Customer Service Horror Stories?

The BBQ Pit
1

I had just come back from two weeks in Germany and took my 20 rolls of film to the local Wal-mart to be developed. A few days later, I went to the photo desk at the store to pick up my photos.
What happened then horrified and disgusted me.

The girl, who was black and in her late 20’s picked up one roll and began to ring it up. I politely told her that I had 20 rolls of film. She turned away in a huff and flipped thru the film to find the remaining 19 rolls. She came back and slammed my pictures on the counter and proceeded to ring up each one and then throw it into a bag. Then, she dropped one. Again, very politely, I asked her to please be careful with my pictures. She looked at me with contempt. Then she dropped another roll of film on the floor. Ordinarily, it wouldn’t have been a big deal, but I didn’t like her attitude. I asked her it she had butter on her fingers. She didn’t like that and threw my stuff down and walked to the back of the photo area. I overheard her tell her co-worker that she refused to finish my transaction because I was being an “asshole”. This girl then proceeded to call me a Mother Fu$#%% under her breath, thinking that I wouldn’t hear her. Her co-worker finished up the transaction while she glared at me from behind the one hour photo machine.

To make a long story short, I spoke to a manager on my way out and complained. I was in shock that this incident happened. I assume that she was fired, because I havent’ seen her since.

Anyone care to share their most horrific customer service experience?

Eric

2

I have had plenty of bad experiences. There are some places that I will not shop at anymore because they just don’t care anymore. I have read so many bad experiences on this board. I don’t know what the deal is…but it seems people (managers etc.) are starting to be okay with the fact that their employees just don’t give a damn. I work in customer service myself and I would never go out of my way to be rude to a customer. Some customers are just plain rude…but 90% of the time after that rude customer, the next person will be really nice. It just really makes me mad that employees can be so rude and get away with it (not all, but some). I mean…would it kill ya to say hi, make some eye contact, and then say thank you? It’s not that tough! Ugh…sorry about the hijack…I just get so angry about the decline of customer service these days! ** rostfrei ** that totally sucks what happened to you! You didn’t ask for anything out of the ordinary. Though I don’t think her being black had anything to do with it…

3

I’ve had too many to count, but one that sticks in my mind is the new propensity for banks to fingerprint you. I find that to be obnoxious to the point of absurdity.

4

I was buying beer and cigarettes on a Saturday one time and the kid at the checkout actually looked at me and said, “Well you aren’t having a very healthy weekend, are you?” HOW RUDE! Maybe I WASN’T having a healthy weekend, but it sure wasn’t his business! It irritated me to no end. The kid was 18, btw. I have avoided his checkout line since that time.

Another time, a grocery store clerk was selling those little things that you pay $1 for, write your name on it and they hang them around the store. It just basically means that you donate your $1 for some specific cause when you go through the check out. I was buying cigarettes again, and the girl suggested that I really should donate a dollar because it was for cancer research. She said this in an incredibly rude tone while holding my cigarettes.

5

The last time I was in a Kmart (some years ago), security followed me around the entire time.

“Ooh, he has a pony tail–he must be out to rob us of our entire stock of temptingly conservative slacks! Get the bastard now! $#%&@!@^&!!!”

6

Um, hit submit before I finished ranting.

Anyway, you can imagine how thrilled I was to find out about their recent financial troubles. When they close down, I fully intend to go to the very same Kmart and urinate on their front door. Too bad I probably won’t be able to find the store manager as well…

7

Once, I was picking up pictures at WalMart, and the woman working there asked me if my parents were on drugs when they named me.
Oh, for crying out loud.
My name is Ashleigh.
Yes, it’s one of those kreative spellingz names and it drives me crazy too, but it’s not that unusual and it was really rude of her.

8

No shit? They really said that to your face? I’d raised holy hell.

9

Your last name isn’t Banfield is it? You haven’t started wearing glasses for no particular reason?

10

bernse - yep, she really said that. What’s strange is that it didn’t make me that mad at the time. I always brace myself whenever someone sees my name because I know a comment is coming.

How is your name pronounced? Alicia?
What a weird spelling!
Oh, I LOVE your name.

I got all types, and I shudder at the thought of ever getting a job where I’d have to wear a name tag. After I walked away, however, I was muttering Wicked wicked woman. Meanie-pants!

BobT - go Ashleigh Banfield! I’ve never seen her reporting, but I’m entirely delighted that there’s another Ashleigh out there who’s over 15 years old. (Not to say there’s a 15 year old famous Ashleigh, I just mean most Ashleighs (and Ashleys, Ashlees, Ashlies, Ashlis, Ash Lees, Ash-etcs) are teens and younger.

All right, since I’m posting again, I’ll give another story. There was the time at WaldenBooks that the cashier just left the counter for 10 minutes while I stood there. Dee dee dee, tick tock. Finally she comes back,
Is this all?
Yes.
Do you belong to our special get x% off club thingie?
No.
Do you want to.
No.
Are you sure?
Yes.
Are you really really sure?
Yes.
You’d be saving money, you know?
<sarcastically> You don’t say.
Yeah! Just fill out these forms, and then you’ll get 15% off this purchase, and 10% off all purchases in the future, and you’ll get this card, and every time you buy a book, we’ll punch a hole in this card, and then when the card has filled up, you turn it in and you’ll get a book free! And then you’ll be saving money, and with that money, you could get even more books! And when you’re buying more books, you could get a new card, and every time you buy a book, we’ll punch a hole in this card, and when the card has filled up, you turn it in, and -
God Dammit, will you just ring me up!

