This happened last month.
We had special weekend sale on. Corporate sent us a bunch of banners and signs and stuff for the sale that were all to be taken down on Monday. This was no small discount either, we are talking HALF PRICE on an item that normally costs close to $250.
We have also been short staffed so when I came in on this particular Monday, I was practically slammed with work the whole day.
I happened to notice a sign up still advertising the sale, so I turned it face down to avoid any problems. I should have removed it completely, but I was so busy I settled for the quick fix.
Later a female CW of mine put the sign back up because she assumed the sign had just fallen over. You can probably guess where this is headed.
A lady comes in and asks if the promotion is still going. I tell her no, it ended on Sunday. She admits she had seen the item on sale but had been undecided on buying it until today. I tell her that is unfortunate but the sale is over...
SC1: But your sign is still up over there...any chance I can get an extra day on that sale?
Me: The sign does say "limited time only" , the sale is already over ma'am.
SC1: See I think that's unfair, if you have a sign up advertising that price you should honor it. It's not fair to the customer to do that.
(Note: in addition to the sign that was causing the issue, the one that said "limited time only", we had another advertisement for the sale in our weekly flyer, that particular ad, which was displayed in full view at the front of the counter said clearly: Offer ends June 14, 2009).
Me: I'm not sure what to tell you ma'am, but the sale is over.
SC1: Is there anyway you can call a manager or a supervisor and tell them you have an unhappy customer here and that you should honor this deal?
Me: I'll see what I can do in just a moment.
Here's where the double suck comes in. I was helping a man at the register while I was talking to this SC who has now wanting a manager. The guy at the register had been listening to this whole exchange. As soon as I finished ringing him up, he decided to chime in.
SC2: You know they should honor that price for you. These companies have no right to rip us off like that.
(....what?? you're trying to take advantage of a sale that has ended but somehow WE are ripping YOU off?)
SC1: Absolutely, I don't see why they wouldn't honor the price. I bet the manager will do it for me.
SC2: They should absolutely do it for you because everyone knows (and then he said the dreaded words...) The customer is always right.
What I would have (and probably SHOULD have) said: "I'm sorry we don't follow that policy here.
What I actually did was shoot SC2 a stern glare. A VERY stern glare. He didn't react any to it though.
SC1: Damn right! That's the price on the sign, that's the price I should get.
SC2: Well I hope they give it to you because it's what you deserve.
(ohhhhhh no it isn't....)
*SC2 leaves*
So I make a call to our regional manager (store manager is off for the day) and get her voicemail. I left a message clearly explaining the issue and the signage and whatnot and told SC1 I should get a reply from her shortly. Rather than stick around, SC1 left me a name and phone number and told me to call her once I hear something.
Forty minutes pass by and I finally get a call back from the Regional Manager who says, without a doubt in her voice, that we WILL give this customer the fat discount she was trying to get because it was our error the sign got left out (even though it said LIMITED frickin' TIME?!). I was gritting my teeth as I hung up the phone.
So I called SC1 and told her that Corporate had , as usual, given the ok for her to get the deal. She shows up about 15 minutes later with a triumphant smirk on her face.
*as I am ringing her out*
SC1: Well I'm glad you work for such a sensible company that values its customers. I'm very pleased with the quick response.
(...I'm sure you are...)
SC1: It would have been nice if I could have gotten a resolution right away, but I understand. If you want results, you have to take it up the ladder.
Me: (trying as hard as possible not to slap this woman silly) Anything else for you today??
SC1: Nope, tell your Regional Manager thanks so much for the deal. I can't wait to get this home and try it! *big grin*
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAHHHH!
It's just so infuriating to get put through that. Both signs clearly stated the sale was for a limited time, why won't ANYONE stick to their guns anymore? Is it really going to be that terrible to lose a "customer" (and I use the term loosely since she actually COST us over $100) because they couldn't make up their mind on a sale item???
...and a bonus
Several days before that, I experienced a similar incident. A lady got upset with me that she couldn't get a trade promotion we had been running. The reason was the promotion had ended three days earlier. She even had the flyer with her and the close date was printed clearly on it. She was certainly upset, but eventually accepted the fact that she was too late for the deal.
