Well, SCs have to work somewhere

[Racket_Man]

WOW lots of car dealership stories. hmmmmm I wonder why????

yes I have my own. this was about 13 years ago. I had a 84 Tercel at the time. about 150k on the clock. the engine was still good but the body was rusting thru at the hatchback. like all the way thru to the floor

one of the dealers was running a "Push/pull/tow" sale (yeah right like I really believe you are going to give me $3000 on a POS car). so I pull into the lot and start looking at cars. I really like the Tercel I had and they had a few of them on the lot. Whilst browsing a salesman finally sauntered over to me. a few (note few) plesant words were exchanged when out of the blue the guy starts ripping into my present car calling it a shitbox (yes that was the word he used) saying how could I drive a crap car like that and how I could NEVER afford another Tercel. I just walked away but he kept following me and trash talking my current car.

why would someone just keep trashin a POTENTIAL customer's current car is beyond me. and Yes they did have some nice cars in my price range. and yes I know they jack up the price just for the push/pull/tow sales, but to continiously disrespect someones vehicle who might just make purchase. fail you just lost a sale

[smileyeagle1021]

why would someone just keep trashin a POTENTIAL customer's current car is beyond me. and Yes they did have some nice cars in my price range. and yes I know they jack up the price just for the push/pull/tow sales, but to continiously disrespect someones vehicle who might just make purchase. fail you just lost a sale

actually there is some wisdom in that... if they can do it tactfully so that you don't know they are trash talking your car it cements in your mind the need to buy a new car, NOW

some of my favorite tactful put downs of cars that I've heard
"i'm impressed that this car has lasted so long, you must have taken good care of it" translates to "wow, that's an old car, why did you bother keeping it this long"
"I would have never have guessed by looking at this car that it would have that many miles" translates to "this POS has a lot of miles on it, no wonder you're looking for a new one"
see, they are complimenting the car while pointing out everything wrong with it... makes you like the sales guy and hate your car (at one point in time I was training to be a car sales person... then my soul returned to my body and decided it wasn't for me )

[Misanthropical]

Right before we moved up here, we were looking around at house for rent, since we didn't want to buy until we knew the area better.

We had one guy who told us one price on the phone and a higher price when we got there. He never once looked at or talked to me. He would answer my questions to my husband. My husband doesn't care where we live as long as I like it, so he was talking to the wrong person.

Oh, and the back of the house was seperate, he wanted to rent that out to someone else. He didn't tell us this till we got there.

Yeah, we told him no way and left. If you can't even bother to act like I'm present, I don't want to rent from you.


Also, the perfume counter. I don't dress to the nines just to buy my favorite perfume, so those women will act like I'm not there, till my husband walks up, then they can't wait on me fast enough! GRRR!!


We went out for breakfast one time, my husband had toast with his, so he asked the waitress if he could get some jelly. He didn't demand, he didn't yell, he asked very nicely, so when she came back over and threw them at him, I was pissed.

I talked to the manager who said he would talk to her. I haven't seen there since. Hell no, I didn't leave a tip.

[Jack Doe]

Don'tcha just love individuals who try to pressure you, or ignore you if you don't meet their perceived 'standards' as a customer/client? One story...

Actors:
Me: Car shopper with a wad of cash
Greasy Sales Guy: Herein GSG
Confused Sales Guy: Herein

Back in '05, I was looking for a new car. Was driving a beater of a Geo Prizim (1996, 300k+ miles) and was tired of having to repair it. I had my heart set on a new Mustang GT. So, I went to one of the Ford Dealerships, and started looking around.

Me: *walking, peering in windows, reading stickers*
GSG: Can I help you find something?
Me: Yea, what's the price on this GT and if I want some custom work done, what would be the turnaround?
GSG: $29k for it as is, custom work would be extra, of course. *looks me over, I'm wearing sandals and denim shorts* Why don't we look at something a bit more economical for you.
Me: Well you can look wherever you want, but I'll be back later for this Mustang. *departs*

So, I go home, shower, shave, change into my service-dress blues. Get a ride back from a buddy who drops me off.

