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I rarely have to deal with scammers, but today I got TWO instances. And of the same type, even.
Would be Scammer #1
Guy comes up and asks for a refill. I tell him the cost (yeah, we charge for refills despite the highly overpriced sodas. Yell at the management, not me). He says I--as in ME-- told him we gave free refills. Now, I typically remember my customers. I can't list them off, of course, but if someone comes back to my register, I generally recall that they were there earlier. Either way, I would NEVER tell anyone we have free refills. If they ask, I tell them we charge a discounted rate, and no refills at all on pitchers. He keeps trying to say that I DID, or that I lied to him. I'm still smiling my incredibly polite Service Smile, and punctuating every sentence with "sir". He says he'll get his wife and she'll agree with him. Well, jolly good ol' chap. You can be wrong together. Bet it's made the marriage last for nearly a week now.
He digs out his money, still insisting I said he could get a free refill. I pretty much blow these off, ring him up, ask what kind he wants, fills it up, and flash him another smile.
I expected his "wife" to show up and rant at me, but nope. I don't think he even went to a manager.
Would be Scammer 2
A small family (man, woman, tiny cute baby girl) come to my register and start yammering about how one of their sodas got stolen, and the other got spilled because the top wasn't on correctly.
I immediately go to my manager, since they wanted free sodas. He says they bought them from me, which is possible (I don't ALWAYS remember my customers), but the last cups of soda I sold were nearly half an hour ago.
Now, 2 things:
1) How oblivious do you have to be to have someone walk off with your soda?
2) Anyone who's ever filled a cup knows that if the top isn't on firmly, you'll know as soon as you pick it up. We fill all containers behind the counter and put the tops on ourselves. This requires the vessel to be LIFTED and transported to the customer. I'd have gotten splashed with rebellious liquid, put the top on more firmly, and continued with the process.
They start demanding that the manager check the security videos to prove they had purchased sodas from me. Security does come over just in case. Manager asks them to show him the spill.
A couple more things:
1) The inside of this place is not big at all. Maybe 100 feet, since most of the park is for the outdoor rides. Hostesses are always going about the dining area, and one of them would have noticed a spill right next to their party table.
2) The security guys basically wander around to keep an eye on things. Now, a soda may be a silly thing to report to security, but they were certainly there.
3) Where's the cup? If a soda got spilled and you wanted a refill, shouldn't you at LEAST have the cup? And how about the spill? Manager found no spill, and no hostess had been summoned to clean one up. Napkins would not be sufficient to clean up a cup-worth of fallen liquid.
He ended up giving them one free soda. One of the security guys later told me he'd have been more inclined to believe them if they hadn't said I had been rude. I was still doing my Patient Smile, Even Tone, Punctuate with Sir routine with them, and am known for being very cheerful and polite, especially with customers.
So nanny nanny boo boo. Try Chuck E Cheese for that nonsense. I hear they serve beer.
And speaking of beer...
Earlier this weekend, a woman got handed to me by my manager. She claimed she had bought a pizza. She was making little sense and seemed quite off. Manager whispered to me that she was probably drunk (though she DID notice that action). Basically, when you order, you get a receipt with your order and a number so you can claim your good. Pickup gets a duplicate. Receipts are thrown away when the food is collected and we don't return receipts. At this point, we have no food for pickup, none in the oven, and no slip for any ordered.
She also kept changing her story. First she ordered it, then it was her DAUGHTER who ordered it. I explain (a few times) that she should have a receipt for her order. She finally says something about talking to her daughter, and leaves. I don't see her again and don't know where she went.
Not sure if she was drunk, drugged, or just loopy and confused. Heck, maybe it was a speech impediment and her daughter had just picked up their food. Still, it DID hold up the line.
Wherein I get to kick people out
We've been closing at 8pm, since it's slow season. At 8:30, people are still there. A large group that had been having a party. Now, they aren't buying anything because all the registers are closed. They aren't riding rides. The kids are playing games and basically running wild while the adults sit at the table and shoot the breeze. The staff is cleaning (VERY obviously) and eventually, loitering, because we can't finish cleanup until they are GONE. Finally, since I'm bored and want to go home, I tell my manager that everything is done, but that one table is still full of people and we still have to clean that up.
"Kick 'em out", he says.
Surprised, but pleased, I go back to the Hostess counter to plot just how to do it. I mentioned previously that I'm polite, and just going up to them and saying "Hey, we want to go home. Could you kindly go away?" just seems a bit rude.
One of my CWs suggests using the intercom system that we use to call food numbers and parties. Brilliant! So I get on the intercom.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the park is now closed. Please make your way to the exit and have a pleasant day."
They get up and leave!
I waited until they were halfway to the door before going to start cleaning the mess they left. Food trays and boxes, food smears on the table, trash left all over, etc. Takes me and a CW a while to finish it. Finally, at nearly 9pm, I got to leave.
Gawd, we make an announcement at 7:45 that the place is closing, everyone else has gone, and the staff is CLEANING UP AROUND YOU. Why do you PERSIST?! I don't make enough to waste an extra hour waiting for you to GTFO. Some people were happy they were getting an extra hour, but I'd need at least 3 more dollars per hour to make it worth it.
