"but I need it by CHRISTMAS!"

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

I used to work at a shop that made customized items for people. Most orders took at least a couple of weeks to a month depending on the scope of the project. As with most places we got busy around Christmas.

Every year around thanksgiving we would post giant signs around the office advising customers that to ensure completion and delivery by Christmas all orders should be in NO LATER THAN the last week on November.

For smaller projects we could take orders through the first week or so of December. This was not advertised, but we did provide the info to anyone who inquired.

Of course some people never listen. I get a call from the guy on Dec. 17...

Me =
SC = self explanatory
B = Cool office manager lady

Me: Thank you for calling <company>, how may I help you?
SC: Yeah I need <fair sized project> done, it's a Christmas gift. Can you give me an estimate?
Me: Well sir, every project differs somewhat but the rate for the type of item you need is generally around $XXX, unfortunately it's too late to have it ready for you by Christmas
SC: WHAT????! Are you serious?
Me: Yes sir, most of our orders require several weeks lead time, Christmas is only a week away.
SC: What if I made it worth your while?
Me: We do not accept bribes sir, besides we are all very busy working on things for other customers who already got their orders in.
SC: So what can you do for me then?
Me: Very little I'm afraid. We can definitely do your project for you but it won't be ready until after Dec. 25
SC: Do I get a discount?
Me: Sir?
SC: Do I get a discount...you know, because it won't be ready by Christmas?
Me: Well no sir, you pay the same as everyone else.
SC: That's completely unacceptable! LOOK, I really need this by Christmas, is there anyway you can bump someone else back to January or have your employees work overtime or something to get this done?
Me: No sir, our holiday hours are what they are and we definitely cannot bump another customer so you can take her place.
SC: (growing increasingly upset) It's EXTREMELY important I have this by Christmas, there's a lot riding on this gift, there has to be some way you can get it done by then.
Me: Unfortunately there is not sir.
SC: Get me your manager. NOW.
(by sheer chance our office supervisor happened to be in so I put her on with this guy)
B: Hi sir, my name is B, you asked to speak with me?
SC: Yes, I need <project> done and I need it done by Christmas! That last person I was talking to you was NO HELP at all. He said you couldn't do a damned thing for me so now I'm going over his head to someone with more power. Now what can you do to make this happen for me?
B: Absolutely nothing.
SC: WHAT?!
B: Sir, crazedclerk was very much correct when he said there is no possible way we can get this project done for you by Christmas.
SC: You're the manager right?
B: Yes?
SC: Then you have the power to make your employees work overtime. Can we work something out here?
B: Work what out?
SC: You have your employees work overtime on this project for me so I can get it by the 25th and I pay you more for the work.
B: Sir my employees have family and Christmas things of their own to take care of, I am not going to force them to work more hours just because you didn't plan ahead very well.
SC: Are you insulting me?
B: No, I'm simply saying that if you really had wanted to get this project done by the 25th, you would have called us long before now.
SC: Look, I'm the damned customer, you should be trying to help me out here, isn't that what customer service is. What happened to the customer is always right?
B: Our company does not follow that particular rule sir, but regardless of that there's no possible way for us to get this project done for you by Christmas. NO...WAY...POSSIBLE. Do I make myself clear?
SC: To hell with you, I'm going to <competitor>, they'll take care of me! *click*

Here's the kicker: The competitor he was referring to quite frequently has a longer lead time than we do on projects.

I learned a long time ago that unless you are after mainly mass market, easy to find items, late Christmas shopping is never a great way to go.

[Belari]

What a dope. I was pleasantly shocked when I ordered something online this week and was told it'd be here by Christmas. As in, I didn't expect it and therefore was giddy with joy to find that it'd be here that soon. It's not a Christmas gift, so it didn't really matter.

As to anything I needed by Christmas, I ordered that by the end of September. Anyone who waits until 8 days before Christmas to put in a customer order obviously doesn't really want said item.

[raw456]

I always find it amusing how customers refuse to take responsibility for their own actions.

He probably waited to the last minute in the hopes of getting it cheaper becuase of the 'Inconveninence" he believes you have caused him.

Customers like that you really dont need.

