Retail Hell

[Chewbacca]

I was in it today, pure and simple.

A customer wanted a refund for a game he had just bought. His kid changed his mind. Its a painless pocess where I work if you have a receipt but for cash refunds you gotta fill out a log with name, address, and phone number.

So I ask the guy to fill out the log and he asks, in a confrontational manner, where in the posted return policy does it say he has to fill anything out. I say, it doesn't, but it's required for cash refunds. So he fills out half of it, ommiting a phone number and signature, so I ask him to fill in those two lines and...

He throws the pen at me and tells me he aint giving out his F*ing phone number!!!

My years of customer service and conflict resolution expirience kick in and I start to say "sir... you dont have to give me your phone number, just write unlisted". but I get the word "sir.." out of my mouth when he flings the refund book across the counter at me and says "Give me my F*ing money".

"Oh Uh-uh You didnt" I think to myself. I take a deep breath, pick up the log and say "No, I will not be able to help you any further today sir" I walk around the counter while he starts screaming " how F*ing dare you walk away from me, how dare you..." My boss is now aware that a situation is occuring at this point. I walk up to him and say "I need to step out of the store. I cannot help that customer due to his hostile attitude."

The lady in line behind this gentleman was my gaurdian angel. My boss tells me that she explained to him how well I handled the situation, how I didnt lose my cool even after the guy threw a pen and the refund book at me. Even though the guy taunted me with cursing and insults, I simply walked away and didnt stoop to his level.

It feels good that my level-headedness and ability to extract myself from the situation was recognized and is the only redeeming quality about the whole event. All this and the real holiday shopping season doesnt officially begin until friday. I guess it can only get better

[T-D-C]

Man I feel for you having used to work in a retail environment. You bend over backwards to help these people and its never good enough.

Way to go keeping your cool though!

I'm for one glad that i've finished all my christmas shopping already.

[LennonCook]

I often wonder how people can put up with that. I saw a similar thing once take place at a small-time Café that I go to fairly often. A woman came in with a few kids, and asked for something that needed to be fried. They kept asking why it took so long to do (it took, from memory, around 10 minutes) and then when she got it, one of the kids said something along the lines of "Let me get this straight - you took 10 minutes to cook it, and then you burnt it?", because a small part of the top of it was slightly browned. I was very glad it wasn't me serving them... it made me sick just watching it, and I imagine that having to serve someone like that would be even worse.

[Chewbacca]

One bad apple does spoil the bunch. 99% of customers in my expirience are nice, friendly, and patient- like I aspire to be. It's that 1% that ruins it.

I have witnessed worst than today though. One time this guy punched a cashier becasue his credit card was code 10 and needed to be called in. The guy fled with the card and ended up fighting with the cops down the street. He got maced and nightsticked for resisting arrest.

[Stormymystic]

Originally posted by T-D-C: Man I feel for you having used to work in a retail environment. You bend over backwards to help these people and its never good enough. Way to go keeping your cool though! I'm for one glad that i've finished all my christmas shopping already.

off topic>christmas shopping? *gasp* have not done that yet

on topic>
I can understand how frusterating it gets, not exactly the ssame thing, but I did have to serve people, I have had people refuse to pay for the food they bought, and be the only person there I had to make the decision on what to do about it. most of the time I called the manager at home because I was worried about how the people were getting violent..I must say I am impressed that you managed to keep your cool after him throwing stuff at you [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[Kakero]

I've seen customer arguing and shouting at the casher when the casher don't have enough cents to return to the customer. There was once the customer ( I was behind him ) bang his fist on the counter when the casher don't have 1 cent to return to him. I mean come on. Just 1 cent and he want to make a big fuss about it! geeez!

[Nerull]

Ah, stories about the "good old days", back when I worked retail...and people wonder why I hate dealing with customers directly.

You always get your share of morons, hostiles, and crazies. Most either want attention and/or power in the situation, and as the "messenger" you take all of the abuse. You did the right thing by walking away and not "stooping" to his level.

Of course, when I worked in a convenience store right across from a university (in my early 20s much less, when I had a VERY short fuse), I pretty much went down to their level at the drop of a hat. Of course, job longevity then becomes a problem, but it helped that I was a strong enough worker in other areas to more than make up for my "lack of customer service skills".

[Harkoliar]

Originally posted by Chewbacca: One bad apple does spoil the bunch. 99% of customers in my expirience are nice, friendly, and patient- like I aspire to be. It's that 1% that ruins it. I have witnessed worst than today though. One time this guy punched a cashier becasue his credit card was code 10 and needed to be called in. The guy fled with the card and ended up fighting with the cops down the street. He got maced and nightsticked for resisting arrest.

just a question.. what is code 10?

[Albromor]

Chewy, by you not escalating at all just heaped coals of fire upon him. When you wouldn't give him the satisfaction of getting angry, raising your voice, et. al. made him all the more enraged. Way to go! People like him can't stand when people don't act like him in return. What a great role model for his kid...

[RoSs_bg2_rox]

Jees, good work! If that was me I am quite sure I would have told the guy where to f*cking go! I hate pricks like that.