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Have a Nice Day

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RichmondCommu

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I too find the current practice (I had hoped it was only a local phenomenon) of a valedictory "See you later" strangely irritating.

I will admit to having been occasionally tempted to respond to some young Barbie at a drive through "What time do you finish work then?" to see the look of horror on her face <D

(Haven't; wouldn't). :lol:

I suspect she'd probably laugh at you.
 
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the sniper

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I very often say 'Have a good one' (No doubt offending someone here with the use of 'one', 'one' what!!!) or 'Have a good evening'. I've always wanted to say 'Thank you, f*** you, bye' to someone, so I'll save that for Howardh... :lol:
 
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Howardh

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I very often say 'Have a good one' (No doubt offending someone here with the use of 'one', 'one' what!!!) or 'Have a good evening'. I've always wanted to say 'Thank you, f*** you, bye' to someone, so I'll save that for Howardh... :lol:

Oh, please, I'll pay you for that!!

Regarding "See you", er, I had a difficult one with that. One of my former regular customers was blind, and on leaving I was determined never to say "see you next week...."! I suppose, technically, I would "see" him next week, but he wouldn't..... always seemed an inappropriate phrase!
 

the sniper

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Oh, please, I'll pay you for that!!

:lol:

Regarding "See you", er, I had a difficult one with that. One of my former regular customers was blind, and on leaving I was determined never to say "see you next week...."! I suppose, technically, I would "see" him next week, but he wouldn't..... always seemed an inappropriate phrase!

With my default being 'Have a good one', I've had a couple of cringeworthy (well, for me) encounters with people obviously suffering hard times, such as people living rough. It's just ridiculous to say 'have a good one' on a rainy evening to someone who's homeless and sitting in a puddle... So I generally try to override that with 'stay safe', which sounds somewhat patronising I suppose but is well intentioned!
 

Blamethrower

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I was in a shop recently and the guy on the till said "Have a nice day" to the girl in front of me.

He saw the look of disgust on my face and responded accordingly by just giving me the price and saying thanks and goodbye.

I then thanked him for genuinely thinking about the customer and not being a jobsworth.

Another time in Sainsburys, a woman asked me 5 questions at the till, 5! and then said have a nice day.

Next time I was in, I said to the lady before she asked any questions "my response to everything is no".

After that, I've never been asked all those ridiculous questions as I must not have been the only one who responded in that way.

So we're not a bunch of miserable gits, we just don't appreciate false politeness and I think that many cashiers know this and almost seem embarrassed to say "have a nice day" at times because it just isn't British.

What annoys me most though is that me bloomin wife says it before the cashier says it! So she does the shopping now
 
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yorksrob

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To be fair, were it not for "false politeness" I would end up telling most people I come across to 'sod off out of my way'. Is not "false politeness" just politeness after all ?
 

pemma

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I was in America once. I went into a shop and the man at the checkout said "have a nice day", and I didn't, so I sued him...

Whoops, this isn't the jokes thread.

Really it's the Americans who started saying 'Have a nice day' at the end of transactions and it's transferred over here. 'Thanks for reaching out' is another phrase which is gradually being adopted here.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
To be fair, were it not for "false politeness" I would end up telling most people I come across to 'sod off out of my way'. Is not "false politeness" just politeness after all ?

I find myself saying the word 'sorry' without even thinking when I may have accidentally got in someone else's way. Yet I find it's much harder to go and say sorry to someone when I know I've done something wrong. Then once when I had a disagreement with a girl at work (which was really partly my fault and partly her fault) I thought I'd be professional and apologise for my part and was expecting her to do the same but she didn't so after apologising I actually thought "You are a ****ing bitch."
 
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fowler9

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Just to turn things around a couple of months back I had a customer say to me "You have been no help at all, thank you very much". I said "Your welcome". Was quite proud of myself since I wouldn't normally do that. The customer isn't always right.
 

507021

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The customer isn't always right.

I couldn't agree more with this, it's more annoying if the customer tries to argue with you when you're trying to explain why they're wrong. It's why now I try and stick to factory or other non-customer service work.
 

Howardh

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To be fair, were it not for "false politeness" I would end up telling most people I come across to 'sod off out of my way'. Is not "false politeness" just politeness after all ?

