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babyharley

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Sometimes I wonder WHY I bother working with people!


We are very very busy at the shop this week - just about booked solid. So, I get this phone call from this lady, as followed:

Customer: Yeah, I need to get my car in today for a water leak.
Me: Okay, unfortunately the soonest we could get you in to look at that, would be Wednesday.
Customer: Well, why can't you do it now? I mean, its Monday.
Me: I know ma'm, but we are very busy this week.
Customer: WELL - I just don't understand this
-hangs up.

Seriously- can people NOT understand that you need to schedule these things before hand!? ARG!
 

angelkitty

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Ohh I soooo know how you feel..

I get calls like this all the time...

Can we get this item we are ordering tommorrow. We'll we are in Indiana, you are in California.. You think that'll happen.. UMMM NOOOOO... Especially since the items are like 1000 lbs or more.. Has to go by truck,, it takes a truck 4 to 5 days just to get to California.. It's not like we have drivers standing by... Uggggh...

Then the customer is like it's Monday,, I don't see why I can't have it by Tuesday.. Hellooooo,, let's think about this!!!!

Uggghhhhhh,, the world is full of not really bright people..
 

rosiemac

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Mackenzie i get that all the time here as well only ours is the sign industry.

All the maintenance guys routes are planned on a monday morning for the whole week, but trying to explain that to someone who rings up at 1.p.m. on a friday of all times wanting someone there that afternoon
 
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babyharley

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I'm glad I'm not the only one with this problem


I was at Bath & Body Works this weekend, and I was checking out, and this lady came in asking for something that was supposed to be free - but they were all out, waiting for a new shipment. This lady was YELLING at this poor clerk, telling her that she demanded her free gift! I was just appauled at the way some people treat others and expect everything right away!

Apparently those are the people who don't work with customer service!
 

phenomsmom

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I think there are dumb customers everywhere!! I tell my people the thing we have in the warehouse we can give them today. But if we have to special order them something then they have to wait for a regular delivery day to get it. They fail to understand these things take time!!
 
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babyharley

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Originally Posted by Phenomsmom

I think there are dumb customers everywhere!! I tell my people the thing we have in the warehouse we can give them today. But if we have to special order them something then they have to wait for a regular delivery day to get it. They fail to understand these things take time!!
I just don't understand these people. Maybe they should turn the tables and see what we deal with!
 

phenomsmom

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Originally Posted by babyharley

I just don't understand these people. Maybe they should turn the tables and see what we deal with!
Do I smell a new reality show!!
 
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babyharley

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Originally Posted by Phenomsmom

Do I smell a new reality show!!


Goodness, that'd be something wouldn't it?
 

emrldsky

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Nuh uh...might give me away!
Have you seen that MTV show called Boiling Points? Basically, people are subjected to some of the most outrageous requests and circumstances and if they don't lose their temper before a certain amount of time, they win some cash (but they don't know this until after they either win or lose their temper).

I saw one where the grocery store clerk completely smashed eggs, bread, etc. as he was "bagging" the groceries.

So, basically, it's kind of like what you are talking about, but a bit meaner. lol
 

gemlady

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I imagine about now you feel like grabbing your "stupid customer voodoo doll" and having a field day with the pins!
 
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babyharley

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Originally Posted by gemlady

I imagine about now you feel like grabbing your "stupid customer voodoo doll" and having a field day with the pins!
Don't give me any ideas Jan!
 

snosrap5

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I have a sign up in our shop that says...

If you are grumpy,
irritable
or just plain mean
there will be a
$10.00 charge
just to put up with
you!

I love the people who call on Monday and need baseball pants for a game on Friday. They don't want to pay extra and they don't want to pay overnight shipping but they need 15 pants by Friday!


We make custom made pants so they have to be cut, sew and shipped out.
 

icklemiss21

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I have had way too many of these today.

