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At the campus computer store I work at, we house the software techs in the adjacent room. The do free walk-in service for students, if it's software related (reimaging drives, putting software on, helping with viruses and stuff). Summer hours for walk-in were posted, and all was good. Late this week, we had learned of a departmental picnic on Friday. As such, walk-in put up a notice on Thursday afternoon (I think) that the hours were from 9:30-11:30 instead of 12:00-2:00. A parent had called up before the sign went up and inquired of when the software techs were in, so I told them noon to two.
Today around 1:30, the parents show up with their kid's new HP they bought from one of the comp stores, and wanted the techs to put the campus software on it (antivirus, ad-aware, vpn client and that stuff). I informed them that the hours had changed due to a special event, and it was short notice. They'd have to come back Monday at the normal hours. I gave them what I thought was the pamphlet with the list of needed software, and told them the normal hours.
The mother becomes irritated, and says, "Well, should we call every day to see if the hours change?"
I reply, kind of taken aback, "No...it was a special event, and it was short notice."
She: "Well, you said on the phone walk-in was open today."
Me: "If I did say that, I apologize, but walk-in does have normal hours. There's no need to call everyday for their hours." I do get a little defensive at this point, since I had worked in walk-in previously during the year. They get busy, and stuff happens.
She: "I don't like your attitude, why do you have to have an attitude with me?"
Me: "I'm not trying to give you an attitude ma'am, I'm saying there's no *need* to call to check the times." I start feeling my face get warm, I am getting upset at this point, and try to keep my voice calm.
She gets pissed off at this point, and demands my name. I give my first name cheerfully, and then give my boss's name, and inform her that he's out until next Monday. She said I was being very rude to her and disrespectful, and then storms out. I go around to the back, and ask my co-worker and one of the hardware techs (who had both heard pretty much everything) and asked them about it. They didn't see what I had done to get her so riled up, and not to worry about it. I'm not worried about my boss breathing down my neck, he knows that we deal with a lot of irritable everyday (including a LOT of the faculty).
I honestly don't know what I could have done to make her happy, unless I magically summoned the software techs in (even so, the student needs to be there). Chalk it up to a bad Friday. I'm usually quite cheerful when dealing with parents, but damn I get burned out on Fridays.
Today around 1:30, the parents show up with their kid's new HP they bought from one of the comp stores, and wanted the techs to put the campus software on it (antivirus, ad-aware, vpn client and that stuff). I informed them that the hours had changed due to a special event, and it was short notice. They'd have to come back Monday at the normal hours. I gave them what I thought was the pamphlet with the list of needed software, and told them the normal hours.
The mother becomes irritated, and says, "Well, should we call every day to see if the hours change?"
I reply, kind of taken aback, "No...it was a special event, and it was short notice."
She: "Well, you said on the phone walk-in was open today."
Me: "If I did say that, I apologize, but walk-in does have normal hours. There's no need to call everyday for their hours." I do get a little defensive at this point, since I had worked in walk-in previously during the year. They get busy, and stuff happens.
She: "I don't like your attitude, why do you have to have an attitude with me?"
Me: "I'm not trying to give you an attitude ma'am, I'm saying there's no *need* to call to check the times." I start feeling my face get warm, I am getting upset at this point, and try to keep my voice calm.
She gets pissed off at this point, and demands my name. I give my first name cheerfully, and then give my boss's name, and inform her that he's out until next Monday. She said I was being very rude to her and disrespectful, and then storms out. I go around to the back, and ask my co-worker and one of the hardware techs (who had both heard pretty much everything) and asked them about it. They didn't see what I had done to get her so riled up, and not to worry about it. I'm not worried about my boss breathing down my neck, he knows that we deal with a lot of irritable everyday (including a LOT of the faculty).
I honestly don't know what I could have done to make her happy, unless I magically summoned the software techs in (even so, the student needs to be there). Chalk it up to a bad Friday. I'm usually quite cheerful when dealing with parents, but damn I get burned out on Fridays.
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