Sick of being yelled at. Rant.

[gopher101]

I work as a supervisor at a grocery store. Within the past two days I have been yelled at by customers 10 times. All over small things. One lady was two inched from my face. One guy I walked away from. Got in trouble over that one. Got told I should kill him with kindness, I had already polity asked him to stop yelling, he didn't I walked away.

We get paid a decent amount but not enough for people just yelling at us. I am almost ready to quit and I like my job and coworkers . It is just getting to be horrible.

 

[DumboDash2006]

I'm so sorry. That sounds horrible.

It's awful to hear how retail/service workers are treated by customers. I'll admit, I've had times where I was really annoyed by someone working at a store/restaurant. I have trouble even complaining, I can't imagine yelling!

 

[JoeA]

over shortages?

People have lost their minds over the last year +

 

[kdonnel]

Sounds like a well placed throat punch and a new job might be in order.

 

[Karin1984]

Got in trouble over that one. Got told I should kill him with kindness, I had already polity asked him to stop yelling, he didn't I walked away.

Next time ask if the person can show you how to do that when you have to do it ten times a day.

 

[RogueX]

Ugh, I'm sorry to hear this. I worked in retail/customer service many years ago and it was miserable. That was long before COVID and the newfound joys people seem to have discovered in taking out the anger on those working in stores, restaurants, etc. It wasn't pleasant then, but not like now.

 

[neverlandsky]

Nothing but HUGS. You’re right OP, it’s horribly bad the way grocery/retail customers are acting and yelling.

In this day and age, you’re allowed to step back and away for your safety. If the higher ups give you crap about it repeat Avoid, Deny, and Defend. It applies to all hostile situations not just mass shooting one. You’re within your rights to ask for assistance / witness where you feel threaten and unsafe. Power in numbers when it comes to hostile customers.

 

[Sinder]

There is not enough money in the world that could make me work with the public nowadays. It was bad enough years ago when I was in retail management. My ds works front end at the grocery store, he comes home every night stressed out. I told him his paycheck isn't worth being treated horribly by customers. I don't know you, but I hope things get better for you one way or another.

 

[MegMoves]

A friend of mine got out of grocery because of how customers were treating her and her employees. She didn't own the business, or make the rules, just got yelled at by customers throwing tantrums.

 

[Cheburashka]

I work as a supervisor at a grocery store. Within the past two days I have been yelled at by customers 10 times. All over small things. One lady was two inched from my face. One guy I walked away from. Got in trouble over that one. Got told I should kill him with kindness, I had already polity asked him to stop yelling, he didn't I walked away.

We get paid a decent amount but not enough for people just yelling at us. I am almost ready to quit and I like my job and coworkers . It is just getting to be horrible.

Been there, understand that. When I was treated that poorly at my job: cursed at, intentionally insulted, baselessly called a racist (which is funny because I'm actually part Caucasian & part African-American,) etc., etc., I found a different job location (same position) and I've never regretted it. I think it's time for you to find a different supermarket to work at, probably in a better neighborhood.

Due to my personal experience, I now prefer to avoid serving the very lowest income communities and the very highest income communities. Both extremes seemed to have a small percentage of extremely entitled, unreasonable and rude people to work with. Most people were very nice, like people are everywhere, but that small percent of the very difficult made me never want to work in either setting again, and my experience with both is not unique. Like I said it's only a small minority who caused problems at both locations, but they were enough of a problem to make my underpaying job (teacher in a non-union state) not worthwhile, so I moved on from both and never regretted it.

 

[gopher101]

Been there, understand that. When I was treated that poorly at my job (cursed at, intentionally insulted, etc., etc.) , I found a different job location (same position) and I've never regretted it. I think it's time for you to find a different supermarket to work at, probably in a better neighborhood.

