropped the eggs was furious and she thanked me for being so polite and helpful, and she said she was going to ask to speak to the manager when she made it to the till.

I just can't get over the attitute of some of the staff at Tesco towards students; it's not the first time that I have faced hostility from them (particularly the older ones).

I would venture to Morrisons if only it was nearer.

[hr]

[Guest]

La-di-dah English toffs braying into their mobiles and visibly spending more on crap than the local Scottish people have to spend on vitals each week?

And then you wonder why you're hated?

Work it out.

Its exactly the same situation in Durham and Oxford. Its YOU who has to change, not the local people, for Chrissake.

[White Knight]

Weirdly enough, I used to work at the Sainsbury's at Heyford hill in Oxford. I hated it. The staff hated it and i gave it up there after 6 shifts.

[__Sam__]

No one *has* to change do they? And talk about generalising! What percentage of the students shopping in tesco do you consider to be 'English toffs'? Is it because at least two people on here sound like they're from the Oxford area? Well I am too and I'm not a toff, sounds like a word you got out of the beano or the dandy anyway.

[__Sam__]

No one *has* to change do they? And talk about generalising! What percentage of the students shopping in tesco do you consider to be 'English toffs'? Is it because at least two people on here sound like they're from the Oxford area? Well I am too and I'm not a toff, sounds like a word you got out of the beano or the dandy anyway.

[The Kinky Monkey]

Oh piss off.

Fuck me we're not all 'La-di-dah English toffs' you know.
Its not about it being hated or us being students or whatever.
Its about common friggin' courtesy!
Also, most of the Tesco people are helpful (and some of them are students).
Unless this post was a wind up, please WORK IT OUT!

Quoting from 09:18, 21st Jan 2006
La-di-dah English toffs braying into their mobiles and visibly spending more on crap than the local Scottish people have to spend on vitals each week?

And then you wonder why you're hated?

Work it out.

Its exactly the same situation in Durham and Oxford. Its YOU who has to change, not the local people, for Chrissake.

[hr]

Do good to all men, but at the end remember to collect your fee.

[exnihilo]

Quoting from 09:18, 21st Jan 2006
La-di-dah English toffs braying into their mobiles and visibly spending more on crap than the local Scottish people have to spend on vitals each week?

And then you wonder why you're hated?

Work it out.

Its exactly the same situation in Durham and Oxford. Its YOU who has to change, not the local people, for Chrissake.

Now there is a world-class, shoulder-mounted chip. Well done.

[Al]

"the local Scottish people"

As opposed to which other local people?

Besides, if the locals were that strapped for cash they wouldn't be shopping in Tesco.

[munchingfoo]

Quoting OneEyedGav from 03:11, 21st Jan 2006
Just because you had one bad experience with ONe member of tescos dont go bad mouthing us all. I was a student at St.As and ironicly now work in tesco as a manager yes you where in the right and the member of staff wasnt understanding or as helpfull as possible but do u appreciate that after a 12 hour shift of taking shit from people day in day out cleaing up there accidents that they are Soo sorry about that sometimes they get a bit hacked off and that maybe just maybe they had a bad day too.!!

Quoting Iveagh from 23:37, 20th Jan 2006
I was in Tesco today and a lovely old lady dropped a box of eggs on the floor. I was near her, and proceeded to pick up the box and large parts of broken shells. Then a female Tesco shop assistant came over and told me how careless I was, and that students 'have no respect for anything'. The little old lady then started arguing with the Tesco woman asking if she 'had no respect', as she had dropped the eggs. The woman was really vulgar to the old lady and stormed off saying 'Leave it... I'll get someone to clean it up'

The lady who dropped the eggs was furious and she thanked me for being so polite and helpful, and she said she was going to ask to speak to the manager when she made it to the till.

I just can't get over the attitute of some of the staff at Tesco towards students; it's not the first time that I have faced hostility from them (particularly the older ones).

I would venture to Morrisons if only it was nearer.

[hr]

I can't believe you are a tesco manager and are typing that! Seriously, if you are in a customer service job you have to be nice to customers (except the evil ones obviously). You, I am sure, are more than aware that tesco employees get paid far more than any other supermarket workers in the country. The company does this so it can employ the best people, not the people who are going to annoy the very people their business depends on.

[hr]

I'd like to change the world but they won't give me the source code.

[KateBush]

doesn't matter where you're from- civility costs nothing.

Sack the Tesco witch woman who clearly hates her job. I don't think it's enough to say that she may have been having a bad day- this woman is REPEATEDLY rude to students- my experience was two years ago and she's still giving us stick!

Clearly she must GO

[hr]

http://www.livejournal.com/users/vasovagalvegan/
POTS and Vasovagal Syncope- not for the *faint* hearted
See me in my wheelchair? Keep staring--I might do a trick!

[flarewearer]

Quoting from 09:18, 21st Jan 2006
La-di-dah English toffs braying into their mobiles and visibly spending more on crap than the local Scottish people have to spend on vitals each week?

Nice stereotyping, what about us Scots "toffs" that like to spend money on 'crap' rather than existing on a diet of turkey twizzlers, potato smilies and value beans? Shove your xenophobic bilge back up your ass, from whence it was so obviously excreted.

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image:www.magnificentoctopus.com/x/elgar.png