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Tales of customer service (or lack thereof). Post-holiday customer service stories.

I've got two.

1. I bought steaks at Wal-Mart and was overcharged at checkout (the tag on the display said "half price"). The checker could not change the charge and I had to go to Customer Service. The rep there checked to make sure I was telling the truth, and she could not get it to ring up correctly. I said, "Just give me $8 back" (I'd paid $16.40). After ten minutes of futzing around she let me keep the steaks and refunded the full price.

2. My brother received a sweatshirt from his mother-in-law which I didn't think was too bad but he considered "butt-ugly." He asked to exchange it and the customer service rep at the store said she could only give him credit for the lowest sale price since he didn't have a receipt. She scanned it and the price came up..."$1.00." New shirt for Wootvan!

by wootvan
asked 2 years ago

6 Answers answer

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a perspective from the other side of the counter....

When I was in high school, I worked at Barnes & Noble (great job, by the way - 30% discount). One day while I was working the register, a woman comes up to me asking if I could look something up in the computer for her. Now, the rule at B&N is that cashiers are not able to look things up; they have to send the customer to the information desk. When I told her this, the woman burst into tears. Not just crying, but sobbing. Couldn't-breathe-with-snot-running-down-her-face type of crying. I just stood there awkwardly until she left the building!

So I have to say kudos to anyone who has to work on Black Friday, or any other time during the holiday season!

fidett
2 years ago

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@fidett: The sobbing woman has my sympathy. I'm sure you and B&N were incidental to the tears, of course.

shrdlu
2 years ago

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@shrdlu: i really didn't instigate! I mean, I felt bad...I just didn't know what to do! I just want to point out that as annoying as it is to shop during the holidays, it sure isn't easy for the employees either.

fidett
2 years ago

vote-for3vote-against

@fidett: I did not mean to imply that you did. Words do not carry tone of voice, unfortunately. I stay completely away from anything except the grocery store duing the crazy times. I shop for groceries either Wednewday or Thursday morning, and am home by 12:30 at the latest (morning isn't very early for me).

When I did xmas shop, back in the day, people behind the counter were always happy to see me. I'm never in a hurry. If I'm in a bad mood, I stay home. I don't expect items I saw two weeks ago to still be there, but on sale, and I encourage people that are "in a hurry" to go in front of me. Everyone wants those people to leave as quickly as possible, anyway.

I like shopping. I'm good at it. I nearly always have very good experiences, but I expect that it's as much to do with me as it is with them. Life is short. It's just as easy to be nice. I am happy to hand out abuse where it's deserved (and have), but the person behind the counter isn't it.

shrdlu
2 years ago

vote-for1vote-against

@shrdlu: good reply, good attitude. I live in a resort town, and we always try to be nice to the visitors, especially on changeover days. They have travelled to get to us, it is usually very hot, and they have not been on vacation long enough to have found their "happy place" so most of us who live here know about being nice. I try to apply the same attitude to all shopping experiences. My friend says we must all find our "pink bubble" and be kind to others. She cracks me up.

sand4me
2 years ago

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@shrdlu: amen to all of that. It is people that forget all of that, and get caught up in the Black Friday mindset that slowly lose their minds. Thank goodness for the internets - certainly has improved shopping for me.

fidett
2 years ago

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