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I'm sorry, I couldn't resist. And you didn't have a childhood if you don't recognize this. 
Tuesday through Thursday I have dealt with this guy who we have nicknamed Prince Ali. I had Tuesday off, so we had a coworker come down and cover for me.
I get in on Wednesday and call him to see what happened that day and he starts laughing, telling me of an SC he had.
A couple pulled up in a blue Camry (economy car, for those on the other side of the pond) and entered the store. They were Arabian, as the guy was fully dressed like a sheik. Turban, long robes, everything. His wife was dressed in robes from head to toe, only exposing her eyes. Now you get the picture.
He says he's kind and cordial, and finds a piece he wants. It's a ten foot sectional for a thousand dollars. Marked down from twelve hundred. He likes it...and then here comes the haggling.
According to my coworker, he tried to haggle EVERYTHING. He didn't want to pay that much for the furniture. He didn't want to pay delivery. He didn't want to pay sales tax. He wanted it delivered on a day we don't deliver. My coworker told him "No" for a good hour.
We do have one of those sectionals in the back marked down to six hundred - because it's damaged and has a few stains. Prince Ali decides he doesn't want it because "it isn't up to his standards." He wants us to give him a brand new sectional at the cost of the damaged one, and deliver it for free, during a one hour period on a day we don't deliver.
So he, pissed off, decides he doesn't want to get it after all since we're so inflexible, and storms out. I was laughing really hard when my coworker was telling me this.
So...about an hour after I get off the phone, I hear a *DING* at the front door and see what HAS to be Prince Ali. There's a blue Camry in the parking lot - and he still has on the sheik attire. I groan inwardly and go "Hi! How can I help you today?" knowing full well what this guy is going to do.
Sure enough, he does it.
"Yes, I was in here yesterday and spoke to a gentleman who was going to get me a deal on this couch here
oints to the sectional: He said delivery was free and he was going to get me a new one for the price of the damaged one in the back."
I laugh openly at this point. "Sir, I know all about what happened yesterday because I just had a call from said associate warning me about you. I don't appreciate liars in my showroom. Goodbye, and don't come back."
He was completely taken aback that I called him on his shit. Got an angry scowl, and then walked out.
Now this in itself is nothing new - people will come in all the time and say another associate promised them such and such, but never seem to remember that person's name. (My favorite is when I ask them what she looked like and they give off a description of a woman. HA! We haven't had a female on staff here for two years.)
It's the third part of this that cemented me to post this. Yesterday, I was working with my manager here, and had told him about Prince Ali. So I'm downstairs doing some cleaning, and I hear the door chime. We have a large mirror positioned at the stairs so we can see into the upper level and vice versa. I hear my manager starting to talk, and I hear a familiar voice.
Look into the mirror - Prince Ali is back AGAIN! And he's wearing NORMAL clothes this time, to try and fool us, I suspect. (Prince Ali, yes it is he, but not as you know him...) So I climb up to the top of the stairs, out of sight, and start eavesdropping on the conversation. He starts saying how he was talking to another associate who was going to try to get him a deal and drop the delivery charge. Boss informs him he has to drive two hours north to pick up said furniture. He starts going on about how "But I was promised by the gentleman working here yesterday-"
At that point, I make my grand entrance. "Oh, DID I?" I say, stepping in. Prince Ali's face turns white when he sees me, the Manager has a vague idea of what is going on and is trying not to smile. I give the biggest, friendliest customer service grin I can, point to the door, and say "Get the hell out out right now. We refuse to do business with a liar."
Ali gets pissed, demands that he will be back to see the manager. Manager steps up and goes "Don't bother. I am the manager. You're banned. Don't ever come back. As a matter of fact, I'm calling ALL the other showrooms in the area to tell them not to let you buy any of our product."
The mighty prince starts cursing in Arabic, (I think, it certainly wasn't any language that I speak or understand) and storms out, leaving a patch of rubber as he takes off (quite a feat in his little car.)
