Is it cos I's old?

by pablo Wed Jul 16, 2014 8:38 pm

It happened yet again today! I go into a shop and start looking around and a couple of minutes later a spotty youth or similar springs out of nowhere and a voice from behind or the far end of the shop says:

"Are you alright there?"

Is voice talking to me? Have I turned blue? Do I look shakey on my pins? Am I foaming at the mouth or sweating profusely? Is there blood seeping from my nostrils or are my eyeballs swivelling looney style?

Nope none of those to my knowledge I am just a normal elderly customer browsing.

Ah! I see! Spotty youth, avoiding eye contact, unsmiling, is not enquiring after my health after all, what they are trying to say is:

" Good Morning , is there anything you are looking for in particular " (adding the optional "Sir" can work wonders when it comes to making a sale)

Or " Hello, please let me know if you would like any information or if I can be of any help".

Is it cos I's old?

by Bertie Bassett Thu Jul 17, 2014 12:57 am

pablo wrote:It happened yet again today! I go into a shop and start looking around and a couple of minutes later a spotty youth or similar springs out of nowhere and a voice from behind or the far end of the shop says:

"Are you alright there?"

Is voice talking to me? Have I turned blue? Do I look shakey on my pins? Am I foaming at the mouth or sweating profusely? Is there blood seeping from my nostrils or are my eyeballs swivelling looney style?

Nope none of those to my knowledge I am just a normal elderly customer browsing.

Ah! I see! Spotty youth, avoiding eye contact, unsmiling, is not enquiring after my health after all, what they are trying to say is:

" Good Morning , is there anything you are looking for in particular " (adding the optional "Sir" can work wonders when it comes to making a sale)

Or " Hello, please let me know if you would like any information or if I can be of any help".

Is it cos I's old?

No Pablo it isn't because you are old it's because this is what passes for 'customer service' in twenty first century Britain.

by mikejack Thu Jul 17, 2014 6:37 am

Lol I find maplin or halfords the worse for this they seem to have lots of staff and no sooner you have told one you are OK just looking another one appears from behind something to ask the same question again. But then when you get to the till there's no one on it so you have to wait.

Mike

by **roli** Thu Jul 17, 2014 7:04 am

Your lucky Mike to find someone in Maplins to either tell you they havnt got it in stock or take your money off you - thats the exercise in our local one.
Must admit Halfords are a couple of steps up the ladder here

by boxerman Thu Jul 17, 2014 8:08 am

Perhaps you would prefer the shop assistants to ignore you completely while they chat amongst themselves/ fiddle with their phones etc..?

"Are you alright there?" would be perfectly acceptable to me, I don't expect to be treated like royalty when I go into a shop, being treated as an equal is good enough. (the "Sir" is optional - I was never knighted so I don't get upset if they omit it)

Frank

by Dutto Thu Jul 17, 2014 5:35 pm

Frank,

Maybe the lad did say "Sir" and it was misheard due to a clapped-out hearing system (I have one myself) as "there"!! allthumbz

My one claim to fame as a youth was that I never suffered from spots or blackheads; but a mate of mine had enough for the both of us!! hugegrins

Best regards,
drinksallround

Ian

by pablo Fri Jul 18, 2014 10:04 am

boxerman wrote:Perhaps you would prefer the shop assistants to ignore you completely while they chat amongst themselves/ fiddle with their phones etc..?

"Are you alright there?" would be perfectly acceptable to me, I don't expect to be treated like royalty when I go into a shop, being treated as an equal is good enough. (the "Sir" is optional - I was never knighted so I don't get upset if they omit it)

Frank

Ah! I get it! It's not cos I's old, its cos I's Royal! Well that's the last time you'll see me shopping in Harrods!

James take me to Poundland this instant!

by PennyandDerek Fri Jul 18, 2014 10:53 am

I think you're right Paul, it is 'cos we's old.

Old enough to remember a time when it was 'ever so slightly' rather different. thanksverymuch

Derek

by boxerman Fri Jul 18, 2014 11:29 am

OLD??? he's only 62 content

Frank

by Paulmold Fri Jul 18, 2014 12:16 pm

Having spent 26 years in retail we were always told not to ask "can I help you sir" as that always got the reply "no", whereas the " are you alright there" will always get the reply "yes". A more positive approach and one I approve of and I'm 63.

by Dutto Fri Jul 18, 2014 1:57 pm

Paulmold wrote:Having spent 26 years in retail we were always told not to ask "can I help you sir" as that always got the reply "no", whereas the " are you alright there" will always get the reply "yes". A more positive approach and one I approve of and I'm 63.

That's nowt lad! wave

I is old before my time. So much so that at nineteen I even sleep with a great-grandmother!! champagne

Just when I thought I was old enough to be called "Sir" by sales people, they stopped doing it; but at least I am now old enough to treat persistent salesmen to "Which part of "---- Off" did you not understand?" and get away with it!! hugegrins

Best regards,
drinksallround

Ian

by groundhog Wed Sep 03, 2014 9:35 am

Michael O'Leary of Ryanair fame, once said to me "Dave, would you rip off a poor old Paddy." when we were negotiating a deal Those words stuck so how many times have I now said in a shop "Would you rip off a poor old pensioner" and got a discount out of it!! up!