But at least they left.
Would be Scammer #1
Guy comes up and asks for a refill. I tell him the cost (yeah, we charge for refills despite the highly overpriced sodas. Yell at the management, not me). He says I--as in ME-- told him we gave free refills. Now, I typically remember my customers. I can't list them off, of course, but if someone comes back to my register, I generally recall that they were there earlier. Either way, I would NEVER tell anyone we have free refills. If they ask, I tell them we charge a discounted rate, and no refills at all on pitchers. He keeps trying to say that I DID, or that I lied to him. I'm still smiling my incredibly polite Service Smile, and punctuating every sentence with "sir". He says he'll get his wife and she'll agree with him. Well, jolly good ol' chap. You can be wrong together. Bet it's made the marriage last for nearly a week now.
He digs out his money, still insisting I said he could get a free refill. I pretty much blow these off, ring him up, ask what kind he wants, fills it up, and flash him another smile.
I expected his "wife" to show up and rant at me, but nope. I don't think he even went to a manager.
Would be Scammer 2
A small family (man, woman, tiny cute baby girl) come to my register and start yammering about how one of their sodas got stolen, and the other got spilled because the top wasn't on correctly.
I immediately go to my manager, since they wanted free sodas. He says they bought them from me, which is possible (I don't ALWAYS remember my customers), but the last cups of soda I sold were nearly half an hour ago.
Now, 2 things:
1) How oblivious do you have to be to have someone walk off with your soda?
2) Anyone who's ever filled a cup knows that if the top isn't on firmly, you'll know as soon as you pick it up. We fill all containers behind the counter and put the tops on ourselves. This requires the vessel to be LIFTED and transported to the customer. I'd have gotten splashed with rebellious liquid, put the top on more firmly, and continued with the process.
They start demanding that the manager check the security videos to prove they had purchased sodas from me. Security does come over just in case. Manager asks them to show him the spill.
A couple more things:
1) The inside of this place is not big at all. Maybe 100 feet, since most of the park is for the outdoor rides. Hostesses are always going about the dining area, and one of them would have noticed a spill right next to their party table.
2) The security guys basically wander around to keep an eye on things. Now, a soda may be a silly thing to report to security, but they were certainly there.
3) Where's the cup? If a soda got spilled and you wanted a refill, shouldn't you at LEAST have the cup? And how about the spill? Manager found no spill, and no hostess had been summoned to clean one up. Napkins would not be sufficient to clean up a cup-worth of fallen liquid.
He ended up giving them one free soda. One of the security guys later told me he'd have been more inclined to believe them if they hadn't said I had been rude. I was still doing my Patient Smile, Even Tone, Punctuate with Sir routine with them, and am known for being very cheerful and polite, especially with customers.
So nanny nanny boo boo. Try Chuck E Cheese for that nonsense. I hear they serve beer.
And speaking of beer...
Earlier this weekend, a woman got handed to me by my manager. She claimed she had bought a pizza. She was making little sense and seemed quite off. Manager whispered to me that she was probably drunk (though she DID notice that action). Basically, when you order, you get a receipt with your order and a number so you can claim your good. Pickup gets a duplicate. Receipts are thrown away when the food is collected and we don't return receipts. At this point, we have no food for pickup, none in the oven, and no slip for any ordered.
She also kept changing her story. First she ordered it, then it was her DAUGHTER who ordered it. I explain (a few times) that she should have a receipt for her order. She finally says something about talking to her daughter, and leaves. I don't see her again and don't know where she went.
Not sure if she was drunk, drugged, or just loopy and confused. Heck, maybe it was a speech impediment and her daughter had just picked up their food. Still, it DID hold up the line.
Wherein I get to kick people out
We've been closing at 8pm, since it's slow season. At 8:30, people are still there. A large group that had been having a party. Now, they aren't buying anything because all the registers are closed. They aren't riding rides. The kids are playing games and basically running wild while the adults sit at the table and shoot the breeze. The staff is cleaning (VERY obviously) and eventually, loitering, because we can't finish cleanup until they are GONE. Finally, since I'm bored and want to go home, I tell my manager that everything is done, but that one table is still full of people and we still have to clean that up.
"Kick 'em out", he says.
Surprised, but pleased, I go back to the Hostess counter to plot just how to do it. I mentioned previously that I'm polite, and just going up to them and saying "Hey, we want to go home. Could you kindly go away?" just seems a bit rude.
One of my CWs suggests using the intercom system that we use to call food numbers and parties. Brilliant! So I get on the intercom.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the park is now closed. Please make your way to the exit and have a pleasant day."
They get up and leave!
I waited until they were halfway to the door before going to start cleaning the mess they left. Food trays and boxes, food smears on the table, trash left all over, etc. Takes me and a CW a while to finish it. Finally, at nearly 9pm, I got to leave.
Gawd, we make an announcement at 7:45 that the place is closing, everyone else has gone, and the staff is CLEANING UP AROUND YOU. Why do you PERSIST?! I don't make enough to waste an extra hour waiting for you to GTFO. Some people were happy they were getting an extra hour, but I'd need at least 3 more dollars per hour to make it worth it.
But at least they left.
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