Service with a smile at Tesco
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Do you get service with a smile at Tesco? Maybe some people do, but not always I think! I recently visited a branch of Tesco at Coppets Lane in North London with my little girl who is only four years old. We finished our shopping and went to the checkout where the cashier said “Hello!” to my daughter. She is very young and a little bit shy. As it happens she is also a bit wary of adults so she didn't give the cashier a reply on this occasion. |
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”Excuse me?” said the cashier, “What are you supposed to say if someone says hello to you?” She then said “You are supposed to answer back, so where are your manners?” Once more she said to my daughter “Hello? Now what are you supposed to say?” Fair enough if had she been joking, but she was being deadly serious! She then (unbelievably enough) launched into a tirade of how bad mannered and impolite my daughter was. Come on for goodness sake, she’s only four years old! |
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I replied that my daughter had been taught not to speak to strangers and obviously this shows that she has in fact been well brought up. As a result of all this my little girl was quite understandably very upset. I don’t usually complain about anything, but on this occasion I called the store to make a complaint about the cashier. Unbelievably the reply I got was “Oh, she is usually so friendly and she's alright with customers.” I understand some people may hate their jobs and I half expect some of the staff to be rude, but not to small children. This experience has left a bit of a sour taste in my mouth. I think it's about time Tesco (well, this particular branch anyway) sent their staff on some proper customer service type training courses on how to deal with members of the public. I shall definitely stick to Sainsbury’s for all my shopping from now by the way! |
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Comments from visitors
I am the person who nicknamed myself 'I just cannot win sometimes!'. Silly nickname, I now admit. But why was the first comment I posted on 5 May rated negatively 9 times????? It was a genuine comment!
+2
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a bit puzzled - 8-Jan-12 23:11
That's the sort of thing I have experienced too, MikeP. It seems that some people don't know the difference between someone smiling at them and someone laughing at them!
+3
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I just cannot win sometimes! - 6-May-11 11:30
I bought some size 34 jeans from Tesco. As they fit me well I bought 5 pairs. After a few months I noticed there was a big hole in one pair exposing my bottom. On closer examination I found another 4 holes on my bottom and 2 of the other pairs had similar holes. I took them back to Tesco. The woman took one look at them and said you've been at these with scissors! She got the clothing manager and he said I'd sat on a spike without noticing and repeated it a few times! They refused to do anything. I emailed Tesco and they said they wouldn't do anything because they'd lasted longer than 28 days. I avoid Tescos completely now but it's quite hard to do!
+5
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I was in a shop the other day in Chester and the young sales assistant smiled pleasantly at the sour looking old bag in front of me, who was German and barked out : "Vy are you schmiling? Do you sink sumsink ist funny?"
+9
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I work in a shop. Sometimes when I've smiled at customers, they have got upset or angry because they have mistaken my smiling for 'laughing' or 'sniggering' at them.' But if I don't smile, customers complain that I look miserable. So I can't win!
-8
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I just cannot win sometimes! - 5-May-11 22:37
Why on earth would you not want your daughter to speak to people who say "hello". Maybe juts don't bring her outside?
+8
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Recently submitted this complaint to Tesco few minutes ago
Reason for Query: Poor Customer Service
My Tesco Card No. #################
Cashier served me last April 10, 2011, time around: 17:40-41
Tesco store location : Ballymena, The BIG TESCO
Till No. I think it's 21
Was not able to get the name of the cashier, but i'm sending this complaint that she needs improvement when it comes to her customer service skills. If we happen to be a Mystery shopper, i'm sure to rate her zero out of 10 for the following reasons:
1) She's not smiling - because she's not smiling we felt that she's having hard time to serve us
2) She don't have opening & closing greetings
3) She doesn't sound accommodating and friendly
4) She has a tendency to argue with the customer and cheeky, my wife requested for additional bag because we live in a 3rd floor flat to lift our groceries, she's disagreeing & said that we don't need a bag for the 6-packets of 12-toilet roll
5) I'm sure you can check her in your camera with a grumpy-cheeky facial expression while serving us
Reason for Query: Poor Customer Service
My Tesco Card No. #################
Cashier served me last April 10, 2011, time around: 17:40-41
Tesco store location : Ballymena, The BIG TESCO
Till No. I think it's 21
Was not able to get the name of the cashier, but i'm sending this complaint that she needs improvement when it comes to her customer service skills. If we happen to be a Mystery shopper, i'm sure to rate her zero out of 10 for the following reasons:
1) She's not smiling - because she's not smiling we felt that she's having hard time to serve us
2) She don't have opening & closing greetings
3) She doesn't sound accommodating and friendly
4) She has a tendency to argue with the customer and cheeky, my wife requested for additional bag because we live in a 3rd floor flat to lift our groceries, she's disagreeing & said that we don't need a bag for the 6-packets of 12-toilet roll
5) I'm sure you can check her in your camera with a grumpy-cheeky facial expression while serving us
+10
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from Ballymena - 10-Apr-11 18:45
Do they continually ask you if you have a club card in there as well?
+1
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Try Northallerton Tesco. I've shopped there for years and the staff are very friendly - mind you. it's a small town so they know or are related to nearly everyone!
+1
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Yorkshire shopper - 31-Jan-11 15:29
I think it's most important to ask though - have you got a club card?
+1
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Was told yesterday with around 10 items in my basket to go to a manned checkout instead of self service.
Said hello to the cashier in a chirpy way. Low drone of hello back. She scanned half of my items and I figured she was going to stick them in a bag because of the bags being sat infront of her between her arms and out of my reach.
Told me to pay and I did. Then sat there without saying thankyou, I asked if I could have a bag for my items. The queue behind me was pretty large and the next customers tutted when I asked and started mumbling and staring at me.
