"How dare you close early during this SEVERE storm!"

[CrazedClerk]

I live in southern ontario canada and we're getting hammered by a bad storm today. Here's a pic I took at around 4 p.m. :



I believe we have around 5 inches (12.5 cm) of snow on the ground now and a lot of the business around here have closed. I work at a call center and our entire training class got sent home early (at around 2 pm).

This crappy weather/early closings thing reminded me of something that happened awhile back in similar weather. This was back when I worked at the campus computer store. It was around 3 pm, we usually closed at 7 and the weather was really bad, I mean slippery roads, closed highways, the whole deal. Just plain nasty. The store had been dead for about two straight hours and my manager (who lived a good 45 mins away) decided since it was so bad out and the store had been empty for so long that we would close early that day.

So we go about closing the store up, just as we are getting ready to lock the door, this 40 something lady gets to the store, wanting to pick her son's laptop.
The conversation went something like this.

Me (I was the first one who saw her) "Hi there, what can I do for you?"

Lady: "Are you closing?"

Manager: "Yes, we're shutting down early today because of the storm."

Lady: "But you can't be closed! Your sign says you are supposed to be open until 7!"

Manager: "We usually are, but given the current conditions we are closing early to help ensure our employees get home safely."

Lady: "but it's not THAT bad!"
(My manager and I look at each other, to set the scene here, it's snowing like crazy and the wind is fierce through this whole conversation).

Lady: "It took me 40 minutes to get here and I just came to pick up my son's laptop, can't you just get it for me quickly?"

Manager: "Unfortunately our registers are shut down and we wouldn't be able to process your bill, our tech has also gone home and he wanted to speak with you regarding the repairs."

Lady: "Well, can I just get it anyway? I'll come back and pay you tomorrow."

Me: (thinking: "Yeah, right, sure you will")

Manager: "Unfortunately we can't do it that way. I don't mean to be rude, but the store is closed for the day and I'm getting very cold standing around in this weather, you're welcome to come back tomorrow to pick up your son's computer."

Lady: "Oh no you don't! You're supposed to be all about customer service, that's what it says there! (points to guarantee on our window) Well I'm a customer, so you have to serve me!"

Manager: (maintaining remarkable composure while steadily freezing outside) "Ma'am, the guarantee only applies when the store is OPEN (he did emphasize this) and as I just told you, we're closing early. This storm is a major issue to everyone, INCLUDING you. If I were you, I'd be thinking more about getting home safe and not so much about getting my son's laptop."

Lady: "Well I must say, this is one the WORST customer service experiences I've ever had! I'm going to report this store to the college dean, the BBB, the local media and anyone else I can think of!"

Manager: "Go right ahead ma'am, we aren't violating any rules or policies. Now if you'll excuse us, we're going home. You're welcome to come back tomorrow."
(the two of us start to leave)

Lady: (with obligatory stunned look on her face) "I DEMAND you get back here right now!!"
(we both kept walking and never looked back).

She came back a few days later, still in a not great mood, but she didn't cause any fuss this time, just picked up the machine and left.

At one point I would've thought this was extreme behaviour, but after visiting this site, I know it's not

[BookstoreEscapee]

We've gotten reactions like that too. We were all outside one night waiting for the manager to set the alarm and lock the door (we all have to wait and leave together); a couple guys came up and started asking why we were closing and argued about how it wasn't that bad. Which it really wasn't at the time, but they were predicting it would get a lot worse. Of course, it turned out to be greatly exaggerated and we didn't really need to close early after all. Oh, well, we get paid . Unfortunately, the manager can't just decide to close; they have to have the OK from the district manager first (though in my experience the district managers are more interested in our safety). It always amazed me how hard it can be to kick people out for the weather, too, especially when we make announcements for half an hour saying the road conditions and that we're closing early. They just don't want to leave!

[CrazedClerk]

That was the nice thing about this place, it was a campus store so the manager was the end of the line pretty much. He technically had a superior, but the superior didn't really involve himself too much and pretty much trusted my manager's judgement on pretty much everything.

