The customer is always right? I don't think so!

[greensinestro]

Here is another example of a call I dealt with a few years back:

Me: Thank you for calling...........

SC: (In a loud, obnoxious voice) I need to discuss an account. The number is...

Me: OK, and would you mind verifying the name and address?

SC: I can't. It's my friend's account and I just need to know what services she has.

Me: I'm sorry, maam, but I cannot discuss another account that you are not an account holder on.

SC: Yes, you can! I've done it before (ugh! I hate that line!)

Me: I'm sorry, but if someone did that before, then it was an employee not following the policy.

SC: I did this before and was told what my friend has. Her line is busy and I need to know if she took her call waiting off.

Me: Again, maam, it is not your account, and I cannot discuss it with you.

SC: I want a supervisor!

Me: OK, maam, but we cannot.......

SC: I want a supervisor! I want a supervisor! I want a supervisor!

Me: All right maam, you will need.........

SC: I want a supervisor! I want a supervisor! I want a supervisor!

Me: I will need to place you on hold..........

SC: I want a supervisor! I want a supervisor! I want a supervisor!

At this point, I simply just shut up and put her on hold. Then, I was off to get a supervisor. As I stated in this thread, we were required to come back to the phone every two minutes to let the customer know we were still waiting for a supervisor.

Me: Thank you for holding.......

SC: I want a supervisor! I want a supervisor! I want a supervisor! I want......

I had to put her on hold again, because it was evident she was not going to even allow me the courtesy of speaking to her any more about a supervisor. However, it did not end there. It took five minutes to get a supervisor to the phone, and this supervisor could not just allow me to transfer the call. I again had to listen in to this drastic call.

SUP: This is the supervisor, how can I help you?

To sum it up, this SC changed her tune and gave my supervisor a totally different phone number where she wanted to make sure her own account had call waiting on it! Thankfully, I had already provided the phone number to my supervisor, and noted how hostile and bitchy this lady was. My supervisor did ask her why she wanted to know about someone else's account when she wasn't authorized on it, and this lady up and down swore she never requested something like that. Thankfully, my supervisor sided with me on this one being I was not one to just pull up an account for no reason with a customer on the line. What also saved me was on the account this lady wanted to stick her nose into, she was listed as a personal friend, but that was it. Nowhere on the account did it show she was allowed to be provided with private information on this person. I to this day am not sure why she called at all.

[Jack7957]

OT: K-Mart went bankrupt? I remember the local K being replaced with a Sears, but... I gotta get out more! ^_^

Yep, back in 2002. Then there was Ames, which went through two bankruptcys, both after buying out competiors, Zayres (1990) and Hills (2001).

[GayleShy]

A manager at Safeway told me once that her idea was that the customer is always right, but they were not always correct. I never saw her take crap from anyone, though, which is why she's still my favorite managers to this day.

[AnqeiicDemise]

I wish I could say I found greener pastures in the Receptionist field but I got more shit there than I ever could have as its a Receptionists job to diffuse arguments that occur in the lobby.

My manager, however, didn't take shit.

I remember getting told off by a female breeder because her new litter of puppies had been mislabeled as "poodles" instead of "MINIATURE poodles." and how the vet clinic had gone to 'hell' once VCA took over. I tried to rationalize that for one: I didn't know how things were run prior to the company taking over and that I was not the one who implemented such changes -- however, I'd make sure that all the pets files were changed to the correct breed. This seemed to make her happy until I asked her to verify her address with me.

"but I was here just last month!"

"We just changed our computer system and I just want to verify all your information is correct -- I wouldn't want to cause you any more hindrances due to missinformation."

---

Oh man, she went off on another raving tangent the MOMENT my manager came into the office. I could tell he was already very displeased as he was already two shades of red.

