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This would be my second post. My first would be about my girlfriend's sister Chantel's beautifully executed LART on an SC. While I don't believe I've reached Chantel Status, I like to think I come close.
Something that used to bother me when I worked in retail is when customers came in pretending they knew the owner. I'm not entirely sure how this got started because, in the entire time I was there, I never saw the owner give any sort of discount to ANYBODY "just because". The less experienced employees, not wanting to get into trouble, sometimes caved into the customers' demands. But, the technique this worked slightly less well when the owner himself was working. The conversations went like this:
Steve: "Ah'm sorry, this coupon expahred in 2003."
SC: "Yeah, well, I'm a friend of Steve! And he won't be happy to know you won't still honour it!"
Steve: "Ah am Steve!"
Us: [fits of giggles]
It was even funnier when one of us was helping the customer, and Steve was nearby doing some other work:
Me: "I'm sorry, the prices posted are not negotiable."
SC: "Yeah, well, I'm a friend of Steve!"
Steve: [Without even turning around, mind you!] "Nope, still $299!"
SC: "Who was that??"
Me: "Steve."
We gave this customer an A for effort, but a C- for execution.
Steve: "Ah'm sorry, this item was only on sale last week."
SC: "But...but...I'm a friend of Shave!"
Steve: "That's ah new one."
One day I asked Steve if I could have a little fun with the next one.
He got creative.
SC: "Hi! Did the girl that was here earlier talk to Steve about that discount on the pillows yet?" [He gestures toward some pillows marked $149.95]
[Behind the customer's back, Steve looks over at the only other employee who could be described as 'the girl that was here earlier.' She shrugs. Steve grins and nods at me. His sense of humor is almost identical to mine. One reason I loved working there.]
Me: "I'm afraid I don't know anything about that, sir."
SC: "Aww, they didn't tell you? I told her to talk to Steve. Anyway, I'm a buyer. I don't pay retail for anything."
Me: "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize. I'd be glad to give you the wholesale price sir, which is only $67. No problem!"
[Steve at this point gives me an odd look. I ALMOST didn't notice because I'm too busy trying not to laugh at the expression on the SC's face. In fact, he looked so excited that I wondered for a moment if there was an entire CLUB of stupid customers with initiation involving getting a discount from Steve.]
Me: "Of course, the minimum order is two dozen..."
The look on the customer's face changed to one like I had stolen his new puppy.
This whole time, Jessica, knowing what I was up to, was trying desperately not to laugh. Steve, not so much. He lost it. Seeing this, Jessica lost it.
Even I cracked a smile.
We never saw this customer back again. Funny, that.
Something that used to bother me when I worked in retail is when customers came in pretending they knew the owner. I'm not entirely sure how this got started because, in the entire time I was there, I never saw the owner give any sort of discount to ANYBODY "just because". The less experienced employees, not wanting to get into trouble, sometimes caved into the customers' demands. But, the technique this worked slightly less well when the owner himself was working. The conversations went like this:
Steve: "Ah'm sorry, this coupon expahred in 2003."
SC: "Yeah, well, I'm a friend of Steve! And he won't be happy to know you won't still honour it!"
Steve: "Ah am Steve!"
Us: [fits of giggles]
It was even funnier when one of us was helping the customer, and Steve was nearby doing some other work:
Me: "I'm sorry, the prices posted are not negotiable."
SC: "Yeah, well, I'm a friend of Steve!"
Steve: [Without even turning around, mind you!] "Nope, still $299!"
SC: "Who was that??"
Me: "Steve."
We gave this customer an A for effort, but a C- for execution.
Steve: "Ah'm sorry, this item was only on sale last week."
SC: "But...but...I'm a friend of Shave!"
Steve: "That's ah new one."
One day I asked Steve if I could have a little fun with the next one.
He got creative.
SC: "Hi! Did the girl that was here earlier talk to Steve about that discount on the pillows yet?" [He gestures toward some pillows marked $149.95]
[Behind the customer's back, Steve looks over at the only other employee who could be described as 'the girl that was here earlier.' She shrugs. Steve grins and nods at me. His sense of humor is almost identical to mine. One reason I loved working there.]
Me: "I'm afraid I don't know anything about that, sir."
SC: "Aww, they didn't tell you? I told her to talk to Steve. Anyway, I'm a buyer. I don't pay retail for anything."
Me: "Oh! I'm sorry, I didn't realize. I'd be glad to give you the wholesale price sir, which is only $67. No problem!"
[Steve at this point gives me an odd look. I ALMOST didn't notice because I'm too busy trying not to laugh at the expression on the SC's face. In fact, he looked so excited that I wondered for a moment if there was an entire CLUB of stupid customers with initiation involving getting a discount from Steve.]
Me: "Of course, the minimum order is two dozen..."
The look on the customer's face changed to one like I had stolen his new puppy.
This whole time, Jessica, knowing what I was up to, was trying desperately not to laugh. Steve, not so much. He lost it. Seeing this, Jessica lost it.
Even I cracked a smile.
We never saw this customer back again. Funny, that.
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