If the manager wanted to close early and had a good reason, we'd close early. End of story.

[SuperB]

Heh, I've seen the range as well from people who panic and are on their cell phones screaming "I'm up here stuck in the snow" when it's barely started snowing and not even sticking, to people who think the time to drive up to the resorts to ski/snowplay is when the roads are barely passable with whiteout conditions. And I'm talking a mountain pass, not just city streets.
One of my pet peeves is people who venture out for frivolous reasons when it's not safe.

[ahanix1989]

My pet peeve? Jackasses driving white trucks in a blizzard with their headlights off. I literally can NOT see them until they are less than 20 feet away, and if I'm trying to cross a street in my 17 foot beast of a van, they act like I'm an asshole because I lose traction and end up stopped in front of them. Sorry, I didn't know you were there because I can't see you, and I don't have the luxury of four wheel drive. 8,000 pounds, rear wheel drive, all the weight is to the front of the car

[BookstoreEscapee]

Buying my People magazine and doubletallmochajavachaipunkinlatte is NOT frivolous!!!

My pet peeve? Jackasses driving white trucks in a blizzard with their headlights off.

My dad totalled his brand new van cuz of one of those jackasses. I was in 7th grade, my bro in 9th. When we were in high school we left the house the same time my parents left for work, and we're literally less than 2 minutes from the school so they would just drop us off in the morning. So my dad pulls in the half circle drive in front of the school to drop my brother off, and as he's pulling out the other side, he ends up basically t-boning a full size pickup. How? Well, it was 7:20 on a November morning, raining, foggy, and the *black* truck did not have headlights on. He could not see him and managed to pull out just in time for the guy to get in front of him. Driving an Chevy Astro Van, so the hood is real short, and everything just gets squished. On top of that, my dad gets the ticket because he didn't have the right of way, and the windshield wipers on/headlights on law did not exist at the time. And a teacher who was inside the front door wouldn't even let my brother come back out to see if he was ok.

And that van had custom seats someone else had ordered and then they changed their mind, so my dad snagged it for less, and it was only a few months old! We had to get a regular-seated van to replace it.

[ominousoat]

One of the states we service at my call center was just hit with a massive blizzard. Consequently, our technicians were less than willing to go out for anything short of a natural gas leak. So, several people with regularly scheduled repairs had their repairs scheduled for a different date. All of the rational people comprehended that they couldn't drive, thus the technicians couldn't. However, there's always those few people completely incapable of seeing the world beyond their own nose. Two of my favorites:

SC: Why didn't the tech fix my dryer today?
Me: Well, he attempted to call you and...
SC: No he didn't.
Me: Well, it says he calld [number]
SC: Hell! That ain't been my number for x years! Why the hell do you have that number?
Me: Well, I apologize, but that's the one we had. Anyhow, he couldn't make it out due to the blizzard.
SC: That's Bull****! It's not that bad out!
Me: He's physically incapable of coming out.
SC: I pay good money to you people and this is how you treat me? That's awful customer service, and I'm calling back tommorrow to talk to your supervisor.

*click*

Then:

Me, answering the emergency line: "Thank you for calling, what is your natural gas emergency?"
SC: Well...it's blizzarding out..and there's a pipe in my basement that's frozen up, I think there may be a gas leak.
Me: Um, do you smell gas?
SC: No, but it might be carbon monoxide...
Me: [rattles of list of CO symptoms]
SC: No...no...none of those. I just need one of your men to come out and make sure it's okay for me.
Me: Okay ma'am, it's blizzarding out, they're only going to come out if there's a emergency as defined by the state of [insert state].
SC: So you just want to wait until I'm dead? I'm 85 years old!
Me: No, I'm sorry, just call if you smell anything or have any symptoms.
SC: You can bet the newspapers will be hearing about YOU! Young man!

Yeah, I've checked her local paper. Nothing.

