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Short one but a good one. Cast of characters.
Me:
SC: self explanatory
SCH: SC's husband
CM: Cool manager
Me: Thank you calling <games store> how may I help you?
SC: Yeah I'm calling to see if you have <name of game>
Me: Ok, let me check.
SCH: (in background) The website shows they have it in!
Me: Unfortunately we are sold out of that game right now.
SC: My husband says your website says you have it in stock.
SCH: See, it's right here.
Me: The website might indicate that, but the site doesn't always show the correct inventory for us. It's likely the game was sold a bit earlier today and the site hasn't been updated yet.
SC: Ok then, bye. *click*
Not so sucky right? Well this wasn't the end of it. Our website allows you to select an item and pick it up in-store. Not long after this call, a notice came through indicating someone had reserved <same game as above> and expected it to be waiting for them when they got here. Oh boy.
I didn't recognize the SCs when they came in, but I sure recognized the voices when they started talking.
SC: *waves online confirmation in my face* Yeah I'm here to pick up this game.
Me: Did you call earlier about it?
SC: Yes and whoever we spoke to said you didn't have it but the website let us reserve it so we assumed it you must have some copies in.
Me: I was the one you spoke to and we are still sold out of that game.
SC: But the website let us reserve it! Maybe you'll be getting more in today?
Me: It's Saturday. We won't get any shipments until Monday.
SC: This is ridiculous, I have this sheet of paper here that says I have reserved this game. I want this game!
Me: We don't have it in right now ma'am.
SCH: This *waves online confirmation again* says you do.
SC: I demand you sell me this game right now.
(Oh no it's the 'D' word)
Me: I would love to but I cannot sell you something I do not have.
SC: Are you sure you don't have it stuck away somewhere in the back?
(SC strike two. First a "demand", now a request to check in the infamous back room)
Me: I'm sure ma'am, every game we sell is kept out here on the sales floor. Only things in the back are consoles and accessories.
SC: Well I'm NOT leaving until I get my game. I know it's here somewhere, it must be, otherwise the site wouldn't let me reserve it.
Me: As I explained to you on the phone, the website doesn't always reflect our actual inventory levels.
SCH: We reserved this game, why won't you give it to us?
Me: Because I -
SC: I've had enough of this. Can I speak to your manager please?
(annnnd that'd be strike 3)
I briefed CM on the situation.
CM: Well I'd love to help you folks, but like my employee said, we're sold out of that game right now. I can check to see if another store in the area has it.
SC: *waves confirmation email again* this says you do!
(oh how badly I'd like to send that email on an all expenses paid trip to shredsville)
CM: Unfortunately we don't, the website made a mistake.
SC: But, but...
CM: Look I'm going to say this one more time. We DON'T have the game in right now. I can either try to find it from another store or you can wait until we get more in next week.
SC: I think we should get a discount on this game because of the inconvenience of having to drive down here only to find out there was no game.
(I jumped in, I had to)
Me: That's ridiculous. I told you in advance we didn't have the game in and I also explained to you why the website might indicate we did. You chose to come down here knowing full well we probably didn't have the game. I don't think you should get a discount for that.
SC: Well YOU aren't the manager. (to CM) So do I get my discount or not?
CM: I'm sorry ma'am, I can't give you a discount pretty much for the reasons he just explained.
SCH: You know what fine, we don't need this, we'll just go get it at <competitor>, they probably actually give a crap about taking care of their customers.
*SCs stomp off*
The true sadness of this story, besides the obvious, is that another store in our chain had several copies of the game and they are located only THREE miles away.
Me:
SC: self explanatory
SCH: SC's husband
CM: Cool manager
Me: Thank you calling <games store> how may I help you?
SC: Yeah I'm calling to see if you have <name of game>
Me: Ok, let me check.
SCH: (in background) The website shows they have it in!
Me: Unfortunately we are sold out of that game right now.
SC: My husband says your website says you have it in stock.
SCH: See, it's right here.
Me: The website might indicate that, but the site doesn't always show the correct inventory for us. It's likely the game was sold a bit earlier today and the site hasn't been updated yet.
SC: Ok then, bye. *click*
Not so sucky right? Well this wasn't the end of it. Our website allows you to select an item and pick it up in-store. Not long after this call, a notice came through indicating someone had reserved <same game as above> and expected it to be waiting for them when they got here. Oh boy.
I didn't recognize the SCs when they came in, but I sure recognized the voices when they started talking.
SC: *waves online confirmation in my face* Yeah I'm here to pick up this game.
Me: Did you call earlier about it?
SC: Yes and whoever we spoke to said you didn't have it but the website let us reserve it so we assumed it you must have some copies in.
Me: I was the one you spoke to and we are still sold out of that game.
SC: But the website let us reserve it! Maybe you'll be getting more in today?
Me: It's Saturday. We won't get any shipments until Monday.
SC: This is ridiculous, I have this sheet of paper here that says I have reserved this game. I want this game!
Me: We don't have it in right now ma'am.
SCH: This *waves online confirmation again* says you do.
SC: I demand you sell me this game right now.
(Oh no it's the 'D' word)
Me: I would love to but I cannot sell you something I do not have.
SC: Are you sure you don't have it stuck away somewhere in the back?
(SC strike two. First a "demand", now a request to check in the infamous back room)
Me: I'm sure ma'am, every game we sell is kept out here on the sales floor. Only things in the back are consoles and accessories.
SC: Well I'm NOT leaving until I get my game. I know it's here somewhere, it must be, otherwise the site wouldn't let me reserve it.
Me: As I explained to you on the phone, the website doesn't always reflect our actual inventory levels.
SCH: We reserved this game, why won't you give it to us?
Me: Because I -
SC: I've had enough of this. Can I speak to your manager please?
(annnnd that'd be strike 3)
I briefed CM on the situation.
CM: Well I'd love to help you folks, but like my employee said, we're sold out of that game right now. I can check to see if another store in the area has it.
SC: *waves confirmation email again* this says you do!
(oh how badly I'd like to send that email on an all expenses paid trip to shredsville)
CM: Unfortunately we don't, the website made a mistake.
SC: But, but...
CM: Look I'm going to say this one more time. We DON'T have the game in right now. I can either try to find it from another store or you can wait until we get more in next week.
SC: I think we should get a discount on this game because of the inconvenience of having to drive down here only to find out there was no game.
(I jumped in, I had to)
Me: That's ridiculous. I told you in advance we didn't have the game in and I also explained to you why the website might indicate we did. You chose to come down here knowing full well we probably didn't have the game. I don't think you should get a discount for that.
SC: Well YOU aren't the manager. (to CM) So do I get my discount or not?
CM: I'm sorry ma'am, I can't give you a discount pretty much for the reasons he just explained.
SCH: You know what fine, we don't need this, we'll just go get it at <competitor>, they probably actually give a crap about taking care of their customers.
*SCs stomp off*
The true sadness of this story, besides the obvious, is that another store in our chain had several copies of the game and they are located only THREE miles away.
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