We could try the german system of telling it as it is. Don't think they would say "sod off out of my way" but they would say "you are in my way" - but not impolitely, just a matter of fact, whereas in the UK we would probably start with "oh, sorry, excuse me..." :lol:

Go into a German restaurant and ask "Do you have the menu?" and the waitress will answer "yes". That's it...she won't BRING you the menu, that wasn't asked for! She answered the question, job done!!

I too find the current practice (I had hoped it was only a local phenomenon) of a valedictory "See you later" strangely irritating.

I will admit to having been occasionally tempted to respond to some young Barbie at a drive through "What time do you finish work then?" to see the look of horror on her face <D

(Haven't; wouldn't). :lol:
In Deutchland, you've just got yourself a date!!
 
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Cowley

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To be fair, were it not for "false politeness" I would end up telling most people I come across to 'sod off out of my way'. Is not "false politeness" just politeness after all ?

Spot on Yorksrob :)
 

D841 Roebuck

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Jeez...It may be January but ranting about someone wishing you a nice day?! I can't believe so many forum members feel so strongly about it. I feel angry, depressed and losing hope for humanity reading this thread!

It's the done thing to wish someone a nice day while you're manning a checkout. Granted, I suspect not many of you have done so on a regular basis. However, most of us do *try* to inject some personality into the conversation, especially the more old-school of us. Even just mixing it up with "have a good afternoon/rest of your morning/evening", "take care" or similar is better than nothing. However, I'm expecting to hear soon why all that is wrong too!

You have to realise we don't just say these things for fun, it is common company policy to do so. Quite frankly, most of us would be happy to just whizz everything through, take payment and see you leave. Especially miserable people, jeez that can be soul destroying dealing with such hateful people that you can come across.

The quicker we convert all checkouts in supermarkets to self-scan lanes the better in my eyes. It's so much more efficient that it should happen as soon as possible. It won't happen for a couple of generations I suspect though
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No, no, a thousand times no. "Have a nice day", "See you later" or "Have a good one" are far less irritating than "unexpected item in bagging area".

I'd personally.ban the wretched things completely, or at the.least forbid their use anywhere selling alcohol...<(
 

Cowley

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No, no, a thousand times no. "Have a nice day", "See you later" or "Have a good one" are far less irritating than "unexpected item in bagging area".

I'd personally.ban the wretched things completely, or at the.least forbid their use anywhere selling alcohol...<(

Don't forget to take your change :D

Especially notes.
 

Calthrop

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The quicker we convert all checkouts in supermarkets to self-scan lanes the better in my eyes. It's so much more efficient that it should happen as soon as possible. It won't happen for a couple of generations I suspect though.

No, no, a thousand times no. "Have a nice day", "See you later" or "Have a good one" are far less irritating than "unexpected item in bagging area".

I'd personally.ban the wretched things completely, or at the.least forbid their use anywhere selling alcohol...<(

Don't forget to take your change :D

Especially notes.

As a self-confessed innumerate dinosaur / technophobe -- I admit to utter, total, fanatical loathing and incomprehension of supermarket self-checkouts. As at present time, I refuse to have anything to do with the things -- much prefer being dealt with by a human being, be the verbal interaction what it may: for me 99% of the time, preferable to the "robot" stuff, and getting into the mess which I always seem to do with same. I truly hope that I'll die before self-checkouts get most of the way toward becoming universal.
 

Iskra

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I dislike it immensely along with being asked "how are you today" in shops and similar places. One day I am going to reply with an hour long monologue. What is wrong with hello, thank you and goodbye?

'Have a nice day' is American tripe.

Some people want a conversation, especially older people.

The trick is to work out which customers want a conversation and which don't.

It's quite funny to see all the anti-social's on this thread, I suppose they're all for DOO just so they don't have to have a brief transactional interaction with a person...
 
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fowler9

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'Have a nice day' is American tripe.

Some people want a conversation, especially older people.

The trick is to work out which customers want a conversation and which don't.

Yeah this is very true, being to empathise with people also includes knowing when to keep your gob shut. If I have a difficult call I will not ask them to have a good day at the end, not because I don't want them to but because they will think I'm taking the mick. I start every call in a friendly way and try and empathise throughout, I get good results. When I ask people to have a good day or to take care I say it because I mean it, maybe it is my history of depression that brings this out in me, I don't know. In 19 years of work since Uni I have only had 2 complaints about my behaviour, one was from a fellow staff member and both were told to pipe down after the calls were listened to.
 