Tuesday through Thursday I have dealt with this guy who we have nicknamed Prince Ali. I had Tuesday off, so we had a coworker come down and cover for me.
I get in on Wednesday and call him to see what happened that day and he starts laughing, telling me of an SC he had.
A couple pulled up in a blue Camry (economy car, for those on the other side of the pond) and entered the store. They were Arabian, as the guy was fully dressed like a sheik. Turban, long robes, everything. His wife was dressed in robes from head to toe, only exposing her eyes. Now you get the picture.
He says he's kind and cordial, and finds a piece he wants. It's a ten foot sectional for a thousand dollars. Marked down from twelve hundred. He likes it...and then here comes the haggling.
According to my coworker, he tried to haggle EVERYTHING. He didn't want to pay that much for the furniture. He didn't want to pay delivery. He didn't want to pay sales tax. He wanted it delivered on a day we don't deliver. My coworker told him "No" for a good hour.
We do have one of those sectionals in the back marked down to six hundred - because it's damaged and has a few stains. Prince Ali decides he doesn't want it because "it isn't up to his standards." He wants us to give him a brand new sectional at the cost of the damaged one, and deliver it for free, during a one hour period on a day we don't deliver.
So he, pissed off, decides he doesn't want to get it after all since we're so inflexible, and storms out. I was laughing really hard when my coworker was telling me this.
So...about an hour after I get off the phone, I hear a *DING* at the front door and see what HAS to be Prince Ali. There's a blue Camry in the parking lot - and he still has on the sheik attire. I groan inwardly and go "Hi! How can I help you today?" knowing full well what this guy is going to do.
Sure enough, he does it.
"Yes, I was in here yesterday and spoke to a gentleman who was going to get me a deal on this couch here
oints to the sectional: He said delivery was free and he was going to get me a new one for the price of the damaged one in the back."I laugh openly at this point. "Sir, I know all about what happened yesterday because I just had a call from said associate warning me about you. I don't appreciate liars in my showroom. Goodbye, and don't come back."
He was completely taken aback that I called him on his shit. Got an angry scowl, and then walked out.
Now this in itself is nothing new - people will come in all the time and say another associate promised them such and such, but never seem to remember that person's name. (My favorite is when I ask them what she looked like and they give off a description of a woman. HA! We haven't had a female on staff here for two years.)
It's the third part of this that cemented me to post this. Yesterday, I was working with my manager here, and had told him about Prince Ali. So I'm downstairs doing some cleaning, and I hear the door chime. We have a large mirror positioned at the stairs so we can see into the upper level and vice versa. I hear my manager starting to talk, and I hear a familiar voice.
Look into the mirror - Prince Ali is back AGAIN! And he's wearing NORMAL clothes this time, to try and fool us, I suspect. (Prince Ali, yes it is he, but not as you know him...) So I climb up to the top of the stairs, out of sight, and start eavesdropping on the conversation. He starts saying how he was talking to another associate who was going to try to get him a deal and drop the delivery charge. Boss informs him he has to drive two hours north to pick up said furniture. He starts going on about how "But I was promised by the gentleman working here yesterday-"
At that point, I make my grand entrance. "Oh, DID I?" I say, stepping in. Prince Ali's face turns white when he sees me, the Manager has a vague idea of what is going on and is trying not to smile. I give the biggest, friendliest customer service grin I can, point to the door, and say "Get the hell out out right now. We refuse to do business with a liar."
Ali gets pissed, demands that he will be back to see the manager. Manager steps up and goes "Don't bother. I am the manager. You're banned. Don't ever come back. As a matter of fact, I'm calling ALL the other showrooms in the area to tell them not to let you buy any of our product."
The mighty prince starts cursing in Arabic, (I think, it certainly wasn't any language that I speak or understand) and storms out, leaving a patch of rubber as he takes off (quite a feat in his little car.)
I AM the evil bastard!
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