A bad experience in Tesco. Or my fault?

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HMS_Dave

Grand Old Lady
Went and did a shop in Tesco today. Me and the missus thought we should do a weekly shop as there are impending lock downs sprouting around and it may be a good idea to stock up for more than few days. Anyway, walking around it was immediately apparent nobody was following the rules, the shelf replenishers were mingling, chatting and not keeping anything like distance from shoppers or each other. There was 3 in one aisle having a chat, huddled together almost. Im not one to complain, this just an observation for what was to come. As i got to the till, they have a black line which must be stood behind while there is a customer being served. The customer had paid, left and the cashier of advancing years, didn't use the conveyor to pull the shopping up to the till and was trivially chatting to the other cashier, so i thought it would be perfectly fine to stack up ahead. Instead of asking me to get back behind the black line, she shouts across to her colleague on the other til "i don't know why we have these lines, nobody follows them, like this Gentleman here" which she store at me and i was left pretty flabbergasted and embarrassed. I simply responded i thought it would be safe as the customer had left and my shopping couldn't fit on what little bit of the conveyor i had available. She then angrily responded with "the rules are there to protect me!" Ok i responded. I did say im not there to cause trouble, i explained why i did what i did and apologised. But she continued ranting and quite forcefully pushing my goods at me in the bagging area... I was belittled and embarrassed by this, was it necessary to handle this this way? I still don't think i did anything wrong. I didn't invade anyone's space i wouldn't have already. The only thing she could have possibly been angry about is not having her permission to approach. I did consider just walking quite frankly, maybe i should have. Maybe im just entirely wrong?

Im not one to complain to the store and i won't, i vow instead never to shop there again as i have been particularly careful for the entire of the covid lockdown/restrictions. Either way, its pretty damn grim out there at the minute...
 
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Tesco is a free for all now. At first they had one way systems and limited numbers, now they just don’t give a monkies! Places like Asda and Morrison’s never had a one way system but people where courteous until face masks came in and now think as they have something on their face they can go close.
 

screenman

Legendary Member
Tesco and the Co-op are very lax on staff training in my opinion, where as places like Aldi and Lidl seem to have it far better, one of the worse is M&S around these parts.
 
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HMS_Dave

HMS_Dave

Grand Old Lady
I think i'll give Aldi a go next time. They have a light system by the looks of it. As long as i don't get an earful from the staff for reasons im still unsure about, it will be plus by me...
 

Sterlo

Early Retirement Planning
Sounds like you did everything right to me, she must have just been on one. I agree with you about the staff in most of the supermarkets, whilst I agree they deserve credit for keeping working during lockdown, they have virtually all gone back to what seems to be normality. To my, if they're on the shop floor, potentially mingling with customers, they should be wearing masks or visors. If they need screens at the checkouts, they need visors when they shelf filling. I notice most of the supervisors who are stood around seem to have full visors on.
One of our local Asda's did have a one way system in place but hardly anyone was taking any notice of it, in fact if you said anything you usually got a mouthful back.
I do like Lidl but I struggle to a full shop there so have to resort to one of the main ones from time to time.
 

Drago

Legendary Member
She's being a bellend. You didn't stand anywhere that the previous customer hadn't legitimately moments before, and once she'd finished wagging her jaw she'd have ushered you forward anyway.

On the rare occasionas that I rough it and go shopping in person I go to Waitrose, where the staff have manners.
 

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
I think i'll give Aldi a go next time. They have a light system by the looks of it. As long as i don't get an earful from the staff for reasons im still unsure about, it will be plus by me...
No idea of your age Dave but Aldi have an early shop for over 70s and those with problems.
I go at 0745, do my shop and am back home for 0815.
BTW that doesn't apply on Sundays.
 

