I mean really in this day and age I am so astonished that with this economy people aren't just offering the best customer service. I was at USA Baby today and I was looking at the Petunia Picle Bottom diaper bags. Those things aren't cheap. So I asked the lady if there was backpack straps that came with a specific bag. She said no. I said that I looked on line and thought this one had straps. She said no then walked away. Really she just walked away. I was so mad that I turned around then walked out. I wont be going there anymore. My family and I have spent a lot of money there. Has this happened to you and what store have you stopped going to because of the service?
I have worked in the customer service industry for years and I have never treated anyone the way that some of these people treat their customers. I am not saying I don't understand the employee and not getting paid enough. But there has to be a limit. I go to USA Baby a lot and it's not just a one time thing. Their people are rude. Today was the last straw. I have turned to ordering more from Amazon and I am starting to think that is the way to go. Here is the thing, I may have not liked my jobs, or my managers, but that doesn't mean that I can treat people bad because of my situation. Yes we all have bad days, and yes we all want to secretly tell people off for being idiots, but I think that if you treat your customers like gold then they are the ones that put in a good word to management and that is when you see pay raises or appreciation. I am still in customer service as an HHP and yes I do get mean people but I figure that my smile and treating them nice might let them know that they aren't being pleasant, and change their attitude. I have been at a job where my manager was so mean that I was crying and still helped people out nicely. Thank God I don't work there anymore. I praise the people that are awesome and have great customer service, I just think that those places are slowly disappearing and we are left with online ordering and avoiding human contact all together.
If you found it online, buy it there.
I do a lot of my shopping on Amazon these days.
The clerk is a short time worker who knows nothing about the products the store sells and most likely will not be working there 6 months from now.
I wouldn't necessarily condemn an entire store because of a single employee.
If they ALL acted like that, then I'd cross them off my list.
You mentioned the economy. I guess thats supposed to make people super appreciative of thier job. The reality is, it sucks! Businesses are taking advantage of the bad news to make even bigger profits while cutting back on everything. People are realizing thier company has no loyalty to them. Cuts start with employee benefits, health insurance, incentives, bonuses, salary. They take everything you've been getting away in the name of bad economy. They cut the number of employees, existing on skeleton crews. And it's the exprienced that go 1st because they are the biggest cost to the company. So existing employees have more and more work put on them for less money and benefits. Middle managers are getting chewed on daily to cut costs, so they chew on employees. That chewed on employee is paying more for gas while watching oil companies make record profits, raising prices even though supply and demand don't justify it. Then you walk up to one of these super happy people expecting a ray of helpful sunshine and that's just not where they're at. Try to have a little compassion for the people at the bottom of the pile. They're working harder for less than ever before.
I know right!! They get a job to help customers and they act like they are holding a gun to their heads to do their jobs. I went to a salon supply store here in Oxnard called Sallys. I walked in looking for some shampoo, I looked around and couldn't find somthing that I thought would help me. So I walked over to the counter and there were two young ladies there talking. I hate to interupt people but when you walk up like that you kind of expect them to stop and turn to you to ask if they can help. NO.....they kept going with their conversation for another 2 min. or so. I heard about her night and how they met some guys at the club....yap yap yap... finally one of them turns to me and gives me a look like What do you want???? all she says is yes. I asked her the question and she didn't even know what to suggest for me. She just walked over to the shampoos and said pick one of these I am sure one of them will help. And walked away to continue her conversation with her co-worker. I walked out with out buying anything and have never been back since.
I completely agree. Just yesterday the grocery store sacker left $8 of chicken out of my bag. Once I figure it out I called the store. I'm sorry, I don't understand how a grocery store needs an automated answering machine. . . but I finally get a human. I talked to him without an attitude or tone in my voice and said that it seems I didn't get home with a package of chicken I paid for.
He said he would look to see if a customer left something behind. "Oh, yes I see the chicken YOU left." Excuse me!! I had 4 bags in my cart, I didn't leave anything behind. YOUR sacker was too busy flirting with the cashier to notice he had left it out! I did NOT say all of that, but I wanted to.
I have only worked customer service jobs and with training some people and listening to some customers complain about the service that they get from others is just horrible. When I first started working (1997, just graduated high school) if you treated a customer poorly you got fired, no ifs ands or buts about it, you didn't have a job after that. Then I got out of retail but still with customer service and that is when I started to notice the lack of respect for others (about 2001). I stopped working to stay at home but I needed to have the interactions and some spending money so I got a job at Walmart, the customers that I had would tell me that they would look out for me and come into my line because I was so nice to them, well they are purchasing items so I can get paid. Now whenever I have to go to the stores or grocery shopping I go during the day when the high schoolers are not there, I feel like the service that I get during the day is much better than I get at night or on the weekends. JMO
I'll take yours one father. :) I have come to the conclusion I don't like people in general. I am not quite sure what happened to treat everyone with dignity and respect or treat others how you would like to be treated but I am sure it got lost somewhere.
As for the store I would go back. Most stores do have a way to give feedback though and I would make sure that they had my negative feed back. I tend to operate on a three strikes your out rule.
