Up-selling / pestering you to buy things you didn't ask for

[snapper_37]

Slightly OT, but the one that grinds my gears these days is in the supermarket, "Do you want any help with your packing?", and they're not even trying to sell me more of anything. They're just trying to reinforce a positive customer experience, but it really makes my teeth itch

I don't find it irritating at all. I let the lovely lady in Morrison's pack a bag of maris pipers and a pack of quorn burgers for me yesterday. Bless.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

What if they said "I couldn't give a flying f**k if you buy this sh*t or not you nobber but I've been told to ask you, so do you want a big bar of chocolate, not that you need it looking at this size of you and your pizza-faced complexion?".

 

[ThinAir]

A good response to "Im sorry about your wait", in any fast food outlet, is to hang your head, look sorrowful and say something like "I know, Im trying, but its glandular"....

 

[MacB]

What sort of mental image of you got of me?

I'm not sure but I wouldn't accept a lift from him

 

[glasgowcyclist]

It irks me too but I stay polite when declining such offers.

The newsagent in Queen St. station used to do these massive chocolate bars and fizzy drink offers. "Would you like a drink and bar of chocolate, only £2?" was the question to every customer in the slow-moving queue as it snaked to the till. He got as far as "Wou..." before I said no. I didn't see anybody take the offer, we all just want to buy our paper and catch the damn train.

The offer to help with my packing winds me up too, particularly last weekend when I placed two bottles of Innis & Gunn on the supermarket counter. I'd managed to walk from the back of the store with them without even using a basket, I think I can manage getting them home.


GC

 

[Risex4]

Having worked in retail for many a year, it doesn't even register personally. As has been said, just people doing their job and acting on orders from above. If its something small and inconsequential (I've never had the chocolate bar thing, but that would qualify) and the cashier does an exceptionally good job I may even take a pity-add on, kind of like a tip.

Alternatively, if its a sales environment and I want to brass off some little jumped-up, wont-let-it-go shyte, I'll let them "talk" me into every add on going; warranties, accessories, premium services, and then just as we get to tender I'll say - in my nicest, faux-embarrassed voice possible - "you know what, I can't afford all these great extra things, please take them off again". You either get anger or panic. Bonus points if it results in them having to take stuff back to shelves.

 

[Ciar]

What if they said "I couldn't give a flying f**k if you buy this sh*t or not you nobber but I've been told to ask you, so do you want a big bar of chocolate, not that you need it looking at this size of you and your pizza-faced complexion?".

I would *chuckle* politely and possibly reply, done I like honesty gis the choccie bar over c***nty chops ;-)

 

[threebikesmcginty]

I'm not sure but I wouldn't accept a lift from him

You haven't been offered and you could do with the walk anyway.

 

[Risex4]

I hate it too. As you say, if you wanted it, you'd be there waiting to pay for it. The bank and all the local shops went through a phase of ... 'did you find everything you were looking for?'.

I object to that one on the grounds that it is good customer service. I used to ask that all the time - in a genuine and sincere rather than scripted way as I honestly wanted to know - and the number of times people turned around and said "Actually"...

There is something in the British psyche that prohibits asking a lot of the time I'm sure.

 

[Crackle]

What sort of mental image of you got of me?

You are Dennis The Menace to 3bm's Billy Bunter.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

You are Dennis The Menace to 3bm's Billy Bunter.

Sod off, Plug.

 

[MacB]

Sod off, Plug.

shut it fat boy

 

[threebikesmcginty]

shut it fat boy

Keep your beak out, Twiggy.

 

[green1]

Keep your beak out, Twiggy.

Keep it down Smiffy.

 

[deptfordmarmoset]

I wonder whether anyone will ever come up with a ''cash and dash'' till, where you don't have to fend off sales pitches or wait till the while the man holds the trolley and the woman repacks their shopping into plastic bags and places them back in said trolley before fishing for the coupons and vouchers, the loyalty card, and eventually, once the cashier has checked that all the coupons are up to date, then goes looking for their debit card. Cash and dash - I'd go for it.