I have a few sucks here so this is gonna be long. Starting with most recent:
Suck 1)
It was insanely busy in the garden centre today. As such, it was also busy in our shop too. Again, I was in the home decor section. So while I was serving customers, this 'lady' kept coming up to interrupt. Every item she picked up she had queries about. Not a problem, it's good to ask questions. But she didn't have to keep bombarding me AS I was ringing up customers at my till.
BUT IT GETS WORSE!
She called me over to one of our bed displays. She wanted the duvet on the bed because it was the last one. So I started to undo the buttons on the duvet when this exchange occurred:
Her: I don't want to have to make the bed up when I get home, so just fold the duvet up and I'll have the quilt as well.
Me: Okay. I'll just need to scan one of the quilts up.
Her: Oh, no, no, it's okay thanks, just fold it up for me, no need to scan it.
Er... not gonna happen.
Me: Sorry, I do need to scan it.
Her: No it's fine. Help me fold this thing, will you?
Haha. You're trying to pull the wool over my eyes here, aren't you? As far as scams go, this one wasn't really thought out very well. And honestly, I am NOT that bloody gullible!
Me: But you need to pay for the quilt. It isn't free.
Then she got quite nasty.
Her: What do you mean, I have to pay? I'm not paying for a quilt that's been on display!
Me: Then you're welcome to buy one of our pre-packed quilts over there.
Her: But I don't want to have to make my bed up. *sigh* I guess I'll have to buy this one then.
So, I folded up the duvet/quilt for her and carried it under my arms. I pulled out a double quilt that was the correct thickness, after asking my supervisor which one she'd used on the bed display, since she's the one that does them. It was a super thick double. £20. Our cheapest ones started at £10. They were also singles.
Me: Okay, so that's a super thick double, which is £20.
Her: £20? No. That's not right. Some of these quilts are only £10. So I'll pay £10.
Me: But that's a single, and is also thin. You've got a super thick double.
Her: How do YOU know?
Er... because I work here? Also the fact that I asked the supervisor for clarification, and that's what she told me? Get real and STOP trying to haggle and scam me you pathetic wank stain.
Me: Well, I asked my supervisor. She dresses the beds. This is what she told me.
My supervisor then came over to see what all the commotion was about. She reeled off her grievances to my supervisor, and then asked for a discount since she was going to be buying SO MUCH STUFF and for RIDICULOUS PRICES.
OMG. Really? Fuck. Off.
My supervisor said no, and the customer reluctantly agreed. So, we got to the till. And then Miss. Rude started off again, saying that she's spending well over £100 here, we should at least give her SOMETHING off. I don't blame my supervisor for caving. She gave her 20% discount off the quilt and ONLY the quilt. Guess what? Miss. Rude suddenly turned into Miss. Polite.
"Oh, thank you so much for the discount hun!"
I just wanted to slap myself around the face I was that frazzled by the whole experience. I just wanted her out of my sight, there and then. Luckily, after supplying us with well over £100 in sales, she left. Thank. Fucking. GOD.
Suck 2)
I said “Hello” to a customer, which ended up with her staring at me like I’d just told her she’d got pig features. The rest of her family were there too but they just appeared ignorant of my presence.
Next thing I know, she was complaining to my supervisor about me. For saying hi. Jesus Christ.
“Tell your staff that I don’t like to be pressured like that. If I want something, I’ll buy it.”
My supervisor said, “She only said hello.”
To which the woman responded, “No. She was pressuring me to buy something.”
Okay, she was half right. Saying hello gives customers a good impression of us. They see we’re polite and friendly, and that means they’re more likely to buy something. But isn’t that what the retail industry’s all about? Of course, in my case, I’m naturally polite anyway. Thank you mum and dad for raising me properly. I was in a super happy mood that day and I just wanted to talk and laugh.
So yeah, good manners = good sales. But I definitely was NOT pressuring her. I’m really REALLY glad I didn’t ask her if she needed any help. She’d have probably gotten really angry!
Suck 3) (witnessed)
This one happened in the garden centre.
Asst. manager: I’m sorry that you weren’t satisfied with the level of customer service you received in our…
Pause.
I understand that you pay my wages, madam.
Pause.
I know that the customer is always right.
Pause.
We are grateful that you have spent thousands of pounds in our store.
Pause.
I’m sorry, it was not my intention to come across as sarcastic, madam.
Pause.
I would really like to make this right, so I am going to do everything in my power to do that.
Pause.
Again, I am sorry, it most certainly isn’t my intention to sound rude, madam.
Pause.
You are a valued customer and are being treated as such. Like I said, I want to be able to help you…
She cut him off then, but by the time I’d signed myself in I was already making my way to my shop, to start work. I couldn’t hear the rest of the phone call, but it was going on for another ten minutes. After the phone call, the asst. manager was talking to the other staff in hushed tones and then, as he was leaving the area, yelled back, “Well anyway it’s out of my hands now, she’s going to complain to head office.”
I know the phone call was one sided but it seemed so obvious to me that this woman clearly thought she was something special. She’s right, the customers DO pay our wages. But get this! If we didn’t do OUR jobs, the customer wouldn’t be able to buy anything from us… so essentially, we’re the ones paying our OWN wages. But these sorts of customers don’t think about that, do they?
And the dreaded, “The customer is always right.”
OMG. Anyone who quips back with that immediately gets the thumbs down from me. Because seriously, how conceited and up your own arse can you be?!
