As trade and using multiple screwfix branches on a daily basis I experience a lot of friendly over counter staff who chat, make me coffee and couldn’t put themselves out enough. Unfortunately this has not been the case in abingdon where I have popped in during the middle of the day, the public counter is busy and I have used the trade counter. No, I am not a plumber or electrician, but have been a carpenter and general builder for over 15 years. I manage 20 staff throughout the year and like to think of myself as a reasonable human being. I also operate with several trade accounts at other merchants. When it has become apparent that I am not a qualified plumber or electrician, the tone of a certain member of staff has then changed to what I can only describe as billittling, blunt and rude. I refrained from mentioning how many other areas I am qualified in. I understand measures need to be taken to ensure that not everyone just walks in and uses the trade counter. Seems to me an ounce of common sense should be applied to this too. Why I seem to get along in every other screwfix branch except this one seems to be a mystery to me. I will now actively avoid using this branch in particular.
I applied for a job at my local Screwfix branch, but was turned down for lack of PC skills and Retail experience, I was 71 at the time and had spent all of my working life on site etc, so I could see their point, time to try somewhere else. anyway it turned out that the under manager of Electrifix wanted someone with site experience to work only in Electrifix, and not get involved in the Screwfix side of things. I started at 0800 finished @ noon the Bloke who was supposed to Mentor me Started at 11:00 so there was a 3 hour gap where I was on my own with help from others when needed. I left soon after starting the management was what I can only describe as Panic Management, got accused of being rude etc, time to go, for the first time in my working life I could finally tell someone to shove their job where the Sun doesn't shine, quite satisfying for telling the Teenager Manager, well that's what she looked like to me.
So reading between the lines Pete, what they are saying is you haven't got a Play Station and you don't shop much! It's all down to interpretation.
Right, I don't have a Play Station, what's one of them then? yes of course I shop, I guess in this case it was old meeting the new world of fast track shopping. Oh and the warehouse, don't get me started on that issue.
It might also help if the staff actually knew what the materials were that they are selling. You cannot just walk in and ask for an item like you can in a proper wholesalers. The staff do not seem to have any knowledge of what anything is, unless they they can read read it from the screen after pumping in a number. In a real wholesalers, a member of the public would be able to ask, and get a bit of advice and help on materials they require, no chance of that in screwfix, everything is just a number in a computer.
Most merchants, in some peoples eyes, are probably guilty of your charges. Plumbfix Trade Counters offer anyone who has registered with them as a Trade Customer a quick efficient service. It also offers them preferential terms. Most tradecounter assistants these days will not be totally cogniscent of all that they sell, or the legal aspects of components that they sell. Basically it is up to the customer to know what he needs. I personally find Branch Staff polite, helpful and relatively knowledgeable about there range, and able to offer alternatives if your exact requirement is not available.
We have the reverse in my local SF. There have been a few instances where a members of the public has been rude to the staff especially to the younger female staff. The offending person has been dragged out of the store and had their attitude readjusted before the other store have become involved. Strange how the re-education always happens in the CCTV blind spot as well On the whole find SF branches very good, TS ones always remind me of visiting morgues with customer service to match
I tend to speak as I find, for me it has been good - although saying that will probably mean I will have problems from now on
It is not acceptable for customers to be rude to the staff, whether male or female and the perpetrator should be punished. It is however far more unacceptable for moronic violent thugs to beat anyone up. I hope person who received the beating took the appropriate action and informed the authorities who the violent scum were. The cctv inside the store will have their uncivilised faces on tape.