Woman started to scan the next customers items and held them in hand while staring at me to hurry up. I said sorry, grabbed my loose items after putting my wallet in my coat. Walked to the next till and started putting them into the bag. The cashier apologised to the next customer about the wait, that sometimes its out of her control...... infront of a supervisor.
I had finished packing my bags, walked over, told the cashier that the wait would have been a lot less if she had actually offered me a bag and not rushed me into moving away to pack my items on a closed checkout.
"Well, I'm afraid I can't read minds", "No, but part of your job as a cashier is not to act coldly toward a member of the public and ignore them, neither is it to keep the bags infront of your scanning area and then blame me for a delay to another customer when you were clearly the one at fault for not asking OR providing a bag"
Satisfied I left telling the supervisor and the cashier that through creating such a situation and blaming me, they had just lost a loyal customer and that they'd be recieving a letter of complaint. I'm not that petty, so I will not be sending a letter, just venting on this site.
Said hello to the cashier in a chirpy way. Low drone of hello back. She scanned half of my items and I figured she was going to stick them in a bag because of the bags being sat infront of her between her arms and out of my reach.
Told me to pay and I did. Then sat there without saying thankyou, I asked if I could have a bag for my items. The queue behind me was pretty large and the next customers tutted when I asked and started mumbling and staring at me.
Woman started to scan the next customers items and held them in hand while staring at me to hurry up. I said sorry, grabbed my loose items after putting my wallet in my coat. Walked to the next till and started putting them into the bag. The cashier apologised to the next customer about the wait, that sometimes its out of her control...... infront of a supervisor.
I had finished packing my bags, walked over, told the cashier that the wait would have been a lot less if she had actually offered me a bag and not rushed me into moving away to pack my items on a closed checkout.
"Well, I'm afraid I can't read minds", "No, but part of your job as a cashier is not to act coldly toward a member of the public and ignore them, neither is it to keep the bags infront of your scanning area and then blame me for a delay to another customer when you were clearly the one at fault for not asking OR providing a bag"
Satisfied I left telling the supervisor and the cashier that through creating such a situation and blaming me, they had just lost a loyal customer and that they'd be recieving a letter of complaint. I'm not that petty, so I will not be sending a letter, just venting on this site.
+8
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My experience with cashiers at Tesco.
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Never had one, never going to get one. STOP ASKING THIS ANNOYING QUESTION OVER AND OVER AND OVER!!!!
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Have you got a club card? No.
Never had one, never going to get one. STOP ASKING THIS ANNOYING QUESTION OVER AND OVER AND OVER!!!!
+7
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Tesco,from what I can see from MANY disgruntled customers online, does NOT have very good customer relations if you have a complaint. from my own experience and seeing how many peole they fob off or do not respond to, I think they seriosly need a major rehaul of their customer service department! TOTAL RUBBISH!!!!!!
+7
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I have also had a recent bad experience with Tesco customer service. I ordered a popular console bundle for my children for christmas and 2 hours later received a text saying my bank declined the order. I checked on line and found the item now out of stock. I called Tesco Direct and they insited it was a bank issue which I disputed and found the man very rude. I rang my bank who confirmed the transaction was authorised and there was no problem. I rang tesco back and the first person I spoke to agreed it was probably out of stock by the time my bank authorised the transaction. I then was put through to after sales who then argued quite forcefully that my bank was the problem and not tesco. It was obvious that there system was at fault and all I wanted was them to acknowledge it but they refused to. I eventually spoke to a manager who at least had rudimentary customer service skills but still insisted it was a bank issue. I found the whole escapade upsetting and very poor service. Tesco being such a big organisation seem to have the arrogance to go with it and like the lady above we are fobbed off with 'our staff are usually polite etc'. They seem to be more interested in protecting there staff and not there customers. Tesco might be my nearest store but I'm now off to Asda who at least have very good customer service
+2
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cathy the customer is always r - 8-Dec-10 10:35
It was a tiny whiff of deodorant,not the whole f*****g can GOW!
+1
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What a horrid woman. I don't blame you for making a complaint. If anyone spoke to my son or daughter like that, I would be furious as well.
+1
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I certainly don't agree with young children being spoken to like that in any case.
I just want to say something though: I know lots of people who say that their children are 'shy' - yet they never seem to have any trouble making lots of friends at school. How strange!
I just want to say something though: I know lots of people who say that their children are 'shy' - yet they never seem to have any trouble making lots of friends at school. How strange!
-5
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This happens in lots of shops not just supermarkets. I usually ignore them if they ask for money whilst looking away and trying to hold a conversation with someone else. If they keep repeating themselves - '£9.50 please' over and over - I wait until I have their undivided attention and then say sweetly, 'Oh, were you talking to me?' Or 'I didn't want to be rude and interrupt your conversation.'
Works wonders. If it's really bad I make a note of who served me and make a complaint there and then.
Works wonders. If it's really bad I make a note of who served me and make a complaint there and then.
+5
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I entirely agree with the need for Tesco to send their staff on better training courses. I recently shopped at the branch in Catford, and the young lady who served me neither looked me in the eye once, nor spoke a single word to me! She was too busy chatting to her colleagues & a friend who was lounging around beside the checkout desk. I even had to wait for her to stop chatting to be able to get my receipt from the till, which was waved vaguely in the air in my direction while she carried on gossiping. I do not expect this type of service from Tesco & I hope they read this & do something about it.
+3
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Well she was stealing some of the contents you idiot.
If you or one of your friends bought a deodorant which was half empty from people trying it out you would complain, wouldn't you?
If you or one of your friends bought a deodorant which was half empty from people trying it out you would complain, wouldn't you?
-6
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