When an expensive pan boasts a Lifetime Warranty, it is considered a selling point. But the LTW can also be a major pain in the ass, like when an angry father comes in with his 15 year old LTW pan that he didn't even buy at your store and demands a new one just because your store is a vendor of the pans and it HAS A LifeTime Warranty!!!
Yea. I had this happen today. But I stood my ground and read the Return Policy and manufacturer's LTW rules. Like, the customer has to call the company. This did not make Daddy happy. He whipped out his fancy ass phone and called them, then got pissed that it was 8pm in the Eastern U.S. When I repeated the rules, he told me how "it didn't used to be that way!! You used to just be about to walk into a dealer and return your pan!!" Which made me think 1. hmm, this is not the first time he's done this, and 2. duh. that is why they have changed their return policy. And, Daddio, policies fucking change. Maybe your 15 year old pan does have a lifetime warranty, but they can change the way you go about "refreshing" your pan.
I've seen your type before. Take some buyer's responsibility. Oh, and did I mention that he actually called his mother in front of me? Because the pan was a gift from her? And, mocking me, asked if she had the receipts from 1995 just because I asked if he had his receipt?
Go to hell, pops. And take your Lifetime Warranty with you.
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You were featured on/in Reader's Digest. I read your post through May. They are hilarious and somewhat true. I disagree with the 'not listening' comment to Happy Birthday. It's not that I'm not listening, it's that I say 'you too' out of habit.
ReplyDeleteI love your post and the way your write about what happened. I can't not figure out for the life of me, how you didn't just reach out and smack the smug look off of the Daddio's troll face!
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the insight, but I am so tired of "customer service" employees complaining. What a disgrace to your company and your profession. It's people like you (and this is generically speaking because you are not the only one this outlook has come from) that have ruined customer service and make us NOT want to shop in your stores. We won't shop in stores where we have to deal with surly employees. Yes, you sometimes attempt to be nice, but your attitude really shows through in condescension, mocking attitude and basically your dragging your butt to assist us. There was a time when employees were thankful to have a job and thankful to have customers spend money so they can have a job. If you don't want customers and can't keep a positive attitude, CHANGE JOBS - if anyone will hire you. Nobody wants a surly employee. There are so many times I would refuse to hire a highly qualified candidate because I would pick up on an attitude or would find out about attitude problems through reference checking. We just don't need your headache. Your job is to reason with difficult customers and have infinite patience. Eventually your customer will get it through his upset brain and leave the store, but will admire your patience and professionalism. Believe me. If you treat me like I don't matter, I won't be back to foot your income. Oh, and compare what you make to what I make. I'm at my level for a reason. A bad attitude would have held me back because I was willing to do my JOB. So what if the guy comes to your store to get a new pan which is UNDER WARRANTY. No, companies cannot change how they handle warranty dealings. A good consumer will find out the stipulations. Nevertheless, your store, as a representative of the manufacturer, should do the replacement as a customer courtesy. All you would do is either send it back or report it for refund/credit. It's built into the cost of doing business because your company DOES get reimbursed, usually via credit. So get a clue, all of you. Your customers stop buying, you are out of a job...and it may be a long time before you can get and keep another one. Try to make someone's day brighter and you will find your day will go better too. Keep a surly attitude and your life will feel bad, as will others' attitudes toward you. It's called customer SERVICE. Oh, and the guy who "hmm" has done this before? I'm sure he has if his product has not lived and performed to the standards of which it was sold as. Think about it: don't you feel you deserve what you have paid for? Hmm?
ReplyDeleteOh, and by the way, yourorangelover, one part of my professional career was training employees how to provide stellar customer service to companies that wanted to have loyal customers that Nordstrom service would retain. One customer courtesy deal (replacing pans) could return thousand of dollars of revenue from just that one customer, plus additional amounts of friends he recommends your company to. Part of my income was generated by a bonus plan in contracts that would be based on the amount of increased revenue the companies saw after professional, respectful training. You just may want to speak with HR about a program for your company.
ReplyDeleteDear Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteI love my job. I love the people and product I work with, and believe it or not, I enjoy many of the customers that shop at my store. It is an amazing community and the loyal customers are what kept us going during this crappy economy. I am very aware of customers and have constant anxiety about giving everyone the proper amount of attention.
The point of this blog is to vent because not all of retail is pretty. I say here what I know I cannot say at work.
I do understand the concept of taking returns as a customer service gesture in hopes of generating future revenue. However, what I see every day is customers pushing boundaries. Most often, they KNOW they have abused a pan, but they want to see what they can get away with. I have no problem taking back products that are genuinely defective.
