Failing to see the suck!

[fireheart]

I wish there was a way to make this thread mandatory reading for all members.

Its getting a bit tiresome when people come to vent and end up with lectures from the armchair experts.

I know that one of the websites I used to frequent, which was known as TeenHelp, did something very clever when they had people applying for positions on the board (these were positions such as mentors, greeters, livehelp operators and such. And yes, these positions were carefully screened. Moderators were done on a as-needs basis).

When they had a list of conditions you needed to tick, the third one down said this: (roughly)

"Please do not tick this box to show that you have read everything here and that you haven't just ticked your way down the list."



It could be implemented with something similar.

[Dips]

Just bumping this up for the new folks and to refresh the memories of the folks who've been around for a while.

[RxBoy]

Just bumping this up for the new folks and to refresh the memories of the folks who've been around for a while.

I'm glad you did, because I took the time to read it carefully after you intervened on a thread where we got off topic and warned us to knock it off. It's interesting that sometimes people don't even realize what they are doing when they get off topic because they don't take the time to read the rules of the site.

I was very glad when I came across this site because it really does serve as a type of support group for those of us who deal with customers in our jobs. Hence the logic would be if you can't be supportive then don't post on this particular thread. It doesn't help our cause when someone posts about a customer getting annoyed when they try to get them to open a charge account and then the next poster on the thread starts in with how annoyed they get when a clerk asks them to open one. Or when someone talks about how angry a customer got and the next poster chimes in with how they agree with the customer or how the OP could have prevented the situation if they had handled it differently. I've been guilty of this in the past and I know I need to start being more careful.

I do have one question for the mods though. I apologize in advance if this is answered somewhere else and I didn't see it. If so please point me to the link. There are occasions where a poster will describe a situation and ask "Was I an SC in this situation?" It seems to me in a case like this they are asking for our opinions and thus there is the possibility that they will be spoken of critically. Are there specific guidelines for this, or is it okay to speak your mind in these types of situations (in a respectful way of course)?

[crazylegs]

I do have one question for the mods though. I apologize in advance if this is answered somewhere else and I didn't see it. If so please point me to the link. There are occasions where a poster will describe a situation and ask "Was I an SC in this situation?" It seems to me in a case like this they are asking for our opinions and thus there is the possibility that they will be spoken of critically. Are there specific guidelines for this, or is it okay to speak your mind in these types of situations (in a respectful way of course)?

If someone is asking then you are allowed to answer the question.

We would of course ask all members to be polite and respectful in these instances if you do think they were sucky. If you (the generic, all encompassing version of 'you', not anyone in particular) don't think you can answer it in a polite way, then don't respond!

[Dips]

It doesn't help our cause when someone posts about a customer getting annoyed when they try to get them to open a charge account and then the next poster on the thread starts in with how annoyed they get when a clerk asks them to open one.

Thank you for bringing up that example, RxBoy.

That definitely counts as "failing to see the suck."

It's not as blatant as telling someone directly that the customer wasn't sucky but it still implies it.

So, to clarify:

It counts as "failing to see the suck" to bring up your customer service complaints in someone's thread about sucky customers. Instead start your own thread in Sightings to do that.

It also counts as "failing to see the suck" to act the armchair expert and nitpick about another poster's assumptions about his customers. If you're not his customer, the assumption doesn't apply to you. Leave it alone.

Or use the report button if the assumption offends you or you feel it's unfair.

This also doesn't mean you all have to ignore it if someone posts a story that shows them to be suckier than the customer. That's a situation where you SHOULD report it to us right away. If someone brags about spitting in someone's coffee or seems like they seriously want to harm someone, it's important to bring that to our attention immediately. DON'T respond, but DO use the report button to tell us about it right away.

[Dave1982]

Alright folks, we just had to issue another infraction for this.

If you feel that something wasn't sucky, keep your opinion to yourself.

If someone is openly stating that they were being sucky to a customer, do not respond in the thread. USE THE REPORT BUTTON.

[Dilorenzo]

Rather surprised at this. Personally, if I don't see the suck, I keep that to myself and move on. I've likely not been in that situation and am not in the posters shoes, so what business is it of mine if they see something as being sucky?

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Rather surprised at this. Personally, if I don't see the suck, I keep that to myself and move on. I've likely not been in that situation and am not in the posters shoes, so what business is it of mine if they see something as being sucky?

