I'm Stupid, Compensate Me!

[MiddleofNowhere]

Luckily, this was not my customer, but related to me by one of my friends at Customer Service desk.

SW: Stupid Woman
CS: My friend at Customer Service

Let me preface this by saying we've had one heckuva old fashioned WINTER here in the Midwest. This has forced our store to close on at least 4 occasions early and other times, we've stayed open, only to be there for complete morons with the self-preservation of a mosquito by that really cool light that buzzes...

SW walks up to Customer Service, she gets my friend CS.

CS: Hi, how can I help you today?
SW: Yeah, I was just wanting to let you know, I really like your store...
CS: (told me she could sense the 'but' coming a mile away) Well, thank you. That's nice to hear.
SW: But, the other day, I drove two hours to get here and you guys were closed!
CS: Oh, was that last Thursday? We had to close due to the fact that the mall was closing and all major roads to here were closed because of the blizzard. I'm sorry about that. That's *ourstate* in Winter.
SW: Well, what are you going to do about it?
CS: What do you mean?
SW: I spent two hours of MY time and MY gas to get here and you were closed! I demand compansation! (and yes, CS confirmed she used that exact verbage)
CS: Well, I guess I don't understand you. As soon as we knew we were closing, we alerted all local media. But, most everybody stayed home anyway. You know, because of the blizzard. (CS told me she exaggerated the word BLIZZARD to hopefully get through to SW)
SW: This is ridiculous! I checked before I left, your store was open! You should have stayed open!
CS: Well, you know, you said you took two hours to get here. A lot can happen in two hours. It's not our decision, it's the mall's. We also have to make sure our associates are safe and not on the road in bad conditions.
SW: Get me your manager!

CS gets our manager who listens to SW's bitching and complaining that she was too stupid to stay home in dangerous weather and at certain points insists on either a gift card, gift certificate and even going so far as to tell him to open the cash drawer and give her money. To his credit, Manager declines. SW insists on our corporate number and stomps out declaring she's going to get compensation for her time and gas.

The sad thing? She probably will get a gift card from corporate. I've seen them give them away for stupider reasons.

I hope she slides off the road in our next snowstorm and dies cold and alone in a ditch.

[Dave1982]

even going so far as to tell him to open the cash drawer and give her money.

If I were the manager, I'd interpret that as an attempted robbery, tell her that, and then say that unless she wants the police called, she'd better leave and not come back.

[bainsidhe]

Oooh, I like your style of thinking.

[TelephoneAngel]

ok, so yesterday I went shopping in a different town which is some way from where I live.

While walking about I saw a really cool secondhand bookshop, the type I really like to browse in.

On the door there was a notice "sorry we are closed due to illness we will not be open again till next week"

It's disappointing, especially as I doubt I will be back that way for some time.

Plus it was blowing a bitter snowstorm and I am still recovering from surgery.

How much should I demand in compensation from the owner?

[orcprincess]

That reminds me of when I used to work on a cruise ship. It was about 2 hours before we pulled into port, and it was raining just a bit, like it normally did when we were close to that particular port. Anyhow, I worked the front desk that morning, and this gentleman (ha!) was stomping towards the desk and was beet red and came right up to me, and pounded his fists on the desk about he wanted compensation, and that his vacation was ruined(first of all, it was only the first full day of the cruise) I asked him what was wrong, and he went off about how it was raining this morning. Yes. But it stopped before we got to port.
I asked him how it ruined his vacation, as it was no longer raining, and he could still go on his shore excursions, and it wasn't going to affect his day at all. Nope. No good. Know what he did? His big plans? He went to wal-mart, and bought crap, then sat at the bar all afternoon!!! Guess what he got out of the whole tirade? $250, and a bottle of wine.

People...ugh. Just disgust me.

[Jester]

The cruise ship guy sounds like a lot of people we get in Key West, who bitch if they are down here and it is raining a lot.

In the tropics.

I'll let you ponder that one.

The good thing is, I work at a bar, so I just get to listen to them bitch. If they are demanding compensation, it would be from their hotel, resort, travel agent, or travel planner....NOT us!

If I were the manager, I'd interpret that as an attempted robbery...

Actually closer to extortion than robbery, if you're gonna pull that card. Just saying.

While walking about I saw a really cool secondhand bookshop, the type I really like to browse in.

On the door there was a notice "sorry we are closed due to illness we will not be open again till next week"

How much should I demand in compensation from the owner?

No less than two hardcover books or five paperbacks.

[MadMike]

Know what he did? His big plans? He went to wal-mart, and bought crap, then sat at the bar all afternoon!!!

Wow, he really knows how to have fun on a cruise! After all, you can't do that at home, can you?

