Coronavirus - Heated argument in Tesco

[AA99]

I have just had the most dreadful altercation with a floor manager in Tesco!  Although this virus is causing  a lot of stress for us all, I am full-time carer for my terminally ill husband at home and have a 20-yr old son with Type 1 Diabetes living at home.  He works in Tesco when not at university.  Working there more than ever right now because they've been offered 10% wage increase and 15% staff discount!

 

I took him to work at 8.45am this morning and I started my shopping.  In the chilled aisle, there was a worker with a trolley filling shelves but she left her trolley to speak to another customer on the other side of the aisle.  While she did so, I reached across her trolley for a packet of ham.  Suddenly she was in face screeching You shouldn't be this close to me!!!!   I said Well why don't you move out of the bloody way when you can see a customer stretching over your trolley?!  I left it at that and carried on.

 

When I was halfway through checking my groceries and medicines out, a Floor Manager came over and shouted This sale is void.  Do not put this shopping through.  My son was on the next checkout and  the lady at my checkout is an old friend plus a lady manager nearby who I also know very well.  We all just stood there stunned!  He said his colleague had said that I had sworn at her and he was adamant.  I explained to him exactly what had happened and he said he had no reason to doubt her!  I said I would be happy for him to check his CCTV to see what happened.  He then insisted to the checkout lady that she void my sale so I picked my bags up out of my trolley and tipped them all onto the counter.  He was pointing his finger at me so I said F*** You, and he said there you go swearing again, so I just said F*** You again and he said Right you're bannedf, you're banned from this shop!  I just walked out.

 

At the bottom of the escalator there were 3 managers at the doorway and I called 1 over and explained what had happened.  She very reassuringly said, Don't worry, you're not banned, shaking her head, you're not banned.

 

I was in tears by the time I got to Morrisons where it was much more civilised and being properly run but I am so furious that I really want to take it further.  I see slander and defamation are very difficult to pursue but feel I can't let it rest.

 

Thanks for the rant!    ps.  The worker in question doesn't appear to have her lift going up to the top floor!

[honeybee13]

Hi. I'm sorry to hear about your difficulties at hom, it must be tough for you.

 

It's understandable that people are stressed at the moment, but I think given how things are at the moment it might be good to sleep on this. You did swear in Tesco, at least 'bloody' is a swearword to me. There are stories about shop staff being sworn at because people can't buy what they want, so I don't suppose their life is great either.

 

See if there are more views on this, maybe apologising to Sainsbury's is an option.

 

I know you're upset, but let's try to be kind to each other.

 

HB

[BankFodder]

Tesco

[BankFodder]

Yes I'm sure that it was a very unhappy experience – and it sounds if the supermarket staff were out of order – but am afraid that you played into their hands by losing your own temper and starting to swear at them. You immediately handed them the moral high ground – and that was a bad move.

I agree with my colleague that maybe it will be good idea to apologise to them – and leave it at that.

Don't forget, that your son works there and all you need is some manager who decides to make things personal – and your son might start have a very difficult time. I'm afraid people can get quite vindictive like that.

[honeybee13]

3 minutes ago, BankFodder said:

Tesco

 

Thank you, you're right. I was thinking of Sainsbury's in connection with a family member.

 

I've altered my post.

[AA99]

Thanks good people.  I did need a rant and I was so upset by both the employee shrieking in my face and by the floor manager's behaviour, so I lost it 

[honeybee13]

:D.  As BF says, keep the moral high ground and continue to be a good example to your son during these difficult times.

 

HB

[AA99]

So, my son has returned from work unscathed.  The manager who dealt with me is not normally on the shop floor but is manager of the dot com team.  The staff all around us at the time were not happy at all with his behaviour with me and said he handled it all wrong.  The member of staff who flew in my face has been involved in a few incidents before (thought she wasn't quite all there!)  I feel somewhat vindicated but shall be writing to head office, copy to local store manager.  Wrong day, wrong time for me I guess.  Might have to take an extra chill pill next time I go out........  Thanks to you all x

Edited March 26, 2020 by AA99
punctuation

[honeybee13]

Are you sure you want to start writing if your son still wants to work there?

 

HB

[AA99]

He was apparently going to go to the Top Manager himself after I left!  I reinforced to him what you've said about retaliation and vindication on him but he was adamant there is nothing anyone can do ?!  He is quite a smart cookie himself but I reiterated and he said that the Trade Union Leader was in the vicinity as well at the time and she really looks after the workers.  As said, I'll sleep on it, maybe discuss it again over dinner tonight which he's cooking