Maybe I was snippy

[Food Lady]

but I really didn't mean to be. Opinions? I was on the floor when the one cashier hit the button for backup. I called over the walkie cheerfully that I'd be right there. I came up and jumped on a lane and helped one person and then another lady. Just as I started helping her the SC interrupted me to tell me she had a suggestion. She was saying something about a lady with a cart full of groceries. It wasn't her, nor my previous custy, nor the one I had in front of me. I wasn't sure what she was talking about. I admit that I interrupted her. I didn't mean to; I just needed to take care of the custy in front of me. Besides, the complainer interruoted us. Anyway, I had no idea what was going on before I came up, so I told her, "Oh, threy should be hitting the button as soon as we have 3 people in line. I'm not sure what's going on with that." Now, I know I didn't have a snippy tone because I made sure to say it in a somewhat cheerful voice. My voice raised at the end of my statement.

That doesn't happen when using sarcasm or when I'm angry. So she went to the manager to complain about me. She should've found a manager in the first place. So, was I wrong in what I said? Or did she just need to complain, as my manager said?

[Mike Taylor]

I don't think you were deliberately mistreating her. Not that I can tell, anyway.

[AnaKhouri]

I wasn't there but it doesn't sound like you were intentionally rude. If she was interrupting you, she shouldn't expect an in-depth discussion of the issue, whatever it was. You could even have said, "Excuse me ma'am, I'm helping this customer but will be happy to help you when I am finished." and still be considered polite.

[emax4]

You were doing your job by assisting those waiting, paying customers that were in line first; not ignoring those same customers to hear a mere suggestion by a non-customer (at the time).

So you raised your voice at the end of the statement, big whoop! Let's assume you aren't well with multitasking... If your boss sees the raising of the voice as a lack of being able to multitask or stress getting in the way, he or she can give you pointers on how to handle it. As long as it hasn't been an ongoing issue, I see no real reason to worry.

[Food Lady]

I meant the inflection raised, as when you are happy or asking a question. Sorry, I wasn't clear.

[Aislin]

I have no doubt she was looking for something to complain about and since you didn't grovel at her feet for pointing out something stupid ad trivial you became her target. I find it so funny that people think we are in desperate need of their suggestions on how to run a business better when 99.9% of their suggestions aren't feasible or have been tried and don't work. Or they plan is already in

[MoonCat]

I have no doubt she was looking for something to complain about and since you didn't grovel at her feet for pointing out something stupid ad trivial you became her target. I find it so funny that people think we are in desperate need of their suggestions on how to run a business better when 99.9% of their suggestions aren't feasible or have been tried and don't work. Or they plan is already in

I agree with this. The woman just wanted to complain.

In re: to business suggestions, we once had a temp in the office who went to the manager during her first week on the job, to tell him how she thought things could be run better. Yeahhh, I bet that went over well...