Customer Service

[MIKE1218]

I work in a sporting goods store. My duties are mainly assisting customers on the sales floor and answering the wireless phone I carry with me. I got some seriously strange people today.

I was helping a guy pick out an ice shanty when somebody grabs my shoulder and literally turns me around. He gets right up by my face and says, "Do you have a Super Black Eagle with a wood stock?" (benelli shotgun for those that do not know, $$$$). I said no, then he goes, "You aren't even gonna f***ing look??!!" I said no, I know that I don't have one. "And what if I go up to the case and find one, are you gonna feel like a f***ing idiot?" I was basically at a loss for words at this point and considered calling a manager to take care of this douche, but I felt like humoring him. I told him I would meet him at the counter after I finished up with some other customers.

At that point my original customer was looking awestruck and picked his shanty and got the hell out of there. I went up to the counter, where the moron was looking very smug. He said, "What does that look like?" I answered honestly: "That looks like a Remington to me." He slaps his hands on the counter and nearly shouts "What the f*** is wrong with this store??!!" and then tells me he is going to look for a manager. I told him where to find one, and as soon as he left I called to warn them that an upset customer was coming and there was nothing I could do about it.

Don't tell me I handled it incorrectly, because I don't care.


This other one is just funny. Every year, right after Christmas this older gentleman comes to the store and asks employees if they got any gifts. He always has the same old joke. I decided to spoil his fun. I saw him coming towards me, recognized him, and planned what to say. When he asked me what I got for Christmas, I said I got a screamer. He starts laughing and says, "Thanks for ruining my fun, man. Don't tell anybody else I'm here, I want to get all of them." and then he starts powerwalking around looking for more employees.

His joke goes like this: first he asks what you got, then he tells you that he got a sweater. But what he really wanted was a screamer! Quite the joker. :shocked:


I did receive a "good customer comment" card today as well. A few weeks ago I helped a woman choose a gift for her kid. The kid wanted a BB gun, but after talking to this lady about the kid, location, etc. for 20+ min she decided to get him a .22 rifle instead. Then I had to sell her some ammo and some targets and boresight the scope. She said thank you so much and then wrote down my name for the comment card, what a good feeling. Does anybody take the time to fill those out anymore? It means a lot to the lowly sales clerk.

Anybody else work in customer service or retail? Got any strange stories?

Sorry for the long random post, if you didn't make it this far I don't really mind.

 

[Wi-Golfer]

Anybody else work in customer service or retail? Got any strange stories?

Sorry for the long random post, if you didn't make it this far I don't really mind.

I could never work in the public sector, I would get fired & arrested for beating the shit out of someone. By & large the buying public is full of a lot of jerks who care about nobody but themselves. They feel anyone working at a store is their own personal footstool who is supposed to drop everything & jump to their smallest whims & desires.

You handled it a hell of a lot better than I ever would. BTW where do you work? Maybe one of these days I will pop in just to give you some grief.:ugly25:

 

[SiberianDVM]

So, was the shotgun a f***** Remington, or was it a f***** over-priced Benelli?

I'll bet you didn't even look, did you?

You should have pulled out the Remington and offered to see if it would fit up his ass.

 

[goatster]

i used to work at a full service truck stop.i have had my fair share of run-ins with idiots.so i know how you felt.

 

[MIKE1218]

You handled it a hell of a lot better than I ever would. BTW where do you work? Maybe one of these days I will pop in just to give you some grief.:ugly25:

Fleet Farm, Green Bay East.

So, was the shotgun a f***** Remington, or was it a f***** over-priced Benelli?

I'll bet you didn't even look, did you?

You should have pulled out the Remington and offered to see if it would fit up his ass.

No, I looked; it was a Remington.

 

[nixdad]

Welcome to my world, but as a police officer, I have come to expect that lack of respect and get shit on all the time.

