Customer Rant

[glenwolde]

I make stuff up too. Phone number? use the local area code and "867-5309". None of them are old enough to get it.

I had to go to a Comcast Cable store frequently for a part-time job I had once. You had to check in on a tablet with your name. I always used "Carlos Danger".....it always got a laugh when they called it out over the PA.

At restaurants I use "Fabio" because we are often confused....

 

[Rustyt1953]

In the past I, too, have used 867-5309 and 777-9311.

One time a Morris Day fan caught me. He just chuckled.

 

[arjay]

I went without a phone for several years (gawd was that peaceful lol) anyhoo my daughter got annoyed and shipped me a new one one 9 months ago and I still don’t know my number. I tell them that when they ask,but if they will wait I’ll dig it out and look it up for em. It’s amazing how I remember all of my old numbers,but this one doesn’t stick [emoji38]

 

[Bekeart]

Phone number 567-7203

Phone number 567-7203 works for me.

LO7-7203

Name: Hawkshaw Hawkins

 

[Golddollar]

In the past I, too, have used 867-5309 and 777-9311.

One time a Morris Day fan caught me. He just chuckled.

I wonder if anyone would catch on if I used 634-5789. They'd have to be Wilson Pickett fans or seen "Blues Brothers 2000."

 

[Muss Muggins]

It’s awesome to consider this post in light of the multiple posts from forum members relishing in telling counter personnel how the cow ate the cabbage. I wonder how many who liked this post have also posted or liked posts about not patronizing businesses with what they deem to be stupid policies . . .

My wife and I own and operate a small business. We sharpen things. The company accepts cash, heck’s and credit cards. Yesterday, a customer insists that he get a discount for paying cash. We do not offer that as we have one set of pricing for everyone and we absorb the cc fees rather than adding the to the customers bill. Actually, we do not “absorb” the fees, rather we deduct them from the taxes as a business expense. Regardless, we do not discount for cash. My wife explains this to the.fellow who belligerently demands a discount for cash. My wife, again, explains our policy and refuses to meet his demands. “But you did it before!” That is an outright lie, but my wife explains it more diplomatically. He starts in again with how so-and-so (a fellow sharpener) offers a discount. Well, we happen to know all of our competitors and a lot about how they run their service. Again my wife starts to explain and this guy booms “Do you want me to take my business to him?”

I calmly stand up and walk over to where my wife does the intake and explain that the other company does not offer a cash discount, they do not even accept credit cards, and yes, PLEASE, take your business to him! At this point my wife has gathered up the items and placed them in the bag he brought them in and hands them to me. I hand them back to the fellow and wish him a nice day. He stands there dumbfounded that I called his bluff.

My wife takes the next customer in line and it goes smoothly. I notice “cash discount” gets back in line. When his turn comes up again, he pays cash and says something about how we must not believe the “customer is always right”. My wife does not miss a beat and says, no, they are not, but they are always the customer.

Why do some people have to push issues. Especially ones they know nothing about?

Rant over, thanks for listening!

Kevin

 

[Rustyt1953]

How much for pencils

Or "wits"?

 

[Muss Muggins]

It is akin to “There are no stupid questions . . .”

There are without a doubt stupid questions . . .

Though I understand the the thought behind it, "The customer is always right" is a saying that took hold that should not have and is an obvious fallacy.


Of course, when that saying became popular in the every day language courtesy, general intelligence, manners and common sense were demonstrably more common. . . as evidenced by society today.

 

[K-22]

Equine Paradox

My wife and I own and operate a small business. We sharpen things. The company accepts cash, heck’s and credit cards. Yesterday, a customer insists that he get a discount for paying cash. We do not offer that as we have one set of pricing for everyone and we absorb the cc fees rather than adding the to the customers bill. Actually, we do not “absorb” the fees, rather we deduct them from the taxes as a business expense. Regardless, we do not discount for cash. My wife explains this to the.fellow who belligerently demands a discount for cash. My wife, again, explains our policy and refuses to meet his demands. “But you did it before!” That is an outright lie, but my wife explains it more diplomatically. He starts in again with how so-and-so (a fellow sharpener) offers a discount. Well, we happen to know all of our competitors and a lot about how they run their service. Again my wife starts to explain and this guy booms “Do you want me to take my business to him?”

I calmly stand up and walk over to where my wife does the intake and explain that the other company does not offer a cash discount, they do not even accept credit cards, and yes, PLEASE, take your business to him! At this point my wife has gathered up the items and placed them in the bag he brought them in and hands them to me. I hand them back to the fellow and wish him a nice day. He stands there dumbfounded that I called his bluff.

My wife takes the next customer in line and it goes smoothly. I notice “cash discount” gets back in line. When his turn comes up again, he pays cash and says something about how we must not believe the “customer is always right”. My wife does not miss a beat and says, no, they are not, but they are always the customer.

Why do some people have to push issues. Especially ones they know nothing about?

