No, I don’t know what you mean.

by on October 26, 2006 at 8:15 pm
Posted In: Dumb

You'd think I would know the hiring age….

by thegiraffe

At work today, a customer was asking me if we're hiring – for her son. She tells me that he talked to the SM and filled out an application and all, but that he hadn't heard anything back. I told her to talk to the administrative coordinator that was there – she was just putting some new hires into the system. She proceeded to explain that he needs a yes or no as to whether there's a job open or not, yadda yadda yadda. She keeps basically repeating this schpeal….wash, rinse, repeat.

Finally, I catch somewhere in there that he's 15. We don't hire 15-year olds. My company does, but only in extreme situations (family financial hardship, etc). My store does not. The exchange went something as follows:

Me: Me
SC: her….

Me: Ma'am, we don't hire 15-year olds.
SC: Yes, you do.
Me: No, ma'am, we don't. [my company] does, but only in rare, extreme situations. This store does not.
SC: Yes, you do.
Me: At this store? (trying to get inside her head)
SC: Yes.
Me: Ma'am, I've been here for 4 years. We've never had a 15-year old at this store. The minor rules are so strict – they can only work 2 hours without a break, only work til 6pm, only work (I think) 3 or 4 days a week…it winds up being more trouble than it's worth. We don't hire them at this store.
SC: Yes you do (see a pattern?)
Me: (Frustrated that she's arguing with me). He'll have to wait until he's 16. He hasn't heard back because he's only 15.

I kinda ignored the rest of what she was saying. It's obvious that she didn't believe me (or want to believe me), and there wasn't a manager readily accessable to grab real quick. I HATE when customers think they know soooo much more about the day-to-day operations of the store than the employees who have been there since they were old enough to work (i.e. me).

No, I don’t know what you mean.

by on October 26, 2006 at 8:15 pm
Posted In: Dumb

The Saga of Chuckles

by Rapscallion

This started out suckily, but it didn't end that way. A guy was put through to me from sales because he didn't have the product codes he needed to order our goods. Customer Services are able to look these up for people, but the sales team don't have the time to do that. Fair enough – I recognised this guy's account as he is part of a travelling circus that I'd taken an order for before. He only need a half-dozen codes, and to inform me that he had received the wrong product last delivery, so back to sales he went.

A little bit later: "We've got a problem with the clown." The guy in sales told me that he was trying to place a below-minimum order and disputing the carriage charges on the grounds that I'd OKed the below minimum due to the error. Fine, he'd received the wrong product before, but that was not a picking error – we'd been given the code for a different size of chocolate bar and he'd not checked it was the correct size. I'd given him no such assurance.

Back came Chuckles – not his real name, but he's genuinely a circus clown. "But it was the wrong product!"

"It was an ordering error." This went back and forth until my eyes caught something on his account.

"You're delivering where we are tomorrow," he whined. "I'm in Edinburgh."

Oh boy. Yes, the catalogue does say that we deliver in Edinburgh on a Wednesday and Thursday, but what it apparently does not explain sufficiently is that the truck sets off on Wednesday morning and returns on a Thursday. Just remember that this took place on a Wednesday. The only option is to go by carrier – his order size required a larger surcharge for carrier, and a next day delivery would add more to the cost.

"I'll talk to our transport department and see what they have to say," I promised.

I didn't spend long with our transport department. Instead, I talked to our Customer Accounts chaps.

On the way, the sales team asked me how I was doing with the clown. "I think he's crying inside," I told them, not knowing how true this was to become.

"Hello Customer Accounts. Chuckles owes £2,444 and apparently doesn't have a credit facility with us," I said. This was confirmed from their point of view and they added that their payment history was crap. With this, I wandered over to Credit Control, who deal with saying whether or not people could get orders.

"We'll have to talk to him," a lady of hard nature assured me.

I started to feel sorry for Chuckles, since he'd apparently been left in the lurch by his head office. He was under the impression that they were paying the bills we sent them. In order to get the order, we needed money now to clear at least some of the account. However, the only way to do that was via a credit card.

The first number was declined by the banks. Dearie me.

Eventually, they got the second card to accept, but it was too late for picking and sending the order by then. I really did feel for him at that point. He'd started out trying to bluff us for something we hadn't promised, but it turns out his own company were crapping on him as well.

The order went out on carrier today with a surcharge and next day carrier charge.

No, I don’t know what you mean.

by on October 26, 2006 at 8:15 pm
Posted In: Dumb

She *literally* annoyed the piss out of me!

by JuniorMintz

From the moment I booked this woman's appointment I KNEW she was going to drive me crazy. She just would NOT STFU and let me finish booking the appointment and kept asking me the same questions over and over and OVER again! I kept answering her, and after a while it started turning into her asking a question, me starting to answer it, and her cutting me off and saying "I understand, I understand!"

I mean she was friendly, but it was sooooo annoying! I know that there is a good chance she is slow and can't help it, but there is an equally good chance that she is just plain a tweaker-either way, it was annoying!

She kept taking back the check in forms and looking them over and thinking she needed to correct things… it took all my self control to not SCREAM at her that they were fine and to just get in the exam room already!