I had a bad day once where I had about 6 customers in a row tell me they would never buy from us again and go to our competitor because I refused to be threatened/bullied into giving them something they were not entitled to. By the last one, I just snapped and told them I hope they do go to the competitor, because we dont want themas a customer if they are going to be abusive and un realistic. He demanded the manager. When I explained I was the MOD he told me to F off and hung up. Luckily I didnt get into trouble for that one

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I learned a long time ago that unless you are after mainly mass market, easy to find items, late Christmas shopping is never a great way to go.

And even those can become hard to find, especially if they were only brought in for the holidays and shipments of them stopped weeks before Christmas even came.

Reminds me of the lady I've mentioned here before, who came into the store at about 5 minutes to close Christmas Eve and wanted us to find all these toys and games for her son, and we didn't have any of them left, and when we told her those items were out she'd be all "My son is going to be so disappointed!"

Seriously folks, doing your Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve is like arriving late to the best party of the year and finding that the only thing left to drink is a warm, half-empty can of Natty Ice, the only thing left to eat is a half-chewed pickle, and the only girl left to make out with is Amy Winehouse passed out in the fireplace.

[Pagan]

Everybody says it with me now: Lack of planning on your part....

I'm a bit late starting my shopping this year. Most of it, is not exactly high demand Christmas items, so no problem with them being in stock.

I've put in two orders on-line and I was late in doing so, on the 15th. One will be here around the 19th, with me paying a little bit extra for shipping. The other one, I really don't have much hope of it getting here before Christmas, seeing as it's coming from Scotland. However, I know it's my fault. My old computer died, I didn't want bug my best friend constantly using hers, and didn't get my new computer until the 12th. But am I yelling at the companies I ordered from?

[ShinyGreenApple]

Sigh, some people . . .

My Dad's a truck driver, and almost every year, without fail, he'll ring up my cell phone a few days before Christmas, or even on the 24th, and go "LB, what do you think Mom and Smeagol (my nephew) would like for Christmas?" I keep telling myself that one of these years I'll have him 'trained', but I've begun to think that you really can't teach an old dog new tricks

[rts]

Seriously folks, doing your Christmas shopping on Christmas Eve is like arriving late to the best party of the year and finding that the only thing left to drink is a warm, half-empty can of Natty Ice, the only thing left to eat is a half-chewed pickle, and the only girl left to make out with is Amy Winehouse passed out in the fireplace.

The visual on this is just too much!!!!!

[earl colby pottinger]

Christmas sales

Larry (my best friend) and I went to Oshawa Mall on Monday to look at the Sony E-book ($299 CDN) and there were just a few left, they had been fully stocked last week.

Larry decide to buy one right then. Today (Wednesday) I drop into the mall to do a money exchange and there were NONE. The salesperson told me he did not expect anymore before Christmas!

Their hottest selling item (this store at-least) and they can't get any more!

Waiting till the last week to buy Christmas present is a recipe for trouble.

[HawaiianShirts]

SC: Do I get a discount?
Me: Sir?
SC: Do I get a discount...you know, because it won't be ready by Christmas?
Me: Well no sir, you pay the same as everyone else.
...

SC: Then you have the power to make your employees work overtime. Can we work something out here?
B: Work what out?
SC: You have your employees work overtime on this project for me so I can get it by the 25th and I pay you more for the work.

That was an awesome story. Not an awesome experience, I'm sure, but I thoroughly enjoyed reading it. The above quote block illustrates my favorite detail. The guy asks for a discount because he can't get what he wants; then, seconds later, he offers to pay extra in an attempt to be persuasive. I'm willing to bet he wouldn't willingly have paid extra, though. He just doesn't strike me as the type to make and keep that kind of deal.

As for my Christmas shopping, I have one gift left to buy, and I'll be getting that tomorrow morning before work. Everything else I ordered online in October. I think working retail forces me to start thinking about the holidays sooner, so I'm ready for them on time.

[Catwoman2965]

My meager shopping is done; everything I needed to get I did, and I ordered everything online in a timely manner. I have had, at times, difficutly getting items, mainly for the parents, but they are very understanding, and when I've told them they are ok with it. Of course, it helped that their birthdays are both 2 weeks after Christmas!

one year my dad wanted this flashlight from black and decker, i think it was called the snake? it had a flexible handle you could twist and hang it on stuff....it was nowhere to be found! Another time I ordered a Scottish tatoo CD for him, from England, and even though I ordered it in OCt, it was backordred, and didn't arrive in time.