GatwickDepress

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So we're not a bunch of miserable gits, we just don't appreciate false politeness and I think that many cashiers know this and almost seem embarrassed to say "have a nice day" at times because it just isn't British.
Yes, you are a miserable git! You are quite frankly the sort of person who we retail drones have a good laugh at in the canteen. The way you talked to both those cashiers was simply awful. You don't quite seem to understand that politeness is another trait associated with us British.

That said, the ruder a customer becomes, the nicer I get. I ask if you want bags and you just grunt? I'm going to get saccharine on your arse. You throw a tantrum because I won't override an expired coupon? I'm going to wish you a "very lovely day!" and "thank you for shopping at [store!].
 

LowLevel

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Please don't forget that this works both ways and on the rare occasions I've had some grumpy pre transactional 'instruction' from a customer, rarely does the transaction go as smoothly as it could do. I personally use 'have a good night/evening' with a grin to the Saturday night crowd who are generally off to have a good time and like the fact that you acknowledge you're taking them out for the evening and wish them that.

My favourite is people, who in an attempt to avoid speaking to me, put their money on a seat or table so I have to bend down to scrabble around for it coin by coin rather than handing it to me. Their change and ticket goes back to where I took the money from. Unless they're now holding their hand out for it. In which case it sometimes unfortunately gets fumbled and ends up under their seat.

Far worse than my childish self indulges though was someone I knew who did something I'd never condone - any particularly rude customers, he was deft at entering 3 wrong PIN numbers very quickly so on presenting the chip and pin machine they were met with 'Max attempts exceeded' and a blocked bank card. That was extremely naughty.
 

Busaholic

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Here's what I dislike if I go into my local Co-Op (to be fair, it's usually only a few times per year)=
'Have you got a Co-Op card?' (no problem with that)
'No'
'Would you like a Co-Op card?'
'No'

I've lived a few yards from this store for nearly thirty years, use it at least once most days, and am fairly well known in the area, having a shop of my own. If I suddenly decide I can't live without such a card, having been informed of its existence, then it's up to me to make that approach. If that same sales assistant engages in that exchange two or three consecutive time I will be quite curt with them, but I virtually never make a complaint against shop staff.
 

Howardh

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Has anyone noticed, after the "expected idiot in the baggage area", the self-serve machines don't send you off with a "have a nice day"?

Probably want to avoid a good kicking!!
 

fowler9

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Here's what I dislike if I go into my local Co-Op (to be fair, it's usually only a few times per year)=
'Have you got a Co-Op card?' (no problem with that)
'No'
'Would you like a Co-Op card?'
'No'

I've lived a few yards from this store for nearly thirty years, use it at least once most days, and am fairly well known in the area, having a shop of my own. If I suddenly decide I can't live without such a card, having been informed of its existence, then it's up to me to make that approach. If that same sales assistant engages in that exchange two or three consecutive time I will be quite curt with them, but I virtually never make a complaint against shop staff.

You do realise that these staff can get pulled in and eventually disciplined for not asking you don't you? Don't be curt with the person on the front line who would probably prefer a job that pays better and doesn't involve dealing with you. The low paid staff have little to no choice who they work for compared to you choosing to use a company that doesn't force their staff to do this.
 
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Howardh

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You do realise that these staff can get pulled in and eventually disciplined for not asking you don't you? Don't be curt with the person on the front line who would probably prefer a job that pays better and doesn't involve dealing with you. The low paid staff have little to no choice who they work for compared to you choosing to use a company that doesn't force their staff to do this.

It's a point, but if the attendant stated "I have to ask you or I will be disciplined by the manager" one could go and see the manager, and explain as a loyal customer they'd rather not have intercourse with his/her staff (oh, er missus!) and wish to simply pay and leave. Maybe dropping in that Lidl don't mither them!

There's one shop I visit which has a sign saying the manager is available for comments, compaints, suggestions, compliments. (As all should be!)
Begs a question, how do the staff cope with a deaf person, or even one listening to earphones? Do the staff still have to make contact??

My solution would be to have a simple sign at checkout saying "if you want a card, please ask, if you have a card, please show". "Thank you!".
 

fowler9

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It's a point, but if the attendant stated "I have to ask you or I will be disciplined by the manager" one could go and see the manager, and explain as a loyal customer they'd rather not have intercourse with his/her staff (oh, er missus!) and wish to simply pay and leave. Maybe dropping in that Lidl don't mither them!

