Sucktomer Random Thoughts Thread

[Dreamstalker]

Yes, I'm aware the 40-pound pail of cat litter you want is "too heavy" for you. What makes you think I can lift it? Bags of pet food I can manage because I can distribute the weight. I am not trying to lift that litter. If you can wait, I'll get one of the guys from grocery to do it. Yes, I am 'refusing to help' because I will get hurt.

[Food Lady]

^ I'm in the same boat and I'm sick of people confusing a medical issue with bad character. Have some compassion, people!

[WishfulSpirit]

Tell them you have Blah Blah Blah Medicalease Blah Blah Blah condition in your back.

If you'd like to borrow some words I've learned from Hubby's injuries, you could say "I have formainal stenosis caused by progressive hypertrophy of my uncinate processes. Therefore I can't lift anything heavy." This is proper medical terminology for a specific type of back problem, btw, so on the off-chance the sucky customer really is an MD, they'll understand you actually do have health problems. Most people will just get the Deer In Headlights Look and leave you alone.

[Dreamstalker]

We did have some walkouts (not stealing, just gave up) because no one was available to help the customers clear errors. *sigh*

This happens when it gets busy; one person for four registers doesn't work around here when everyone expects help instantly. Sometimes, an SC will tie up one register, go to a second, do the same thing and go to a third...all without telling anyone, so the poor attendant has to clear two (or three) hung registers. Sometimes if the SC is still in line, I can 'encourage' (force) them to go to the desk to be cashed out with one of the saved transactions.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Yes, I'm aware the 40-pound pail of cat litter you want is "too heavy" for you. What makes you think I can lift it? Bags of pet food I can manage because I can distribute the weight. I am not trying to lift that litter. If you can wait, I'll get one of the guys from grocery to do it. Yes, I am 'refusing to help' because I will get hurt.

I've been lucky w/that. Most of our regulars know that I have chronic back issues and can't lift too much and are pretty understanding when I explain that I'll get one of the guys to get that for us.

Thankfully we have the hand scanners so we don't have to lift most of the time.

[Dreamstalker]

We have hand scanners at the registers, but that doesn't stop the assholes who absolutely have to hoick it onto the belt even after I tell them NOT to (I still have to wrestle it across the scanner, which from that angle is a bad idea). Is it some validation of their manhood, proving they can lift it past waist level and forcing the smaller, weaker peon to do the rest...?

[Plague*Star]

No, I don't want to refund it!

So, you wanted to know if I could box 4 wine glasses for you. I said I don't have boxes, but I could wrap them in butcher paper so they would be safe. You said great, and went off to browse.
I figured that as soon as you approached the register, the rest of the herd would also move in, since that's how it seems to work. Very well, I will outsmart them! I will take the barcode from one glass, wrap all 4 glasses and bag them, and when you check out it will be ready to go!
That is how it worked, but you had to purchase a "onesie". AFTER the cashier rang it up, you then decided it "might not be the right size". OK, she doesn't know how to take it off. Well, I don't know how to take it off, since we just got a new POS system. Can you hang on, while I figure it out? No? There's now 5 people behind you and you are shifting impatiently and saying, "Just ring it up, and then return it!" HELLO? I can't figure out how to take it off, why do you think I can then return it? Are you going to go to the back of the line and let me check everybody else out before I do your return? No, I didn't think so. So SHUT UP!!! and let me figure it out. There! I took it off! Enjoy your whine glasses, you jerk!

[Dreamstalker]

If you call me over for help, you need to TELL me what you want help with when I come over if the kiosk isn't flashing. Don't get attitude and say "WE need to take some things off, WE are not all set" after I've given you more than one chance to tell me what you need and I have to go help someone else with an actual problem. I have enough to deal with. Either ask for help or don't.

--------------------------------

I know you said you saw a sign under the canola oil that says 2/$5. I'm telling you it's not on sale. I can do ONE price check in the aisle, then I have to help other customers here. Don't try to tell my supervisor that I was "rude" because you're impatient and didn't like my answer (which is the same answer he gave you), he saw exactly what happened. Not my fault you couldn't see I was busy and will get to you when I get to you.

[Totiono]

To the two somewhat psychotic women yesterday:
(Separate incidents. They were not together)

I admit I was a huge jerk to you two. For that I apologize. I really needed to slow down, take a breath, and examine the situations before suddenly reacting the ways that I did. Unfortunately I lost my cool with both of you because it was busy and I was stressed. I was in charge of an area that I'm not fond of because every time I've been there in the past I've had upper management constantly breathing down my neck and complaining. I've worked here long enough and dealt with enough difficult guests by now so that I should know better than to react the way that I did. I could've handled both your situations with a lot more tact and for that I admit that I was wrong.