 

[twelvegage]

I don't, but my sister and mom both work in retail and they have some crazy stories. My mom works at a Kohl's down here in Houston and she says that the majority of the Mexican parents literally treat the toy section as a daycare. One lady even told her that she could leave her daughter there, to which my mom replied "yes, if you're not worried about her being kidnapped."

my sister works at Journey's in a mall and especially this past week and before school she says it's nuts. She's had people throw shoes at her and just say "size 8", and my sister's a real smart ass, so she'll just put the shoe up and then go about her business helping other customers.

I'd say you handled that situation as well as it could've been handled. Well done on maintaining your composure.

 

[zaphod]

Fleet Farm and he is looking for a Benelli specific model?????? You did right my man. Some people are clueless. I guess I would have told him about a new store called craigslist or ebay---keep him of the streets for a while. Or showed him a Savage 0.22/410 over/under and explained it's "All The Rage". BTW what lines of shotguns you guys carry--just out of curiousty Remington, Browning, and ????

 

[limpalong]

Have always contended, a prerequisite for becoming an adult should be a 1 year stint working retail. Everyone, no matter what the background, the education, the money should have to work with the general public... before becoming the general public!!! That experience, alone, could change some attitudes expoentially. Over the years, I've had some experiences working retail. Never... NEVER again!!! However...

I've experienced some really good customer service and some really poor customer service over the years. Sometimes, an attitude can go good or can go bad depending upon the customer service person. Had a really negative experience a couple weeks ago with a General Motors auto dealership. After repeated attempts to get resolution at the dealership, finally called the Chevrolet customer service line. Okay... a company that is appealing to Congress to assist in saving jobs should at least have customer service personnel that could speak english! Not only could I not pronounce the customer service lady's name... she had a most difficult time communicating with me. After spending time sitting on hold... then getting a CS person who could not even communicate in the common language, for the first time in my 62 years on this earth, I plan to file a small claims suit against the dealership. Poor customer service is as much an aggravation as those who do not appreciate good customer service.

As you work your way through your time on this earth, you will find some really great people. You will also be "blessed" to cross paths with some who are just first class jerks. Excellent lessons can be learned from both!!!

 

[eclark53520]

I say you handeled it perfectly well. Fleet farm is not even a Benelli dealer is it?

I agree that the public should have to work a stint for the public...i worked in a family restaurant for almost 8 years through highschool and college and saw some of the most repulsive and OTH some of the nicest most caring people i have ever met working there.

 

[MIKE1218]

FF carries Remington, Mossberg, Stoeger/Benelli, and more. We usually have a Franchi or two and a Beretta. I'd have to check the Appleton inventory as they have more brands than any other store; I can have anything there transferred for a customer. I can also special order basically anything you want.

 

[zaphod]

FF carries Remington, Mossberg, Stoeger/Benelli, and more. We usually have a Franchi or two and a Beretta. I'd have to check the Appleton inventory as they have more brands than any other store; I can have anything there transferred for a customer. I can also special order basically anything you want.

Wow ----Did not consider FF to have that complete of inventory. I am impressed. They have moved away from there roots of a Farm supplier to other lines. I have seen they have remained true to hunting. Very few store carry a decent line of hunting outer wear other than COLUMBIA. Just can not see gutting a deer wearing designer jacket.

 

[mont86]

You should have taken it out of the case, chambered a round, leveled it at him and said get the F(*& out!!!!...Of coarse I'm just kidding, but would make me feel better.

 

[MCDavis]

So, finish the story. Did the guy leave, chew out your manager, what??

 

[Fitzpatrick]

I've worked in customer service for almost all of my working life, and it still amazes me just how rude and just outright mean customers can be. Sometimes I want to say to these people "Hey, where do you work? I'm going to go to your place of work and get in your face when your helping someone else/refuse to acknowledge my unrealistic request/give me a refund for no reason...."

Even in the hypersensitive world of retail/customer service, where customer retention and service are priority number 1, I refuse to take any verbal abuse from a customer, and I don't believe ANYbody has to take it. There's no excuse for sinking to their level and being rude right back, but there have been times where I've had a customer rude and abusive to the point of almost needing to have the police called (happened one time) where I've had to say "Look, if you're going to talk to me or my employees that way, you're going to have to leave. When you can talk to me or my employees like a civilized adult, we will be more than willing to assist you."