Maybe there's better times to give a sale pitch

[An Haddock]

Was at the bank today, rhymes with Bells Largo. 8 people in line ahead of me, mostly older people who wanted to get their banking done before the snowstorm we're now being hit with.



Some random guy trying to make a transaction at one of the teller windows. I overhear the teller giving him a sales schpiel about switching from his <other bank> account to Bells Largo and they're free to sign up for right now and so forth.

Honey - I know you're just doing your job, but is it really worth it to hold up the line and piss off 8 existing customers to get 1 new one? Not to mention of the 4 - 5 people working at desks in the customer service area, at least 2 - 3 didn't appear to have customers or were talking on the phone... one of them could have come over after the guy's transaction and talked to him about switching accounts.

Priorities, people. Get some.

[XCashier]

Honey - I know you're just doing your job, but is it really worth it to hold up the line and piss off 8 existing customers to get 1 new one?

Every place nowadays, the clerks have to push their Savings Card / credit line / coupons / other item. And the clerks have quotas to meet and the boss will ream them out if they don't meet them or offer them to every customer. But if they do their spiel, they tick off the customers, who rip them new ones for wasting their time. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Believe me, I know it's an annoyance, and I assure you, the clerk would not have done it if she did not have to. I've been on both sides of the counter, and I know how irksome it is. But Upper Management thinks it's a groovy idea (of course; they don't have to do it!) and keeps pushing it, and demanding more and more.

[An Haddock]

Every place nowadays, the clerks have to push their Savings Card / credit line / coupons / other item. And the clerks have quotas to meet and the boss will ream them out if they don't meet them or offer them to every customer. But if they do their spiel, they tick off the customers, who rip them new ones for wasting their time. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Believe me, I know it's an annoyance, and I assure you, the clerk would not have done it if she did not have to. I've been on both sides of the counter, and I know how irksome it is. But Upper Management thinks it's a groovy idea (of course; they don't have to do it!) and keeps pushing it, and demanding more and more.

I see it at the movie theater, too, of all places. There could be a dozen people in line but the person at the register has to give their sales pitch on the Stubz card or whatever it is that AMC theaters offer. Of course, management is too busy on their cell phones, playing Galaga or eating free popcorn to relieve their poor employee of having to harass people to get the customer card.

[MadMike]

The same thing happens when you call customer service at some places, which gives me yet another reason to not like calling them. I got a credit card from a certain store that will remain nameless, but is sometimes referred to as "Worst Buy." When it arrived, it came along with a letter instructing me to call a number to activate it. I figured it would be an automated system, much like the credit union I belong to, but it connected me to a live person, who tried to sell me some service plan or some crap. I politely told her, "I'm not interested. I just want to get the card activated." She then tried a second time, as if I hadn't even spoken. I repeated myself with emphasis, and then she activated the card and dropped the sales pitch. I had considered just telling her, "You know what? Just cancel the thing." I didn't because my son needed a laptop and getting the card was the only way to afford it at the time.

Even worse was when my wife's card went missing. She called in to report it and to get a replacement, and that person also tried to sell her some service she didn't want. I think this is really stooping low, because when someone calls in to report a missing card, they're freaking out over whether someone else used it, and also not having the card if they need it, and someone's forcing a sales pitch on them. And it's not like a traditional telemarketing call where you can simply hang up on them. You're basically a captive audience. If you hang up on them, you don't get your card activated, or your replacement card, or whatever it was you called in for.

[taxguykarl]

Honey - I know you're just doing your job, but is it really worth it to hold up the line and piss off 8 existing customers to get 1 new one?

Corporate's orders, Haddock. I have no doubt that common sense would govern otherwise.

[EricKei]

management is too busy on their cell phones, playing Galaga

They may be oblivious, but at least they have taste

[Headset Hellion]

Even worse was when my wife's card went missing. She called in to report it and to get a replacement, and that person also tried to sell her some service she didn't want. I think this is really stooping low, because when someone calls in to report a missing card, they're freaking out over whether someone else used it, and also not having the card if they need it, and someone's forcing a sales pitch on them. And it's not like a traditional telemarketing call where you can simply hang up on them. You're basically a captive audience. If you hang up on them, you don't get your card activated, or your replacement card, or whatever it was you called in for.

I work in consumer credit card services for a large bank, and believe me, I understand your frustration. I wish I could just handle customer service issues all day long; OMG I would be so happy! But that's not how it works. I am required to offer "opportunities" available on my accounts, and they track our "offer rate" just like they track our actual sales.

Obviously I can't speak for other institutions, but when a customer calls in to activate a new card, after security verification that is the first thing that gets done. There's a box that pops up that we have to click through to get to the rest of the account. So chances are good that even if you did hang up, your card is already activated. You also might have the option to activate your cards online; we offer this to customers with online banking accounts.

If you feel like the rep is not being respectful of your time or your concerns, demand to speak with a manager. We are required to escalate calls at the customer's request, no matter what.

[Canadian In Maine]

Every place nowadays, the clerks have to push their Savings Card / credit line / coupons / other item. And the clerks have quotas to meet and the boss will ream them out if they don't meet them or offer them to every customer. But if they do their spiel, they tick off the customers, who rip them new ones for wasting their time. Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

Jesus, don't I know it.

When folks come into Timmies they are bombarded with questions about their order: white, whole wheat, toasted, not toasted, mayo, no mayo, you get the idea. If we don't ask the questions the computer/cash register will not allow us to place the order properly.

I guess it's gotten so bad and it generated so many complaints that head office has issued a chain wide revamping of the system to "streamline" the ordering process. The store signage will say 'ham and swiss on white with mayo, $4.95, for example. And it won't come toasted.

There will be no more button prompts on the register. If there are any desired changes the customer will HAVE TO ASK. You and I both know that the customers, especially the regulars don't read the signs most of the time and will not notice the changes.

How long will it take for people to start complaining (to us, the front-line staff, of course) that we have deprived them of their choices?

I am anxiously awaiting the first lactose intolerant person to come back screaming that we put yogurt in their fruit smoothie. It won't be pretty, especially when they realize that there is no more price break for that smoothie without yogurt, if they think to ask for no yogurt.