Obsequious retail staff

[Blue in Munich]

i agree... last year, went for a boys outing to Vegas. 4 of us flew into LA. Went to the machine... 2 of us got an 'X' while 2 others did not... After the machine it was time to stand for the TSA questioning.. The X were on a long queue, while 2 of us were laughing at them being strip searched... The first two took 30 mins to get thru, while two of us took another 2 hours. The questioning itself was a 2 min job, but the waiting was just madness as they had only 2 agents for all the non-Xers. One of the officers had got into an argument with someone on using phones in the area.. it was a circus

Flew into Washington a few years ago, and happened to be first off the plane. Got down to the desks and there were plenty of agents. Waited in the non residents queue to be called forwards. And waited. And waited. A few minutes later the first US citizens appeared. Waved straight down & dealt with. Even when there were not enough Americans to fill the desks the non-residents waited. When they ran out of Americans they waited a bit longer in case any more were coming off. And then, when they couldn't find any other excuse to keep us there, they started to process us.

On another occasion they decided that they needed to search one of our cases because they didn't like what they saw on the x-ray. Either they unlocked the TSA approved padlock & forgot to put it back, or just bolt cropped it off. Whichever it was the suitcase wasn't secured for the rest of the journey.

Still, at least it hasn't been a problem for the last 4 years...

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I always address relatives coming into ICU as sir or madam as an initial greeting. Once they are settled in the waiting area, maybe with a warm drink and we can engage more with them I'll find out the preferred method of them being addressed. Simply a way of trying to create a positive first impression in a difficult time

 

[clubchamp98]

In the days when retail staff could touch a card she would probably have noted your name off the face of it, used that a couple of times and suddenly it’s a whole different exchange
I do yearn back for the time when customers were valued by retail staff and retail staff were equally valued by customers! I wonder which ‘side’ started the slide?

By bug-bear; I hate when the word ‘sir’ is used in a failed attempt to validate poor comments in an exchange, it almost becomes derogatory

Should be
Good morning sir.
Goodby sir
That’s enough “ sirs “

 

[Rlburnside]

Flew into Washington a few years ago, and happened to be first off the plane. Got down to the desks and there were plenty of agents. Waited in the non residents queue to be called forwards. And waited. And waited. A few minutes later the first US citizens appeared. Waved straight down & dealt with. Even when there were not enough Americans to fill the desks the non-residents waited. When they ran out of Americans they waited a bit longer in case any more were coming off. And then, when they couldn't find any other excuse to keep us there, they started to process us.

On another occasion they decided that they needed to search one of our cases because they didn't like what they saw on the x-ray. Either they unlocked the TSA approved padlock & forgot to put it back, or just bolt cropped it off. Whichever it was the suitcase wasn't secured for the rest of the journey.

Still, at least it hasn't been a problem for the last 4 years...

My trip traveling all across America for 6 weeks a few years ago was a joy and no problems anywhere, had 3 internal flights, on the first flight from New York to Chicago my name was called and asked to come to the desk, I was asked a few questions and then a smiling lady announced that they would like to upgrade me and the mrs to first class for free.

 

[Smiffy]

I remember many years ago flying to America with T.W.A.
The young lady serving was lovely, and when I declined her offer of a cup of T.W.A. coffee, even offered me the chance to try her T.W.A. Tea.
She was lovely.

 

[Fromtherough]

"Good morning sir! And how are we today sir? That's lovely sir! Are you a Shell Go customer sir? Pump number 3 is it sir? That's £15 please sir. How are you paying today sir? Card is it sir? That's no problem at all sir. Much safer in these times isn't it sir? Pop your card in when you're ready please sir. Thank you sir, that's wonderful sir. Are you up to anything nice today sir? Horrible weather isn't it sir? Nicer to stay indoors on a day like today isn't it sir? Pop your PIN in when you're ready please sir. Thank you sir, that's wonderful sir. Would you like a receipt today sir?"

Do you not have contactless sir?

 

[AmandaJR]

She will have been told she has to do say all that and is also likely to be mystery shopped and fail if she doesn't

This. Or she's been disciplined for not being customer focussed enough and has decided she'll double and treble the efforts as a way of sticking two fingers up!

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

Have a nice day sir........missing you already

 

[Billysboots]

Flew into Washington a few years ago, and happened to be first off the plane. Got down to the desks and there were plenty of agents. Waited in the non residents queue to be called forwards. And waited. And waited. A few minutes later the first US citizens appeared. Waved straight down & dealt with. Even when there were not enough Americans to fill the desks the non-residents waited. When they ran out of Americans they waited a bit longer in case any more were coming off. And then, when they couldn't find any other excuse to keep us there, they started to process us.

On another occasion they decided that they needed to search one of our cases because they didn't like what they saw on the x-ray. Either they unlocked the TSA approved padlock & forgot to put it back, or just bolt cropped it off. Whichever it was the suitcase wasn't secured for the rest of the journey.

Still, at least it hasn't been a problem for the last 4 years...

I have been to the States any number of times and on each and every occasion my luggage has been opened and searched. I only hope the process is video recorded in fine detail because a search like that in the absence of the owner is questionable in my book.

 

[Colonel Bogey]

There's a woman in the Sainsburys I go to who pokes her head in my shopping bag and always says "oh having your 5 a day then" when she has to approve a bottle of wine for me at the self-checkout...

It used to annoy me until I came to the conclusion she's just mad as a box of frogs ?

Oh come on.....that's funny. she's making a joke. I love that sort of banter!!!!