Apparently, Belk doesn't want to talk to me.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

It's me. I suck.

Here's the letter I sent to Belk's corporate that so far, they have failed to answer.

I frequent your store quite often. I like the merchandise and I like your clerks.

I don't like running the gauntlet of the checkout stand. I get sick of arguing over my not wanting a credit card, and I don't like being asked for personal information not pertinent to the transaction.

I understand Belks policy is to actually penalize clerks who fail to get my phone number. Why on earth would anyone penalize a clerk for something so not under their control? You clerks have no control over me, yet you're penalizing them for my non-compliance?

Seriously?

I have a few more questions, because another clerk stepped in to explain to me why I had nothing to fear from giving you my phone number. So I would like to know:

1. If it's so you can send me coupons, why not ask for my address? Or better still, why not just give them to me while I'm in the store? Wouldn't that save money?

2. If it's so you can send me coupons, and for no reason that benefits you, why penalize your clerk for failing to get my number? After all, if I'm declining the coupons, why should you care, especially to the point of penalizing your own employees?

3. Why can I not just go up to a cashier and exchange money for goods? Today, I had to wait behind two people filling out credit card aps. One was what looked like a hundred year old deaf woman. Nice move, by the way. Very classy and not in the least opportunistic.

Again, I like your stores overall, but your business practices are pretty yucky.

And no, I'm not giving you the store location so you can pretend this is "training issue." My entire ass. I've been in enough Belks enough times to know what your policies are. This is the south. We chat.

RK

[bainsidhe]

Well, I consider no response a step above the boilerplate email of "So glad we could assist with your issue". Um...what? I didn't receive any form of assistance. Now that's annoying.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Well, I consider no response a step above the boilerplate email of "So glad we could assist with your issue". Um...what? I didn't receive any form of assistance. Now that's annoying.

Oh, make no mistake. I got the standard form letter saying "thank you for contacting us, a representative will contact you shortly."

So far, shortly has not gotten here, and I wrote this back before I went on vacation on the 17th of October.

[jerrybear]

Do not waste your breath or brain cpu cycles-

They do not care- they never will, the answer was probably machine generated. They will only understand one thing, take your patronage elsewhere; making one last stop to tell them you are doing so- "F" em, just "F" em.....

[Plaidman]

Well lets see here. No swear words. No comment on how much you spend at said stores. No demands that you give out free stuff. Did you really write this, or is it a dream?


You did fine. But as a corporate, they'll likely ignore it in all honestly.

[rageaholic]

That wasn't sucky, that was completely justified. I admit, I get very annoyed when clerks bug me for their rewards card. Even if their following store policy, when they keep asking after I say no, I will get annoyed. I just want to get my stuff, and get the hell out of there.

The real culprits are the heads. It's so infuriating to think they management will blame the clerks for not getting my phone number or getting me to sign up for their stupid rewards card. The clerks jobs should not depend on a decision, me (the customer) makes. Just because I don't want to be pestered, doesn't mean the clerks aren't doing their jobs.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Well lets see here. No swear words...

I know, see? I was being good.

They probably think one of their abused employees wrote it.

[DeltaSierra]

I've actually had clerks tell me they can't ring up my purchase unless I give them a phone number, so I've started giving them "555-1234" as my number.

[Crossbow]

I've actually had clerks tell me they can't ring up my purchase unless I give them a phone number, so I've started giving them "555-1234" as my number.

I've used that myself. Or, if I'm really fed up with the policy, 382-5968. I'd hate to be someone that actually has that number. (And in my area code, it's apparently a fax number. Oops...)

[rageaholic]

I've actually had clerks tell me they can't ring up my purchase unless I give them a phone number, so I've started giving them "555-1234" as my number.

That's a bunch of crap. There should be rules against requiring phone numbers for simple purchases.

[DeltaSierra]

That's a bunch of crap. There should be rules against requiring phone numbers for simple purchases.

*cough cough* Radio Shack *cough*

[lupo pazzesco]

I've actually had clerks tell me they can't ring up my purchase unless I give them a phone number, so I've started giving them "555-1234" as my number.

I've started using 867-5309. In my city, you have to preface everything with one of 3 area codes, so I switch it up and use different ones, and no one realizes I'm using Jenny's number.



In other news, RK, have I mentioned how much I adore thee? Love love love the letter, couldn't have put it better, and no, it doesn't suck. It's fantastic! You're my hero!

[Record Store Tough Guy]

Can't ring me up without a phone number? Oh, well, guess I'll just have to go buy my stuff at a store where they can. Funny how things work out, huh?

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Aw, shucks, Lupo! Thanks!

I've actually had clerks tell me they can't ring up my purchase unless I give them a phone number, so I've started giving them "555-1234" as my number.

I have too, but I still don't give them my or any other number. I will just leave them with a belt full of crap to reshelve.

Hey, if they are that allergic to my money, there are plenty of other places that aren't. And how screwed up is it that your phone number is more valuable to them than a sale? But it is. Because your number is a commodity that they can and do sell, and don't let anyone ever tell you different.

[Plaidman]

I've used that myself. Or, if I'm really fed up with the policy, 382-5968. I'd hate to be someone that actually has that number. (And in my area code, it's apparently a fax number. Oops...)

Took me a moment to figure it out the number.