He walked straight up to her, pulled her into a small room off the side and proceeded to chew her a new one. Ten minutes later, he pulls me aside and says:

M: Demise, do me a favor and pull up this old hags files-- I am sick and tired of her crap. All she ever does is come in here and 'bitch,bitch,bitch.' Make photocopies of everything, stick it in a manilla folder and make sure she doesn't spend more than five minutes outside in that lobby.
Me: Is she finally leaving?
M: Oh hell yes, I am FIRING HER ASS.

After that, she wasn't allowed through our doors, even when the old clinic's doctor retired.

[AnqeiicDemise]

The manager shouldn't have caved to this scammer. I believe that the conversation should've gone something like this.

Customer: I want my free pizza. I didn't like the one I got.
Manager(to Employee): Did you see him eat the pizza?
Employee: I saw him eat most of it.
Manager(to Customer): Sorry, you don't get a free pizza since you ate most of yours.
Customer: But it was horrible. I want my pizzaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!
Manager: You're making a scene. I request that you leave now.
Customer: Not until I get my free pizza which I demand you make for me right now!
Manager: You're not getting a free pizza and you need to leave right now!
Customer: I'm the customer and I say that I'm getting my pizza.
Manager: I'm the manager and I say that you need to leave.
Customer: Forget it! (stomps feet)
Manager: GET OUT AND DON'T EVER COME BACK!
Customer: I HOPE YOU'RE SATISFIED WITH LOSING ME AS A CUSTOMER! (storms off)

...

Do you want to be my manager? <3<3<3!!!

[slick]

I hate that crap. I thought, since my parents owned there own hotel, I didn't have to deal with these people, I can just tell them off. Fact of the matter is, we are franchised, and we still have "higher" ups to deal with.
A customer made a complaint about us a few months back. She used "the customer is always right" while at the hotel, so I'm sure she used the crap during her phone conversation with customer relations.
She claimed that the hotel has "gone down" from the last time she stayed (which was in 2004). She claimed we had LESS amenities than the last time (since 04 we added free WiFi, voicemail, expanded the FREE breakfast, new bedding/towels (all added this year), 16 camera security system, new carpetting, etc.), and then she also said we were $30 more than last time. Last time, she stayed in a regular double queen room on a weekday, this time she stayed in a king suite on a weekend, totally unrelated in my opinion.
She didn't anywhere with me, but she must of put up a fight with customer relations, because they "awarded" her $30. Guess where that money comes from, thats right, us. I told customer relations that this women was a thorn in my side, and of no use to the chain. But these spinless supervisors are the reason we have these problems, they can't say no. The sup told me that while I feel she is a worthless customer, the hotel chain doesn't since *PLEASE READ CAREFULLY* "she stays at one of our hotel chains ONCE every year". Hold the phones, I think I need to re-evaluate what I said. Worthless? I think not, she contributes to 0.00000000000000000000000001% of my annual revenue, she's a prefered customer if anything!!

[Jack T. Chance]

oh please, whoever came up with the phrase must have never actually worked a day of retail in their life.

Actually, Katie, that phrase is attributed to the owner/founder of a British department store chain called Selfridge's (not positive if that's the correct spelling). And it's a MISQUOTE, at that!

Once upon a time, the owner of said dept. store chain was interviewed, and asked what the secret of his success was. His response? "I treat every customer as if they're always right!" And very shortly thereafter, that phrase was misquoted as "the customer is always right!" and that's where it all went down hill for those of us that work in retail.

[Lehk]

But The Customer is Always* Right



*for extremely small values of always

[katie kaboom]

oh please, whoever came up with the phrase must have never actually worked a day of retail in their life.

[Getoutofmylobby]

Whoever came up with the phrase clearly didn't take into account that a lot of people are simply retarted.

[Bloodsoul]

Yeah, I know Stew Leonard's does the same thing (ah, where else did I write this?) 'cause my grandparents have a mug with those sames rules on it. Heck:

"The store is also known for its customer-service policy, which greets shoppers at each store's entrance etched into a three-ton rock:

The customer is always right.
If the customer is ever wrong, re-read rule #1." -- Wikipedia (my emphasis)

[CrazedClerk]

Well you can blame Wal-Mart in part.