Dave7

Legendary Member
Location
Cheshire
Sounds like she was having a bad day or simply in the wrong job. Either way she appears to be way out of order.
I got told off at our Spar when this kicked in. There is a 2 metre queuing rule but no conveyor... you pay at the till. There is a marked box that you stand in.....then the server steps back, you put your goods on the counter then step back into the box. The server tallies it and steps back then you step up, pack your bags and pay by card.
Only...
The 1st time I didn't see the box and dared to walk to the counter :rolleyes:.
She told me, I apologised and all was good.
 

RichardB

Slightly retro
Location
West Wales
I would have gone and had a word with the manager. The store has lost your goodwill and custom, and they don't know why. That doesn't help anyone. The cashier was plain rude, and I'm sure (basing this on my local Tesco) that if a supervisor had seen and heard it would have been picked up. If you're in a public servic role, then you must deal properly with the public, and rule 1 is that the customer in front of you is what matters, not your mate at the next till or the eye-candy further up the queue. I was buying a battery in Curry's today, spoke to an assistant, and while she was dealing with my purchase the desk phone went. She gave me a glance, then picked the phone up and started dealing with an enquiry while I waited patiently to get my receipt and change. It only cost me a couple of minutes, but I was livid, I think because I was made to feel unimportant.

Slightly changing the subject, is anyone else finding that shops are getting more and more reluctant to give receipts these days? It used to be completely routine to be handed a receipt with your change or credit card slip, but most shops nowadays ask if I want one. My answer is always 'of course'. The worst was yesterday when I filled the car up. I paid by contactless, the guy on the till said thanks, and I didn't move. He paused, than then: "Was there anything else?"

"Yes, please, can I have a receipt?" He shrugged, printed one out and gave it to me. I said thanks - politely.

"Sorry mate, but I'm not a mind-reader. How was I to know you wanted one?" Not entirely happy with that response either :blush:
 
Location
España
It's a pity that you'll stay away in future and not make a complaint - that way the company will never know there is a problem.

What you have described is a terrible situation, however, it is likely to be repeated.

A few seconds googling, a copy and paste of your post here and you could make a start on making sure that this doesn't happen to anybody else.

While the actions of the cashier are appalling, we have no idea of what is going on in the background or what she has experienced. I'm fairly sure there's not many of us who wouldn't revisit some of what we've done and said in these pretty unusual times.
 

tom73

Guru
Location
Yorkshire
Sounds about right tesco now is a free for all now they soon got round to removing everything most of the staff don't care.
You had every right she had no right to have to go and no right to show you up. I'd have just left the shopping and walked out.
I'd also make complaint they need to know things are wrong and learn from them both as a store and a member of staff.
As for the rest it's really down to each shop and staff in them. Both out icelands are shocking, I've found morrisons to be ok but you have to time it right. The staff are still pretty bad but they always have been.
Coop is fine most have traffic light entry and plenty of room to shop. A few are really bad though so I'm not using them.
Not used Aldi so no idea i've used Lidl be it not the local one it was late evening and quite so not sure what it like most of the time.
I did use M&S in lock down and it was every thought out but now they too look have thrown out the rule book and not all that great now.
 
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HMS_Dave

HMS_Dave

Grand Old Lady
It's a pity that you'll stay away in future and not make a complaint - that way the company will never know there is a problem.

What you have described is a terrible situation, however, it is likely to be repeated.

A few seconds googling, a copy and paste of your post here and you could make a start on making sure that this doesn't happen to anybody else.

While the actions of the cashier are appalling, we have no idea of what is going on in the background or what she has experienced. I'm fairly sure there's not many of us who wouldn't revisit some of what we've done and said in these pretty unusual times.

I didn't want to make a huge fuss in store, i was already a little shocked. I dislike shopping at the best of times and just want to get on with it. I do think you're right though, it will happen again, but that for me says it all. People will vote with their feet. There's an Aldi just up the road in Lichfield, A Morrisons and a Waitrose not far away. Plenty of consumer choice. That being said, id wager she was in her late 50's/early 60's. Maybe she was just having a bad day. But i would have thought maybe she had the experience to realise i was not the cause of whatever issues she might be having.
 
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