That's not to say that either of you were perfect angels, though.

Woman 1: You approached me three separate times throughout the day demanding I bend the rules for you. You couldn't just go about things like everybody else. Every time you came up to me you expected special treatment and for us to make exceptions for you like you were some sort of celebrity. Sometimes exceptions can be made but you saw how busy and hectic it was and on days like that are why we have these rules and procedures in the first place.

11 AM: No. You can not come in 15 minutes late when we are already at capacity. Even one more person would be a violation of our safety code. Our next show time is at [time]. We open the doors at [time] and we suggest lining up at [time].

12:30 PM: No. You can not just give me your name so I can remember you and save three spots for you for the next show. You have the line up like everybody else. We do offer reserved seating for a small price and I'm not just giving it to you for free when others paid money for it.

2 PM: Oh hello again. You took my advice and lined up early enough. Glad to see you could make it. What's that, you say? You want me to let you in through an alternate entrance past the crowd who came before you so you can wait in the very front? So essentially you want to cut 300+ people and you expect a personal escort while doing so? No.

Woman 2:

I actually would've been more than happy to fulfill your request had you not been such an insane bitch about it. You came up to me shouting and already in some sort of frenzy. That's not a good way to start an interaction. For someone who claims to have "crippling disabilities" you sure had a lot of strength when you kept trying to forcefully snatch the gate from my hands. And the way you grabbed that sign and threw it to the ground with such power? It was impressive. It even left a big ugly crack in the sign. Congrats.

What you were asking for (more like demanding) isn't actually something we have a problem doing. We try to cater to guests with disabilities in any way that we can. If your attitude had been better then I'd have gladly accommodated you with a smile on my face. Unfortunately you were a complete bitch and the louder you shouted the less I wanted to help you out. The only reason I eventually gave in was because you asked to see a manager and on a day like yesterday the managers had more important matters to attend to. (Plus the day was almost over and I didn't want to draw out any drama)

--

I'm actually incredibly worried that these two women are going to complain about me. Normally guest complaints regarding specific employees aren't really taken too seriously because it is acknowledged that some people are just petty and want to stomp their feet and get someone in trouble over nothing. However having two in one day against me would probably be investigated. I can't say it wouldn't be warranted since I was kind of an ass.

[Foxbite]

If I can only give out keys to Name 1 or Name 2 people and you are Name 3, what makes you think you are entitled to their keys? Yes, you work with them and know their names. No, you aren't authorized to have access to their keys and thousands of dollars in equipment, nor are the 28 other people who work with them. Stomping your foot and whining that it's cold (60 degrees) and they won't be here to escort you for 15 minutes is not enough motivation for me to risk my job for you.

[notalwaysright]

ARG. Another climbing on stuff incident! Right at the front wall of the store I see like 4-5 grown women, one of which is pushing a small child up our quilting wall, to get a fabric from the top stock. I approach and say please don't do that, ask an employee. (There are TONS of employees on the floor, in fabric, it's our freight day. There were at least three employees in the aisles directly behind these people.)

And they acted like I was overreacting, and basically said that it was fine, they'll just do this if they need stuff from on top. I said firmly "no, please don't it's very dangerous and a big insurance issue." And they ROLLED THEIR EYES at me, and for the next five minutes kept giving me looks because I stayed in the same aisle to make sure they didn't pull this crap again.

Here is a pic of the type of fixture they were forcing their child to climb up. Yes, the woman was pushing the child up over her head like it was no big deal.

[Minflick]

And she'd be the first to sue if the kid face planted and sliced open a lip... Or worse!

[notalwaysright]

And she'd be the first to sue if the kid face planted and sliced open a lip... Or worse!

I know, right? Normally when I catch people doing this, they at least act a little embarrassed or apologetic. In short, they understand that they shouldn't be doing it. These people... They're the "cool crowd" I guess? Too cool to follow rules. Sheesh.

[LadyAndreca]

If I say "My only opening today is from 3 to 3:30", the appropriate response is not "So can I come in at 12?"

[MoonCat]

To the lady who left the voicemail: Reading comprehension's not a big thing with you, is it? I mean, you said you thought we should offer the veterans day special for free because "the veterans have already done enough!" And I TOTALLY agree.

That's why it's the friends and relatives of the veterans, not the veterans themselves, who would be paying for the tribute ads. NOW DO YOU GET IT??