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So, as I've mentioned, I work the front desk at a salon/spa. One of the things my boss does is have a website where clients can go leave feedback, fill out a survey, that stuff. Our marks are consistently very very high, and when people complain, the things they complain about are so trivial ("I was cold, but I didn't say anything, so the therapist didn't get me an extra blanket because I didn't ask!") or so outrageous ("I would frequent your business more if your prices were lower, so you should have specials for people like me so we come back more") that we rarely have to act on them. Mostly people rave about the service and the staff, so usually it's very gratifying to read.
So we have this one client, has been coming there forever, seeing the same service provider. She's a little high maintenance, but usually pretty nice. A few months ago, she had some problems with her rewards program points, so I spent several hours in between clients dealing with the points people (it's an outside company), tracking down her past purchases, and getting her the points she was missing (she was missing them because she never presented her card to us when she was supposed to). All of this is really her responsibility, not ours, but I did it, no big deal.
Find out a week later, on my day off, she asks a coworker to do the same thing, since her points didn't post fast enough. Coworker explains points can take 2-3 weeks to points, and they've definitely been submitted. Nope, she makes coworker repeat the process of reviewing every purchase this woman has ever made. Takes coworker several hours, too. At this point, we've gone above and beyond for this woman, right?
Wrong, of course. She goes to our website. Fills out a survey. Raves about her spa services, her service provider, but gives the desk an "F" and in the comments, writes (paraphrasing from memory):
"Apparently, front desk customer service is a thing of the past. Used to be they would take my coat, offer me a drink, and make conversation while I waited. No more. Now they can't be bothered to even greet me. Not to mention, when I'm looking at products, the desk staff should help me and answer my questions. They are rude and lazy and do nothing to serve the customer. I welcome the day that something is done about them- that is the day your business will no longer suffer for their unwillingness to work."
Now, this woman comes in always during my shift or my coworker's. I see her once or twice a month for the past 5 years. Her service provider is notoriously punctual, and 9 times out of 10 meets her at the front door and escorts her right to her treatment. The other one time, we take her coat and offer a drink, like we do for everyone. Should I come knocking on the door to offer her a drink? No, we never interrupt a service. Next point, selling retail is the service provider's domain. They would kick our asses six ways to Sunday if it looked like we were trying to take their commission. Plus, they know better which products to recommend. If she ever asked me a question (which she never has), I would answer it to the best of my ability. The biggie: "rude, lazy, and do nothing to serve the customer?" So that combined 4 hours of *not my job* work my coworker and I did to get you points that you didn't have through your own laziness was lazy? F*ck you very much. What I've learned? (Well, I already knew, but it was reinforced). Never go above and beyond, because SCs won't appreciate it, won't think it was above and beyond enough, and they'll complain about you anyway.
So I see yesterday that she's on the schedule today. I intend to refuse to check her in, greet her, take her damn coat, check her out, or run her damn points unless she's got the rewards card at the ready, you know, all the things I apparently don't do anyway. The owner can deal with her, because although I pride myself on being very good at my job, I have a mouth on me, and my brain-to-mouth filter suffers when I'm pissed. You want to see rude and lazy? I can do rude and lazy. And see how nicely I treat everyone around you who isn't an ungrateful dillweed.
So we have this one client, has been coming there forever, seeing the same service provider. She's a little high maintenance, but usually pretty nice. A few months ago, she had some problems with her rewards program points, so I spent several hours in between clients dealing with the points people (it's an outside company), tracking down her past purchases, and getting her the points she was missing (she was missing them because she never presented her card to us when she was supposed to). All of this is really her responsibility, not ours, but I did it, no big deal.
Find out a week later, on my day off, she asks a coworker to do the same thing, since her points didn't post fast enough. Coworker explains points can take 2-3 weeks to points, and they've definitely been submitted. Nope, she makes coworker repeat the process of reviewing every purchase this woman has ever made. Takes coworker several hours, too. At this point, we've gone above and beyond for this woman, right?
Wrong, of course. She goes to our website. Fills out a survey. Raves about her spa services, her service provider, but gives the desk an "F" and in the comments, writes (paraphrasing from memory):
"Apparently, front desk customer service is a thing of the past. Used to be they would take my coat, offer me a drink, and make conversation while I waited. No more. Now they can't be bothered to even greet me. Not to mention, when I'm looking at products, the desk staff should help me and answer my questions. They are rude and lazy and do nothing to serve the customer. I welcome the day that something is done about them- that is the day your business will no longer suffer for their unwillingness to work."
Now, this woman comes in always during my shift or my coworker's. I see her once or twice a month for the past 5 years. Her service provider is notoriously punctual, and 9 times out of 10 meets her at the front door and escorts her right to her treatment. The other one time, we take her coat and offer a drink, like we do for everyone. Should I come knocking on the door to offer her a drink? No, we never interrupt a service. Next point, selling retail is the service provider's domain. They would kick our asses six ways to Sunday if it looked like we were trying to take their commission. Plus, they know better which products to recommend. If she ever asked me a question (which she never has), I would answer it to the best of my ability. The biggie: "rude, lazy, and do nothing to serve the customer?" So that combined 4 hours of *not my job* work my coworker and I did to get you points that you didn't have through your own laziness was lazy? F*ck you very much. What I've learned? (Well, I already knew, but it was reinforced). Never go above and beyond, because SCs won't appreciate it, won't think it was above and beyond enough, and they'll complain about you anyway.
So I see yesterday that she's on the schedule today. I intend to refuse to check her in, greet her, take her damn coat, check her out, or run her damn points unless she's got the rewards card at the ready, you know, all the things I apparently don't do anyway. The owner can deal with her, because although I pride myself on being very good at my job, I have a mouth on me, and my brain-to-mouth filter suffers when I'm pissed. You want to see rude and lazy? I can do rude and lazy. And see how nicely I treat everyone around you who isn't an ungrateful dillweed.
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