Customer Service Thread

You know what I hate? When I'm VERY CLEARLY on the store phone answering a question and someone comes up to me and starts talking at me because they want something and then YET ANOTHER person comes over, sees that I'm on the phone AND already being talked at, and also starts talking at me. I can't fucking juggle all three of you. Hold on for 60 fucking seconds.

 

From what I'm aware of, it's...semi-acceptable to do that sort of stuff to things that are packaged but not sold by weight? As in, "if you really, really need something to keep from passing out from dehydration or low blood sugar, or keep small child from pitching a fit" and "this does not draw an expression of 'why would you do that' from my housemate who works at a grocery store" sort of acceptable. Stuff sold by weight, however (like most produce and anything in the bulk section) is not okay to do that to, because if you nosh on the thing before buying it, it throws off the weight; like - if you're going to do that and there isn't a basket of fruit designated for snacking (like my local store has, with a sign going "please give this to your children if they're hungry, do not let them rampage through the produce section unchecked please"), then at least grab a second item and say "hey, sorry, can you ring this up twice?" because that way you're not messing with the inventory.

 

it's especially annoying with self-service checkouts that try to verify the weight of everything

the other day i was behind someone who drank half a bottle of orange juice while they were waiting, and the machine got stuck saying [PLEASE PLACE THE ITEM IN THE BAGGING AREA] when they scanned it and it didn't weigh enough

 

that awkward moment when the customer up front is very nice in the non-creepy way and is a music teacher and wants to hear all about your choir stuff and other musical experience and is just an utter pleasure to wait on but sir. sir. sir. please for the love of god you've been here an hour and I have got to get back to work and Aunt Boss knows you and knows how talkative you are and also has work of her own to do and will not come to bail me out and Cousin actually had you as a piano teacher and knows he will never get away from you if you spot him and Uncle Boss just brought donuts in and I want them, please sir I beg you let us part ways and both go about our business now. please.

 

Yeah the one time I ate food in a store before it was paid for is one time when I was out with my mom and got really really dehydrated- she got a pack of juice boxes so I could eat one and the cashier could just ring up the rest of the pack since it's not judged by weight

 

the only times i've ever eaten food in a store without paying for it are as a child bc the local wegmans keeps a free plate of soft chocolate chip cookies out for children to eat

 

Today at work started with a very grumpy customer. First, she complained about having to come inside to get her prescriptions. She said she'd get them in the drive thru but the window is too low. I told her that I'm sorry, but we'd have to completely rebuild that part of the wall to change it. She then said in all seriousness to get working on that. Then she complained about the check payment process (you have to check a box, then press a button, then sign on the keypad, then press a button). She almost started another rant, but held herself back from it.

And then the rest of the day sucked.

 

It's Memorial Day in the US, and the pharmacy is operating at reduced hours. Here's a phone call I got right after we opened.

"Hi, can you tell me when the pharmacy is open today?"

"Sure, it's open from 9 until 5."

"Okay, thanks. Do you know anything about filling prescriptions?"

"I do, but the pharmacy is closed right now, sorry."

"Okay, but you do know some things? Can you help me?"

"No, I can't. The pharmacy is closed right now and there isn't a pharmacist on duty, so I'm really not supposed to."

It's like. The pharmacy is closed. I told her when it's open. I told her no.

 

Things you can do to not make the fitting room attendant look like they're going to cry when you come out:

- if there's no limit to how much you can take into a room, keeping it under 15 items would be awesome. Or at very least, please less than 25. Please. I'm begging you.
- I definitely know that some people have disabilities that make this difficult or impossible, but PLEASE if you can help it don't wad everything up and throw it on the floor. I'm not so good with the bending either.
- on that note, please don't leave your trash in there. I'll throw it out for you.
- if you're an afab person currently having your Hell Week, please don't try on swimsuits. Please. I have seen so much blood. So. Much. Blood.
- if you're going to be in there for a long time, it would be nice if you weren't shouting on your phone the ENTIRE time.
- please oh my god please DO NOT park your carts directly in front of the entrance to the fitting room and leave them there. I have better things to do than find a different place for your cart.

