So, today we were in WalMart, and yet again, I walked out ripping mad a skosh irritated. Rather than go into the story’s gory details, I want to talk about customer service, give a list of Dos and Don’ts.
Do
…give the customer service in a timely fashion. If you yourself cannot provide service to them, call for assistance.
Don’t
…have the customer wait 10 minutes for you to check out three other people and answer the phone before you get to them, especially if you’ve already acknowledged the customer’s request for assistance with “Let me just grab this game for her.”
Do
…apologize, if the customer is upset or angry with your service (or lack thereof).
Don’t
…justify it to the customer. Simply put, they don’t care about your excuses. You gave them bad service. Your job now is to correct that, not explain or justify it.
A final “Don’t”
…argue with the customer. Period. Just don’t do it. No matter how unreasonable or stupid or whatever you think the customer is, you’ve chosen to take on a job dealing with the public, and the #1 mantra in customer service is “The customer is always right, even when they’re wrong.” I know this sucks. I’ve worked enough retail gigs to know that people aren’t always a pleasure to serve. There are some people who are downright rude and/or stupid. Some people are going to be cranky no matter what you do. Your job, as someone who is representing a company, is to minimize the damage you personally do to the company’s reputation, if you can’t enhance that reputation.
Don’t like this idea? Get out of a job in which you deal with the general public. That’s it. That’s all. There’s no compromise here, because if you don’t choose to give good customer service, you’re not going to have a job in customer service for very long anyway. I will find a manager to praise great service, but I will also find a manager to report bad service. In my own personal experience, managers prefer to not have to deal with cranky customers; it’s part of why they became managers. So, if you’re consistently causing a manager to have to deal with cranky customers, that manager is going to wonder why you’re working there, and that manager is going to make some changes.
I’m not a picky bitch. No, really. I’m that customer who smiles first, who waits patiently, who doesn’t have a chip on her shoulder. I understand the job you’re doing isn’t the best. I even understand that sometimes, it’s hard to remember that the stupid jackasses who are bugging you are also the ones making sure you get a paycheck. Really, I empathize, and with empathy comes a little more tolerance for less-than-stellar service. I understand even that this makes me seem like I’ll tolerate craptastic service, and I will…to a point. Once you’ve reached my breaking point, though, please don’t expect me to stand there while you suck your teeth, roll your eyes and then speak to me like I’m a retarded chimpanzee. Probably you should instead expect your manager to come find you and ask you WTF you’re thinking.
Whew. I feel better.
Related:
Loading ...
You've got something to say? Great. That goes here. First time commenters have to go through the moderation process, but after that, you're all set. Unless you're a complete buttface.
9 responses so far ↓
1 carymc // Feb 9, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Steph - I feel your pain. I hate crap like that. And I AM a picky bitch. I’m spending my money in your store, and I expect good service every time. If I don’t get it, I go directly to the manager. You never know when your complaint is the last straw and will make the manager do something about a crap employee.
It happened at my CVS after I phoned the manager (she wasn’t in when I was there) to complain about this monster they had working in the photo department who’d been rude to me about a return. She said, I’m so glad you called. I’ve been trying to get rid of that guy for a long time, and this is just the ammunition I need (!). Next time I went in, he was gone.. and has never returned. I don’t usually delight in someone losing his/her job, but in this guy’s case, I do.
2 Steph // Feb 9, 2008 at 5:24 pm
carymc - It frelling kills me sometimes. I don’t know where the disconnect is happening. I mean, it’s just not that hard - this person is willing to buy crap. That means I will have a paycheck, so I should be nice to this person. But somehow, there seem to be way too many people in retail who just don’t. get. that.
3 Missy // Feb 10, 2008 at 5:35 pm
Buh for real dude. Walmart always sucks at life. I was there the other day and two kids saw me walk up to the register and ran down an asile.
At the same time I can’t blame them. They get no bennefits and and their pay rate sucks. But its still no excuse.
4 Missy // Feb 10, 2008 at 5:35 pm
BTW effing LOVE that icon!
5 Steph // Feb 11, 2008 at 8:26 am
Missy - For real, we gotta move just so I can have access to stores that aren’t WalMart without also having to drive half an hour one way. :sigh:
I think I jacked you for the icon. Hee.
6 d // Feb 11, 2008 at 12:35 pm
Sweet baby jeebus. See, that’s why I don’t work with the public anymore. I had several jobs that were customer service related. Um…yeah. I was a really good people person and would do all the “Dos.” However, when I did come across an asshat customer who was wrong, it was very hard to for me to NOT just tell them to piss off because after all, I’m standing here making minimum wage and that’s not nearly enough for me to put up with your fucking shit.
Sooooo….I no longer work with people. No customer service for d. D works alone and doesn’t have to take crap from asshat people. :)
7 Noel // Feb 11, 2008 at 7:12 pm
I have nothing else to add you haven’t said. So I’ll just cosign.
Signed, works with the public and smiles all day long. Then goes in the back room to kick boxes. ;)
8 Steph // Feb 11, 2008 at 7:29 pm
Same thing with me. My last job dealing with the public was at Caribou Coffee. Further, I *opened the store, meaning I was at work by 5 am, M-F. You can imagine how much I loved that, given that my normal tendency is to stay up ’til 5 am. But I was good at it. I could fake nice until my shift was over. Then I’d go home and tell Bill how much I hated people.
9 Steph // Feb 11, 2008 at 7:30 pm
Right? It’s just not that hard to fake nice. If I can do it, anyone can.