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I started a new job one month ago and today was my first truly sucky customer. Sorry if some parts are confusing; I can't say where I work and some information may make it obvious so I am substituting some words. Please no guessing.
SW: Sucky woman
M: Yours truly
L: Lead/Manager
M: (opening spiel)
SW: This better damn work. I spent 7 hours waiting in my hotel room for this fax and I am going to be late for my (activity). That idiot at the door wouldn't let me in because the bar code wouldn't scan but I spent the last 7 hours waiting for a good barcode so there is a problem here.
She slams a voucher down on the counter. At least where I work travel vouchers are when someone buys our (product/services) through a third party at a discount. When I process the voucher my computer prints out a bill that will be sent to the voucher company to receive the payment from the third party. To process the voucher I need booking information, processing code, company name, customer name, number in the party and type of (products/services) purchased. As I scan the voucher I notice a big problem. The voucher is for 1 traveler but the woman has her young daughter with her and there is not information other than the company, woman's name, and no refund disclaimer. Also it is 2:45pm so the woman has been up since 7:45am on her vacation waiting for a fax when we weren't even open until 9am?
M: I'll be right back.
I go to my lead.
L: Yes?
M: We have a problem. This lady has a voucher with no info.
L: Okay let me see.
We go back. My lead looks at it and lets the woman know she needs to make a phone call. My lead goes to make the phone call. Keeping the customer happy while waiting is my task during this waiting period.
M: So what's your favorite part of (place of employment)?
SW: Getting in. Yesterday the lead looked at it and let me in and told me to come back with a voucher. I do and you idiots don't let me in. It has a barcode it should scan.
M: Well that barcode is for (travel company) not us and it . . .
SW: Bullshit! A bar code is a bar code I was told to come back with a bar code!
M: I am sorry for the misunderstanding but a voucher typically has (important information) and without it we can't . . .
SW: Whatever! You guys took my money and now you don't believe me because I don't have the right piece of paper. I hope you are happy for ruining my daughters trip. I have been waiting for 20 minutes already and I am going to miss my (activity).
M: Would you like any (promotional complimentary materials)?
SW: What kind do you have?
M: (List ten types and show her samples)
SW: Like any of those apply we are here for a vacation and it certainly has been anything but happy. I am a single mom and this trip is really a sacrifice for me and you want to mock it with (promotional complimentary materials)? Just let me in and you deal with this mess!
M: Once again I am sorry I didn't mean to mock you with (promotional complimentary materials) and I am sorry if you took it that way. Let me see what is happening with my lead.
This whole time the 4 year old is running around playing with other kids in the area and only 5 minutes have passed. I go to check with my lead and give her the information about coming in yesterday.
L: The other lead would have told her to fax it to (central location) so we could have it on file and she could go to (special area with shorter lines that handles problems and special situations). Someone can't follow directions. (Travel company) probably called to confirm and she mixed up numbers. Looks like I am going to have to call (travel company) let her know it's going to be a few minutes.
I go back to her and see she is now on the phone.
SW: These idiots are saying they can't scan the bar code when all they need was a bar code. I am really unhappy with you at (travel company). I need you to send them whatever it is they need so I can go. I am have been standing here for an hour and a half in 95 degree weather (the lines were 5 minutes tops, she had been there for maybe 7-8 minutes and it was a nice 80 with a breeze). I spent over $1500 on this trip and I want my vacation. My little girl is in tears (maybe tears of laughter from playing with the other kids but I saw no sadness on the little girls face). Oh wait the girl it back let me have her tell you what they need.
M: I can't talk on your phone but you can relay that we need a voucher with (important information) faxed to (#). Also my lead is on the phone with a representative with (travel company). Once we have confirmation the voucher has been faxed we will send someone to the fax machine located (location across main plaza) to get it.
SW: Now they can't even talk on the phone to help solve the problem. Great. (relays information). Okay thank you.
I try to make small talk and keep her occupied but every attempt is shot down I finally give up and organize/clean my work space a little while we wait; at this point 15 minutes have passed. My lead comes up and tells me to go on break before I get a break violation and the breaker will take over. Thinking that's the end I explain that I am going on break and hope everything works out for her and her daughter. 15 glorious customer free minutes later I am walking back from a break room located on the opposite side of the plaza when who should I pass but SW and daughter.
SW: I see you took your sweet time. Do you have my fax?
M: Uh, no. If the fax came in they would have brought it from (location). I am coming back from break.
SW: Well luckily someone with brains decided to let us in so we wouldn't waste any more time. 7 hours waiting in the room and then 3 hours at the window. We wasted 10 hours because you couldn't get your act together.
M: I am sorry you feel that way. I hope you have a good rest of your vacation.
I walked off before it became a bad situation. Back at my window the lead informed me that despite two people at (travel company) saying they were sending the correct voucher right away nothing had come through. Apparently the woman was told to go to the (special area with shorter lines that handles problems and special situations) tomorrow where the fax will have hopefully arrived by then. I doubt she will follow directions tomorrow and will end up pissed off again because of her own lack of comprehension.