Due to my personal experience, I prefer to avoid serving the very lowest income communities and the very highest income communities. Both extremes seemed to have a small percentage of extremely entitled, unreasonable and rude people to work with. Most people were very nice, like people are everywhere, but that small percent of the very difficult made me never want to work in either setting again, and my experience with both is not unique. Like I said it's only a small minority who caused problems at both locations, but they were enough of a problem to make my underpaying job (teacher) not worthwhile, so I moved on from both and never regretted it.

What's funny is this is in a high income area and a really nice store. Just some thing has flipped in the past 3 months.

 

[gopher101]

over shortages?

People have lost their minds over the last year +

Limits, shortages, a changed price sign(we had already said sorryand fixed the price, would let someone open a package, etc.

 

[gopher101]

Next time ask if the person can show you how to do that when you have to do it ten times a day.

I let someone higher than me handle it who turned around let him open something (not allowed to do this) and when the customer agreed to buy it didn't want the one he opened. Which is why we don't do it.

 

[Colleen27]

I've got a friend who has worked for a major grocery chain for 20-odd years and the last time I talked to her she was thinking of quitting because it has gotten so bad. I was floored. She's union and in a skilled position (meat cutter) so she makes good money and has excellent benefits, including something like 6 weeks of vacation time per year, but she said she's never seen anything like how customers are behaving these days. Plus they're so short staffed that she's routinely working 20 days between singular days off right now and there's a total freeze on using any of that lovely vacation time she's earned with so many years of service.

People have lost their collective minds since the start of the pandemic, and I am very glad I don't have to work with the public at this point in time. I don't think I could do it.

 

[Lehuaann]

OP, I’m sorry you are going through this. Wish your job backed you a little better instead of kill them with kindness.

I passed a guest cussing and raising his voice at a CM in MK on the 50th anniversary of all days. The CM told him, “First off, I appreciate you not cursing...”. She was kind, but firm.

People are just losing it

 

[KayMichigan]

Sorry to hear this, OP. Hang in there!

There was a comic strip called "Retail" by Norm Feuti that ran from 2006 to 2020, which pretty much summed up the retail work experience. It's set in a fictional mall department store and the entire run is online to read:

http://retailcomics.com/

 

[gopher101]

Sorry to hear this, OP. Hang in there!

There was a comic strip called "Retail" by Norm Feuti that ran from 2006 to 2020, which pretty much summed up the retail work experience. It's set in a fictional mall department store and the entire run is online to read:

http://retailcomics.com/

Thanks I will look into it. Superstore the show is also pretty accurate for the retail environment.
I do want to also hang in because they work with me in my needs (I am a caretaker and they flex with me). I get 4 weeks of vacation and will get 5 weeks next year. They work with me needing extra time on my vacation two instead of one.
Just a small part have lost their minds and are making it so much harder than it needs to be.

 

[Cheburashka]

Thanks I will look into it. Superstore the show is also pretty accurate for the retail environment.
I do want to also hang in because they work with me in my needs (I am a caretaker and they flex with me). I get 4 weeks of vacation and will get 5 weeks next year. They work with me needing extra time on my vacation two instead of one.
Just a small part have lost their minds and are making it so much harder than it needs to be.

On the lighter side, at least you're not a flight attendant... lol.

 

[gopher101]

OP, I’m sorry you are going through this. Wish your job backed you a little better instead of kill them with kindness.

I passed a guest cussing and raising his voice at a CM in MK on the 50th anniversary of all days. The CM told him, “First off, I appreciate you not cursing...”. She was kind, but firm.

People are just losing it

I just think that one manager didn't want to deal with him. Cause he normally doesn't say that stuff.

 

[Buzz Rules]

I worked for a shoe store during college and I remember having the occasional crazy customer. But that was like once a month. I can’t imagine how customers are today. Most of these incidents would be less if they just ordered most products online or better yet check the website of the local store to see if the product is in stock. In colonial America, during pandemics communities helped and cared about each while feeling compassionate and understanding. I hope we don’t lose that post pandemic.