[MrSunshineState]

**LONG**


wow, so I wasn't the only one?

Back when I worked customer service for a major cable company (call center based here in Florida, customers based in the north east), there was a time right around the holidays were a severe blizzard warning was placed into effect. It was announced that emergency vehicles only were allowed on the road. Everyone else had to be off.


Now this was announced sometime around 0900 that day and it was in effect as of 1300. Ranting Bitch (RB) had an appointment for 1500. The tech was nice and TRIED to drop by her place at 1100 but she was not home so he tagged the door and left.

Begin phone call

Me=Me
RB=you know

Me: Thank you for calling ______ this is MrSunshineState how may I help you?
RB: Yes, I had an appointment for 1500 and the technician tagged my door at 1100 why was he here so early? Is he coming back?
Me: Well let me look, may I have your phone number, area code first?
RB: xxx-xxx-xxxx
Me: Ah, ok, your county, effective at 1300 is under a blizzard warning and only emergency vehicles are allowed on the road at that time.
RB: But my appointment was for 1500, is he coming back?
Me: Um, no mahm he isn't. He is not legally allowed on the roads as of 1300. Only police, fire, ambulances, and utility vehicles are allowed out.
RB:But YOU ARE A UTILITY!
Me: No, we are actually a luxury, we will be allowed on the roads last. Once power and water are restored
RB: This is *explative* bull*explative*
Me: Excuse me?
RB: This is TERRIBLE service! You promised me a 1500 appointment and I DEMAND you keep your promise
**I am thinking, is this lady serious?**
Me: Mahm, we are not doing this to make you angry, nor are our techs doing this to be lazy, we are not LEGALLY allowed on the roads. They need to go home and be safe with their families
RB: Why aren't you at home then?
Me: Because I reside in a different state.
RB: This is CRAZY! Why would the technician show up 4 hours early? I was out shopping!
**now I am wondering if she remembered any of the previous parts of our conversation**
Me: Because he was trying to be NICE! You wanted a DVR installed, he was hoping to get it to you BEFORE the storm so you would have it when power and cable came back on, assuming it goes out of course. He was doing all in his power to avoid making you reschedule, unfortunately you weren't home.
RB: THIS IS BULL*explative*
**fyi about me, when calls like this take place and the customers do not listen to my solutions, I then put it ALL on THEIR plate**
Me: well mahm, what is it exactly you would like me to do for you today?
RB: Come install my *explative* recorder box!!
Me: Mahm, that is not happening, no matter what. Again, I know it is a hassle that you will have to reschedule, but it is 100% out of our control. The order was issued by your county. Our techs are all on their way back to the dispatch center. They are not going out today. They will not go out again until the order is lifted, which could be a few days.
RB: I HAVE TO GO A FEW DAYS WITHOUT MY NEW BOX?????
Me: Um, there is a good chance you won't have POWER for a few days.
RB: This is bull*explative*
Me: Anything else I can help you with?
RB: *click*

I still to this day do not understand that call. Honestly. She just could not wrap her mind around the fact that the reason the tech showed up 4 hours early was that he was trying to go above and beyond the customer service standard because he knew he could not make the original appointment due to severe weather.

[captainvegetable02]

