Tweet
I got some coupons for Camel Snus in the mail. They expire in November. I'm always good about checking the details on coupons since that's a part of my job at the c-store. So, I'm confident I know how things should work in the following situation.
I live closer to another c-store owned by the same chain as my store, so I know how we handle coupons. We don't scan them in, we just enter the value of the coupon manually. This store has new register systems that will eventually be installed in all stores. My store still has the older Ruby systems, but the procedure is still the same.
So, I tear off a buy one can, get one can coupon, stick it in my wallet, and go. I arrive at the store. The clerk on duty doesn't even speak to acknowledge me. I'm not always the friendliest at work, but I will at least say hi if nothing else. The only exceptions are regular customers who always seem to act like douchebags. He just looks at me as if he'd rather not be bothered.
I don't care because I know how I sometimes feel about being at work. I do my job regardless, and try to at least be professional to customers even if I don't feel friendly. I walk up to the counter, say hi, and tell him I have a coupon and what I want. He grabs the cans without saying a word. Meanwhile, I fish out my ID so that he can type my birthdate. He still hasn't spoken one word. I hand him the coupon. He looks at it, and scans it. As I mentioned before, we don't scan coupons. We enter them manually. The coupon is not recognized by the scanner, and returns an error message. He informs me he can't use it, and sits it on the counter in front of me.
I keep in mind that the new registers might operate differently, but explain to him that I work at another of the company's stores and we enter coupons manually at my store. I offer to talk him through it, but he just repeats that he can't use it because it's not recognized for the purchase. I pretend to look at the coupon even though I already know the information on it, and point out the expiration date. I again offer to talk him through a manual transaction without seeming pushy, and assure him it's not a hard process. The attitude was starting to annoy me since I knew what could be done, and he didn't seem willing to at least try.
He just repeated that the coupon won't scan, so he can't take it. I pointed out again that coupons are entered manually on the older systems, so it might work the same on the newer ones. He then said I'd have to talk to the manager. I know the manager at that store. I've worked for the company long enough that I know most of the managers and employees at the other stores around town. So, I did make a point of mentioning her name (Kasi) when I asked if she'd be working tomorrow. He just stood there looking at me with this really nasty expression. I was never rude or impatient, but the attitude was grating on my last nerve. I just grabbed my coupon, and walked out. Had I not worked for the company, I would have left as soon as he declined the coupon. However, I thought perhaps I could show him another way of doing something on his job that might prove helpful later. I have my shortcuts for getting things done, after all.
I was planning to go to Wal-Mart anyway, so I just got my snus at the MurphyUSA. There was no problem using my coupons there, and the clerks were much more friendly. I never did follow up with Kasi, the manager at the other store, because it was not that big of a deal even though I thought the clerk had a rotten attitude. However, I did ask my manager later if the coupons would be entered differently on the new systems since she has helped out at a few of the stores using them. She said everything is basically the same. So, I was right.
I live closer to another c-store owned by the same chain as my store, so I know how we handle coupons. We don't scan them in, we just enter the value of the coupon manually. This store has new register systems that will eventually be installed in all stores. My store still has the older Ruby systems, but the procedure is still the same.
So, I tear off a buy one can, get one can coupon, stick it in my wallet, and go. I arrive at the store. The clerk on duty doesn't even speak to acknowledge me. I'm not always the friendliest at work, but I will at least say hi if nothing else. The only exceptions are regular customers who always seem to act like douchebags. He just looks at me as if he'd rather not be bothered.
I don't care because I know how I sometimes feel about being at work. I do my job regardless, and try to at least be professional to customers even if I don't feel friendly. I walk up to the counter, say hi, and tell him I have a coupon and what I want. He grabs the cans without saying a word. Meanwhile, I fish out my ID so that he can type my birthdate. He still hasn't spoken one word. I hand him the coupon. He looks at it, and scans it. As I mentioned before, we don't scan coupons. We enter them manually. The coupon is not recognized by the scanner, and returns an error message. He informs me he can't use it, and sits it on the counter in front of me.
I keep in mind that the new registers might operate differently, but explain to him that I work at another of the company's stores and we enter coupons manually at my store. I offer to talk him through it, but he just repeats that he can't use it because it's not recognized for the purchase. I pretend to look at the coupon even though I already know the information on it, and point out the expiration date. I again offer to talk him through a manual transaction without seeming pushy, and assure him it's not a hard process. The attitude was starting to annoy me since I knew what could be done, and he didn't seem willing to at least try.
He just repeated that the coupon won't scan, so he can't take it. I pointed out again that coupons are entered manually on the older systems, so it might work the same on the newer ones. He then said I'd have to talk to the manager. I know the manager at that store. I've worked for the company long enough that I know most of the managers and employees at the other stores around town. So, I did make a point of mentioning her name (Kasi) when I asked if she'd be working tomorrow. He just stood there looking at me with this really nasty expression. I was never rude or impatient, but the attitude was grating on my last nerve. I just grabbed my coupon, and walked out. Had I not worked for the company, I would have left as soon as he declined the coupon. However, I thought perhaps I could show him another way of doing something on his job that might prove helpful later. I have my shortcuts for getting things done, after all.
I was planning to go to Wal-Mart anyway, so I just got my snus at the MurphyUSA. There was no problem using my coupons there, and the clerks were much more friendly. I never did follow up with Kasi, the manager at the other store, because it was not that big of a deal even though I thought the clerk had a rotten attitude. However, I did ask my manager later if the coupons would be entered differently on the new systems since she has helped out at a few of the stores using them. She said everything is basically the same. So, I was right.
Comment