When I worked there, our floor manager told us the two "Golden Rules"

1. The customer is always right.
2. If the customer is wrong, reread rule #1

They had these posted in our break room too.

I don't know if it started with Wal-Mart, but they definitely preach it and I would assume a lot of SCs are assuming that because Wal-mart does it, everyone must do it.

That's just one of many things that pissed me off about working there.

[Bloodsoul]

OT: K-Mart went bankrupt? I remember the local K being replaced with a Sears, but... I gotta get out more! ^_^

I can only stomach that steaming pile of bs as much as this bad $1 lasagna I'm eating right now... it's in situations such as that that one asks wether or not one can continue to endure such madness for the sake of a paycheck.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

SC: It was burnt.
C: excuse me?
SC: the pizza was burnt. I demand a new one.
C: My apologies. May I have the pizza I just gave you? I'll switch it over with a new one.
SC: um...
C: what's the matter sir?
SC: I ate it.
C: In that case, I cannot give you a new one sir.
SC: but it was BURNT!
C: But you still deemed it good enough to eat, then demand a new one.
SC: but I wasn't satisfied.
C: you *ate* it.
SC: but I wasn't satisfied and I want a new one.
C: I can't do that. You ate the whole pizza.
SC: but---
C: The next time there is something wrong with your pizza, just bring it over here immediately and I will be more than happy to exchange it for a fresh one. I cannot, however, give you a new one after you consumed a whole thing.
SC: This is RIDICULOUS! I always eat here! Where's your manager? She ALWAYS gives me a free pizza whenever I'm not satisfied.

After much arguing and my kindly reminding him that our 'satisfaction' guarantee does not imply the satisfaction of his full belly rather than his taste buds and that he needs to remove himself before I call security, he storms off. (he was getting violent, by slamming his fists on the sneeze guard and yelling)


TEN MINUTES LATER, I see SC, Y *and* M coming my way.

The look on Y's face is one of sheer anger, M is calm and SC looks smug.

SC: THIS! -he points at me- is the most rude, obnoxious and self-righteous person I have ever dealt with.
Y: He says his pizza was burnt, C.
M: why didn't you give him his pizza?
C: Because he ATE 80% of his pizza, threw away the remainder and demanded a new one. You've both told me that I shouldn't give away free pizzas when someone eats the whole thing. How--
Y: you should have given him his pizza.
M: I'm so sorry about this. I am sure C will make you a fresh one.
SC: I want Crazy bread too. And I want the large ones.
M: you'll get your crazy bread too.
SC: and marinara sauce.
M: You know what? WE'll give you two bins of sauces. How's that?
SC: Can I have a second pizza?
M: Sure, we'll give you a SECOND pizza... and because I understand how troublesome this was, we'll also give you a $25 gift certificate for the store.

!

"No, C will NOT make him a new one.

F you (point at Y)
F you (point at M)
F you (point at SC), I'm out! (walk out the door, never to be seen again.)"

Oh well, if it's any consolation, with managers like Y and M who cave into SC behavior and encourage, it's no wonder K-Mart went bankrupt and is generally a worse shithole to shop or work in than Wally World.

"The customer is always right" translates to "If the customer is unhappy, it's exclusively the employee's fault." That is bullshit.

[ShockQueen]

AnqeiicDemise, I am so sorry that you had to deal with that waste of flesh with the horrible case of sphincter scoliosis.

If it had been me dealing with this lackwit and spineless manager, I'd have fast-pitched the apron right at the manager and walked out. NO ONE should have to deal with that kind of abuse, especially after they just TOLD you what to do to this customer. I smell a huge set-up going on at that point.

I seriously hope you found greener pastures soon after that episode.