This happened at a time when, due to a problem in the tanker bay (a broken vapour release lock) we ran out of petrol. We had no super, and a small amount of diesel. The following customer showed up at a time when we were packed out, as it seemed that the customers were all under the impression that there was a fuel shortage. He drove up to a closed, and clearly closed, pump and tried to use it; despite the fact that it was locked and therefore unusable. Most people would guess this, if not by the yellow signs on the pumps that stated, "Out Of Use" but by the fact that the bars were accross and locked, but not this guy. I went outside to tell him what he should already know... and was trapped. 
SC: *tugging fruitlessly at hose* Do you have any petrol?
Me: Sorry, we ran out.
SC: Where are the signs? You should have signs up telling customers this.
Me: We have three signs out.
SC: I don't see them.
SC is standing right next to one of the signs, the others are in plain view. I point out the signs.
SC: Well, I couldn't see them. Are you sure you don't have any petrol?
Me: Yes.
SC: You must have some round the back.
Me: No, we don't have any round the back.
SC: Are you sure?
Me: *gritting teeth* Yes, I'm quite sure. We never store petrol round the back.
SC: Not even for good customers?
Me: We don't have any. We have a delivery tonight at about 9:30.
SC: Isn't there any left in the tanks?
Me: *screams internally* No, there isn't any.
There is a small amount of fuel in the tanks, but it's basically the dregs; it's full of sediment, so we couldn't sell it. It's kind of the fuel equivilent to the dregs at the bottom of a beer barrel. But seeing as this guy obviously had had his brain surgically removed and replaced with sawdust, there was no point explaining this to him.
This whole conversation took over ten minutes. Basically, just view the above conversation and rinse, lather and repeat for as long as it takes. I know that this site doesn't condone violence, but I was feeling as tho I could strangle this customer for being so damned obtuse. He also was obviously not listening to a single word I was saying.
Eventually, he agreed to go to the petrol station down the road and he left. I almost wish that he'd been rude and abusive towards me; I could have walked away from him if he had been. -.- With customers like this, who don't believe a word you're saying and act as tho you have suddenly lapsed into a foreign language for all the notice they take, I can practically feel my urge to kill rising. O_o

SC: *tugging fruitlessly at hose* Do you have any petrol?
Me: Sorry, we ran out.
SC: Where are the signs? You should have signs up telling customers this.
Me: We have three signs out.
SC: I don't see them.
SC is standing right next to one of the signs, the others are in plain view. I point out the signs.
SC: Well, I couldn't see them. Are you sure you don't have any petrol?
Me: Yes.
SC: You must have some round the back.
Me: No, we don't have any round the back.
SC: Are you sure?
Me: *gritting teeth* Yes, I'm quite sure. We never store petrol round the back.
SC: Not even for good customers?
Me: We don't have any. We have a delivery tonight at about 9:30.
SC: Isn't there any left in the tanks?
Me: *screams internally* No, there isn't any.
There is a small amount of fuel in the tanks, but it's basically the dregs; it's full of sediment, so we couldn't sell it. It's kind of the fuel equivilent to the dregs at the bottom of a beer barrel. But seeing as this guy obviously had had his brain surgically removed and replaced with sawdust, there was no point explaining this to him.
This whole conversation took over ten minutes. Basically, just view the above conversation and rinse, lather and repeat for as long as it takes. I know that this site doesn't condone violence, but I was feeling as tho I could strangle this customer for being so damned obtuse. He also was obviously not listening to a single word I was saying.
Eventually, he agreed to go to the petrol station down the road and he left. I almost wish that he'd been rude and abusive towards me; I could have walked away from him if he had been. -.- With customers like this, who don't believe a word you're saying and act as tho you have suddenly lapsed into a foreign language for all the notice they take, I can practically feel my urge to kill rising. O_o
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