Surely it's obvious I'm a cyclist?

[Auntie Helen]

So there I was, cycling back from a pub lunch with a walking group (I couldn't actually do the walk as I had an appointment earlier) when I passed a Somerfield attached to a petrol station. I needed to buy some bread so I popped in.

As I approached the cashier wearing my bib tights, CycleChat jersey, gloves, helmet, CycleChat buff and sunglasses, with my Trice Sidepods slung over my shoulder, trailing a bunch of bike lock keys, the woman rang up the cost of the baguette and then asked me, "Any petrol?"

 

[Danny]

Sounds like she was on automatic pilot.

Also in my experience Somerfields recruit the densest staff on earth - hopefully this will improve now that the chain has been taken over by the Co-op.

 

[PaulB]

Talking about supermarkets and common sense, why does the cashier ALWAYS ask "do you need any help with your packing" regardless of what's been bought? Last week, a young, fit guy in front of me at the checkout at ASDA was asked this same question by the checkout boy. His entire purchase? A pack of three light bulbs and nothing else!

 

[Mortiroloboy]

Sounds like she was on automatic pilot.

Also in my experience Somerfields recruit the densest staff on earth - hopefully this will improve now that the chain has been taken over by the Co-op.

Running close second behind Iceland staff

 

[Arch]

Running close second behind Iceland staff

Oi! I was one of them for 12 years.... Well, the first few were as Bejam...

We did have our share of thickos, but doesn't any comapny?

 

[PaulB]

We did have our share of thickos, but doesn't any comapny?

Ares dosnt' we only empoly jeaniusis

 

[Globalti]

When you are forced to employ from the bottom stratum of the job-centre dross you have to train the employee well so that they can be relied upon to follow the correct sequence of actions. Now that a whole lot of cleverer formerly employed people are entering the labour market I'm expecting things to start improving on the retail and call-centre front.

 

[grhm]

I seem to remember being asked to do a survey when exitting a supermarket. A few of the questions were along the lines of "Where you offered assistance packing?" and "Where you offered cash back?".

The staff might be encouraged to always ask the same questions. It wouldn't surprise me if some managment-type had worried about being being accused for discrimination (e.g. "why wasn't *I* offered help but he was?") - but that may just be my low opinion of the "elf'n'safety" type nannying we get these days.

 

[Paulus]

The staff on the tills have prompts that come up on the till that they have to say, in case one of the mystery shoppers is there. It is called customer service in supermarket land and the penalty for not saying the prompts is death by a thousand lashes with cheap spaghetti. Also, I found out that till staff at Sainsburys have a quota of goods that must pass the scanner in a certain time.

 

[Globalti]

Sainsos could meet that quota by only selling tiny packs of everything, couldn't they!

 

[Eat MY Dust]

I've had people ask "did you cycle in today? I didn't see your bike" while I stand in front of them in full winter cycling gear.

 

[Paulus]

I have had similer questions as I somedays I cycle in and others use the motorcycle. Some people can't seem to tell the difference between the clothing used for either.

 

[bobbyp]

My other half has got so annoyed with being asked stupid questions in petrol stations that she's taken to answering along the lines of "I've been to a shop before, I know how they work, if I'd wanted coffee I would have asked for it."

What they're doing is not customer service, its automating a workforce.

 

[summerdays]

As I approached the cashier wearing my bib tights, CycleChat jersey, gloves, helmet, CycleChat buff and sunglasses, with my Trice Sidepods slung over my shoulder, trailing a bunch of bike lock keys, the woman rang up the cost of the baguette and then asked me, "Any petrol?"

Yep - I've had that in Tesco's ... they used to ask each time... either they recognise me know or they have employed some staff who have brain cells.

 

[stoatsngroats]

Also in my experience Somerfields recruit the densest staff on earth

+1!