brabbit1987 said:
I don't think it's harsh in the least bit. Asking someone "Aren't you too old to be wearing diapers?" To me isn't humorous. It's unprofessional, unnecessary, and simply wrong. They may have no ill-intentions, but I am sorry, I will tell them how it is, and I will even explain to them why what they did was wrong. If anything, they should be thankful I wouldn't go straight to their manager.
I don't care if I look like the bad person. If it teaches someone else a little more tact, and saves another person from embarrassment in the future. I will gladly take on that roll.
Alright..
I don't normally like to go here, but I believe there is a reason you changed what the clerk said in your post. Obviously someone going the route you described, the "Aren't you too old for diapers." route would be worth a response like this. Positively. That specific comment you mentioned is completely out of line for a multitude of reasons and I too would likely bring it up with them.
However the comment the clerk gave was not "Aren't you too old for diapers?" but actually.. "These are going to look ravishing on you."
It's hard not to believe that every joke has a semblence of truth to it. It's obvious that every joke can be taken seriously by anyone and one should be careful. But if you too this one seriously, what it it saying? That these bibs would look RAVISHING on the costumer. I personally think this is a amazingly chosen words to say. It's a positive statement. Not a negative one. It might be unprofessional to you, it might be unnecessary.. but in this case it avoids that last bit and I honestly do think that this last bit is the most important one. Because every different person has their own definition of what is professional. Personally I think it is professional to be approachable and friendly with a customer.
What I'm saying is that I personally absolutely agree with being a crusader for a cause. Standing up and telling people it's not okay to say mean comments and get away with them. However I believe in this instance what the clerk said really was just harmless and not "trying to embarrass you" as you said. "Aren't you too old for diapers." would be humiliating to a large amount of people and would be trying to embarrass someone. I would applaud you in that moment for taking a stand. It's wrong.. and should be called out.
However the statement the clerk actually said was actually quite different. Instead of someone being insulted by something insulting, what the clerk said something innocent that could simply being taken as insulting. All different situations require different responses, and gawsh, if you want to go the AB Pride route. I would just take the bib after he scanned it and be like, "Yep. It sure does." and slip it on. If he says something insulting then, then get angry. If not, hell.. you look ravishing baby.
I wouldn't want people to be afraid to speak for fear of accidentally insulting someone, because everything could be taken as an insult. Hell, I don't know if me commenting that a brand of cereal the person has bought has a neat box design might be taken as insulting by the right person. Turning on the gas and getting angry over comments like this is the reason why treat our customer service like they should be emulating U-SCAN's. People aren't robots and to me.. I like being able to walk into a store and have that feeling that everyone here is warm, friendly, and helpful. Almost part of the community. Maybe that's the small-town girl in me speaking. I don't know. Maybe some people think it's unprofessional. I don't think so. It's like when my partner is upset when the Taco Bell people ask her name so they can call it out when they get her order and she gets upset about that. I don't get that either. I always give them my name too.. I like not being order number 005. I like being Angel.
Kinda got off in a tangent while trying to explain where I was coming from sorry. As a sort of end-piece, I really do believe you seem like a really awesome person and I'm not trying to make you out to be a bad guy. We just might disagree on something, it seems.