Rant over, thanks for listening!

Kevin

Anytime one has to deal with the general public, you are confronted with
“The Equine Paradox”
“Why Are There More Horse’s Asses, Than There are Horses?”

 

[Autonomous]

I never worked the front desk but have delivered a message to a couple customers that thought they were abusing someone at the desk that would just take it.

 

[LVSteve]

Well IMNSHO the phone number is none of their dammed business be it cash or CC. If the CC is approved they do not need anything more!

As far as a zip code many times that info is used so that the store can see where their customers come from. That determines the advertising. Its more cost effective to advertise in areas that do the most business.

I will never give out my phone to a store, the zip codes give them one from a adjoining area, they will never know!

I also give out the wrong zip, and if they really need a number, they can speak with the AWOS at McCarran Airport.

 

[djohns6]

Before my wife retired , anytime somebody got pissed off and asked for the Manager , she usually got tasked with putting out the fire . The actual store Manager would run and hide and she usually knew more than he did about resolving the issue anyway . Some of the stories she would come home with .. No freaking way would I have been able to keep my cool with some of those idiots .
On the other hand , she did have people that would come in and ask for her by name if they had an issue because she was good at fixing problems . John Schneider ( Dukes Of Hazard ) was one of those . He had some property that he was renovating and came in often and bought a LOT of stuff .

 

[Capt Steve]

Retail tails...

I was working part time at Boat US in San Diego on a busy Saturday and was on the register with several people backed up in line. Had a guy who was being a serious jerk trying to use a very old, stale dated coupon for 10% off on a less than $20 purchase.

I explained several times the computerized cash register would not permit me to lower the price after scanning his out of date coupon. Once he started to swear we were done and I took his purchase off of the counter and pointed him towards the door. As he stomped off in a serious huff/snit/tizzy I called out to him;

"Say hi to Beavis for me". A couple of folks line and one of my coworkers got it but not this guy.


On another busy Saturday a customer slid a 10% off coupon onto the counter and I scanned it without looking up and said:

"It's not much but better than a sharp stick in the eye."

When I looked up there stood a lovely lady about 40 with the biggest God awful bandage you ever saw completely covering her right eye.

The silence was deafening until she smiled and said "you're right but that's not what happened."

Had there been a large rock available I would have crawled under it...
Everyone should have to work retail for a few months at least once in their lives.

 

[Ivan the Butcher]

I walked into a Guitar Center to buy a set of strings. The price was right, so I picked up 2 sets and laid my cash on the counter. The clerk asked for my phone number and zip code - thinking he was new and wasn't clear I was paying cash, I told him I was paying cash. He told me he still needed the info; I said, "No." An older counter guy with a different colored nameplate had been listening and told me the clerk had to have the info to complete the sale. I left the strings on the counter and haven't been in a Guitar Center since.

Our local "Time and Temperature" number is 221-8211 and the old Spegal catalog zip code is Chicago 60609 (just ask Carol Barrel!) I never tried Sample's Auto sales phone number: BR459

That is marketing demographics, and I don't care if they build another store in downtown Chicago!

Ivan

 

[Tom S.]

How much for pencils

Cash or charge card?

 

[Yaworski]

I hate "the customer is always right." I'm not even sure what it is supposed to mean because most of the time my customers are so wrong that it isn't funny. Most of the time the customer has no clue and is an idiot.

Today, I had a customer call and ask for a price on a particular refrigerator. I gave him our price and he says, "XYZ" has it for $800 less. I'd never heard of XYZ, turns out they are 30 miles away. I called XYZ and am told that their price is $200 less than our price. Lying sack of manure.

I love the people who come in and say stuff like "My brother-in-law says that ABC makes a washer that does ....." No, they don't. They did fifteen years ago.

Or the people who say, "I say this at Home Depot for less. .. " No, you didn't, Home depot doesn't sell that.

 

[DUSTYDOGDAN]

Sounds like one of the Californians moved to Northeast Ohio instead of Idaho...LOL

 

[johngalt]

I will confess that I am not always a good customer, at least for today's business model. I believe my personal information is mine. So when I balk at requests for phone numbers, mother's first pet and DNA, the sales person gets huffy and says something like, "Well, I need this to complete the sale", it's game on.

My usual response these days is a very deadpan, "Are you going to continue holding up the line, or are you going to sell me this item?"

Ah, the days of trying to buy batteries at Radio Shack!

 

[Yaworski]

So when I balk at requests for phone numbers, mother's first pet and DNA, the sales person gets huffy and says something like, "Well, I need this to complete the sale", it's game on.

I had a customer refuse to give me his phone number or address until I asked, "How are we going to deliver it if we don't know where to go?"

 

[Autonomous]

The counter person asking for information is just doing as told. I respectively decline, maybe tell them it's a secret or, sorry, I can't, I'm on a mission, etc.
You can decline and still keep it light