Me: *Walking around, looking at the same windows, reading the same stickers*
GSG: *excited* Hello sir! Can I help you with anything?
Me: Certainly, what's the sticker price on this GT, and if I wanted any custom work done, what would be the turnaround time on it?
GSG: Well, the sticker for it as is is just over $29k. As for custom work, prices and return times vary depending on what you want done. * walks up*
So, admiring the new Mustang?
Me: Yep, I love the body style. Heck of a lot better than the late '90s models, and a shitload better than the suped-up Escorts back in the '80s.
*laughs* You're right on that.
Me (to GSG): Ok, I need you to be honest. What's your commission on this. I'm already sold, so it won't matter.
GSG: *eyes light up at the word 'SOLD'* Well, we're not supposed to say, but it's 10% on the car plus 15% on the custom work.
Me (to ): Congrats, sir, you just made 3 grand. *takes gently by the arm, starts walking toward the office.
GSG: But damnit, I made the sale!
Me: No, made the sale, you wanted me to look at something 'more economical.'

(As a side note, with the options package, ended up with close to $4K in a commission.)

[Sparky]

Me: No, made the sale, you wanted me to look at something 'more economical.'

(As a side note, with the options package, ended up with close to $4K in a commission.)

I love justice.

[LibraryLady]

Oddly enough, the worst waiter we've had in years was on a liner known for excellent service. We were Grill passengers which meant we paid a premium to eat in one of these places. Grill passengers have an assigned table and table staff but not an assigned mealtime. Say the breakfast slot is 8 to 9:30 AM. Any time during that window you can come and have your meal. There was a waiter who just didn't seem to like me and it showed.

The first morning he came around as soon as we were seated for juice orders. The juice came and I asked politely for a glass of milk. I was told, a bit huffily that I should have ordered the milk when I ordered the juice. Mea Culpa. The next time I wanted milk I made sure to ask for it when I placed the juice order. I never got my milk in the entire week.

There was also a problem with oatmeal. Usually, on these ships you don't have to ask for warm milk. It's always offered when the cereal arrives. Not this time. I sat patiently waiting for the milk to arrive. When 10 minutes by the clock had passed I asked for some to put on my rapidly congealing oatmeal. I was told that it would get there when it got there. Another 10 minutes passed and no warm milk. I asked again. This time I was told that it was against regulations to keep hot liquids at the serving station. Fine, but how did that explain the coffee? I wound up using the cold milk for coffee on the now cold oatmeal. Lump city.

At the same meal, we were asked if we wanted any jam or honey. I asked for jam because I prefer that to sugar with my oatmeal. That never showed either.

At another Dinner I ordered a pasta dish with mussels and clams served in the shell. No bowl for the shells arrived although another lady at the table ordered the same dish and was provided with a bowl for shells immediately. When I asked, "May I have a bowl?" I was again told with the usual huff that it was coming. That seemed to be our waiter's mantra. After 15 minutes of waiting by the clock, I took matters into my own hands and started piling the shells on my bread plate. I knew that wasn't right but I wanted my Dinner while there was some vestige of warmth left in it. That was when the waiter showed up with the bowl and, with a none too tolerant sigh, emptied the shells into it along with the bread roll I'd been saving to soak up some of the wonderful broth.

I asked for another roll. "Ma'am bread is served only at the beginning of the meal." Hmmm, then why are diners at the next table getting second rolls?

Okay, I know these are tiny quibbles but, knowing how hard these guys work, I was never anything but polite. Also, it wasn't as if we were eating at a rush time. We usually like to eat as early as possible and the tables around us were empty.
I don't think my requests were unreasonable and I couldn't figure out what I'd done to make our waiter so testy but it must have been something.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Personally, I would have kicked up a huge fuss and asked to see someone in charge. That waiter deserves nothing better than to have to walk the plank... at the very least. No-one deserves to put up with such a grouch when you're supposed to be enjoying yourself on holiday.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

When my grandmother died, I needed to buy a pair of dress shoes to go along with my suit since I didn't really have any.

I went into a Famous Footwear and found a shoe I liked, but I couldn't find it in my size on the shelf. So I asked the clerk if they had it in the back.

The clerk looked at me, in my t-shirt, ratty jeans and birkenstock clogs, and asked me "...if you wear your bedroom slippers out everyplace you go, what would you need dress shoes for?"

So I left and went to a different store that sells Birkenstocks as part of its product line, and the clerk who got my dress shoes for me was far less presumptuous. He even asked me "How do you like your birks? We sell a lot of them here."

[LibraryLady]

Personally, I would have kicked up a huge fuss and asked to see someone in charge. That waiter deserves nothing better than to have to walk the plank... at the very least. No-one deserves to put up with such a grouch when you're supposed to be enjoying yourself on holiday.