And, ANONYMOUS, you were not there. You are not at our sales meetings, you did not see the warranty info that I was reading out of the product catalog.
The customer is sometimes right. The clerk is sometimes wrong. You, Anonymous, only sort of know what you're talking about. I am happy with my income. The ass kissing/paycheck ratio is just right. I would not want your job, even if you get paid more.
And I am sorry that you do not get the point of my blog and obviously did not read past the last post. This is a celebration of life. My intention is to share the hilarity of humanity as I see it everyday and to show that we are all capable of being assholes.
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ReplyDeleteI worked in retail for several years when I was younger. I provided what would be considered stellar customer service. I am not boasting that I excelled at my job. I worked at a specialty store and was the top salesperson the majority of the time. I was recognized by national on many occasions and was offered the opportunity to work for corporate headquarters due to my success. I loved the job and many of the customers. I provide this build up for a reason. Folks like anonymous don't see the full picture.
ReplyDeleteThere are some, thankfully not many, but some customers who act as though you are their servant and simply because they are in your store and perhaps have purchased something, that essentially, they can treat you however badly they wish to and YOU should take it because you are the customer service rep.
Regarding the above pan situation, Anonymous you are wrong. Companies, like the pan company, change how their policies are executed often. The store I worked in had lifetime warranties for ALL their products, however, there were caveats which were clearly printed on the back of the receipts, and these same conditions were often explained by staff when discussing products with customers.
Yet, people don't care about that when they come in with a 15 year old pan that they may not have taken very good care of in the first place. In a situation like this, the gentleman would have been better off being polite and friendly, asking questions as opposed to being demanding and raising his voice. When there were issues with returns, warranties, defective products, even when people's checks didn't clear, those that were polite - even just civil, received better attention because they acted with respect towards me and worked with me, not against me as I attempted to help.
There are limits plain and simple as to what a non-manager customer service rep can do. Being condescending, rude, argumentative and disrespectful will not and should not get you far in these situations.
I have had my fair share of really, really bad customer service and I do file complaints appropriately when deserved, but I also always COMMEND great customer service - I wonder if you ever do that Anonymous.
The thing is, my father is what I call a "retail terrorist" - he is similar to Mr. LTW Pan above who would complain in that situation. While he would not go so far as to yell at anyone, he can be rather condescending to customer service people - so perhaps I saw it growing up and I refuse to ever be like that.
Anonymous, you talk about "the level you are" in your career. I'm fairly confident, I am probably "at your level" or perhaps even more advanced. I work hard and am compensated extremely well. However, that does not make me any better than the writer of this blog. Working in a corporate office, having a senior management title, and a six or even seven figure pay check does not make you better. It means you earn more money - full stop. We need people at every "level" and I actually feel bad for you - clearly there is something in your life that has made you unhappy, so unhappy that you feel the need to take it out on others.
When there is poor customer service, truly, poor customer service - yes, tell someone, file a complaint and do it properly. But really, consider your role as the customer. You do not have clean slate to be a jerk simply because you spent money in a store 1, 5, or ten years ago. Store staff know the difference between a true loyal customer and someone who is being insincere.
Thank you Autumn.
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning_kruger_effect
ReplyDeleteAnonymous,
ReplyDeleteI believe customers are the bread and butter of any business and should be treated with dignity and respect.
I've seen it too many times where customers take this "customer is always right" mentality and beat a poor sales clerk to death with it. Rude, yelling, demanding things that are beyond an associate's control.
They say that teachers are under appreciated but I truly think its those in the service industry that are under appreciated. They have to deal with rudeness and being screamed at and bear it all with a smile because to stand up for their rights (as a human being!) to be treated with dignity and respect could result in disciplinary action.
I believe that those in the service business want to do the best job they can. I know I feel great when I go that extra mile for my customers. Those bad, rude customers though can take a great day and turn it to crap real quick.
I assume by your post that you never have a bad day at work then go home and vent to your spouse, cat, plant, etc. about someone or something that has upset you?
I don't think this clerk is being ungrateful, just blowing off some steam.
Well said Autumn!
ReplyDeleteAnon 1 - who pissed in your cheerios?
Clerk- I was sad when you made your blog private. Attention for RD or not, this blog is great and the truth! I agree that not all customers are bad and sure there are some associates who just go to work to socialize. But get it out, maybe people will learn something and act better!
Jess-
ReplyDeleteSometimes I get paranoid and make my blog private...
It's public again for now. I don't know why. I am a FREAK. THANK YOU for your support!