Monday, August 15, 2011

Rye Bread and Feelings of Entitlement

I hope that those of you who read this blog are nice to people in menial labor jobs such as fast food and retail. Or at least are aware of how you speak to those of us who work in these fields.  Because I have had to deal with some REALLY stuck up people before...

The old phrase "The Customer is Always Right" is a good business saying but if you have ever read the Not Always Right blog, http://notalwaysright.com/ you will know that some customers are just plain RUDE.

I was approached by a customer who appeared very irritated one day. When I asked her if I could help her, she asked why it was we weren't baking any rye bread anymore. I told her I had a loaf of seedless rye I just baked but she waved it away and replied that she wanted seeded rye bread. She also said she had been coming in for three days looking for it and we have been out every time. Well, out of all the bread we carry the Seeded Rye Bread sells the worst. 98% we throw away so it's not a bread loaf we have a lot of out at any given time as we do the Sourdough, Pumpernickel, or Wheat. I told her this and she just gave me this very haughty and unimpressed look. 

Like this...

I do not appreciate this ever present attitude people take with me. People look at me as though I don't know how to do my job. I am young, sure. But this is also a field I care for deeply. I know more about your precocious Rye bread than you do. So stuff the attitude lady. I'm trying to HELP you. But that's not the issue at hand is it? You're pissed that I didn't have the thing you wanted and instead of ASKING me how you could get some rye bread, you were trying to take control of the conversation and TELL me. As if I was the hired help. That's what you see when you look at me. A servant who fucked up and you would gladly fire me if you had the ability to do so. Well, the feeling is mutual. I would gladly curse you out if it wouldn't cost me my job. 

I understand the frustration of coming in and not seeing the bread you want, however, I am a huge proponent of treating others with respect. Even more so since I started working in retail.

If you treat me with respect as one human to another, I am more than willing to help you any way I can. However, I am not your servant and the moment you start treating me as such is the moment you will find yourself talking to a brick wall. I wouldn't give you the time of day after that.