The cruise ship guy sounds like a lot of people we get in Key West, who bitch if they are down here and it is raining a lot.

In the tropics.

I'll let you ponder that one.

I've only been to Florida three times in my life, and one of those was just a brief stop to catch our cruise ship. The other two were trips to Disney. One was a trip that I won (and wasted by taking my ex, unfortunately), and the other was when my grandparents took me and my brother back in '84. It was that first trip that I found out how the weather gets sometimes.

It was in the summer, and it was a pretty hot day. My brother and I were waiting in line to get on one of the rides, and it was a long line. While we were waiting, it clouded up and started pouring down rain. No thunder or lightning, so everyone just stayed in line. I guess everyone was used to it. After a few minutes, the rain stopped, the sun came out, and dried everything up, and it started getting hot again. A few minutes later, it clouded up and started raining again. I think this cycle repeated 4 or 5 times while we were waiting in line.

[Jester]

Typical day in Florida, actually.

Although down here, it is more typically a half hour to hour shower in the late morning, then clear the rest of the day, rather than the cycle you mentioned.

But the rain then the clearness is absolutely normal at that time of year.

[Midorikawa]

Typical day in Florida, actually.

Not that I'm excusing an SC for being an ass, but not everyone is used to rain. I grew up in a part of Texas that gets 90% of its rain in one month in spring, and then a light dusting of snow in winter, if we're lucky. I've seen it go 2 years between rains before. ...Then again, every time it rains (and it's not also hailing Buick sized hail stones) I make it a point to go outside and watch it, so I'd be thrilled to see rain, regardless of whether or not I was on vacation. I sound like a crazy I'm sure, but years of water restrictions, never seeing rain, and watching wild fires burn the state up made me this way. :-P

[Jester]

Not that I'm excusing an SC for being an ass, but not everyone is used to rain.

I'm from the desert myself, but I know that the tropics by their very definition do get rain. And most of the people that bitch about the rain when they are here also know that.

Now, were I ignorant of that fact, and I was on vacation somewhere, and it rained, and they locals told me "this is perfectly normal," I would not have a hissy fit and bitch till my face was blue. Why? First, because I am not a complete jackhole, and second, because a blue face is very unattractive.

[Sapphire Silk]

Not that I'm excusing an SC for being an ass, but not everyone is used to rain. <snip>

This is true, but ultimately it is all about attitude. If this SC's vacation was "ruined" it is because he CHOSE to allow it to be.

Me, I'd have looked on all permutations of the weather as part of the overall experience in going to a totally new part of the world.

Sitting in a bar after buying a bunch of crap at Walmart sounds like reasonable punishment for being a jerk.

[Android Kaeli]

I went to Florida a few years back for a week, it was nice during the day but come night time it rained. Every. Single. Night. Didn't complain about it, did everything that I wanted to during the day, and rested during the night when it rained. Shit happens, even on vacation, and the rain didn't ruin it as there were other things to do other then outdoor activities.

Seriously, though, having the store shut down when it's not a good idea to be out on the road is just a precaution and a safety thing for the employees and customers alike.

[Lace Neil Singer]

The cruise ship guy sounds like a lot of people we get in Key West, who bitch if they are down here and it is raining a lot.

In the tropics.

I'll let you ponder that one.

I've encountered tourists who've been bitching about the fact that it often rains a lot here in England. No duh.

[dalesys]

I've encountered tourists who've been bitching about the fact that it often rains a lot here in England. No duh.

...get a tan from standing in the English rain... (1967)

[Jester]

Sitting in a bar after buying a bunch of crap at Walmart sounds like reasonable punishment for being a jerk.

Now hold on there. I am not (usually) a jerk, and I don't frequent Wal-Mart, but on most of my vacations, for part or all of it, you will find me sitting in a bar....and that's okay, because I love it. And it's not like I'm sitting there miserably like a bump on a log. My last few vacations:

Fort Myers Beach: Saw old friends, bar hopped, flirted with cute bartenders, tried new rums.
Phoenix: Saw old friends, went to a baseball game, checked out various new bars/old stomping grounds back home, as well as tried several new beers at one brewpub with my buddy.
San Francisco: Bar hopped with my crazy Raiders fan friend, ate at a great Chinese place, ate at the garlic restaurant, went to a couple sporting events.
Canton, Ohio: After a fun-filled day at the Football Hall of Fame, kicked back at the sports bar across the street, flirted with the cute bartenders, and discussed/argued/debated football with other football fans.

But then, I'm a barfly, I like bars, I like drinking, I like trying new things, and I have a blast, and usually those around me do too.

As opposed to the Royal Douche of Earl in the original post.