SW: Sucky woman
M: Yours truly
L: Lead/Manager
M: (opening spiel)
SW: This better damn work. I spent 7 hours waiting in my hotel room for this fax and I am going to be late for my (activity). That idiot at the door wouldn't let me in because the bar code wouldn't scan but I spent the last 7 hours waiting for a good barcode so there is a problem here.
She slams a voucher down on the counter. At least where I work travel vouchers are when someone buys our (product/services) through a third party at a discount. When I process the voucher my computer prints out a bill that will be sent to the voucher company to receive the payment from the third party. To process the voucher I need booking information, processing code, company name, customer name, number in the party and type of (products/services) purchased. As I scan the voucher I notice a big problem. The voucher is for 1 traveler but the woman has her young daughter with her and there is not information other than the company, woman's name, and no refund disclaimer. Also it is 2:45pm so the woman has been up since 7:45am on her vacation waiting for a fax when we weren't even open until 9am?
M: I'll be right back.
I go to my lead.
L: Yes?
M: We have a problem. This lady has a voucher with no info.
L: Okay let me see.
We go back. My lead looks at it and lets the woman know she needs to make a phone call. My lead goes to make the phone call. Keeping the customer happy while waiting is my task during this waiting period.
M: So what's your favorite part of (place of employment)?
SW: Getting in. Yesterday the lead looked at it and let me in and told me to come back with a voucher. I do and you idiots don't let me in. It has a barcode it should scan.
M: Well that barcode is for (travel company) not us and it . . .
SW: Bullshit! A bar code is a bar code I was told to come back with a bar code!
M: I am sorry for the misunderstanding but a voucher typically has (important information) and without it we can't . . .
SW: Whatever! You guys took my money and now you don't believe me because I don't have the right piece of paper. I hope you are happy for ruining my daughters trip. I have been waiting for 20 minutes already and I am going to miss my (activity).
M: Would you like any (promotional complimentary materials)?
SW: What kind do you have?
M: (List ten types and show her samples)
SW: Like any of those apply we are here for a vacation and it certainly has been anything but happy. I am a single mom and this trip is really a sacrifice for me and you want to mock it with (promotional complimentary materials)? Just let me in and you deal with this mess!
M: Once again I am sorry I didn't mean to mock you with (promotional complimentary materials) and I am sorry if you took it that way. Let me see what is happening with my lead.
This whole time the 4 year old is running around playing with other kids in the area and only 5 minutes have passed. I go to check with my lead and give her the information about coming in yesterday.
L: The other lead would have told her to fax it to (central location) so we could have it on file and she could go to (special area with shorter lines that handles problems and special situations). Someone can't follow directions. (Travel company) probably called to confirm and she mixed up numbers. Looks like I am going to have to call (travel company) let her know it's going to be a few minutes.
I go back to her and see she is now on the phone.
SW: These idiots are saying they can't scan the bar code when all they need was a bar code. I am really unhappy with you at (travel company). I need you to send them whatever it is they need so I can go. I am have been standing here for an hour and a half in 95 degree weather (the lines were 5 minutes tops, she had been there for maybe 7-8 minutes and it was a nice 80 with a breeze). I spent over $1500 on this trip and I want my vacation. My little girl is in tears (maybe tears of laughter from playing with the other kids but I saw no sadness on the little girls face). Oh wait the girl it back let me have her tell you what they need.
M: I can't talk on your phone but you can relay that we need a voucher with (important information) faxed to (#). Also my lead is on the phone with a representative with (travel company). Once we have confirmation the voucher has been faxed we will send someone to the fax machine located (location across main plaza) to get it.
SW: Now they can't even talk on the phone to help solve the problem. Great. (relays information). Okay thank you.
I try to make small talk and keep her occupied but every attempt is shot down I finally give up and organize/clean my work space a little while we wait; at this point 15 minutes have passed. My lead comes up and tells me to go on break before I get a break violation and the breaker will take over. Thinking that's the end I explain that I am going on break and hope everything works out for her and her daughter. 15 glorious customer free minutes later I am walking back from a break room located on the opposite side of the plaza when who should I pass but SW and daughter.
SW: I see you took your sweet time. Do you have my fax?
M: Uh, no. If the fax came in they would have brought it from (location). I am coming back from break.
SW: Well luckily someone with brains decided to let us in so we wouldn't waste any more time. 7 hours waiting in the room and then 3 hours at the window. We wasted 10 hours because you couldn't get your act together.
M: I am sorry you feel that way. I hope you have a good rest of your vacation.
I walked off before it became a bad situation. Back at my window the lead informed me that despite two people at (travel company) saying they were sending the correct voucher right away nothing had come through. Apparently the woman was told to go to the (special area with shorter lines that handles problems and special situations) tomorrow where the fax will have hopefully arrived by then. I doubt she will follow directions tomorrow and will end up pissed off again because of her own lack of comprehension.
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