Another doozy of a customer

[GigaBuist]

Some people.

Her story was that she came in during May, showed two people a picture of a grass to somebody, they showed her where it was, that person then called over somebody else to double-check her work (probably my brother) and all three of them seemed to agree that the grass in the picture was the one she's buying.  The grass was also labeled with exactly how it should grow.  Height, width, that kind of them.

She buys 13 of them and plants them.

Two and half months later she's decided it is the wrong grass.  We were wrong and she wants us to "do something to fix this."  Girl manning the front counter explains that we can't offer a refund on something that has been planted for 2.5 months already and the woman insists on talking to a manager.   I pick her up and she's basically yelling at me the entire time.

Hint:  That doesn't get you anywhere.

Anyway, she ended up eating about 20 minutes of our time.  Front desk girl spent a fair amount of time on it, then me.  I hung up after enough yelling and politely telling her that the conversation was over.  Immediately called back and my old man grabbed the phone.  He spent another 10 minutes with her.

Her only complaint was that the grass was getting too tall.  That's it.  She didn't know what kind she bought, said it actually looked great, but it was too tall. By the time I dragged that much information out of her I'd already been yelled at enough, and you know what?  I could have probably helped her figure out where something went wrong.  I assume our people IDed the grass properly, but maybe she's giving it a nitrogen
fertilizer and with something in the Miscanthus family you don't want to that if you want it short.  Actually, basically any grass.  If it's too tall don't feed it nitrogen.  Or, I don't know, maybe your neighbor cuts his back.  Or maybe his is in the shade and yours is full sun.  Probably thirty different ways I could have taken her down a helpful road but I'm NOT going to be helpful if your plan is to yell at me until I give you money.

I'd like to say I don't understand people like that, but I know that the "yell really loud at people" tactic gets them in other places.  Basically once you pull the "I spend $100/$200/$300 per year at your place" I shut down.  Big deal.  I spent $6k a year at the grocery store.  I don't pretend like I'm important around there.

[BlueStarLizzard]

I'd like to say I don't understand people like that, but I know that the "yell really loud at people" tactic gets them in other places.  Basically once you pull the "I spend $100/$200/$300 per year at your place" I shut down.  Big deal.  I spent $6k a year at the grocery store.  I don't pretend like I'm important around there. 

The last customer to pull the yelling tactic on my boss got told not to return. In addition to the yelling was extreamly foul language.

 I'll give them a year before their yorkie gets banned from enough shops so they end up crawling back and begging for us to do him again.

It was really funny, actually. The new girl was watching, somewhat dumbfounded, while Katie was grooming the little snot. New girl wanted to know what it took before we banned dogs. Katie spent a bit explaining that we almost never ban the dogs, just the owners.
Couple hours later, katie calls me and is like "Yeah, so Bailey won't be back."

You really gotta wonder at the wisdom of some people. Screaming and cussing out the owner of the only grooming shop around that won't ban your evil little snot of a dog for giving it the haircut your SO asked for when the dog was dropped off in the morning is really not going to end well for you or your dog.

[Monkeyleg]

Sometimes I wonder if people already know they have an indefensible position, so they create a ruckus to get the retailer to knuckle under.

Good for you for telling her to stuff it.

[JonnyB]

Sometimes, though, it's not the customer...

Son 1 was having bearing problems with his older GMC Jimmy, and the estimate from the shop started at $1600 to repair it. A local salvage outfit had one for $200, complete. The operator claimed it would be ready to install, and they'd "check it out" and warranty it for 90 days.

We arrived to pick it up and the guy was still out torching it loose from the vehicle. After a 20-minute wait, he drove up with it hanging off the boom of a tow truck. Except, it had slid to where one drum was against the boom and the opposite end was banging along the ground as he drove. The bearing was pounded out, the brake drum off, the backing plate bent over and the axle seal destroyed.

Son went to complain about the condition and the owner got in his face about it. Tow truck driver pretty much quoted their customer service policy: "Well, you don't have to buy it."

We didn't. Bought bearings and seals and rented a couple tools and repaired it for under $150.

Sometimes, the customer is right. Not yours, though - not by a wide margin.

jb

[Devonai]

The worst "customer" I ever had to deal with was the head of emergency services for a certain Connecticut town.  There was a training event at the base and we were expecting emergency management teams from around the state.  This guy shows up with three of his colleagues and none of them want to show ID.

I gave the leader my standard stock answer which is, "Everyone from the lowliest Airman to the Adjutant General is required to show ID to get on this base.  Why should I treat you any differently?"  This guy loses it.  He's in the front passenger seat, and decides to jump out and run around to the gate house side, which, by the way, isn't the smartest thing to do at a military TCP.

