The Nerve Of Some People!

[Lbybug]

i've worked at a 7-eleven for almost 8 years, and i've seen a lot of bad customer service at my job. it's definately not a job for everyone. it's really hard too, having to work with someone who demonstrates poor customer service. i'll admit, i haven't always had great service, but once i became a new hire trainer, i had my eyes completely opened.

there was a lady that used to always come into the store and was always extremely rude. after 2 years of her being a customer, she applied at the store, and was hired. i got to train her. when we got to the "customer service" module of training my face got red as i realized that i'd treated her with less then appropriate service. while i'm still not perfect, and still get frustrated, it's really an eye opener realizing that you never know who you are serving.

also, since becoming an assistant manager at my store, i have less tollerance when it comes to being the customer and recieving poor customer service. i used to be the type of person that just sat back and took it. but i have realized that nothing will change if nothing is brought to the attention of management.

my friends and i were going to see a movie a year or so ago. we got to the mall early, bought our tickets at the self-serve kiosk, then did some shopping. we got to the theatre about 40 minutes before the movie started. i had purchased my treats at the kiosk too, so i just had to present the reciept to the person at the counter. after standing in line for 20 minutes (i hate movie theatre snack lines) it was finally my turn. i had 3 reciepts and handed the one i thought was the one for the snacks to the employee. he looked at me, didn't say a word, rolled his eyes and went and got someone else. he asked what he was supposed to do and the other employee said to him "oh, that's because some people are STUPID..." then they started doing a bunch of stuff on the register, then after 10 minutes said "we need your debit card". i figured it was to prove that it was actually my receipt, and not one i just found on the floor or something. my card wouldn't swipe, so they asked if i had a credit card or something. they gave me my reciept after geting my CC to swipe, and had me sign something. the whole process took about 15 minutes, the movie was about to start. i just stood there, waiting for my popcorn and pop. the guy turned to me and goes "can i GET you something?" and i said "um, my popcorn and pop?" and he goes "you didn't ASK FOR IT" and i said "that's what the reciept was for". he looked at me and said "i'm not a MIND reader". to which i replied (something i've NEVER done before) "i'm not a mind reader either. and if you didn't know what that was for you should have ASKED. it is YOUR job to ask, not mine. i gave you what i thought was the receipt for the snacks, why would i come to a snack counter if it was for something else?" his face got red and he went and got my items. as i was standing there i realized i now didn't have my movie ticket, because i had given him all the reciepts i had got from the kiosk. he came back and i asked him for my movie ticket back. he said "i didn't TAKE your movie ticket" i said "you took all 3 receipts i had from the kiosk, and now i don't have my ticket". he went and got the girl who had been helping him and asked what the movie ticket was and came back and said "that paper you signed is your ticket". it was to the point that the people surrounding me, even the ticket people who tear the tickets had wide eyes at what was happening.

i ended up going to the companies website when i got home and emailing about what had happened and got a very nice letter back from management, including free tickets and free popcorn coupons.

likewise though, if i receive excellent customer service somewhere, i make a point of thanking the person. i know there have been times when customers have thanked me for being pleasant, and it really does make my day.

of course, there's always the "kill them with kindness"...just be extra pleasant to the person serving you. lots of please's lots of thank you's and finish with "have a great day" with a big smile...i like that one best

(sorry for the rambling...i tend to do that when i'm tired...)

[Maureen]

I've never really had too many problems with service people. I find that some fellow customers are the rude ones. When I'm in the checkout line-up I always give the people in front of me lots of room, its their turn. I get peeved when customers behind me think its fine when their cart is 2 inches away from me. I've had customers put their cart in front of the debit machine before I've even had a chance to pay for my groceries. They're oblivious to fellow customers, they act like they're the only ones in the store. I usually nudge the cart and/or give an evil eye; as a last resort I give a curt "excuse me" to get their attention. The nerve of some people.

M.

[HoosierGuy]

When I was a young teen I was in a bad mood. I was in a department store with my Mom and one of my brothers. One of the workers came up and said to me "Is there anything I can help you with." I rudely said "I don't think so!" She said "Well, ok then!" and walked off. I was rude to her. I was only rude to her because I was in a bad mood, had a bad day at school, hurting inside.

Rude people upset me too. But we have to remember, some of those people who are rude may be hurting inside. Here is a story I heard on an LDS pod cast:

There was a young boy with a dog that he loved. The dog was the family dog and he was gentle. One day the boy went outside and saw that the family dog was hit on the road. The dog was lying along the side of the road in pain. The young boy saw his dog and ran up to help him. The young boy tried to comfort the dog by petting it. But when he did the dog snapped out and bit the boy. Later, the boy asked his parents why the family dog, that was always so gentle to him before, would bite him. They explained to him that the dog was in pain and sometimes, those in pain can not help themselves - they strike out at those that are trying to help them, even those that they love.

I know - a jerk is a jerk. I'm sure this weekend something will happen that will make me think to myself "That jerk!" But we have to remember - they may be hurting inside.

[Lbybug]

while i agree, and understand what you're saying hoosierguy, that's still no reason to treat someone bad. especially if it is your job. if i am working with someone who has a bad attitude i would rather handle the customers myself and send them home. if you are hurting that bad inside, call in sick, take the day off, do something. we have a rule at work. "leave your problems at the door". you are at work to do your job. and while that may sound harsh, sometimes working in a setting where you have to help customers, you have to be and actor.

