When "customer service" goes too far...

[fallout_girl22]

It's one thing when you have a SC who kicks and screams because per your company's policies, they aren't going to get what they want. But what drove me insane at my job was how ridiculously insane they went with their "superior customer service standards," and give the SC's whatever they want every time, making the business suffer financially like crazy, AND promoting the ignorance and childish behavior of grown adults on a daily basis.

Anyway, the phone rings at my pricey shoe store job, and it's an old sounding lady who doesn't say hi or who she is and just starts talking about the size shoe she wants in a size seven. After climbing a ladder looking through the stock room to discover we do not have her size, I go back and apologize they we don't have that size anymore, and ask if she would like me to check some other stores for her (so that we can spend an hour or two calling every store in the country, filling out paperwork and mailing it to her house with free shipping and a thank-you card for her being amazing).

Instead of a thank you, I get the most bratty, immaturely screech from the grown-ass woman of "I don't wanna drive to 'other stores'!" said in this tone of voice that she was so DEEPLY offended and dumb-founded that I could suggest such a thing.

So after not knowing what to say for a few seconds, I say, "Ookay, well I apologize but I what I'm offering is--"

I don't want you're 'apology'! Are you a manager???!!!

(sigh) No...

OBVIOUSLY not. You're an IDIOT. Who do you think you are? You sound very young, and ...This is NOT what your company stands for. I want a MANAGER to hear about this, NOW.

END PHONE DIALOGUE HERE.

She complained to my manager. for. five. entire. minutes. just. about. me. The manager had to apologize profusely and promise he would talk to me. Over...you guessed it, doing nothing wrong. You know what bothers me the most about that? I don't care what she said. It's the fact that no one was allowed to tell her what a f****** moron she is for interrupting and insulting someone who was doing their job and that she was wrong. Or maybe, point out that it kinda sorta doesn't make sense that it's perfectly fine for her to snap "I don't wanna" like a child when I offered to help you, but if someone had used that tone with her or call HER the idiot, she'd probably die of a stroke. THAT is what pure ignorance is. Instead she gets praised and worshiped for it.

It's funny...as a kid I was CONSTANTLY being told that "the world isn't nice, you gotta stand up for yourself and be tough, blah blah..." Yeah, right! It's actually, you gotta be a human door-mat and take crap every single day or you'll be fired and lose your apartment.

I miss living in Italy. Over there, the customer respects the worker, or else.

[AquaGirl]

Jesus. That's all I have to say about that. Oh and f***ing c***. That one always makes me feel better.

[tropicsgoddess]

That old hag is a real C U Next Tuesday. I hope your manager didn't side with that bitchy old biddy.

[IStillNeedToSeeYourBadge]

I miss living in Italy. Over there, the customer respects the worker, or else.

That's it: I'm emigrating. Scuzi.

[chainedbarista]

while i'm all for customer service (within reason), when someone acts like a shit, it's time to terminate the call or tell them to calm down or leave, period. american businesses aren't that hard up to keep shitheads in favor of good customers, and yet they like to groom those few shithead in favor of 'keeping their business' and 'fear of a bad word' getting out. really?

[underemployeed]

Well it comes down to get good service tell a friend, Get bad service tell everyone you meet how shitty it was and to never do business with them. Of course if everyone your telling can see your full of shit, it really doesn't hurt business that much. Sometimes, I have "excessive" standards, if you sell me something with a 1 year warranty, I don't expect to be dicked around for a week trying to get a fixed when part of warranty is next day service. If your store doesn't happen to have something and I need to go elsewhere but same company, I expect them to say screw company policy of not holding items we will hold it if you drive over here.

Although, some people expect to have their excessive entitlement issues catered to, and my coworkers are scared for when I finally put my 2 weeks in. I'm not gonna take shit, and if I get someone who is being a prick about service, I'm going to tell them how it is. I already sort of do when people bitch I don't know what they smoke, I'm sorry I deal with 300-500 people a day, most are random strangers, (you are neither nice, interesting, polite, or cute and if your an asshole I will only remember I hate you and to try and disappear before you get up here, not what your order is) and the guy who had the seamless transaction before you, manages to come in 2-3 times during my shift and we are on a first name basis.

[Jester]

I miss living in Italy. Over there, the customer respects the worker, or else.

Now that sounds like something I'd like to hear some more details about....

[RxBoy]

People seem to forget the old saying that you will catch more flies with honey than vinegar. I will not go out of my way for someone who is being a jerk to me. If something is wrong I am willing to fix it as fast as possible, but no if you are being nasty to me. I've had several instances where another tech made a mistake in billing insurance and the person was a jerk to me about it. The funny part is that it's often something I can fix in a matter of one minute or less, but if they were nasty to me over something someone else did...forget it. I can make the issue take a good 15-20 minutes to resolve.

This reminds me of the time my uncle and aunt came to visit me. The airline misplaced their luggage and my uncle was ready to go over to the luggage desk and rip into the poor girl working there. I advised him not to. I told him to be very calm and polite to her. He took my advice and he had the bags back in less than an hour. Had he been a jerk to her, she could have very easily made sure the bags didn't get back to him for several days.

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

Now that sounds like something I'd like to hear some more details about....

Seconded, I wasn't aware such a place even existed.

[PepperElf]

That old hag is a real C U Next Tuesday. I hope your manager didn't side with that bitchy old biddy.

I always preferred "can't understand normal thinking"... and in this case it might really apply to the SC

[ShadowTiger]

That was a truly terrifying first post, in more ways than one. I do apologize on behalf of people like that, who will not stoop so low as to be human to other humans. May they know karma and its love and temper first-hand.

The problem with the abuse of customer service staff is the breakdown, as well. My store has seen no fewer than two Customer Service Reps walk completely off the job, leaving absolutely nobody to check customers out except for the very, very angry head manager who was doing busy paperwork outside. (Once, it was when he was on the forklift handling a truck, with me as the only one taking it into the building. The truckwork had to be completely halted. Worst sale day ever.)



... So, yeah, ... Italy. I look forward to hearing more about how it's only slightly like this in customer service.

[Food Lady]

Seconded, I wasn't aware such a place even existed.

It can be different in other countries. I had a coworker once who was from Germany, and in Germany she had been allowed to tell customers to put stuff back. That would not fly in the U.S.

[ravevolution]

Wow!

Thats just abuse! I would have hung up on her and believe me I have in the past. Even though I work for a retail corporate megalith of many, I know the company doesn't tolerate that kind of abuse from customers.

Effff her lousy holy than god SC tude

[Despina83]

Okay...HOW exactly are you an "idiot" for informing her that you're out of her size, and suggesting an alternative? What exactly was it that you were supposed to do? Pull the shoes out of your ass, I suppose.

[Jester]

It can be different in other countries. I had a coworker once who was from Germany, and in Germany she had been allowed to tell customers to put stuff back. That would not fly in the U.S.

Not necessarily. There are places in the U.S. that that would fly. And by places I don't mean cities or states or regions specifically, but stores. There are plenty of places where the employees actually still have enough empowerment to tell idiots to stop being idiots.

Hell, I get great joy of being the old curmudgeon killjoy and telling kids running through my bar "NO RUNNING" in a very authoritative tone. Stops them in their tracks every time. (I love my baritone voice!)

Okay...HOW exactly are you an "idiot" for informing her that you're out of her size, and suggesting an alternative?

Well, by SC logic that makes perfect sense.