So, she comes out, and I get stuck doing her frame selection. Everything she does, she does slowly and with the same questions getting repeated over and over again. Then, the "I understand!"s started again.

First we did her safety glasses. Safety glass frame selections don't usually take more than 5-10 minutes tops, and this took at least 30. Yarr!

Then, she tells me she wants to get some "street glasses" for the rest of time time, which is fine. I start showing her a TON of regular glasses, which take forever because she can't make up her damn mind about anything. Another 30 minutes later, she finally decides on the glasses that she likes, I measure her bifocal, and ask her if she wants a scratchcoat. She asks me to explain the whole concept of a "scratchcoat" several times, again with the "I understand!" shite, and I write up her charges and prepare the job for billing.

At which point, she picks up the glasses, holds them up in the light, and says "Wait a minute! These aren't sunglasses!"

…

…

…

"No, they're not. Did you *want* sunglasses?"

"Yes! I wanted sunglasses! I don't need these!"

  

SO… I spend *another* 20 minutes on freaking sunglasses!

Then, she tells me she wants to book an appointment for "my baby's daddy!", and even more headaches ensue.

Then, she can't find a case that she really *loves* because the one she likes has a minor scuff on the inside-she asked me if I had the same thing only "new" at least a dozen times, and each time I lied and said no. No freaking WAY am I going through all those cases till she finds the "perfect" one!

FINALLY, I get to a point where everything is done and she has no more reason to be there… she picks up her stuff as if she is leaving, I thank her and tell her when to expect her stuff, and excuse myself to the back, taking EVERYTHING with me… her chart (because she STILL was trying to double check her checkin forms!), her frames, the clipboard, etc, and run to the bathroom! I figured if I had all her stuff she wouldn't be able to change her mind about anything before leaving-isn't that sad?

We have a small table in our restroom and I took it all in with me, threw it on the table, and stayed in there a good ten minutes. I really can't remember the last time someone annoyed the piss out of me like she did!

I hung around and fiddled with my makeup and hair, brushed my teeth, and lollygagged in the hopes that when I finally came out she'd be gone already… 10 minutes later I left and went back up front and HOLY SHIT SHE'S STILL HERE TALKING TO ANOTHER EMPLOYEE!

At that point I lost it, grabbed my purse and sunglasses, put my cell to my ear, and went next door to Gottchalks. I just LOST IT! I had all my stuff and I seriously contemplated just ditching my shift and going home! 

Here's hoping I'm not here when she comes in to pick up her stuff, I just might lose it again!

No, I don’t know what you mean.

by on October 26, 2006 at 8:15 pm
Posted In: Dumb

I need to think before I speak!

by Zinjadu

Sunday…

I'm cashing through a younger guy, and ask for his club card and air miles card. He gives me a bewildered look and says: Oh, is this S_____y? Am I at S_____y?

I just can't stop myself from being a smarta**, so I look down at my nametag and apron and say: Well, there's the big red S, and right here it says S_____y, so I'm guessing we are at S_____y.

He thought it was pretty funny, but I'm just waiting for the time when I'm being a smarta** and the customer doesn't find my humour and comments to be funny and I get called to the office and torn a new one. The problem is that I've been there so long that I can't help myself – I think of a smart response and 95% of the time it's out of my mouth before I can stop it.

No, I don’t know what you mean.

by on October 26, 2006 at 8:15 pm
Posted In: Dumb

Grabby

by NightAngel

We have a locked case we keep our box sets and tv seasons in. There are about 5 shelves and each shelf has it's own lock. The locks are designed to not come off the key until they are back in place so multiple shelves can't be open at once.

If someone wants to see something in the case a manager is required as we are the only ones who have keys. We are only supposed to allow one item to be in the customers hands at a time and when they have made their selection(s) WE carry them to the register.

So, my CSR informs me that some guy wants to see something in the case. So, I ask want he wants to see and he lists off six or seven items. Now, it's rare that anyone wants to see that much stuff at once so, I'm a bit leery. Plus, he just exuded creepiness.

I open the top set of sliding doors and pull out the first item he listed. Shut the sliding door and hand him the item to look at.

Him: *pointing* "But I want to see that, that and…"
Me: "You only get to see one item from the case at a time and I have to hold and carry any selections you make to the register for you."
Him: *looks pouty/angry*
Me: *stares uncaringly at him*

We go through this process several times. Finally, I'm squatted down getting something out of the second to bottom shelf for him to look at when he leans in over/around me, sticks his hand in the case and grabs something.

1. He is WAY too much in my personal space. His cheek is right next to mine so he's basically wrapped around me from behind. EWWW!
I somehow quelled my first instinct which was to

2. He's reaching into the case.

3. He's grabbing product.

With one hand I grabbed his hand and lightly smacked it back, with the other hand I shoved the product back where it was.

Me: "Do. NOT. Reach. In. The. Case. Back up."
He jumps back suddenly and says, "But I want to see that one to!"
Me: "One item at a time and I will hand it to you."
Me: *glares evilly*

Now, he wound up buying about $200.00 worth of stuff which is great.
However, if I never see him again it'll be too soon. I don't recall ever smacking a customers hand away from something before- but all in all I REALLY don't feel bad about it. Maybe I should?