I understand your POV completely. However, as Dave has mentioned, we've had issues recently involving members who have not done as you do and therefore we've had to react accordingly in response to that.

We're not picking on any member (or members) in particular, but we feel in light of the recent issues to again remind everyone.

And, also in the future, please remember to use the new cover sheets on your TPS reports.

[Pedersen]

See, personally, I just don't get why you mods think these people are being sucky. I just can't see it.

/me ducks and runrunrunruns!

[Mondestrucken]

I was a long time lurker, and although I have been posting for only a short time, I always saw this site as a place to vent, rant, rave and otherwise complain about our lovely, lovely customers (and others) in some of the most literate, witty posts I have ever read on any internet forum.

It's as if through the sheer intelligence of the posts, we triumph over our moronic customers. Who cares if the customer wasn't "sucky" enough? The post made me laugh, and gave me the strength to go back out onto the counter.

I have seen some other forums gradually get more and more rigid by posters holding the forum to some incredibly strict definition (Not sucky enough), and most times, these critics seem to be newer.

Isn't one of the overall rules to: "Have fun with this!"

[Dragon_Dreamer]

Here, here! I agree with everything Mon mentioned. This place is fun partially BECAUSE it's so laid back, and always has been. Unless someone asks to be critiqued, just report the post if you have an Issue with it. :P

[EricKei]

And, also in the future, please remember to use the new cover sheets on your TPS reports.

Well, yeah, I got the memo, but the frakkin' printer keeps going on about some "PC Loadletter" thing >_<

...I need to get me one of those red staplers >_> AFAIK, Swingline didn't actually *make* that particular stapler until after the movie released. Once it spread, they got so many requests for it that they started manufacture of that model in red ^_^

[BlaqueKatt]

AFAIK, Swingline didn't actually *make* that particular stapler until after the movie released.

nope they did make them, discontinued that model in the 60's the movie made them bring them back into production-I have one of the originals from my mom bought in 1957.

[EricKei]

nope they did make them, discontinued that model in the 60's the movie made them bring them back into production-I have one of the originals from my mom bought in 1957.

Oh, sweet! ... Ya know, that would probably be worth a small fortune on eBay to the right buyers...>_>

[Dips]

I'm bumping this thread up because this is rearing its ugly head again.

But this time I thought it might make sense to explain what FTSTS is and, just as importantly what it isn't.

I've mentioned a few times here that FTSTS does not protect people who come here to brag about being jerks to customers.

I figured it would help to illustrate what I've meant by that and why the rule is there but also how it does not condone bad behavior on a poster's part.

The FTSTS rule is needed because it protects people who come here to express feelings and thoughts about customers who may not be that sucky. Why the hell do we care if people have negative thoughts about customers. We're not the thought police, right?

The rule does not (and should not) protect people who come here to talk about sucky actions (as opposed to thoughts).

Example:

My sister found people who ordered tea in Friendly's annoying. Mainly because the way the store was set up, she'd have to run all over the place to gather everything needed. Customers would often get impatient and even if it was a nice customer who tipped well, the resulting tip wasn't going to be much.

She should be allowed to come here and vent about her annoyance without getting a lecture that getting tea is her job or that ordering tea isn't sucky.

I mean, Duh! She knew her job and she knows ordering tea isn't a sucky action. It just sucked for her. She never let on to the customer how she felt about it. She did her job with a smile and kept her feelings to herself while she was working.

The FTSTS rule would let her vent about her feelings here and protect her from getting stupid lectures in reply.

Now. If she had acted like a bitch to the customer or heaved a heavy sigh at the customer or in any way acted put upon TO the customer, that would be a sucky ACTION on her part. If she came here and bitched that the customer didn't like it much when she expressed her annoyance TO the customer, the FTSTS rule would not apply.

HOWEVER! People would still have to avoid making personal attacks and directly pointing out that the customer wasn't sucky but there's nothing wrong with a nicely worded sympathetic suggestion on how to handle such a situation professionally next time.

Or, even better, ignoring the post and/or reporting it as bragging about being a sucky employee.

I don't believe the FTSTS rule should apply in other forums except for Sucky Customers. Members should be perfectly free to gently point out that a PFB letter writer has a point or politely explain why an apparently sucky employee/other customer in Sightings wasn't in the wrong or that a supposed Moron in Management asking you to do your job is actually doing HER job. Just do it politely and without attacking or lecturing.

I hope that makes sense.