Bunnings workers have opened up about the customer habits that make their jobs harder, and shared some of the minor things that shoppers get upset about.
The online discussion began on Reddit, when a Bunnings staff member asked their co-workers about their experiences with customers while working on the floor, and things they want every customer to know.
While most customers are well-behaved, others aren’t so nice, with workers sharing their experiences with customers who are impatient or abusive.
“If you walk up to the Paint Desk and someone doesn’t help you within 3.5 seconds, calm down and look for a team member,” one said.
“Don’t smack stuff down on the desk, don’t throw things onto the ground and don’t swear at the poor soul who just happened to walk through the department trying to get to another section. We aren’t deliberately hiding from you, we have been told to go find work to do.”
“The way some people act like every team member in the store should drop everything just to kiss their feet is insane,” added another.
“I have it multiple times a week where I have to tell someone I was already helping another customer first and they need to wait their turn. The way grown adults will throw tantrum over being told to wait two minutes is nuts.”
“It’s pretty crazy just how upset people get over some things,” a former staff member told Yahoo Lifestyle.
“It’s honestly shocked me that customers get so aggressive and abusive, I don’t understand it.”
He shared his own experience with a customer who came in on a Sunday night wanting to buy a very heavy toolbox. Unfortunately, there were no forklift drivers available so the former staff member told the shopper they could organise free delivery or return the following day.
“They snapped and started swearing and calling me an idiot, and that I was the most useless person in the world,” the former team member said.
Others shared their gripe with customers not checking the Bunnings website before coming in, and then blaming the employee when things aren’t available.
“People come in every day with the website up on their phone asking where this item is,” he said.
“But it has big, bold letters that says ‘Marketplace’ and ‘Online only’, and they think it’s the employee’s fault.”
They also explained that marketplace items can only be purchased online and can’t be returned in store, and while this information is available on the website, customers still trek into their stores and get frustrated when they can’t find the item they’re looking for.
Another Bunnings team member added that it would be helpful if customers gave the I/N of the product they are looking – which is the number of a product that’s available on the website .
“PLEASE give us an I/N to look up,” they wrote. “Giving a vague explanation of what you’re looking for often times doesn’t help us whatsoever.”
Others added that some people have unrealistic expectations on what staff can do or know, and that Bunnings workers are just retail staff.
“They come in wanting full building advice,” he said.
“Some of the advice they want is stuff you’d be asking qualified builders, not some dude who stacks shelves.”
He added that while staff receive a “plethora of online training” about the products, it’s not the same as having experience for a specific trade.
“Some customers do not understand that, legally, we cannot give advice on complex plumbing and electrical work,” one worker explained. “I can certainly find the item you want, but that’s where the advice ends.”
“Having a red shirt does not make you a qualified tradesman,” another added.
“It’s DIY, so at least watch a YouTube video or two before coming in and demanding to be told how to step by step renovate your bathroom.”
Other employees have shared that customers regularly dismiss the safety barriers or areas that have been roped off for their safety.
“If the aisle is [cut] off and I’m up in the WAV (work assist vehicle) please, for the love of all that is good, do NOT run under the barrier,” one said.
“Get my attention and ask for what you need… I will make the area safe and come down to help you.”
“Safety Barriers are there FOR A REASON…… is a $10 bag of cement really worth getting squashed by a forklift?” another added.
A few other frustrating habits include customers thinking there is stock “out the back”, as all the available stock is displayed in store.
“There is no such thing as ‘out the back’, this isn’t a shoe store,” one wrote.
“If it’s not on the shelf or in hand stock, it’s not here,” added another.
Images: Daria Nipot / Shutterstock.com
