Well, I don't like to rant, but in this case I feel justified, having worked in a shop myself for two years after art college, and having never been surly or rude to customers, even when suffering from the after-effects of the night before, poverty, starvation, or general sadness of the misery kind.
I took some CDs down to Rough Trade's shop yesterday to replenish their stocks, because I am recommending that people order from their website (and this is by no means criticising their mail order service, or anything else to do with them for that matter).
First of all, the guy claimed he couldn't find the CD on their shelves, then he claimed he couldn't find any record of the CD on their computer, then he got rid of a couple of customers by rudely telling them the shop was short-staffed because of sickness. Then when he finally found that the shop had stocked the CD, he very reluctantly took more; I asked for a receipt (I'm not the record company, I'm the artist and I'm trying to help out) he refused! So I asked how I could prove that I'd given him more CDs, and he said "I've written it in the book". What levels of grumpiness he rose to when I asked him to show me! He went off on a mini-rant about Rough Trade being there for 30 years etc etc.
I had to say to him that other people too might not be having such a good day...
At no point did he make eye contact, make an unprompted remark, or make any sort of pleasant attempt at social interaction. Because I had to work so hard at getting him to be helpful, I didn't do what I normally do at Rough Trade- buy CDs by other people while selling my own.
So Mr Crossbeardman, you have lost sales at the same time as upsetting an artist whose stuff you sell!
(but at least they have the CD now if you want to order it- search their website under Helen McCookerybook)
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