He ignores our commands to get back in the vehicle (by now one of my co-workers has also come out), and instead draws attention to the full-bird Colonel rank on his shirt and asks us if we know what it means.  Since he is not wearing any permutation of any military uniform I've ever seen, I asked him which branch of service he was claiming to represent.  Well, none... he never served.  He's a Colonel within the rank structure of his town, that's it.  I candidly replied, "Your rank means nothing to me."

Oops.  Now the guy goes into full meltdown mode, to the point where the other three guys in the vehicle (who have had a deer-in-the-headlights look this entire time) are telling him to calm down and show us his ID.  My co-worker, meanwhile, has called in an "immediate assistance required" to security forces, and two of their guys show up.  They browbeat our dear Colonel for several minutes, but reluctantly let him on as he was, in fact, on the entry list.  Of course they made a big point of telling him that it is borderline illegal to try to use his "Colonel" rank outside his own rank structure, which was at least satisfying to hear.

If I'd had my way he and his crew would have been turned away and put on the debarment list.  Anyway, I got lectured by my own supervisor for my candid reply, which I have to admit did nothing to defuse the situation.

[griz]

... she's basically yelling at me the entire time.

Hint:  That doesn't get you anywhere.

Do you mean to tell me that if I am going only 11 MPH over the limit, and I clearly and distinctly explain to the officer who pointed this out that:
1. I pay his salary
2. So he works for me
3. There must be real criminals out there
that doesn't make him happy that I have enlightened him about those facts?

[TommyGunn]

Do you mean to tell me that if I am going only 11 MPH over the limit, and I clearly and distinctly explain to the officer who pointed this out that:
1. I pay his salary
2. So he works for me
3. There must be real criminals out there
that doesn't make him happy that I have enlightened him about those facts?

You're welcome to try ... 

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

The worst "customer" I ever had to deal with was the head of emergency services for a certain Connecticut town.  There was a training event at the base and we were expecting emergency management teams from around the state.  This guy shows up with three of his colleagues and none of them want to show ID.

I gave the leader my standard stock answer which is, "Everyone from the lowliest Airman to the Adjutant General is required to show ID to get on this base.  Why should I treat you any differently?"  This guy loses it.  He's in the front passenger seat, and decides to jump out and run around to the gate house side, which, by the way, isn't the smartest thing to do at a military TCP.

He ignores our commands to get back in the vehicle (by now one of my co-workers has also come out), and instead draws attention to the full-bird Colonel rank on his shirt and asks us if we know what it means.  Since he is not wearing any permutation of any military uniform I've ever seen, I asked him which branch of service he was claiming to represent.  Well, none... he never served.  He's a Colonel within the rank structure of his town, that's it.  I candidly replied, "Your rank means nothing to me."

Oops.  Now the guy goes into full meltdown mode, to the point where the other three guys in the vehicle (who have had a deer-in-the-headlights look this entire time) are telling him to calm down and show us his ID.  My co-worker, meanwhile, has called in an "immediate assistance required" to security forces, and two of their guys show up.  They browbeat our dear Colonel for several minutes, but reluctantly let him on as he was, in fact, on the entry list.  Of course they made a big point of telling him that it is borderline illegal to try to use his "Colonel" rank outside his own rank structure, which was at least satisfying to hear.

If I'd had my way he and his crew would have been turned away and put on the debarment list.  Anyway, I got lectured by my own supervisor for my candid reply, which I have to admit did nothing to defuse the situation.

drove a tow truck on andrews afb in late 70's    lots of brass.  worst ones?  colonel's wives    and they are used to dealing with service guys.  i was not in the service but apparently looked and acted like i was after so many years.  they would flip when i wasn't scared of em.

[Scout26]

So let me get the straight. 

She bought grass, planted it and it grew.  That's her complaint?   


I get pissed off when stuff I plant does NOT grow.

[lupinus]

She wanted you to do something to make it right?

Her only complaint was that it was to tall?

You should have told her to come in and you would make it right for her. And then comped her a pair of your cheapest shears and told her to have a nice day, then just walk away.

[Hawkmoon]

i was not in the service but apparently looked and acted like i was after so many years.  they would flip when i wasn't scared of em.

Somehow I always pictured you as being a tall Hell's Angel type.

[cassandra and sara's daddy]

Somehow I always pictured you as being a tall Hell's Angel type.

5'8   can do biker  but was raised on af bases and have gotten military discount without asking

[freakazoid]

5'8   can do biker  but was raised on af bases and have gotten military discount without asking

What am I doing wrong? 

I knew a guy who fired a shotgun round threw the back of a guys beemer because he was an O-7+ and apparently didn't feel like he needed to show his ID to get on base.