Customer: I need my insulation job scheduled tomorrow
Me: Sorry, we are not in that area tomorrow, we are booking 2 weeks in advance, but I do have a cancelation on Thursday where I can fit you in.
Customer: But I need it done tomorrow, don't you realise winter is coming?
Me: yes but we are still not in that area tomorrow
Boss (taking phone out of my hand): didn't you realise winter was coming last week?
click.... that would be the way not to treat customers
she called back an hour later to say 'fine I will take Wednesday to be told Thursday was already gone and she would have to wait until next week)
 

esrgirl

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I'm sure you've all seen the commercials for Olive Garden's Never Ending Pasta Bowl- well I used to get people in all the time, seriously angry people, because we don't have the pasta bowl all year round. I'd have people coming in in Feb. saying they just saw a commercial for the pasta bowl and demanding it. It goes on September through October and that's it. I've had people yell and cuss over it- it's pretty amazing! My husband used to work for Circuit City and they had a customer complain that he wanted a certain computer that was on sale the previous week. The customer threatened to complain to corporate and the manager just said, "sir, sales begin and sales end." I think more managers should be firm like that, even if the police will need to be called (as in that case).
 

trouts mom

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Originally Posted by babyharley

Sometimes I wonder WHY I bother working with people!


We are very very busy at the shop this week - just about booked solid. So, I get this phone call from this lady, as followed:

Customer: Yeah, I need to get my car in today for a water leak.
Me: Okay, unfortunately the soonest we could get you in to look at that, would be Wednesday.
Customer: Well, why can't you do it now? I mean, its Monday.
Me: I know ma'm, but we are very busy this week.
Customer: WELL - I just don't understand this
-hangs up.

Seriously- can people NOT understand that you need to schedule these things before hand!? ARG!
But its not her fault the water pump went...perhaps she couldn't plan when it would break to suit your shops schedule


Yah, I totally understand though, customers are dum dums sometimes..They always call me at the last minute on Friday afternoon because they need insurance..I'm like "um, we're closed in 5 minutes and you need to come in" they're like, "um,I can't make it in in 5 minutes"...Well, you should have called me sooner FREAK..
 

lilleah

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This reminds me of 2 incidents:

Incident number 1:
Today I was having a bad day at work, and was'nt in my normal happy go lucky quirky waitress mood. So after I get done waiting on this table, table of 2, husband and wife...there sits a note on a napkin. It reads:
"Here's your tip..
Smile more, gripe less, get some personality, and try not to be so dull. We appreciate that. And have a nice day, Something you should have told us."
And MAN WAS I PEEVED! I took that note and crumpled it up, and threw it across the room. Another waitress picked it up and read it. After that, I took that note, and slammed it on my managers desk and said
"WHAT?! WAITRESSES ARENT ALLOWED TO HAVE BAD DAYS!??"
That couple is lucky that they left, because I would have went and told them that I am 99.7 percent of the time I am NOT like that. I was tired, cranky, and quite frankly, I hated you anyways.

Incident number 2:
This guys sandwich came out wrong, and so he threw the menu at me. Nuff said.

So yes Kenz...Sometimes customers completly are out of line. I hate the "bad ones". What's wrong with some people? You know? It's like we're just getting paid to do our job, and if you can't get that car in untill Wednesday, then so be it. Like she's the only one with a car problem on monday.
 

lookingglass

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Please don't get me started on stupid customers, I've worked the phones for almost four years and I have heard it ALL!
Here are some examples:

Can I fax my payment in?

Why do I have to pay interest, this is a credit card!

I don't want to pay for that meal, it wasn't very good.

And my all time personal favorite:

Why do I have a late fee? BECAUSE IT'S NOT AN ON TIME FEE!!!!!!
 

MoochNNoodles

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Originally Posted by lilleah

Incident number 2:
This guys sandwich came out wrong, and so he threw the menu at me. Nuff said.
Oh my gosh! I'd have looked down at the menu and then back at him...picked up his food and told him "When you start treating other people with a little respect, I'll consider taking your order."