I understand that but I also know what sort of hell these waiters have to deal with every day of their working life on a ship. These people often have to serve Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner and also do duty at the Midnight Buffet. Life on a ship can be very hard for wait staff.

After a bit of reflection I think I can figure out the problem. On the first Dinner night, new Pax often don't know that when they sit down at the table they should immediately put their napkins on their laps. Wait staff will be trained to do that for patrons because they have to remove the service plates and begin serving the meal. I know what the drill is and, as soon as I sat down I unfurled my napkin. If I didn't do that, the waiter would have tossed my napkin into my lap with a sort of look that said "Well, you really don't know how to sit at table properly, do you?"

I didn't want that confrontation but we had it. I had one hand on my napkin and the waiter had a hand on it too. there was a brief tussle for the napkin. I won that one but, in retrospect, I should have let him win. After that, it was a battle of wills between me and our Waiter. Every time we came to table, I had to get the napkin first and I did. I really think that was what caused the problem.

At the end of the crossing, my Husband gave him our usual, personal tip of $100. USD. He presented it in the Gentleman's way with the bills tucked under the thumb and passed in a hearty handshake. The waiter knew what was happening but many of our fellow diners didn't. I didn't think the Waiter deserved as much as he got from us but, one must expect to spend a bit frivolously on a holiday.

[ditchdj]

I wouldn't have given him shit. When I go out to eat the number one thing that determines how much of a tip that I give is the attitude. And I sure as hell am NOT gonna pay someone to treat me like scum of the earth, let alone put up with it for free.

[Shangri-laschild]

There was a diner (with two locations) that my friends and I used to go to a lot. We were well known and knew most of the wait staff and cooks by name. After a while, a new girl was hired at the newer location. There would be times when we would come in and sit down and would wait and wait to even get our water only to have it brought with the "oops...I saw you sit down like ten minutes ago." It would take forever to get her back over so we could order our food. Now I could understand if it were only one time. Maybe she was having an off night. But it was every time and it would usually be because she was too busy chatting. That's the first time I've only left the coin change from the bill for a tip.

[draftermatt]

Had a waitress last night who told us she'd been having a really long day.

Then she took forever to get us drinks (from the bar, or otherwise). Our food took forever to come out, and my mom & sister had cold potatoes. Why? The waitress was standing talking to the table next to us for a good 15 minutes.

I'm not sure why it took so long for a food runner to bring it out, or if they don't normally use them, but yeah.

[otakuneko]

I'm sorry, that waiter on your ship just sounds petty, childish, and completely undeserving of a tip, or perhaps an insultingly tiny tip, and I'm talking five percent or less. Wouldn't want to encourage him to continue in his sucky ways by showing him tacit approval with a "normal" or even just slightly reduced tip.

[Racket_Man]

actually there is some wisdom in that... if they can do it tactfully so that you don't know they are trash talking your car it cements in your mind the need to buy a new car, NOW

some of my favorite tactful put downs of cars that I've heard
"i'm impressed that this car has lasted so long, you must have taken good care of it" translates to "wow, that's an old car, why did you bother keeping it this long"
"I would have never have guessed by looking at this car that it would have that many miles" translates to "this POS has a lot of miles on it, no wonder you're looking for a new one"
see, they are complimenting the car while pointing out everything wrong with it... makes you like the sales guy and hate your car (at one point in time I was training to be a car sales person... then my soul returned to my body and decided it wasn't for me )

I know exactly what you are saying. I have bought more than my share of cars over the years so I know how the game is played. most of the time I will park my present car as far away as possible from the main/sales building so they may not have the chance to see what I presently have. this at least gives me the oppurtunity to start on somewhat of a level field

but this guy was FAR from tactful. like I said he literally called my current car a shitbox (yes he used that word exactly) and would NOT shut up about it. then he started on about "HOW could I afford a 'new' vehicle (I was making about 50k at the time)??"

went to another dealer out by Woodfield Mall and found a nice low mileage Volkswagen Fox in the price range I wanted.

to this day I am not sure how this salesman (or the dealership for that matter) stayed in business if that was the sales techniques they used.

[smileyeagle1021]

I will park my present car as far away as possible from the main/sales building so they may not have the chance to see what I presently have. .

my mom and I have you beat... last time we went to buy cars, we parked our cars at the mall and took the bus to the car dealership... we made it very clear that we did have vehicles to trade in, but as it would be separate negotians than the purchase that we wouldn't bother bringing them until after we had made an agreement on the purchased vehicles.