So what do you think the problem really is?

[FTGTF]

Just curious what everyone here thinks the biggest problem between working in retail, tech support, etc. and the customers they serve.

Like I've been thinking about this. I've worked in retail for years and I know that some customers are genuinely morons. I've had people try to returned used stuff, people treating me like crap, getting stuff tossed at me, etc. And I'm pretty sure I've never done anything to these people that would provoke people like that, except to my job.

But at the same time I've seen customers treat other customers like crap.

And then as a customer I have been pushed to that point of almost being enraged. Like I've brought stuff from "experienced staff" and was told it would work with what I've got, only to have to return it, and then have the employee say "Make sure he picks out one that works so he doesn't return another one." Now I didn't screw up, and I certainly didn't want to make a trip back to the store.

And I've had times where I've had to call tech support. Had to punch in 1 2 4 6 3 5 87 323 56 3 5 67 8 4 2 6 3 6 8 4 0 to talk to a rep, only to find out that the person knows nothing about the product.

So I mean I see where some customers can become bad customers.

So what do you think the problem really is? Is it just the customers fault that he gets bent out of shape, it is lack of training with employees, lack of caring with employees, or the companies that create the problems in general?

[Rapscallion]

I'd say a large percentage of it is down to lack of communication between different parts of the companies compounded by the greed of the general population.

People are greedy - if you want proof, try working out how many adverts concentrate on price to the exclusion of everything else. Marketing departments know this, and they play on it to get people in the door.

The people in marketing departments don't often work on the shopfloor, so they often don't know when they're making unfulfillable claims. I'm not saying that this is always deliberate, though I've seen some "gold-plated bog roll" type claims before that didn't turn out to be true, but things like the staff are always going to be smiling super-models who are only too pleased to bed over backwards and fulfill every reasonable demand a customer has.

Take into account that statistically half the customers are of below-average intelligence. Many people expect things such as this that are unreasonable, and then they subconsciously become angry when such expectations are not met.

There's also the fact that we remember the angry/sucky customers more than we would the decent people. It makes them seem worse.

Let's factor in that all companies are money-driven. Sure, none of us would work without being paid, but companies are desperate to squeeze every extra penny out of their customers by asking every person that comes through if they want a store card etc. That's going to wear down the most cheerful of people eventually.

Societies have grown - smaller groups value their members more than larger groups, and many of us live in areas where there are thousands of people.

Generally speaking, I don't think there's any one reason. It's more a combination.


Well, that and some people are nasty bastards through and through...

Rapscallion

[Maevis]

I think Rapscallion summed it up well.

Particularily the part about smaller groups valuing their members more.

I would much rather deal with my "regular" customers, even the pita ones, simply because I see them frequently and I know what their expectations and preferences are...Some like to chat, other's don't want to even be aproached. Some want your opinion, others don't. Some like to be called by their first name, some by their last name, some don't want you to even acknowledge that they have a name. While the goal is often to treat all the customers as "valued guests", the truth is, I think we are generally inclined to provide preferential treatment to people we know.

When you are called to provide service to 50-100 people a shift, and mostly to people you might see two or three times a year or maybe never again, it's impossible to always guess right about what that customer needs. Service tends to deterioate a bit...it's less about establishing a real relationship, and more about just getting them through the queue and out the door with as little hassle as possible.

From the other side, right or wrong, many customers feel a sense of entitlement. They don't know you and they don't care who you are; what they care about is how much they spent, and getting whatever it is they think they have a right to.
Basically the service provider becomes an anonymous entity, and therefore undeserving of any sort of social respect. Take a look at the rampant flaming that takes place across the internet...it's very easy to become abusive to people when both parties are more or less annonymous.

For me, one of the most stressful parts of working customer service is feeling abused, and feeling like I wasn't allowed to defend myself lest I lose my job.

[The Gatekeeper]

I see it more caused by the pervasive attitude in society today that no one is responsible for their own actions. This has caused, in my opinion, the overwhelming feeling of entitlement that people have. If nothing is your fault and you should be allowed to do what you want, and you are a victim of the world, then how dare the lowley CSR tell you "no".

Think about it. More often than not, we run into problems when we have to tell a customer "no" in some fashion. "No you can't go through the express line with a full cart", "no you can't return open software or merchandise", "no you can't have phone service if you don't pay your bill" etc. When the customer is told "no" that is when they turn into petulant children.

That and I agree with Raps about the fact that half the population is below average intelligence. Stupidity and a lack of personal accountablility is a dangerous combination. Time to bleach the gene pool!

[Broomjockey]

I think the problem is people are becoming lazy, on both sides of the fence.

Co-workers want to do the absolute minimum to not get fired, so if this means turning people away instead of helping, oh well. If this means things go unstocked, oh well. And so on.