Suck 1)
It was insanely busy in the garden centre today. As such, it was also busy in our shop too. Again, I was in the home decor section. So while I was serving customers, this 'lady' kept coming up to interrupt. Every item she picked up she had queries about. Not a problem, it's good to ask questions. But she didn't have to keep bombarding me AS I was ringing up customers at my till.
BUT IT GETS WORSE!
She called me over to one of our bed displays. She wanted the duvet on the bed because it was the last one. So I started to undo the buttons on the duvet when this exchange occurred:
Her: I don't want to have to make the bed up when I get home, so just fold the duvet up and I'll have the quilt as well.
Me: Okay. I'll just need to scan one of the quilts up.
Her: Oh, no, no, it's okay thanks, just fold it up for me, no need to scan it.
Er... not gonna happen.
Me: Sorry, I do need to scan it.
Her: No it's fine. Help me fold this thing, will you?
Haha. You're trying to pull the wool over my eyes here, aren't you? As far as scams go, this one wasn't really thought out very well. And honestly, I am NOT that bloody gullible!
Me: But you need to pay for the quilt. It isn't free.
Then she got quite nasty.
Her: What do you mean, I have to pay? I'm not paying for a quilt that's been on display!
Me: Then you're welcome to buy one of our pre-packed quilts over there.
Her: But I don't want to have to make my bed up. *sigh* I guess I'll have to buy this one then.
So, I folded up the duvet/quilt for her and carried it under my arms. I pulled out a double quilt that was the correct thickness, after asking my supervisor which one she'd used on the bed display, since she's the one that does them. It was a super thick double. £20. Our cheapest ones started at £10. They were also singles.
Me: Okay, so that's a super thick double, which is £20.
Her: £20? No. That's not right. Some of these quilts are only £10. So I'll pay £10.
Me: But that's a single, and is also thin. You've got a super thick double.
Her: How do YOU know?
Er... because I work here? Also the fact that I asked the supervisor for clarification, and that's what she told me? Get real and STOP trying to haggle and scam me you pathetic wank stain.
Me: Well, I asked my supervisor. She dresses the beds. This is what she told me.
My supervisor then came over to see what all the commotion was about. She reeled off her grievances to my supervisor, and then asked for a discount since she was going to be buying SO MUCH STUFF and for RIDICULOUS PRICES.
OMG. Really? Fuck. Off.
My supervisor said no, and the customer reluctantly agreed. So, we got to the till. And then Miss. Rude started off again, saying that she's spending well over £100 here, we should at least give her SOMETHING off. I don't blame my supervisor for caving. She gave her 20% discount off the quilt and ONLY the quilt. Guess what? Miss. Rude suddenly turned into Miss. Polite.
"Oh, thank you so much for the discount hun!"
I just wanted to slap myself around the face I was that frazzled by the whole experience. I just wanted her out of my sight, there and then. Luckily, after supplying us with well over £100 in sales, she left. Thank. Fucking. GOD.
Suck 2)
I said “Hello” to a customer, which ended up with her staring at me like I’d just told her she’d got pig features. The rest of her family were there too but they just appeared ignorant of my presence.
Next thing I know, she was complaining to my supervisor about me. For saying hi. Jesus Christ.
“Tell your staff that I don’t like to be pressured like that. If I want something, I’ll buy it.”
My supervisor said, “She only said hello.”
To which the woman responded, “No. She was pressuring me to buy something.”
Okay, she was half right. Saying hello gives customers a good impression of us. They see we’re polite and friendly, and that means they’re more likely to buy something. But isn’t that what the retail industry’s all about? Of course, in my case, I’m naturally polite anyway. Thank you mum and dad for raising me properly. I was in a super happy mood that day and I just wanted to talk and laugh.
So yeah, good manners = good sales. But I definitely was NOT pressuring her. I’m really REALLY glad I didn’t ask her if she needed any help. She’d have probably gotten really angry!
Suck 3) (witnessed)
This one happened in the garden centre.
Asst. manager: I’m sorry that you weren’t satisfied with the level of customer service you received in our…
Pause.
I understand that you pay my wages, madam.
Pause.
I know that the customer is always right.
Pause.
We are grateful that you have spent thousands of pounds in our store.
Pause.
I’m sorry, it was not my intention to come across as sarcastic, madam.
Pause.
I would really like to make this right, so I am going to do everything in my power to do that.
Pause.
Again, I am sorry, it most certainly isn’t my intention to sound rude, madam.
Pause.
You are a valued customer and are being treated as such. Like I said, I want to be able to help you…
She cut him off then, but by the time I’d signed myself in I was already making my way to my shop, to start work. I couldn’t hear the rest of the phone call, but it was going on for another ten minutes. After the phone call, the asst. manager was talking to the other staff in hushed tones and then, as he was leaving the area, yelled back, “Well anyway it’s out of my hands now, she’s going to complain to head office.”
I know the phone call was one sided but it seemed so obvious to me that this woman clearly thought she was something special. She’s right, the customers DO pay our wages. But get this! If we didn’t do OUR jobs, the customer wouldn’t be able to buy anything from us… so essentially, we’re the ones paying our OWN wages. But these sorts of customers don’t think about that, do they?
And the dreaded, “The customer is always right.”
OMG. Anyone who quips back with that immediately gets the thumbs down from me. Because seriously, how conceited and up your own arse can you be?!
Comment