Probably Could Have Been Handled Better

[eltf177]

Found this over on the Consumerist: http://consumerist.com/tag/worst-cus...-front-of-them

Summary: Little girl has diarrhea. Staff refuses to let her into their bathroom. Girl throws up. When mother says she'll let everyone know about this they basically say, "go ahead."

About half the comments support the mother and blast the store, the other half talk about the legal issues that were probably why the employees couldn't let her use their bathroom despite the great need.

I personally think corporate really blew it here. They should have apologized, told the mother legal reasons why their employees couldn't open their bathroom and offered her something. Telling her to go ahead and complain has put them in a _bad_ spotlight!

[Shangri-laschild]

I called the manager today and she finally called me back. She supports the employees and tells me that it is an insurance decision. She told me to sue if it makes me feel happy. She laughed at me when I told her I would be using my extensive contacts to begin a viral campaign to boycott her store and the entire chain

This sounds too much like it could have actually been like one of those situations we talk about here a lot. The manager talks to the person and while is appologetic, explains that they legaly can't/can't for insurance reasons and the customer then goes on to use the I'm taking my business elsewhere/going to run you out of business and such. I'd want to hear the other side of this first really. If they can't legally let the child use the restrooms, then while it might suck for the kid, they can't. I seem to be missing the part where she got the "go ahead and complain, we don't care" attitude, unless you're talking about the manager who called and she seemed to try to sort things out first.

[Saydrah]

Oooh, I live near the first Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory, their chocolate is GREAT! I don't think RMCF has anything to worry about from a boycott.

Perhaps they could have been more compassionate in the situation, but if I had been told that allowing customers to use the bathroom would risk the store's insurance and my job, I wouldn't let someone use the bathroom either. If she'd just gone to the movie theater as soon as she was told no, rather than arguing with the employees, she likely would have made it in time for her daughter to use the restroom-- and what five year old hasn't ever had an accident? She makes it sound like the kid is forever traumatized because she had an accident in public, but the thing traumatizing her is more likely her mother making a huge deal of her accident.

An "Aww, poor baby, but that happens sometimes," a bath, a bland snack, and bed, would do the kid more good than her mother continuing to talk about her accident for days on end.

[MystyGlyttyr]

Is anyone else grossed out by the image of the glass of chocolate milk being poured with the word "diarrhea" in the headline?

[TealJellyfish]

Is anyone else grossed out by the image of the glass of chocolate milk being poured with the word "diarrhea" in the headline?

You are definitely not the only one! My first thought was "Bad image choice guys"

I don't know where I stand on this one though. I would probably have let her use the bathroom but it depends on how much it endangered my job... But I can see where the employee stand on this...

Also I had a look at the site and http://consumerist.com/tag/rocky-mou...their-bathroom the manager claims that she apoligised to the woman. Wonder who is telling the truth

[edible_hat]

Wonder who is telling the truth

Experience tells me it's probably whoever Consumerist says is lying.

[the toy guy]

Every RMCF I've ever encountered was a small shop in a mall or shopping center. Maybe this one was different, but if not, why was the mother standing there arguing when she could have run to the next store and asked there?

[eltf177]

According to a new post on Consumerist Corporate has called the mother to apologize but the owner of the franchise hasn't. Franchise owner claims they have but mom says that's not true.