I get last minute folks looking for clothes to give as gifts, and get irritated when the stuff that we've had for months, and is marked down, is not available in the size the want. Um, if you really wanted it, you would have gotten your butt out earlier instead of waiting until the last minute! Not that there's anything wrong with waiting for sales and better deals, but DON'T get all pissy and huffy when stuff isn't available!

We do have the ability to find it in other stores, and have it sent, but it won't make it on time for Christmas, unless they are willing to pay big bucks for overnight shipping. Or the items they want are only available in our catalog, and not in any stores. But somehow its MY fault that they waited until the last minute and I am tired of dealing with the whining and carrying on.

And a final note, if you're looking for something specifc, please be able to give me more details than "a sweater with 3/4 sleeves that's $40, and she didn't like the blue one"

[Primer]

What a dope. I was pleasantly shocked when I ordered something online this week and was told it'd be here by Christmas. As in, I didn't expect it and therefore was giddy with joy to find that it'd be here that soon.

As long as it's not supposed to be shipped via FedEx. Last year, it took 2 MONTHS for regular (7-10 day) shipping to arrive, and earlier this month, it took 8 days for the much more expensive 2 day shipping to arrive.

I wish my favorite companies would change shippers!

[protege]

A few years back, I'd ordered some stuff for the project car. Dad still owned it then, but I wanted to surprise him with a few things for Christmas. Mainly, the wiring harness. After nearly 40 years, it wasn't in the best of shape Anyway, I placed the order, and then after a few weeks, I was since it hadn't arrived.

I called up my favorite parts house, got their customer service people, and explained what I was looking for. They replied that it was going to take a bit longer. Wiring harnesses aren't kept in stock; instead, the company makes them from scratch as needed, and mine wasn't done yet. I still got the thing before Christmas though

I guess I got what I was looking for, simply because I didn't act like an asshole

[I_Hate_SCs]

SC: ...What happened to the customer is always right?
B: Our company does not follow that particular rule sir...

Oh, how I would have loved to say what your manager said when I was working at Target! I would've definitely said this though: "The customer would be right if he ordered in time like everyone else" or "You can be right but gravely wrong at the same time."

I never wish harm on anyone ever, but the person who coined that 'customer is always right' term should be burned at stake or something. I like how the phrase simply says the customer is "right" ... as I said above, you can be right all the live long day, but be horrendously wrong (i.e. right that your store should do his order simply because you do orders for customers, but VERY VERY wrong because he waited until the week before xmas to call-in the order!)

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

Oh, how I would have loved to say what your manager said when I was working at Target! I would've definitely said this though: "The customer would be right if he ordered in time like everyone else" or "You can be right but gravely wrong at the same time."

I never wish harm on anyone ever, but the person who coined that 'customer is always right' term should be burned at stake or something. I like how the phrase simply says the customer is "right" ... as I said above, you can be right all the live long day, but be horrendously wrong (i.e. right that your store should do his order simply because you do orders for customers, but VERY VERY wrong because he waited until the week before xmas to call-in the order!)

fortunately ours was a one shop operation so that office supervisor reported direct to the owner who took absolutely no bull from SCs.

[Firecracker]

Oh I've heard the customer is always right at my Target. And I always say "well I can still only return this item w/ a receipt dated w/in the last 90 days (that's 3 whole months you've had..and you even have an extra week or 2 after the expiration date to return)". then when I explain what I can do w/out a receipt they still aren't pacified and say how they don't see it in our policy. Right..b/c it's NOT our policy..it's an EXCEPTION to the policy. It's like they completely ignore the exception part and still say that it's not there on the sign. Really. You want to argue that? B/c if you want to go by what it says on the sign then you aren't getting anything unless you go back in time and return this item BEFORE your receipt expired b/c our policy states "A receipt is required for all new and unused merchandise within the 90 days"..so if that's what you want to go by..then Have a nice day b/c I'm done helping you!

I would have loved to have been able to say "Oh you want to go by what it says on the sign? Well, then have a nice day" and when they ask what I mean by have a nice day I'll say "oh well you wanted to go by what it says on the sign and it says I need a receipt dated w/in the last 90 days which your receipt isn't, so have a nice day! Next guest in line!". I swear to God on my last day I'm going to work guest services until I have a guest I can say that to..just to satisfy myself. lol.

I'm so envious of other employees like you who can say what you want..well I guess you couldn't be all out rude..but still you can say that it's not your policy that the customer is always right..which is more than I can say. So I'm envious. haha