LLK - I so would have said it.
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i never shop at best buy, walmart, or victoria's secret after getting treated poorly and not getting satisfaction. i had an atrocious experience at macy's but they bent over backwards to make it all right, which i appreciate so still give them my business. but i walk with my feet and checkbook if i get treated badly, and i make sure to let the upper management know why.
someone said you shouldn't hold the store responsible for one person's bad attitude. many people have pointed out that poor pay and bad working environments cause employees to take it out on customers. there are good points here, but the bottom line is that we work hard for our money and i'm not going to spend it where my business isn't valued. period.
there's a safeway a couple of towns over that is more expensive than my local grocery stores, but i often shop there anyway because the management there has made service a huge priority. everyone from the baggers to the stockers to the meat-cutters have been trained in a manner that makes it clear that poor attitudes are not an option. so if i run into a cashier there who's less than sunny i don't sweat it, i know that the overall attitude there is good and i just caught someone on a bad day. but first impressions are important, and if the first time i go to a store i get a rude or indifferent clerk, you bet i judge the store on it. you can generally tell if customer service is something the management emphasizes or not.
khairete
S.
I agree with the answer that says not to blame the entire store for one person's attitude. I've had it happen many times at my favorite stores and I just have to think that maybe that person was having a bad day and not to take it personally. It's not an excuse for bad behavior but sometimes people are so caught up in what is going on with them, that they don't think about how they are coming across. The sales person might just have had another run in with another employee, customer, or even a manager and was in a bad mood. She may have a ton of personal problems that are on her mind or like another person said maybe she doesn't make a lot of money there and is not properly motivated.
Whatever the reason, I don't think it is a reason to be rude to someone but it happens and you just have to not let it bother you and don't blame the entire store for it. Maybe see if another employee is available?
You should definitely let the store know about it though. I usually will fill out a comment card or get on the company's website to send feedback. I do this for good and bad service so people can be rewarded when they deserve it and reprimanded or trained when they are not. I think a company / store deserves to know how their employees are representing them.
If everyone was friendly to each other and people enjoyed their jobs (and were just greatful they had one) this world would be a nicer place. We can all just hope.
i hate when i go into a store or food establishment and they just look at you!!! that irks the hell out me. i don't want them to kiss my behind or anything but at least say hello! heck i thought that was common sense/courtsey to say hello, how you doing? but then again common sense ain't common sense anymore.
First I'd like to say that I know where you are coming from; I would never be rude to a customer even if I feel like they deserve it because there's just no reason for it. But I was always taught that good manners was extremely important, which seems like a lesson a lot of people nowadays are missing.
But I can also see it from the employee's perspective; it is very possible that not only is she not getting paid well, but she could also be treated very poorly at that store. My husband worked at a grocery store and was basically treated like dirt. It was a very toxic work environment, and coupling that with being paid very little, it was a constantly stressful situation that made it hard for him to be nice to customers (who often could be just as rude) for eight hours a day (although most of the time he was). It's almost as if the management is told to treat the employees badly so they can have a high turnover rate and not have to provide benefits for those short-term employees.
:-( It's just a terrible situation all the way around.
I work CS at a pest control place. I do my best and try my darndest to please my customer. I am thankful to have a job and I still go above and beyond. But yes, customer service went out the window with common sense :(
I avoid Verizon and Bank of America as much as I can. They are my two pet peeves.
I have gotten really bad customer service from walmart all the time! last was when i order something site to store and had my hubby listed as the pickup person but they wouldnt give it to him, when i called up the manager and told him that i listed him, he told me it wasnt in their computer when i asked why he said he didnt know and it wasnt his problem that I HAD to pick it up. He couldnt give it to my husband "I can't just give things away." is what is said....really? i paid for it so how is he giving this away. I told him this and he started yelling at me. I couldnt believe it. Then I called up another walmart to see if they had an item in stock. they told me they had two. I asked if they could hold one for a couple hrs. The woman told me "I doubt we will sell both of them you dont need to hold them." I told her "maybe but my husband will be picking it up after work and this will make sure he gets the right one." she gives this huge sigh and says " well I will hold it for you if I have time!" and i use to work in customer service, and let me tell you you get alot of horriable customers too, I acutally had a lady threaten to "wait for me in the parking lot" because I wouldnt cash her out at the service desk (it was very busy and she had a full cart and it was the stores policy to keep the service desk open for returns, plus there was a open register 10 ft away!)
i hear you! i come across rude ppl who work in retail etc etc all the time. It annoys me, and yes i've become that person who calls the manager and now complains. I use to work in customer service and i know how it is, they ask, almost beg you, to be extra friendly , smile, suggest, etc etc so no excuse.
OH and didn't realize u are from san diego as well
According to GE it has gone out the window. I spent $1000 on a washer 2 years ago and I got a "sorry it is out of warranty!" I paid to have the part replaced and fixed, but since the part wasn't ordered from GE they won't pay for the part however, if I want to replace the part again they will pay for it only if I pay for another service call and have the new part replaced. SERIOUSLY.
American doesn't have customer service any more. :(
