I've been working for Publix Supermarkets for 12 months, for the same store #260, unfortunately it is very true this situation and it's very sad, customers disrespect us and treat us like we don't have feelings and we don't count as human beings.
Yesterday a similar incident happened to me, one lady was asking for frozen apple juice, i work regular grocery, i don't work frozen food but that does not stop me on my efforts of trying to help customers in my commitment and my duties as as Publix associate, i went to the back to look for the product and never found it so i grabbed my cellphone and called one of the frozen food clerk to ask him about the product, he told me he didn't have any in the back, just in the shelf, so i returned to the shelf and looked for the product and did not find it, so what i did is told the customer that that was the only place where we have frozen juices and if it's not there then we unfortunately don't have it, so she looked at me and told me to not try to lie to her, never lie to a customer, so i kept looking and found it under a lot of different juices, so instead of thanking me she completely insulted me calling me stupid, after all the efforts and the time i spent looking for her product, and she told one of the supervisors that i am stupid and lazy.
Different situations we live in that store with customer and not only with them, as well as with managers, the store manager in that store promotes people to full time as he feels like, I've been working for that store for 12 consecutive months, with open availability to anytime, since i am an immigrant, and never got offered full time, and is something i really need, and now they hired a new associate, studying with certain availability, his sister works at the same store as a full time customer service staff and they have relatives working for the company and he has only worked for the company for a month and a half and got offered full time, the managers does this stating that he works faster than me and i talk to much, he works pretty much at the same pace i do, and i find completely unfair, dismissive and disrespectful i don't get offered promotion or an explanation about the situation. This store manager completely allows associate to go smoke outside every hour, and get food ON THE CLOCK and they state smoking is a condition that is not comparable, the store manager does not work directly with me, and he does not approve or support my promotion because according to him i talk to much to coworkers. It is completely unfair my situation and the fact that they approve associates to smoke and eat ON THE CLOCK stating and supporting their condition and not mine, i finish my work on time and help coworkers with theirs and get accomplishments from people on my department, my manager, people outside the department and even customers, i try everyday to deliver high standards in customer service and satisfaction and in this store my performance and my job is not being appreciated.