There's one shop I visit which has a sign saying the manager is available for comments, compaints, suggestions, compliments. (As all should be!)
Begs a question, how do the staff cope with a deaf person, or even one listening to earphones? Do the staff still have to make contact??

My solution would be to have a simple sign at checkout saying "if you want a card, please ask, if you have a card, please show". "Thank you!".

Mate, saying "I have to ask you this or I'll get disciplined" doesn't work. If you get collared saying that you will get disciplined and possibly loose your job if you keep doing it. I don't work in retail but I have some rules that I have to follow that I completely disagree with regarding emergency callouts for housing repairs. I wish I could tell you more. At the end of the day never blame the person you are speaking to, it is pretty much nailed on what they are saying to you is not what they want to. I am 42 and am pretty good at getting my point across without a) dropping myself in it or b) the customer not getting any help.

To put it another way, how much commission do you reckon these staff are getting to sell you a store card etc. It is naff all. They just get put on a development plan which leads to disciplinary hearings if they don't meet targets. I've been there and done it in the three long months I worked at Vodafone.

Stick with the shops that don't make their staff do it. You'll be happier, the staff will and if the consensus of the public is the same then the ones you don't like will go out of business. For me I will keep telling customers to take care or have a goodn' when I feel it is appropriate.
 
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Busaholic

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You do realise that these staff can get pulled in and eventually disciplined for not asking you don't you? Don't be curt with the person on the front line who would probably prefer a job that pays better and doesn't involve dealing with you. The low paid staff have little to no choice who they work for compared to you choosing to use a company that doesn't force their staff to do this.

I am well aware that this can be the case. I have a friend who works for Iceland as a cashier, and continues to do so well past retirement age, and every so often they get some new directive from Head Office via the manager that people must be asked whether they have a bonus card, or whatever: they then get all the flak from customers complaining about the questioning. My friend suggests they complain to Head Office if they regard it as an impertinence, not mentioning her input, and then suddenly the directive gets forgotten about again until another 'new broom' decides they can't live without it.

As regards the local Co-Op, many of the staff have been their donkey's years and don't pester people: no-one who's any good at the job (i.e. who basically turns up on time, isn't off sick every other week and doesn't actually assault the customers) gets a reprimand. As an example of this, I was being served there by the longest-serving employee with whom I'm on good terms and complimented her on the colour of her nail varnish : she replied that she was being allowed to wear it for the first time in fifteen years, the manager having previously disallowed it, because a well-regarded fellow employee of a few weeks standing had said she would resign if she was not allowed to wear it. The manager immediately acquiesced, and this had to apply all round.
 

Johnuk123

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One thing is pretty clear looking at this and other threads and that is quite a few posters have no social skills, are not friendly, and enjoy being miserable.
Rail enthusiasts/train spotters have always had a good percentage like that it's just how it is.
 
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Busaholic

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Don't forget to take your change :D

In my local Tesco, any change involving pence seems to be 5ps and 1ps only - they must load the machines this way, unless everyone is paying them this way!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
One thing is pretty clear looking at this and other threads and that is quite a few posters have no social skills, are not friendly, and enjoy being miserable.

Any mirrors involved here?:lol:
 

MidnightFlyer

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The term doesn't bother me in the slightest, nor do any other terms or titles of that nature. I usually respond with 'And you too, mate' or similar, no need for anything more or anything less. If we all went around not saying anything pleasant or cheerful in case the recipient was having the worst day of their life then we'd be a lot poorer for it. I had someone chatting away to me and complaining about trivial events on the what was probably the worst day of my life. It just happens.
 
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43021HST

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I currently work in customer service, (although not for much longer, due to a recent promotion).

The reason why we say 'Have a nice day' is because we have to, our employers really dig all that crap. We too like the customers know it's just a blandism, to fill what would be awkward silence. Most customers don't even notice you've said it.

My advice to the more cantankerous individuals among us, is to put up and live with it. I am somewhat jealous of people, where greetings are all they have to concern themselves with.
 

47802

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One thing is pretty clear looking at this and other threads and that is quite a few posters have no social skills, are not friendly, and enjoy being miserable.
Rail enthusiasts/train spotters have always had a good percentage like that it's just how it is.

That might not be the case, after all your not looking to provide good customer service on here, and if you don't like someone's comments you can not openly slag them off on here, but you could adopt a more unfriendly and contentious tone like I frequently do<D
 
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