Isn’t this the chicken and egg conundrum?

I see Eleanor’s point, but there are problems. It’s all very well and good to say that many customers treat staff badly (and of course, they oughtn’t to), but when this serves as an excuse for staff always to be rude and unhelpful, regardless of the customer’s behaviour, then her argument fails.

And let’s be frank; it all boils down to the ‘do unto others…’ argument. If I’m nice to a staff person who’s had a shitty day, then he can damn well swallow his bile and paste on a smile and behave like a proper person for the duration of our interaction. My life’s no picnic, but it doesn’t mean that I default to rudeness; I simply cannot see why this should not hold true for others.