Customers don't want to have to read, so they only look at large signs, and only the largest part of the sign. They don't want to have to look for what they want. They don't want to have to step out of the way. They don't want to have to wait in line. etc. etc.

It all boils down to people wanting things to be as easy as possible and sometime even more than, which clashes with the corporate "make lots of money" policy at pretty much every turn.

[MadMike]

I see it more caused by the pervasive attitude in society today that no one is responsible for their own actions. This has caused, in my opinion, the overwhelming feeling of entitlement that people have. If nothing is your fault and you should be allowed to do what you want, and you are a victim of the world, then how dare the lowley CSR tell you "no".

I've often said that the whole "Sucky customer" problem we like to vent about here is just a small part of a much larger problem. People are becoming more self-centered, lazy, and irresponsible. When I was little, I thought that when you grew up, you automatically became wise and mature. That myth was pretty much shot to hell once I entered the retail world.

[Worker-Intellectual]

The first problem would be a lack of customer knowledge, resulting either from stupidity or simply having no way of knowing without working there.

Another would be the "customer is always right" attitude. Anyone who actually believes that someone who is a guest who comes in occasionally to do some shopping knows more about the establishment than someone who works there 20-40 hours a week is delusional.

Another would be high customer expectations. A lot of them expect us to know things that are beyond our job description. I mean, if I was a tradesperson of some sort, I wouldn't be working at crappy tire, now would I.

Finally, not to bash fellow retail workers, but the retail pay tends to attract people who for a variety of reasons (which don't all mean you are a bad person) can not work in other environments.

Maybe it's a bad attitude, but if all they're paying me is minimum wage, all they're going to get out of me is minimum effort.

I don't think that is a bad attitude at all, it is a natural consequence of a company that does not care for you.

[KuzcoLlama]

What do I think the problem really is? Humans. Take that away, problem solved.

[Worker-Intellectual]

Also, one more thing... retail stores are getting to be so big that people can't possibly know everything about all the products.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I think it's a combination of reliance on the "Customer is always right" myth and the overwhelming selfishness of people today. Well, that and the fact that the most stupid people in the world are popping out babies left right and centre, resulting in a stupid people popularity explosion.

As for saying "Well, retail workers don't care", well, it's hard to care about anything if you're in a job where spineless managers will lick the arses of SCs and never back you up in a case of an SC demanding something unreasonable. It's also hard to feel happy in a job if the manager will always take the customer's side in a despute. It's hard to feel like you want to give 110% if you know damn well that any customer who abuses you will just get away with it. That's my take, anyway. I've seen loads of posts on here from people in that position.

[powerboy]

I think it's a combination of reliance on the "Customer is always right" myth and the overwhelming selfishness of people today. Well, that and the fact that the most stupid people in the world are popping out babies left right and centre, resulting in a stupid people popularity explosion.

As for saying "Well, retail workers don't care", well, it's hard to care about anything if you're in a job where spineless managers will lick the arses of SCs and never back you up in a case of an SC demanding something unreasonable. It's also hard to feel happy in a job if the manager will always take the customer's side in a despute. It's hard to feel like you want to give 110% if you know damn well that any customer who abuses you will just get away with it. That's my take, anyway. I've seen loads of posts on here from people in that position.

That is so true. It is hard to give everything you got, for when the managers doesn't care about you

[Scottya21]

I think that it's that people don't stop and *think* about anything. Many of these problems go away if the customer thought about it for 5 secs rather than going with the immediate gut response.

The other big thing is that SCs often hold the belief that we are out to screw them. Often, them *personally*.

[DarthRetard]

See? radioshack is small, that's why I like it. I know all the products in my store, because it's small. Customer's feel more comfortable in a more friendly, attention based environment where customer service is so enforced that I've taken more abuse than any human being should just to sell a damn phone.

I think the problem, however, is that company policy allows the customer to have too much power. There needs to be a line drawn. A big, obvious, bold face, 36 font, Times new roman, italics line, that says, "Hey, I'll go only so far before you've crossed the point of abuse." Then, customers know when they're over the line, and we can show them that, without losing our jobs.

[Scottya21]

I think the problem, however, is that company policy allows the customer to have too much power. There needs to be a line drawn. A big, obvious, bold face, 36 font, Times new roman, italics line, that says, "Hey, I'll go only so far before you've crossed the point of abuse." Then, customers know when they're over the line, and we can show them that, without losing our jobs.

I kinda wish I worked for a chain rather than a mom and pop, since then I would have manager to escalate to, customer service number to send them to complain to, and policies to point to.

[DarthRetard]

Yeah, a customer service number is nice.

"Have a problem sir? Call our number, 1-800-THE-SHACK" That really is our customer support number, lol.