Was this sucky?

[Lace Neil Singer]

A lot of people seem to think that a customer calling for a manager or supervisor is automatic suck. I beg to differ; sometimes, it's just the best thing to do in the circumstances, especially if the staff member is being obstructive.

Example 1.

I once bought a velvet skirt in the January sales. When I put it on for the first time, a seam tore. It was in my correct size, and yes, I had tried it on before buying it. I took it back to the store for a refund. The shop assistant refused to let me have a refund, and insisted that cuz it was in the sale, she could not refund my money. This is wrong and I asked to see a manager, who confirmed this. I got my refund.

Example 2.

I went to buy cigarettes one fine day during the week in a local store, since changed hands. The boy behind the counter refused to serve me cigarettes, saying that I had to show ID. I found this incomprehensible, as at the time I was 25 and certainly did not look 15. The manager of the store at the time was someone I knew, cuz he was a friend of my older brother, so I asked to see him. It turned out that the boy was new and had misunderstood the IDing process; the manager gently told him that he was to ask for ID only if a customer looked underage. I got my cigarettes.


I just want to point out that asking for a manager is not necessarily sucky; only if it's done in an EW way, or if the customer is either seeking to bend store policy or is being incredibly unreasonable. After all, not all employees are angelic, just as not all customers are sucky.

[MoxisPilot]

Example 1, I don't think is sucky.

Example 2...yeah, sort of suck. Everyone gets carded for IDs these days where I come from, whether you know the manager or not. At least you weren't rude about it.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Not in England they don't. Over there currently, you get carded if you look under 21 or 18, depending on the store. When that story happened, it was only if they looked under 16.

This is exactly the kind of thing I mean; just why is it sucky to ask for a manager when you know that a cashier is in the wrong?

[MoxisPilot]

Not in England they don't. Over there currently, you get carded if you look under 21 or 18, depending on the store. When that story happened, it was only if they looked under 16.

This is exactly the kind of thing I mean; just why is it sucky to ask for a manager when you know that a cashier is in the wrong?

I didn't say it was sucky to ask for the manager. (At least, I think I didn't...)

My opinion is that everyone should follow the same set of rules; if it's policy to card everyone, just show your card. Don't pull the "But the manager knows me" tactic.

It's just my opinion, of course.

And, of course, England and America is apples to oranges.

[DesignFox]

In example number 2, I don't think it was sucky, because you really did know the manager.

And of course, it wasn't sucky in example 1, because you were polite (a) and (b) you were familiar with the store's policy. The manager confirmed that, and you got your money back.

So yea, employees make mistakes, too. I think as long as you aren't throwing a fit about it and approach the situation politely, there's no "suck" involved.

[marasbaras]

Yeah, if the manager really knows you and can vouch that you're of age, why is that sucky? It's not like you're asking to bend the rules because of acquaintance.

[draftermatt]

Yeah, if the manager really knows you and can vouch that you're of age, why is that sucky? It's not like you're asking to bend the rules because of acquaintance.

I don't think that was why she asked for the manager though. She asked because the law in England is "only card if they look underage" not like in the US where "everyone who looks under 40 gets carded".

She wanted the manager to tell the clerk what the law was and that he had no reason to refuse the sale of the cigarettes.

[tollbaby]

It's a cultural difference - over here, # 2 would be vaguely sucky - show ID or go buy your smokes elsewhere - that's the stance in most places in North America. In the UK, it's a very different culture, and it's not such a big deal.

Over here, most stores have a "card them if they look under 30" sticker at the cash register

[chainedbarista]

no on #1; you just wanted fair resolution and deserved to get it. you weren't bratty or demanded, just wanted due service.

on #2, i can only put in terms of us, and it would be suck by that standard, but because you're in the uk, i can't really offer an opinion, because it is a different country with different regulations.

[kibbles]

I don't think you were sucky. And ITA, calling for a manager/supervisor doesn't automatically make one a SC.

[Leopardmadcat]

Refund at Store: Depends on how you acted, if you're polite (yet firm) then no, that's not sucky at all. It when someone blows a gasket and spews verbal garbage then there's a problem.

Carded for Smokes: Sorta sucky, you have to realize that some people (like me) don't do well at reading age, and some stores card EVERYONE. My 38 year old sister still gets carded!

[Lace Neil Singer]

I don't think that was why she asked for the manager though. She asked because the law in England is "only card if they look underage" not like in the US where "everyone who looks under 40 gets carded".

She wanted the manager to tell the clerk what the law was and that he had no reason to refuse the sale of the cigarettes.

This. I will also state that that was the first and only time I was ever carded; even when I was buying smokes and beer underage, due to being tall and having big boobs. There are no stores in my neck of the woods with a card everyone policy; I doubt there are any at all in England; maybe ask Raps about that?

By the way, when I was underage that store was a major no-no; the manager would have known that I was underage so I never bothered even trying to buy smokes there. XD

I don't think you were sucky. And ITA, calling for a manager/supervisor doesn't automatically make one a SC.

Thanks; that was pretty much what I wanted to show everyone with this post. There seems to be a lot of people who if a customer asks for a manager, automatically assume suck when it's not. True, if a person throws a temper tantrum, then it is. Politely requesting that a manager is called is not.

[crazylegs]

; I doubt there are any at all in England;

There was a story about a <supermarket> who refused an octaganarian because they had no ID, they had recently failed their last Test Purchase operation and were on a final written warning so they ID *everyone*.

With #1 The store was clerly in breach of the law so no such at all!

With #2 Seeing as you did know the chap and you were over age, no suck!

[JustADude]

Speaking as a former Convenience Store clerk I have to say that, given there's no "I.D. Everyone" policy at the store in question, I see nothing wrong with LNS getting someone who works there to vouch for her, as that's all that was needed. The fact that the person was a manager doesn't even really enter the question.

[Kyree]

There was a story about a <supermarket> who refused an octaganarian because they had no ID....

What's an octaganarian?