Ever wanted to kill the customer in front of you?

[mrs_overall]

This morning in the building society there was one cashier working and an elderly gent in the queue in front of me. He announced he wanted to pay money into the accounts of each of his grandchildren.. He then began a laborious search of his person for the account books. When asked how much he was paying in, he looked blank and then began another laborious search for his cheque book. He then very slowly wrote out 5 cheques to go with the 5 account books. As the cashier was processing the transaction, he began gathering up leaflets from the counter and then grilled her with questions such as "What is a bond?"
He was with the cashier for nearly 25 minutes - the transaction could have been dealt with in 2 minutes if he'd gone in with the books and cheques at the ready. Everyone in the queue behind me walked out.
I must confess the red mist rose up before my eyes.

[DTCwordfan]

there seems to be a propensity of these sort of 'customers' in Santander (ex Abbey) - my mother being one. Everytime I go in with her, you seem to get a version of your story, mrs_o.

they ought to have a dementia/geriatric counter with a trained member of staff - or at least a 'quick transaction' counter which may be a more pc way of handling them.

[mrs_overall]

I was thinking more on the lines of a trapdoor that would have plunged him into a pit of flames after 5 minutes at the counte

[B00]

No, i love my customers....

[mrs_overall]

Oooooooh Boo - liar liar pants on fire!

[Whickerman]

supermarkets are worse.

Why do some women (sorry, it's always a woman) look surprised when asked for money for their goods, then proceed to open the bag, find the purse, find the pocket witth the cash, pay, take the change and divide it into the correct pockets, put it into the bag - all before the first item is packed????
Last week was the worst yet. In Tesco with a shopping trolley full. A woman stands behind me with one item so naturally I offer to let her ahead of me. SHe thanks me and gets to the checkout operator and then proceeds to berate the girl for supposedly overcharging her, the item in her hand being one she went through with earlier. Held me up for a full 15 mins (my items were all on the belt at this stage) while the operator found her line manager etc. Woman refuses to move to customer services desk so the whole store could hear. F**ker!
Rant over

[DTCwordfan]

here in Truro, I have always said that if I wanted some cash by mugging, I would just hang out near Santander and then strike. Some of these old folk walk out with over a grand in notes aboard - I have had to stop my mother walking over to her bank with wads of readies.........they don't seem to realise that money can be electronically sent across, or their exposure to the malicious scum of our society.....

[daffy654]

B00! Liar. lol

[supersuezy24]

Is it wrong that I was angry at the man in question just from reading your post haha

[mrs_overall]

super......feel free lol

[andy-hughes]

I am known to have the patience of a heven full of saints, so i can say honestly that queuing anywhere doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I realise that I am very much the exception, and extremely lucky because of this personality trait.

It all balances out though - the present Mrs Hughes gets exasperated twice as quickly for both of us!

[mrs_overall]

Sounds like you are well matched Andy

[ruthann58]

got to feel sorry for the counter staff and checkout girls they have to deal with it every day , they deserve every penny of their wages

[sophie_1003]

I served a lady last week and it went like this-
Me: "That's £5.37 please"
Lady: Hands me 5 10p pieces
Me "Sorry, it's £5.37"
Lady: "Oh, here you go" Hands me a 20p and a 5p
Me: "Sorry, it's still not enough, it's £5.37; you need a bit more yet"
Lady: "Oh, not more?? How much"
Me: "Well it's £5.37..."
Lady: "Oh, I've got a five pound note; here you go!" Hands me five pund note, I keep 40p of the coins and we're finally sorted!

[joeluke]

Fellow customers get on our nerves at times but wanting to kill them is going slightly too far

[4getmenot]

bless him surely thats what the cashiers are there for to help. Was there fault that they didnt have enough people working not the blokes

[scotman]

I agree about customers chatting to cashiers. I have 2 lots of sheltered housing near where i live. If you hit the local shops at the wrong time you can be in queues for a VERY long time. I wonder if I will get like that when I am old?

[ljdksa]

From the other side, I had a great conversation when buying compost last year (exciting, I know...):

Me- "Can I have the two-for-£10 compost bags, please?"
Him- "Certainly, that'll be £15."

Hmmm...

[Andyvon]

Exactly 4getmenot.

I've got no problem with other customers chatting and taking their time. It's the fault of the building society if they only had one cashier on. It's that which upsets customers, not someone taking their time.

[237SJ]

I agree Andyvon. The Bank should have enouth staff to man the desks. The problem rests with the management.