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My colleague got accused of stealing from a customer yesterday.
This particular colleague has been with us about 3 months. Because we do such a wide range of services, she doesn't know everything yet (nor do I expect her to!) and sometimes has to ask for help. If she gets through half a day without asking for help, she gets a well done.
Anyhoo, this old guy came in yesterday to have a set of negatives (a retro set) reprinted. My colleague checked the price list (which is in full view of the customers) and told him it would cost him £6.99 for a 2 day service. Old guy went mad and started shouting.
"I was only charged £4.99 the other day. You're wrong."
"The price list says £6.99. That is how much it'll be."
<screaming>" YOU ARE WRONG! IT'S £4.99! YOU'RE OVERCHARGING ME ON PURPOSE!"
So my colleague said that that is what the price list said, and that is how much it would be. But if he wasn't happy, she would check with the manager (moi).
"Well, I'll be listening to what you say, so make sure you're talking loud enough for me to hear. I want to make sure you really ask."
Hearing this (it was hard not to!), I stopped what I was doing and went straight out.
"What seems to be the problem?"
"This ... young lady ... if you can call her that ...is trying to overcharge me. You need to pay your staff more so they don't have to steal from customers."
"Well, that is a fairly serious allegation and also very rude. What makes you believe that?"
"How much would this be?" <throws negatives at me>
"24 print retro set? It's £6.99"
"I was only charged £4.99 the other day. I want them for £4.99! You're both at it! Do you get a pound each or something? Don't they pay you enough?"
"OK...I'd like to ask you a question if you can calm down. When you had them done the other day, did you bring them in as a film cartridge or as negatives?"
"I don't see what difference that makes. I WANT THIS DONE FOR £4.99"
"It does make a difference...and £4.99 is not going to happen. It's £6.99"
He was beginning to give up at this point. But he was gathering a nice crowd - including our security guard...
"It was a film cannister. This is RIDICULOUS!"
"And were you offered an extra set at £2.99 at the time?"
"You're telling me now you're overcharging me by £4!! I'll be onto your head office for this!" (Uh-oh, he gets a second wind...)
"The £2.99 offer was at the time. Not now." (but not for long heheheh!)
"Makes no difference..."
"It does. Films from cannister are cheaper as the process is automatic - we press one button and the printer does the rest. We tried to save you £4 by offering you the extra set at the time which you declined. Because you have decided to come back later with a set of negatives to reprint, we have to do the whole process by hand and is much harder to do. Hence the small extra cost to you. Would you call that an unfair policy?"
....
"Oh. So it's £6.99 then." (well and truly defeated and deflated.
)
"So...when can I pick them up?"
"You can't. I'm not accepting them in. You were rude and accused my innocent staff member, who was trying to help you, of stealing, when the price list is in your plain view and she was reading it to you. I'm not willing to serve you and I'd like you to leave."
"You can't do that!"
Security guard - "Oh yes she can. Time to go."
This particular colleague has been with us about 3 months. Because we do such a wide range of services, she doesn't know everything yet (nor do I expect her to!) and sometimes has to ask for help. If she gets through half a day without asking for help, she gets a well done.
Anyhoo, this old guy came in yesterday to have a set of negatives (a retro set) reprinted. My colleague checked the price list (which is in full view of the customers) and told him it would cost him £6.99 for a 2 day service. Old guy went mad and started shouting.
"I was only charged £4.99 the other day. You're wrong."
"The price list says £6.99. That is how much it'll be."
<screaming>" YOU ARE WRONG! IT'S £4.99! YOU'RE OVERCHARGING ME ON PURPOSE!"
So my colleague said that that is what the price list said, and that is how much it would be. But if he wasn't happy, she would check with the manager (moi).
"Well, I'll be listening to what you say, so make sure you're talking loud enough for me to hear. I want to make sure you really ask."
Hearing this (it was hard not to!), I stopped what I was doing and went straight out.
"What seems to be the problem?"
"This ... young lady ... if you can call her that ...is trying to overcharge me. You need to pay your staff more so they don't have to steal from customers."
"Well, that is a fairly serious allegation and also very rude. What makes you believe that?"
"How much would this be?" <throws negatives at me>
"24 print retro set? It's £6.99"
"I was only charged £4.99 the other day. I want them for £4.99! You're both at it! Do you get a pound each or something? Don't they pay you enough?"
"OK...I'd like to ask you a question if you can calm down. When you had them done the other day, did you bring them in as a film cartridge or as negatives?"
"I don't see what difference that makes. I WANT THIS DONE FOR £4.99"
"It does make a difference...and £4.99 is not going to happen. It's £6.99"
He was beginning to give up at this point. But he was gathering a nice crowd - including our security guard...
"It was a film cannister. This is RIDICULOUS!"
"And were you offered an extra set at £2.99 at the time?"
"You're telling me now you're overcharging me by £4!! I'll be onto your head office for this!" (Uh-oh, he gets a second wind...)
"The £2.99 offer was at the time. Not now." (but not for long heheheh!)
"Makes no difference..."
"It does. Films from cannister are cheaper as the process is automatic - we press one button and the printer does the rest. We tried to save you £4 by offering you the extra set at the time which you declined. Because you have decided to come back later with a set of negatives to reprint, we have to do the whole process by hand and is much harder to do. Hence the small extra cost to you. Would you call that an unfair policy?"
....
"Oh. So it's £6.99 then." (well and truly defeated and deflated.
)"So...when can I pick them up?"
"You can't. I'm not accepting them in. You were rude and accused my innocent staff member, who was trying to help you, of stealing, when the price list is in your plain view and she was reading it to you. I'm not willing to serve you and I'd like you to leave."
"You can't do that!"Security guard - "Oh yes she can. Time to go."
Awesome timing there. Spielberg couldn't have written it better.
ROCK ON!!! Way cool!
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