Asking another employee the same thing won't work!

I_Hate_SCs · #1 07-09-2006, 07:52 AM

Last week, an SC approached me in Menswear with a comforter set that was on clearance. She wanted to get the matching pillow set (or something along those lines), but couldn't find it.

Me: Well, since this item is clearance, the matching item was probably also clearanced out is sold out. Did you see any of the matching pillow set on the clearance endcap with this?
SC: I found this in the Toy dept, apparently someone dropped it down. Could you show me where more would be, the matching set might be there.

Seems fair enough, especially since Domestics was right beside my department...it wouldn't have been a long walk. As I walk into the department, I see the other employee who was working in Domestics that night. He knew the products in his dept. more than I did, so I figure it'd save time to ask him first before checking for the customer. CW=Coworker.

Me: CW, I have this customer here who is looking for the matching pillow set to this comforter, have you seen it on any of your clearance endcaps?
CW: (eyeing SC, sighing) We don't have it. I was already asked by her (the SC) a few minutes ago if we had it, and checked all of the clearance endcaps over here and couldn't find any. (he looks at the SC) We are still sold out, ma'am.
SC: (embarassed) Well --- I just, uh, figured somebody would give me a different answer.
CW: (politely, but sternly) I understand ma'am, but if we don't have it in stock, we don't have it!
SC: Well thanks anyway.

I always like it when an SC is put in his or her place by calling out their stupidity. I was surprised she didn't complain for my co-worker's attitude!

Becks · #2 07-09-2006, 04:02 PM

Quote:

Quoth I_Hate_SCs

CW: We are still sold out, ma'am.
SC: (embarassed) Well --- I just, uh, figured somebody would give me a different answer.

"Well, in that case, yes, we DO have some...just not for YOU."

She wanted a different answer, not necessarily the truth...

lordlundar · #3 07-09-2006, 04:07 PM

I actually had this myself, same situation, also with me telling the customer we were out again. (I even checked the system for the customer, even showed them the item on the screen with a zero for quantity) The response?

"Well you don't have to be such an asshole about it"

I so wish I could have told them to get a clue that when I tell them quantity of zero = out of stock, nothing will change that apart fom getting in a new shipment, which rarely happens in 2 mins!

Fera Festiva · #4 07-09-2006, 04:34 PM

That reminds me of when kids ask Mummy for something, and she says no, so they go and ask Daddy. It's only just acceptable behaviour in a toddler, but for a grown adult?

MystyGlyttyr · #5 07-09-2006, 06:23 PM

Quote:

Quoth I_Hate_SCs

CW: (eyeing SC, sighing) We don't have it. I was already asked by her (the SC) a few minutes ago if we had it, and checked all of the clearance endcaps over here and couldn't find any. (he looks at the SC) We are still sold out, ma'am.
SC: (embarassed) Well --- I just, uh, figured somebody would give me a different answer.

*takes two Aleve*
...*thinks about it*
*adds a Tylenol*
.....*thinks about it some more*
*adds a Zantac*
.......*forgets about diet, goes to buy huge bag of chocolate*

It's painful...

Hoops McCann · #6 07-09-2006, 09:52 PM

I have similiar experiences all to often. I'll have a customer ask me about something in my department (usually some CD/DVD we either dont stock or have run out of). I'll inform them that I am responsible for that particular product let them down gently and apologise for its unavailablity. End of conversation.

Until I hear over the tannoy "Can Hoops please come down to Customer Service" and shock horror! same customer, same question. Only difference is the amused grin on my face as I see them realise the depths of their stupidity.

SuperDan · #7 07-10-2006, 07:53 PM

About 50% of the time I tell a customer we're out of something in general, or about 80% of the time I tell a customer we're out of something without actually going back and checking (because I check the first two or three times somebody asks about a particular item but after that I know we're out of it), I get a page from either the service center or a cashier asking me about the item I just told the customer we were out of. It's my job to keep the aisles stocked in the middle of the day, if I say we're out of something, we're out of it (or maybe it's on the 3rd rack and there are pallets in front of the racking that I don't feel like moving, or maybe it's in the nose of a truck that I haven't unloaded yet, but the moral of the story is you're not getting it). Asking anybody else in the store will just result in them asking me because I'm the one that will know, so please just believe me when I say you can't have your product.

toolbert · #8 07-10-2006, 08:55 PM

no one ever listens to you when you're out. even then, the first thing they ask you for is the demo units that you have in stock. THEY'RE DEMO FOR A REASON!!!! *stabs a fork in my eye*

NightWolf · #9 07-10-2006, 09:25 PM

We get the same thing here at the ISP. They call one tech, don't get the answer they want to hear, and call back to see if they can get it from someone else. I've even had them call a 3rd time when they were told the same answer by two different people.

Imogene · #10 07-11-2006, 03:02 AM

Old story, once again in Chesterfield...
I saw a guy perusing the boxsets one day, so I ask him if he's looking for something?
"James Bond sets..."
M: *blink, blink* "No, sir, all the James Bond movies are out of print."
"No, your website says you have boxsets of James Bond in the store."
M: "Far be it for me to doubt the veracity of what our website says, but I doubt the veracity of what our website says, seeing as we have to manually check our inventory at the store level. However, I will ask around with my coworers, see if anyone has heard anything."*goes to ask other employees, nothing, return to guy* "No, sir, no one has heard of such a thing as a James Bond boxset. Is there anything else I can help you with?"
"I guess not, I'll look around 'on my own'. "*with the implied 'Since you're incapable of doing your job' hovering over my head, which I ignore anyway*

I used to love it when people would come up to me, and ask me about Dragon Ball Z. Now, yes, I was the anime geek of the store, but no, DBZ was not high on my list of priorities, much less on my list of 'anime that deserves a place in the store'... I'd give them my best answer, and they'd wander off to find another coworker. Who would then return to me and ask me the same damn question. "I already told him, no, it's not available yet."

Like this stunner who caught me the middle of my second Christmas season:
"Do you have the Dragon Ball where Cell dies?"
M: "Well, theoretically, one would assume Cell lives until the last episode of the Cell games saga, at the very least, else, it would be titled a different series. As it is, the Cell Games saga isn't fully on the American market yet."
"No, I want the one where Cell dies."
M: "Not in America yet."
"I know I've seen it on TV!"
M: "Yes, the Cartoon Network has much deeper pockets than Funimation, and thus, can afford to get those dubbed episodes to air before Funimation can even think of putting them out for sale. Just like any other TV series, the TV has episodes that aren't available on DVD yet. For instance? The Seinfeld series (which was still four years in the making at that point)."
"No, I want the one where Cell dies."
M: "Come back in a few weeks, we might have one then. New DBZ releases every few weeks..."