Why are customers so rude. I work at a Home improvement retail store

I was literally at the big orange one today as a customer. I needed something off a mid-shelf just out of reach so I went over to the nearest employee who was stocking on one of those giant orange platform ladders... The woman was probably in her 50s and very petite. I asked if she wouldnt mind helping me grab something with her ladder, immediately mentioning it was a very light item (just to avoid her feeling uncomfortable lifting something heavy due to her small frame). I apologized for interrupting her duties and she said "oh no, do not worry about it. Without you, I wouldnt have a job!" She helped right away and then asked if there was anything else she could help me with. I did not and thanked her very much for her assistance and offered to roll the ladder back to where she was working which she kindly declined.

Polite customers = equal polite employees WANTING to help you. What a concept, eh?

The low down wrote:

Have you ever experienced this? Customers talking to you like you are 5 years old, calling you names, and talking down to you

Lowe's.

I buy about 70% from Menards and 30% from Lowes.

Many of the employees at the local HD know me by name over the past 10 years. We get along great. Some have been to my house to see my projects. Others ask me for advice.

When I was a commercial construction superintendent, I was at many HD's in the Bay Area. Most of the employees in the larger urban areas (Oakland, San Francisco, Union City, etc) are rude, hide when customers approach them, don't know the difference between pressure treated lumber and doug fir, etc. I'm thankful to be out of the Bay Area and those dumps.

Those people are unhappy with their lives.

What names are they calling you? Maybe that's just something where you live.

Home remodel...... wrote:

I buy about 70% from Menards and 30% from Lowes.

Where do you buy the rest?

otter wrote:

What names are they calling you? Maybe that's just something where you live.

Mostly, jabroni.

Depends where you live. I've lived all over and have noticed a big difference in people in different cities. I don't know why, it 'just is'.

Unfortunately, this behavior has been around for a long time. And not just in Home Depot.

There's no good way to answer the question, unless generalization is utilized.

I remember a news story on television, a couple decades ago, where the topic was rudeness in society. One respondent stated that "You must be rude to get what you deserve." Wow...

My take was he did not realize what he actually said, but the idiocy was broadcast, nonetheless.

Now, specifically, in my case, if someone is rude to me, they will get what they deserve...which is an intelligent verbal smack-down about the rudeness/lack of professionalism, and that I will address their concern later, when they choose to be more civil.

Upbringing, mentality of entitlement..no doubt other reasons along those lines... are why people (not just customers), generally, are rude. The proverbial "thick skin" comes into play, but the rude behavior is, most likely, unwarranted, and there is nothing wrong with pointing it out.

ekw wrote:

I was literally at the big orange one today as a customer.

Are you sure you weren´t there figuratively?

truthseakr wrote:

Depends where you live. I've lived all over and have noticed a big difference in people in different cities. I don't know why, it 'just is'.

100%

Learn the meaning of words wrote:

ekw wrote:

I was literally at the big orange one today as a customer.

Are you sure you weren´t there figuratively?

I literally laughed out loud (LLOL)

Look at what people see every day in politics, reality TV, etc. The leading examples in society are rude, dishonest, and insult people and are very successful as a result.

Your customers are just acting like society teaches how they should act in order to be successful.

TAA wrote:

Those people are unhappy with their lives.

This and mistreating someone in retail is there way of "being in charge".

Personally, I think they're low lifes and I've called people out for being rude to cashiers and sales people.

The low down wrote:

Have you ever experienced this? Customers talking to you like you are 5 years old, calling you names, and talking down to you

I just snap my fingers, point at the employee I want to do the work and then point at the item I want them to get for me. If they don't move right away, I say, "Now!" I figure this all saves their precious time, so I am respecting them in that way. I can see how that might come across as rude, but I really am helping them with my bluntness.

Couple reason:

1. Your store - for them to go over there something is broken, for them to talk to you they can not find it themselves. - they are exhausted, frustrated and getting pissed - before they even talk to you.

2. There seems to be a group of people that love to call Customer service lines and visit retail stores and unload on people. It falls somewhere on the spectrum of mental illness, maybe borderline personality disorder. They are both helpless, and experts unwilling to listen. I believe they are unhappy in there lives and feel some powerlessness. You are there disfunctional compulsion and therapist. After you they will talk to someone else and do the same thing.

3. Some people believe they are above retail employees. They view them like slaves or 3rd class citizens. It is ironic because they are coming to you for help. Sometimes they have lots of money, but just as often they don't. They are entitled, and often did not have to earn there wealth.

4. Some people are just damaged jerks.

The thing to remember with all these people is that THEIR LIFE IS A PRISON.

You have the opportunity to never speak with them again but they must deal with their own issues and worldview everyday minute of every day of every year. Figure out what they want, not just what they say ( to be heard, to feel important, to solve a problem, for you to agree with them. Minimize your time with them, AND TAKE THEIR MONEY.

I think we live in a very spoiled society, a lot of people who have never faced real adversity and develop a sense of entitlement.

Outlaw wrote:

Many of the employees at the local HD know me by name over the past 10 years. We get along great. Some have been to my house to see my projects. Others ask me for advice.

When I was a commercial construction superintendent, I was at many HD's in the Bay Area. Most of the employees in the larger urban areas (Oakland, San Francisco, Union City, etc) are rude, hide when customers approach them, don't know the difference between pressure treated lumber and doug fir, etc. I'm thankful to be out of the Bay Area and those dumps.

Yours is a good post!

Minneapolis/St. Paul is not a huge metropolis but I would never want to live there let alone NYC, LA, Chicago, SF, etc. I have been to some of those cities and there are nice people there. However I imagine that there are more rude people in big cities even if you were to go by percentage.

Move to the country if you want to know nice people and it tends to be less expensive living as well.

(Less jobs too of course.)