Who Are You? (doot doot, doot doot)

[Plague*Star]

Kinda a low level of suckyness, but I haven't been at my best this week so I'm feeling it more, I guess. Thought I'd post it and see what stories others had like these.

I'm ready to strangle these kids. We had, like, *four* kids walk in yesterday:

<knock in doorway>
<look up to see generic 20 year-old with backpack standing there>
ST: Um, I wanted to see about my laptop?
ME:OK, Sure!
<looks at student expectantly>
<student stands there with blank expression>
<....>
Finally:
ME WHAT IS YOUR NAME????
ST: Blagdah Vovodovitch.
< I look through paperwork folder>
ME: OK, it's still being repaired. It should be back early next week.
ST: OK.

The last one walked in and asked:
" I wanted to check on my laptop situation."
<Looks at Bryan>
<Bryan looks at me, because apparently she has a laptop being repaired, which is my bailiwick. I don't recognize her AT ALL, but we have *so* much sh*t going on now I can't remember everything anymore>
<I look at student>
"I'm Lurikeeka Marissamonimoto, Laura Aufline was supposed to talk to you about my computer."

Oh, she's *buying* a computer, through financial aid. So this is *Bryan's* customer.

This has been a peeve with my for a while now. Do you walk in Dr. Smith's office, and tell the receptionist, "I'm here to see the doctor"? NO. She ASSUMES you're not coming to her window to place $20 on Mother Love Bone to show in the 2nd. The information needed is WHO YOU ARE. I wouldn't walk in to my garage and ask, "Is my car ready?", I say, "I'm Plague*Star and I want to see if my 1988 Rolls Royce is ready." So, why do you walk in my office and ask a *dumb* question like "Is my laptop fixed?" Ah, you're the one who wanted a *laptop* *fixed*, unlike all those others who brought in *mainframes* to be *broken*.

I feel like putting a sign on the door:
WHO ARE YOU? You know (hopefully!), WE DON'T. PLEASE TELL US YOUR NAME.

But I don't think Management would probably like it. It's sad, we are just a little to big to remember everybody personally, and too small to be totally impersonal "Please scan your repair ticket at the kiosk in the hallway".

I guess this must happen other places:
"I'm here for my pizza."
"Is my suit ready yet?"
"Did you get more of my favorite dressing?"
I guess the suck is that the customer is assuming that you remember/recognize them, so it's awkward when you then have to ask them who they are. Still, if you've been in enough that I *do* recognize you, Scott "I wrecked my laptop again" Smith, you are *not* producing "warm and fuzzy" pheromones in my body when you appear in the doorway clutching your mangled and disemboweled laptop again. No, quite the opposite, I assure you.

P*S

[bainsidhe]

I agree it gets pretty old and frustrating to have the same thing happen over and over, but is there a reason you can't simply ask for their name? I'll walk into an unfamiliar place and give a general statement, because I'm not really sure who should be helping me. Half the time I'll explain why I'm there and I'll be directed to another person/counter/whatever. Add to that, if I give my name when someone isn't even at a computer, then they still have to go over to the computer, log on, and then ask for my name again.

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the frustration. At work I'll get calls where the person says "I need a price!" Before I even get into which of the thousands of products that may be, I first need to know who you are. Every customer has different discounting and new customers may not be allowed to purchase direct.

[Gaki]

You know what's really sad? When people walk into a GAS STATION and ask stuff like this. We see almost 100 people a day for only five seconds each (if we're lucky) and you want to know if we got your favorite chips in?

Well...why don't you go look for them and you can tell me.

Maybe it's because I can spout off lottery regulars' favorite numbers to play? But I play those numbers EVERYDAY.

[radiocerk]

Happens all the time in the pharmacy.

"I'm here to pick up my prescription."

Well, that's just great. You're standing under the drop-off sign, you've heard me help the last 3 people, WHO ARE YOU?

I did have one cool guy once I actually said what I was thinking to:
"I'm here to get my prescription."
*pause*
"Can I get your name, or would you like one at random?"
He laughed.

But it happens all day long.....

[BlaqueKatt]

I feel like putting a sign on the door:
WHO ARE YOU? You know (hopefully!), WE DON'T. PLEASE TELL US YOUR NAME.

But I don't think Management would probably like it.

maybe a custom t-shirt?

[MoonCat]

I get those on the phone. When I ask for the customer's name, 9 times out of 10 they respond with their FIRST NAME ONLY. I don't understand this. There aren't many people who go by only one name, OK? Cher doesn't advertise with us and Liberace's dead, so cough up the whole name, please.

[teh_blumchenkinder]

Conversely...
I am a member of a credit union, have been since I was 10. I usually only go in for checks, or when I am out of checks (no debit/credit from anywhere, even tho they offer it, it's actually really nice!)
Anyway, I don't go in very often, like maybe once every four months on average; mostly because I live in <big (for Idaho) city, which is really a town elsewhere, srsly>, and the nearest credit union is in <town down the highway 10 miles> or in <where is that place?-- literally, it has "Hidden" in its' name!> about 6 miles away-- both of which are a car trip for me. I go to the one down the highway, 'cuz I like some of the stores in that town. (edit to add) And I've been using _this_ credit union location for the last 6 years or so.
Two of the tellers know me by name, out of an estimated pool of 6. "Oh, hi teh. How are you?" usually greets me when either of these two ladies are there, which is about 7 times out of 10. Even when I'm not in their window. And before I show any identifying documentation.
Talk about identity theft protection!
(no, I do not expect this out of anyone but my family, friends, or small-class-sized professors.)