I don't have any blizzard stories, but the summer before my senior year of high school I worked at a tanning salon and decided to close early during a thunderstorm. Every time there was a flash of lightning the lights would blink on and off, and the beds that were running made some scary extra-loud buzzing sounds. I couldn't get ahold of my boss on the phone and I was the only one working, so I made the decision on my own to close down. Unfortunately, we didn't have one of those locks that lets you out but doesn't let anyone in...locked was locked, and since I still had several customers tanning (if I were one of them I would have gotten OUT once the lightning started) I had to leave the door unlocked so they could leave. I flipped the closed sign, but it was pretty much ignored. Most of the exchanges with customers that wandered in after that went something like this:
Me: I'm sorry, but due to the weather I'm closing early.
SC: What?! This is ridiculous! I NEED to go tanning now! I don't care about the storm!
Me: I apologize for the inconvenience, but the lights have been blinking off and on, and I can't take the risk of letting anyone get shocked. Those beds each have [a large number that I can't remember] volts of electricity running through them.
SC: I'll take that risk, you HAVE to let me tan tonight, it isn't time to close yet!
Me: Ma'am/sir, I'm sorry but I am NOT letting you tan. In addition to the safety risk, there's a good chance we're just going to lose power anyway, and I don't want to have any customers in the salon in that case. Additionally, I need to get the computer shut down for the night so we don't lose any info. [the computer was kind of old and sucky and sometimes it just crashed and screwed up our customer files anyway...and if the computer got totally fried, then I'd be out of work until we got a new one and restored our files] So have a good night, you're welcome to come back tomorrow and tan when there isn't lightning flashing every 10 seconds.

Honestly, how stupid do you have to be to want to get in a TANNING BED during an ELECTRICAL STORM? Oh, and despite the fact that he got a few complaints later, I was not in trouble with my boss. He said that I definitely made the right choice to close up early.

[AFpheonix]

SC: Why didn't the tech fix my dryer today?
Me: Well, he attempted to call you and...
SC: No he didn't.
Me: Well, it says he calld [number]
SC: Hell! That ain't been my number for x years! Why the hell do you have that number?

I love that, when it's OUR fault that we have old contact info for them. Guess what pal, we don't know that your info changed if you didn't TELL us. Jackasses.

I'm one of the few who can usually make it in even if the weather is craptacular. The last time I couldn't was back in '04 when I was working for a snooty dressage barn. It had snowed then freezing rain on top of it, so everything was just a solid sheet of ice. At the time I had the Toyota which proved to be completely worthless in bad traction areas. No such excuse now with Steve the Wonder Forester.

I am always amazed, though, whenever we do have incredibly bad weather, including weather that closes the street that my store is located on, how many people come to pick up orders that have been on the shelf for several days. Jeebus, people. Go home before a power line falls on you.

[ebonyknight]

If the manager wanted to close early and had a good reason, we'd close early. End of story.

No wait. I DEMAND that you continue the story!

[Hemily]

cute winter landscape, we had a bit of weather here too, thankfully most here knows that the weather keep people away... well... except this one thing that was in the paper, a guy in a wheelchair was stuck in his home, due to snow, he got a message from his employer that he would get fired if he diden't come to work soon... he's PHYSICALLY unable to get there, people are too stupid sometimes...

this is how it looked like around here


and still the employer expected a disabled person to get through that kind of weather, like nothing....

[B&NGoddess]

<snip> Unfortunately, the manager can't just decide to close; they have to have the OK from the district manager first (though in my experience the district managers are more interested in our safety). <snip>

see, our district manager, whom i call grimace (no love lost. i hate the bitch) spends more time trying to turn a holiday book drive into a contest between stores rather than an honest charity that she doesn't care what kind of condition the weather/roads/people's cars are in. a foot of snow and the salt truck/plow fleet hasn't been out yet? get your ass to work. snow, then rain, then sleet, then back to snow, then more freezing rain, and then a lttle more snow mixed in with rain and sleet for good measure? wrap your tires in chains and serve the public. we're here to make money, not worry about your safety.

/end

[AirHostess]

Urgh, your stories made me mad, what is wrong with people?

The same happens at the airport when weather/terrorist concerns ground planes and people bitch and whine

This is one issue that really annoys me!

[ominousoat]

The same happens at the airport when weather/terrorist concerns ground planes and people bitch and whine

My call center actually had to shut down due to terrorist concerns one day, since we're near an airport. People could not comprehend the fact that LAW ENFORCMENT OFFICERS MADE US EVACUATE. Somehow they could not compile this new information with their old "24/7" information. *sigh* I swear some peoples minds have certain blocks that don't allow new information that conflicts with previous information.