I want to go home.

 

Today I was on break eating breakfast when this guy I've never seen before comes over to where I'm sitting and asks if it's okay to stop dating someone if you found out they had a child that is mentally disabled.

First off I have no idea who you are. Second that makes you sound like an A-hole. Granted I know not everyone can handle a disabled kid but still. Third I am on break why are talking to me about this.

 

-pushes him into a stream-

tbh i feel like thats how my stepmom reacted with my little brother :/

 

A customer placed an order for some greeting cards last night, after we closed. They called 7 minutes after we opened this morning to see if they were ready. :l

 

I live in the US and one of my jobs is in the fast-food area of a larger collection of businesses, for background information.

The amount of times I have asked someone if they want a small, medium, or large combo and had them reply 'what does that mean' is astounding. This is a fast food restaraunt like EVERY. OTHER. ONE you have ever visited. Have you never orfered a combo at a fast food restaraunt before???

And then when I try and ask 'do you want a large fry and drink, medium fry and drink, or small fry and drink?' the response is usually either 'what's the difference?' or regular.

REGULAR ISN'T A FUCKING SIZE. I GAVE YOU THREE OPTIONS AND THAT WAS NOT ONE.

I could understand if it was a language barrier issue because we do have a large population of international residents, but no, it's always the 40+ year-olds with that gruff accent people get when they've lived in in this area for top long. Which would mean that, you know, THEY'VE BEEN SURROUNDED BY FAST FOOD RESTAURANTS THE ENTIRE TIME.

I don't know why this bothers me so much. It shouldn't, but it does.

 

I say "regular" because different fast food places have different sizes as the default and a small is a different size at every place - like, a McDonald's medium drink is the same volume as a Burger King small, and those are both the standard size with no upcharge for combos there (at least in my area). Asking for a small gets me different things at different places, so I just say "regular" to mean "whatever will get me the price for the combo posted on the sign".

I'd imagine hearing it day in and day out would be hella frustrating tho.

 

The issue starts when I reply, 'oh, small?' and they look at me like I'm am idiot anf slowly reply 'no, MEDIUM'. Unfortunately some people do regular as in 'listed price' abd some people do it by 'size of meal.' and then sometimes they ask for a large and I don't know about that.

 

I had a woman get mad at me at work for the dumbest fucking reason possible (I set her ice cream down on the counter too hard). Cue stupidity. Cue my manager getting involved. Cue my manager taking my side in a disagreement with a customer.

Holy shit, you guys. This might be the best job ever.

 

Customer: here's our new logo *sends it embedded in a .docx, it tiny*

Me: ...can you just send the image by itself?

Customer: Sure! Here you go! *sends 50x50 jpg with more artifacts than the Smithsonian*

Me: *tries to make it not look like shit*

Me: *gives up on making it not look like shit, is prepared to just use what I can wring out of this mess of artifacts*

Me: ...*light bulb* *googles "[name of institution] logo"*

First result: institution's Office of Communications page, which has non-passworded, open-to-the-general-public access to a download for AN .EPS VERSION!

My brain: *Hallelujah Chorus - 10 hours.mp3*

Me: ...the fuck didn't you just link me to that page, customer?

 

Today I had a customer who did nine separate transactions so she could scam the rewards point system. Nine transactions for eighteen bottles of hand soap. I really don't like her.

 

Me: can I help you find anything today?

Customer: no, just looking

Me: Ok, let me know if I can help

Customer 2 minutes later *walks past me to talk to my cis male co-worker who is new* hey do you have burgundy shoes?

Co-worker: um I'm not sure, hey Seth do we have burgundy shoes?

Me: yes, we have 2 styles :/

This fucking happens all the time. We work on commission so it's particularly frustrating.

 

Customers who are on speaker phone during transactions :/