[HoosierGuy]

True Lbybug. I don't disagree with what you say.

[StrawberryFields]

Hello folks

I hoped this thread would not get "personal" and just be a thread to unload randomly.

Since posting this and reading some of your posts I have come to realize that some people just should not be in the service business. I think we should really take a good look at what our skills are and what our life experiences have taught us.

I cannot be sure in the 10 mins I had with the woman at the check out counter but I think I can make some educated guesses with her.

I would guess her age to be about 20 years older than myself and maybe she had a rough life and it was not her preference to work. When I approached her she was just kinda lingering around the register. Maybe I caught her when she was tired or thirsty or in need of the restroom. I greeted her with a smile casting her my pearly whites and asked her if she was open. Maybe I reminded her of someone she didn't like. I then knew what I needed to happen at check out and I wasn't in too much of a hurry to get it done so there was not any pressure on her by me. She had the mannerisms of someone I used to know and the person I know has a hard time looking on the bright side for much of anything. My heart went out to her in many ways as I quietly made my assumptions. I continued with my order and when something rang up wrong I wasn't intimidated by her "posture" and I asked her to correct it. For me when she asked me what I was now trying to pull that is when she crossed the line of customer service.

I feel more moved than ever to go back and pay a visit to this store and see what kind of reception I will get from her this time. I may even try to help her. I will let you know.

[unixknight]

I think it's a good thing to try and understand people, especially ones that upset us, but at the same time you've got to be careful not to let yourself get walked over in the process of making excuses for people.

Yes, it may be that this person was having a bad day, and yes, maybe you reminded her of someone she didn't like, but that doesn't matter. When you're standing behind a cash register you're expected to suck it up and put on the best face for the customers. If you can't do it, ask to be relieved.

I've been a cashier. I've also worked at the parts counter at an auto parts store and I can tell you that I was expected to be friendly and helpful to the customer, who is always right, by the way... And if I had any personal issues then I was expected to deal with them on my own time, not take it out on the customers.

I remember once a guy coming up to the counter and asking me for a starter for his car. I looked it up, got the part, and brought it to him. He said to me, "Are you sure this is the right part?" Of course i Was sure and I said so in a pleasant manner. His answer: "If it's the wrong part I'll come back here and kill you."

Now, this guy was a foreigner and may have been just saying it as a figure of speech from a culture that doesn't take a statement like that as seriously as we do here. Regardless, my first instinct was to tell him off as if it were a real threat. As a counterman, that wasn't an option and it didn't matter if I was just having a bad day or whatever. I just assured him that it was, in fact, the right part and not to worry.

Understanding people is one thing, making excuses for them is another. If people are nasty to you when they shouldn't be, it's because they've gotten away with it up to that point.

[Truegrits]

My first job, just out of high school, was in sales at Sears Roebuck & Co.
They gave a training class for all new employees. The thing they stressed the most was customer satisfaction. In fact, "The customer is always right!" was the first, and most important, rule on the list. If we were unable to satisfactorily handle a customers complaint, we were to call for a manager. That, unfortunately, is not the standard of today. There are many people in "service" jobs that are not suited for it.

[pam]

Originally Posted by StrawberryFields

Have you ever wanted to get something off your chest? I thought that this might be a place to complain about someone only no one here on the board. Just random rantings.

Yesterday I went shopping for beads to feed my newest hobby. I found that the local craft store was having some of the beads 75% off on clearance so I decided to visit three stores in the chain. I started with the one closest to my house and bought a bag full in beads and jewelry making supplies. I then went to the next one in the chain and placed all of them on the counter by colors as I had already sorted them out. The lady checking me out asked if I would like them in small separate bags and I said yes that would be very nice and she pulled out baggy sized bags. I spent a bit more money there. Next I went to the third one on my journey and found about the same amount of treasure there. I walked up to the cashier who looked put out already to be helping me lol. I politely asked her if she was open and she said "yea". I asked her if they could be bagged by colors and she said "huh"? I asked about the small bags and she took the box and pushed them at me lol. She began ringing the stuff up and then pushed them to me for me to bag lol. When something didn't ring up at the right price I told her and she shifted her weight to the other foot all put out. She punched in the numbers and I guess it adjusted it... I had this all organized and at the end I had something that wasn't on sale but I had a 40% off coupon and I told her about it. She looked at me and said, "What are you trying to pull now"? I really wanted to say "Oh nothing, just trying to help you with YOUR JOB" No, I didn't say that but I wanted to I said "The way you say that you would have thought I was committing a crime". At the end of my long order she chastised me for using all of the tape in her receipt machine and said, "There, that ot to keep you occupied for the rest of the afternoon"

Gosh! I can't believe the nerve of some people!!!



I think I might do it again today lol

Are you serious? You have more patience than me. I would have let her ring me all the way up and then made a remark and walked out without them.

[StrawberryFields]

Originally Posted by pam

Are you serious? You have more patience than me. I would have let her ring me all the way up and then made a remark and walked out without them.

Hey I spent almost an hour chosing those treasures!

When I first got married I had no patience at all so I prayed for patience and I got my oldest child. He had colic for 6-8 months without a break. After that I was more careful what I prayed for.

Seriosly, I believe that we are our brothers keeper and I am willing to help and make someones day with an act of kindness. I am not always at my best though and I have been short with people at times. I feel much better after spreading sunshine than casting a cloud.