why you guys so scared? (long)

[Fudgethatkay]

If this is in wrong area, let me know, but I noticed something.


I live near a college. There are two locations of S-coffee shop within two blocks, in the school and near the pho restaurant I often attend.

Then up a mile, there are two more...near a store and inside the mall. I frequent all four very often. The first two places, even while busy, have relaxed, chill, and even openly sarcastic and funny workers. The other two are cheerful yet rushed, due to mall and store settings.
But almost always, the workers there are very, VERY confident with the customers. If they mess up, hey, sorry, shit happens, let me fix that.


However, near my work, which is five miles away, there is another branch. I've gone in a few times. And almost ALWAYS, they seem nervous around us customers.

I usually get my very sweetened lightly iced coffee with milk. I don't care what kind of milk. Can be soy, half/half, whole, nonfat, 2%, I don't give a damn. However, even with that, they were asking me, "is half and half okay? You SURE?"

Then watching me, looking nervous. "Is this enough? Less? More?", etc.

They were treating me like I was a time bomb. I thought it was just me, but according to a couple of the area regulars, they are always nervous, cause since its a high traffic area, they get a lot of shitty attitudes (so many stores and restaurants nearby) My friend who works on the location 3 blocks east says the same, and that her coworkers are scared of customers. Wowww....

I get uncomfortable when people are openly nervous around me. I have a temper, but I NEVER let it out on people who wait on me. Its only personal times. If they get an order wrong, hey, its fine. Maybe I forgot, or maybe they blitzed. Its all good.

Don't treat me like I'm a mass murderer that will stab you on the drop of a hat. I'm not THAT bad.

[MoonCat]

Could be the management. If they come down really hard on people whenever they get complaints, the exployees are going to be walking on eggshells all the time. Plus, if management treats their workers as though they are idiots, eventually they start to doubt themselves. Seen it happen.

[Bandit]

As MoonCat said, it's probably a management issue.

When workers are scared and know that management will not back them up/write them up for a minor thing, they will be worried.

B

[Fudgethatkay]

I guess that makes sense...but I know the management at the first place is home to a huge ass, or was as far as I knew. Hm...

[ADeMartino]

One other possibility: it might be the neighborhood. Some neighborhoods (usually but not necessarily the more affluent ones) are full of people who are just arrogant, self-entitled, pushy, bitchy people.

It might just be a faulty perception on my part, but many moons ago I worked at a convenience store located adjacent to a fairly posh 'gated community', and I have to tell you, I got SCs from that neighborhood constantly. When I got fed up of having to damned near kiss everybody's ass, I transferred to another store, a few miles away in a more 'middle class' setting, and what a difference! MUCH more laid back, far less stress.

The thing is, the 'management' thing others have mentioned here gets affected by that, too. When you have a lot of bitchy, whiny, arrogant people complaining about little shit, you have to crack the whip, and that just adds to the stress for those in the trenches.

[dragon_wings]

Oddly my old store was smack dab in an affluent suburb and the customers were split into the nice rich people, the asshole rich people, and the average people. The store's management took all complaints with a grain of salt. And the store was very laidback.
My current store is closer to the area's major university's campus. I've only worked overnights so I don't get as much shit from managers or customers and working nights is a lot more relaxed in general.

[Fudgethatkay]

I always feel so guilty. I forgot to ask for extra milk and light ice at the counter, so when I asked for it just as they were making it, they looked real nervous and kept apologizing, which got ME apologizing. >.<

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I'm super low maintenance when it comes to S coffee.

I just order off the menu and sprinkle in some chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla for my own personal touch. It always tastes good.

Speaking of which, I am now addicted to their Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and will continue to be so until sometime in November when they stop offering it.

[Fudgethatkay]

Speaking of which, I am now addicted to their Pumpkin Spice Lattes, and will continue to be so until sometime in November when they stop offering it.

Oh wow...in my area, a lot of stores still offer it until January.

[ADeMartino]

Oddly my old store was smack dab in an affluent suburb and the customers were split into the nice rich people, the asshole rich people, and the average people. The store's management took all complaints with a grain of salt. And the store was very laidback.
My current store is closer to the area's major university's campus. I've only worked overnights so I don't get as much shit from managers or customers and working nights is a lot more relaxed in general.

I didn't mean to imply that ALL rich neighborhoods are full of difficult customers - but some really are. And when you add 'I'm RICH' to the usual litany of bullshit these particular difficult customers bring into the store, it only adds to the misery.

[dragon_wings]

I didn't mean to imply that ALL rich neighborhoods are full of difficult customers - but some really are. And when you add 'I'm RICH' to the usual litany of bullshit these particular difficult customers bring into the store, it only adds to the misery.

I totally agree. And the rich assholes give the nice rich people a bad name.
I had several regulars that were completely awesome and would drop $200-$500 on cosmetics in any one trip.
Then I had the assholes that would that me know shit cause I worked at <my drugstore> and were beneath them.