We had special weekend sale on. Corporate sent us a bunch of banners and signs and stuff for the sale that were all to be taken down on Monday. This was no small discount either, we are talking HALF PRICE on an item that normally costs close to $250.
We have also been short staffed so when I came in on this particular Monday, I was practically slammed with work the whole day.
I happened to notice a sign up still advertising the sale, so I turned it face down to avoid any problems. I should have removed it completely, but I was so busy I settled for the quick fix.
Later a female CW of mine put the sign back up because she assumed the sign had just fallen over. You can probably guess where this is headed.
A lady comes in and asks if the promotion is still going. I tell her no, it ended on Sunday. She admits she had seen the item on sale but had been undecided on buying it until today. I tell her that is unfortunate but the sale is over...
SC1: But your sign is still up over there...any chance I can get an extra day on that sale?
Me: The sign does say "limited time only" , the sale is already over ma'am.
SC1: See I think that's unfair, if you have a sign up advertising that price you should honor it. It's not fair to the customer to do that.
(Note: in addition to the sign that was causing the issue, the one that said "limited time only", we had another advertisement for the sale in our weekly flyer, that particular ad, which was displayed in full view at the front of the counter said clearly: Offer ends June 14, 2009).
Me: I'm not sure what to tell you ma'am, but the sale is over.
SC1: Is there anyway you can call a manager or a supervisor and tell them you have an unhappy customer here and that you should honor this deal?
Me: I'll see what I can do in just a moment.
Here's where the double suck comes in. I was helping a man at the register while I was talking to this SC who has now wanting a manager. The guy at the register had been listening to this whole exchange. As soon as I finished ringing him up, he decided to chime in.
SC2: You know they should honor that price for you. These companies have no right to rip us off like that.
(....what?? you're trying to take advantage of a sale that has ended but somehow WE are ripping YOU off?)
SC1: Absolutely, I don't see why they wouldn't honor the price. I bet the manager will do it for me.
SC2: They should absolutely do it for you because everyone knows (and then he said the dreaded words...) The customer is always right.
What I would have (and probably SHOULD have) said: "I'm sorry we don't follow that policy here.
What I actually did was shoot SC2 a stern glare. A VERY stern glare. He didn't react any to it though.
SC1: Damn right! That's the price on the sign, that's the price I should get.
SC2: Well I hope they give it to you because it's what you deserve.
(ohhhhhh no it isn't....)
*SC2 leaves*
So I make a call to our regional manager (store manager is off for the day) and get her voicemail. I left a message clearly explaining the issue and the signage and whatnot and told SC1 I should get a reply from her shortly. Rather than stick around, SC1 left me a name and phone number and told me to call her once I hear something.
Forty minutes pass by and I finally get a call back from the Regional Manager who says, without a doubt in her voice, that we WILL give this customer the fat discount she was trying to get because it was our error the sign got left out (even though it said LIMITED frickin' TIME?!). I was gritting my teeth as I hung up the phone.
So I called SC1 and told her that Corporate had , as usual, given the ok for her to get the deal. She shows up about 15 minutes later with a triumphant smirk on her face.
*as I am ringing her out*
SC1: Well I'm glad you work for such a sensible company that values its customers. I'm very pleased with the quick response.
(...I'm sure you are...)
SC1: It would have been nice if I could have gotten a resolution right away, but I understand. If you want results, you have to take it up the ladder.
Me: (trying as hard as possible not to slap this woman silly) Anything else for you today??
SC1: Nope, tell your Regional Manager thanks so much for the deal. I can't wait to get this home and try it! *big grin*
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRAAAAAAAAAHHHH!
It's just so infuriating to get put through that. Both signs clearly stated the sale was for a limited time, why won't ANYONE stick to their guns anymore? Is it really going to be that terrible to lose a "customer" (and I use the term loosely since she actually COST us over $100) because they couldn't make up their mind on a sale item???
...and a bonus
Several days before that, I experienced a similar incident. A lady got upset with me that she couldn't get a trade promotion we had been running. The reason was the promotion had ended three days earlier. She even had the flyer with her and the close date was printed clearly on it. She was certainly upset, but eventually accepted the fact that she was too late for the deal.
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