Oh and don't think I wouldn't have! I am normally very tollerant (I have to be!
) but there is a line that is not crossed and that guy did IMHO! I WILL NOT be belittled!
 

rubsluts'mommy

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This reminds me... There was an episode of Dead Like Me where the cook of the diner they all eat at (they being the grim reapers) dies.. and Mandy Patinkin's character, the head of their group, offers to cook while they find a replacement. Now his character is one of those demanding (this is not right, why don't you just go back there and fix it) customers... not in a yelling way, but all calm, but demanding. The dead cook hasn't crossed over yet... and the moment that Patinkin's character goes off on a character over a patty melt, the cook crosses over, that was his unfinished business.

Needless to say, I just cracked up. I've never been a waitress, but I've done tons of retail positions... I have been at the receiving end of those types. Some of the best ones were at Best Buy, where I worked in the Appliances dept.
It's 8:30 pm. Monday. We close in half an hour. Customer walks in, frazzled.
"You guys are the only place open this late. My refrigerator died an hour ago. I need a replacement"
"Okay, do you know how big it was?"
"NO, but this one (looking at one next to them) looks about right. Do you have it in stock?"
(checks stock)
"NO, but I have this one, same size."
"No, that one's too expensive. I want this one. Is there another Best Buy in town?" (this was in Syracuse, NY. And the one in stock is only $50 more.)
"No, sir. There isn't. And we won't get a truck until Thursday."
...chatting and haggling over what to do... minutes pass...
"I kept hearing noises from the old fridge, I guess it was close to dying."
"How old was it?"
"20 years old. You don't by any chance have this one (the one not in stock) in the beige. My dishwasher and stove are that color and would like the fridge to match."
...at this point I'm about to wrap my hands around said customers' throat. ten minutes later, he finally concedes and buys the slightly more expensive fridge that IS in stock.
"Can this get delivered tomorrow?"
"No sir, all of tomorrow's trucks are full."
"I guess I can fit it in my truck"

I've done everything from jewelry to appliances, to CD's to stationery... a****les are everywhere... they shop everywhere. They do need a taste of their own medicine. These people have obviously never worked retail in their God-forsaken lives and wouldn't know what we have to deal with.

On the flip side, I've had some shining moments in retail. It's a crap shoot, really. You take the good with the bad... though, I do think it would be an awesome reality show. Maybe Mark Burnett would listen. God knows he keeps pushing differant shows out... (for the record, I hate most reality shows)

Amanda
 
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babyharley

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Originally Posted by Trouts mom

But its not her fault the water pump went...perhaps she couldn't plan when it would break to suit your shops schedule


Yah, I totally understand though, customers are dum dums sometimes..They always call me at the last minute on Friday afternoon because they need insurance..I'm like "um, we're closed in 5 minutes and you need to come in" they're like, "um,I can't make it in in 5 minutes"...Well, you should have called me sooner FREAK..
It wasn't her water pump, she had a slight water leak on her windshield
If that was the case, I woulda turned her over to the service department, they coulda taken care of her, instead of us in the body shop, I woulda been soooo happy to lose that customer!

Don't you love the people who call right when your closing?
I got one last week that called at 4:50PM - we close at 5PM:

Customer: Yeah, uh I got in an accident last week.
Me: Alright sir, when would you like to schedule your estimate?
Customer: How about right now?
Me: Unfortunately sir, we close at 5PM, would you like to schedule for tomorrow? My estimator is in all day.
Customer: Well, can't you do it tonight?

Seriously - you had your accident LAST WEEK! You've waited this long - you can go a day longer!


OH! This was a GOOD one!


This afternoon my boss gets a message on his voicemail, this is a customer who got her van fixed by us 2 months ago, front center damage


Hi, this is _____, I got my van fixed by you a few months back, here's my problem.... Yesterday I had pulled the hood release knob on accident before I left, and while I was driving, the hood flew open and cracked my windshield! I could have had a serious accident! Now, I know this is your error. You must not have connected something correctly, I demand that you fix this for free.

.......Lady - you PULLED your hood release cable - without going outside, checking to see if it really came open, you instead drove off, well knowing that your hood MAY fly open!

DUH!
 
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