She was nice, but grrr.

11

Yeah, yeah - I know you pony-tailed types have a “thing” for elastic-waisted polyester pants! 'fess up!

12

Moving this to the BBQ Pit.

And if you don’t like it, go shop somewhere else, you pathetic twit.

:slight_smile:

13

Allan and I were at Sam’s Club getting tires put on so we strolled around a bit killing time. We decided to get a bite to eat in the snackateria, so we walk up to the counter. The girl is leaning over one part of the counter chatting with a friend. And chatting. And chatting. Finally, Allan says “Excuse me, could we get some service?” (in an annoyed tone, I’ll admit that. But jeez, you know? WTF?) She gives him an ICY stare, turns around SLOWLY and comes over. Looks him in the eye and goes “Yeah?” He orders our stuff (thankfully we could see her getting it so she didn’t spit any loogies into it), she takes FOREVER getting it- moving like she was on freaking qualudes, I swear it. Finally she tossed our food onto the counter, rings it up, doesn’t bother to even say the total and just stares at Allan.

He stares back. She stares. He stares back. Finally he pays her, and upon getting his change he tells her “You know why it’s great to come here? That service with a smile you always get!” He then complained to the manager about her ridiculous behavior. She was acting just like a teenager who has been told she’s grounded. Pouting, miserable, and rude.

14

See, I’d think Ashleigh Brilliant. But that’s just me.

You want to urinate on their manager? :eek:

[sub](I have my own problems from Kmart, based on my experience working for their suppliers rather than as a customer. Still, though, peeing on the guy seems a little extreme…)[/sub]

15

It’s a wonder that internet sales aren’t quadrupling every month. I’d rather risk cancer from my monitor than put up with bad service. K-Mart is one of the worst. Ours is still open but it won’t be for long if the attitude of the employees don’t change. Their checkout lines have signs that state they’ll open another register when three or more people are in line. They never do. I’m sixth in line, I’m looking at the sign…then at the manager…then the sign…unless I’m near death and need that Nyquil ®, I’ll usually walk out, leaving my goods on the first available table for them to sort thru. God I hate them!

16

I have a policy of spitting on the floor on the way out when I get really bad service (restaurants excluded). I don’t hock up anything, just a quick spray of disgust. It’s very satisfying, and if I ever get caught I can say I sneezed. :slight_smile:

My pet peeve is when I get this:

Me: Could you check to see if my order is ready, please? Here’s my invoice.
Clerk: (rudely) We don’t have anything for you.
Me: <blank stare>
Clerk: Just kidding! I’ll go check.

They don’t actually think that’s amusing, do they?

17

On Super Bowl Sunday, I ran to the grocery store to pick up some snacks, since some friends were coming over to watch the game. I got to the checkout line with two jumbo-sized bags of tortilla chips and a big jar of salsa. The employee at the checkout looked at me and said, “That’s not your lunch, is it?”

18

My dad and I went to a video game store to ask about memory cards. We stood there while the clerk talked to these stoners who were turning in about 25 videos (most were shitty movies), and a dozen or so video games. So Dad and I are waiting patiently. They leave. The clerk then talks to this guy and his two daughters, who got there way after Dad and I, and starts ringing up their stuff. And the clerk didn’t even look at us. Finally, we walk out, and my dad yells “C’mon airdisc, let’s go some place where we can get some actual service!”. The clerk just said “good luck”.

I have not returned there since.

19

Um, no, that just makes you a disgusting slob.

:rolleyes:

20

Well… I do a LOT of construction type work. I’m female.

In college, I shared a house with three guys and when we were in a hardware store one day, one of my housemates marvelled: “You know, you’re probably more comfortable in this store than any of us guys!” It was quite true. I have industrial power tools… if the three guys I lived with pooled their resources they’d have one screwdriver, a hammer and a rusty pocket-knife.

I was at a lumber yard and I needed four sheets of luan (aka “doorskin”) and some other lumber. Since I drove a little sedan, I asked a my male friend to give me a ride because he had a pick-up truck.

The lumber yeard guy never said a word to me.

Me: “I need four sheets of luan.”
Lumber Guy asks MY FRIEND: “Oh, does she want something thin for arts and crafts?”

My Friend would never answer on my behalf unless for some reason I couldn’t speak. So he looks at me.

Me: “No. I need luan. Four sheets. 4’ x 8’”
Lumber Guys asks MY FRIEND: “You sure she doesn’t want balsa wood or something?”

Friend looks at me.

Me: “No. Luan. Doorskin. Skin Ply. 4’ x 8’. Stuff to make a door.”
Lumber Guy my friend: “Oh. Well, we have some doors already made… maybe she should look at some of those”

Friend looks at me to answer.

Me: “No. Look, I need 4’x8’ sheets of doorskin…”

This went on and on and on…

After a long while I got all the lumber I needed. Never once did the guy speak to me directly – he always directed his questions to my friend in “well, does she want…”

The same chain of lumber stores has an outlet in my home town. They know me there and when I told them the story of the customer service, they were horrified and apologized profusely.

The stupid-ass lumber yard shut down due to poor sales.