Although I work for Sainsbury’s in the area, I avoid getting involved in discussions about us on here for obvious reasons.
These are trying times at the moment but shop staff are suffering abuse from a tiny amount of customers. Yesterday a colleague was racially abused and today her sister was called a bitch because we’d run out of eggs.
If you pop into your local supermarket, please give the staff a friendly smile and pass the time of day? Kindliness and friendliness has been appreciated by us all and gives us a lift while we try to provide an essential service.
Hi, I’ve asked the question re evidence so will come back to you. The phone lines are incredibly busy, taking 65k calls between 8am and 10am. We’d normally handle around 8k in a whole day. Additional resource is being put in place to handle the calls so things should improve fairly quickly.
That is shocking and anyone doing that should be made to leave the store. You guys are all doing an amazing job and we are all grateful for your hard work.
I’m not involved in the grocery side of our business but have heard a lot of stories of customers being incredibly rude or abusive to people trying to stock shelves etc. I’m sure it’s no coincidence that it seems to be those who aren’t recognised as regulars who are the worst culprits.
There are also lots of lovely comments but the mean ones seem to linger a bit longer in the mind.
It’s a really stressful time for our key workers. On one hand, the government is rightly emphasising the seriousness and encouraging everyone to stay home… while blithely assuring key workers that they’ll all be fine and continue to go to work.
That is so unnecessary isn’t it? It is not your fault if there are no eggs, people need to look at their own behaviour.
I would like to say thank you for all your hard work & dedication.
I did today - we have a sudden guest with us so needed a quick shop. I am so grateful for these people making sure we all have some sort of access to the essentials and some of them looked out on their feet.
I tried to smile and say thanks!
Excellent and so they should be thrown out maybe with the trash for being so trashy. I totally respect the retailers at this time. No need to be so rude.
Elderly people do actually “get it” but if you have no one to bring you shopping and can’t get a delivery what else are you supposed to do but go yourself?
Thank you all for your kind words. Yes, my colleagues are working incredibly hard especially as some colleagues have taken the opportunity - with Sainsbury’s blessing - to self isolate for the sake of themselves and their families.
Me? I’m in isolation too as a member of my household worked until Friday with a colleague that went down with the virus. I don’t want to risk passing it on to customers or colleagues. As soon as the incubation period has passed I’ll be back on the shopfloor with a smile and a bit of banter which is the norm for me.
I understand that but being abused by an elderly person because I was wearing a mask and observing social distancing and being told “this is all nonsense”. Seeing groups of elderly people hugging and shaking hands and having a good old chat. Couples out shopping like it is a normal day. Now, before I get shot down, these are only isolated cases and not limited to elderly people. It is representative and what I saw at that time. The reason I go out is to try and stop those most vulnerable, the elderly or people with underlying health conditions, from having to go out.
This situation certainly brings out the worst in some people and the best in others.
I personally have made a real effort to thank the Staff in London road Sainsbury
I think they’re doing an amazing job just keeping the shelves stocked in any way at all and just by being there when staff numbers must be depleted.
I must say I’m so grateful to have this valuable resource at the end of my road as are my neighbours.
You guys are doing a brilliant job in testing times I realise as I’m sure we all do that it isn’t the shop floor staffs fault when theres no loo roll or pasta or whatever.
On behalf of us all
Thank You!
Good morning all, I passed Sainsbury’s Forest Hill yesterday and noticed a queue outside, some were even social distancing in this queue which was a welcome sight. I think people were being let in a few at a time.
Pardon me if this has been mentioned already, but is this happening at Bell Green Sainsbury’s also?
Relieved to see this being implemented and sincere thanks to all Key workers helping us during the last few weeks.
Sainsburys have changed their online system yet again. It seems as of today you can only book an online shop if you’re already registered as vulnerable. In theory it’s possible to register but the Sainsburys helpline appears to have been shut down and whereas yesterday the phone number was listed, now you have to register at gov.uk. There is a link on the Sainsbury website that takes you straight to the gov.uk registration page. But that only works if you’re on the narrow list of conditions that mean you’re in the “shielded” group. For instance, heart failure, where part of the battle is to prevent your lungs filling with fluid, is not on the list.
There is also a note on the Sainsbury site asking that people pay for goods by card, not cash. So I don’t know how the local volunteers get round this when shopping for the housebound.