[Kristev]

There's a furniture store in the mall in Nampa. It has a sign on it that refuses admittance to children and teens without a mature adult in their presence. Maybe we should start considering that?

[It's me]

I really don't get what the suck is.

Unless customers can mind read they don't know what info you need to look them up / find their stuff / that you are the right person / that you are ready for the info.

[Plague*Star]

I agree it gets pretty old and frustrating to have the same thing happen over and over, but is there a reason you can't simply ask for their name?

ARGHH! FAILING TO SEE THE SUCK! AAHHH!!! MODS! MODS! No, just kidding...um...well like I said, it's a low level of suck, and maybe it's just bothering me more because of my sucky week/month/years at my job. Its a....subtle.....kind of suck.Yeah, that's the ticket!

I'll walk into an unfamiliar place and give a general statement, because I'm not really sure who should be helping me. Half the time I'll explain why I'm there and I'll be directed to another person/counter/whatever. Add to that, if I give my name when someone isn't even at a computer, then they still have to go over to the computer, log on, and then ask for my name again.

Sure, that's fair. I think the suck is because the customer is assuming we know who they are, when we often don't.
Customer: Who do I talk to about buying a computer?
Customer: Who do I talk to about getting my laptop fixed?
Customer: Yes, I wanted to see how my laptop repair was coming.
All non-sucky. I guess because it leaves an opening for me to ask for info?
Customer: Is my laptop back yet?
Sucky.
I think the customer has us at the disadvantage; there are only two people, "the computer guys" in our office. So they basically know who we are. But we get anywhere from 4-20 people, mostly students, through in any given day. It really becomes a blur after a while. So they really have us at a loss unless we get a Clue™ like, "I left my laptop on the roof of my car and drove off, how's it coming?"

Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the frustration. At work I'll get calls where the person says "I need a price!" Before I even get into which of the thousands of products that may be, I first need to know who you are. Every customer has different discounting and new customers may not be allowed to purchase direct.

Ouch! Actually, I think the suck is the *banality* of people walking in asking questions like that. As is asking "Is my prescription ready?" at the pharmacy. WTF?
OK, have I nailed it:
"Is my prescription ready? sucky
"Yes, I wanted to find out if my prescription is ready." non-sucky
So...it's the phrasing? Or is the Frank Zappa beer affecting my brain? I hope so, I have had *way* too much reality lately....
P*S

[Plague*Star]

I really don't get what the suck is.

Unless customers can mind read they don't know what info you need to look them up / find their stuff / that you are the right person / that you are ready for the info.

Well, see my other reply. I think a name would be all I need, the laptop wouldn't help, they are all the same models, the serial # would be meaningless to me, as would a student ID #. But they know they are in the right place, there's only two people in the office. All I would like is:
"I'm Scott Smith, Slayer of Macbooks, and I wanted to see how my laptop repair was doing."

I think the suck is that the customer is *expecting* us to *know* who he is, when we don't. The customer is expecting an *answer*, not an inquiry for further information to obtain the answer he is requesting. Thus, the suck is the moment of social awkwardness as we ascertain who we are talking to.

When I go in someplace, I say:
"I'm Plague Star, Star with an 'S', and I wanted to see if my prostitute is ready?"
which usually leaves the person to scroll through and say,
"Plague...Star? Right? OK, she's waiting for you in the Avocado Jungle of Death."
or
"Plague. Star. And you have a statement from your physician that the social disease has been totally cured?"
I don't storm up to the counter and demand:
"Is my hooker ready?"
I'm really not happy about being unaccountably marooned on the Planet of People Who Cannot Correctly Park A Motor Vehicle, but I'm not *bitter*.
OK, OK, I'm bitter, but I hide it well. Right? RIGHT???
P*S

[MadMike]

OK people, two things:

First, we don't call people out over whether or not their situation was sucky. While it may seem trivial to you, you weren't there.

Second, if someone does "fail to see the suck", or breaks any other rule, use the report button to bring it to our attention. Don't post about it in the thread.

[bainsidhe]

When I go in someplace, I say:
"I'm Plague Star, Star with an 'S', and I wanted to see if my prostitute is ready?

So now I wanna know, is this conversation on youtube? Because I'm sure that had a memorable reaction at the counter.

And your explanation nailed it, I think. One is politely asking for clarification and the other is acting like they're your only customer.

[ApolloSZ]

PlagueStar - I get this day in day out, and it gets infuriating I know.
I work in an IT service desk and get, word for word

Me - *Opening speil*
User - "My accounts locked out."

Just once I want to be able to say "Well that narrows it down to about 3500 possible accounts. Shall we weed out a few?"

Oh, and CSI for the win!

[Mikkel]

I had one customer say "I'm the one with the bicycle" when he came into my bikeshop.
Funny enough, most of my customers had bicycles, I wonder why .