Lowe's delivery customer requests "no black delivery crew" - manager fired

[Dawnlight]

I wonder if that witch would request a new doctor if the one treating her was black. I wonder if she'd request a new police officer or EMT if the one responding to her emergency was black.

People like that sicken me.

I do feel bad for the one fired if he was only recalling the team to protect the employee.

 

[Goofy_Disney_Dad]

I wonder if Archie Bunker is in her family tree.

 

[Rhombus]

I wonder if that witch would request a new doctor if the one treating her was black. I wonder if she'd request a new police officer or EMT if the one responding to her emergency was black.

People like that sicken me.

I do feel bad for the one fired if he was only recalling the team to protect the employee.

I don't. If, based on the woman's request, he thought ANY of the delivery people might be harassed, he should have recalled the crew and called the witch back to tell her to pick up the order herself.

 

[Dawnlight]

I don't. If, based on the woman's request, he thought ANY of the delivery people might be harassed, he should have recalled the crew and called the witch back to tell her to pick up the order herself.

I agree; I think the witch should have had the order cancelled or told to pick it up herself. Placing myself in a situation like that, I can imagine that I would have been stunned to even hear that request and possibly may have made a knee-jerk reaction; I'm not sure that it's worthy of losing a job over, though. I do think that there should be a reprimand or additional training on how to handle such situations, but I think firing is over the top. I'm sure the manager felt between a rock and a hard place.

 

[rajak73]

I would have added "I'm not aware of the racial makeup of this particular delivery crew. If, when they arrive, the situation is not acceptable to you, you are free to cancel your order. There will be a $50 charge for a refused delivery."

As for the manager who was fired, boo hoo. Sucks to be him.

Unless that is company policy, you couldn't tell a customer that if you agreed or disagreed with them. And like ronandannette, it's lovely working with the public. You really don't know how big of jerks people can be until you have to work with the public!

 

[mnrose]

Why is anyone surprised by this? Sadly, there are racist people in this world.

 

[Dawnlight]

Why is anyone surprised by this? Sadly, there are racist people in this world.

I don't think it's so surprising that there are racists out there; there will always be people like that. I guess what I find surprising is the fact that it was expressed so openly. I feel like most racists understand that the environment is not favorable for them to spew their hatred.

 

[Planogirl]

I wonder if Archie Bunker is in her family tree.

Even Archie Bunker had no problem with black people coming into his home.

 

[bcla]

I don't think it's so surprising that there are racists out there; there will always be people like that. I guess what I find surprising is the fact that it was expressed so openly. I feel like most racists understand that the environment is not favorable for them to spew their hatred.

I checked out the demographics of the city (Danville, VA). It would seem rather tough to dodge anyone based on race where she lives.

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/51/51590.html
White alone, percent, 2013 (a) 47.7%
Black or African American alone, percent, 2013 (a) 49.3%​

Strangely enough, I read an article on this from the UK, and they named the city as Danville, California.

 

[littleblackegg]

This poor dude. He was probably thinking, "How can I get through this with my job intact?" rather than "How can I pass this turd on to another person and support my delivery staff?" He gave his weasel middle-level managers exactly what they wanted-someone to pin it on. If you are going to get stomped by management, it's best to stay on the side of your employees, labor laws, non discrimination laws etc. That way THEY have to bake and eat the poison muffins and you just look like another flunky.

 

[pryncess527]

I don't think it's so surprising that there are racists out there; there will always be people like that. I guess what I find surprising is the fact that it was expressed so openly. I feel like most racists understand that the environment is not favorable for them to spew their hatred.

Sadly in many circles it seems to have become increasingly favorable environment to spew hatred. I have been shocked and amazed by how much more emboldened some people I know have been in the last few years about sharing their racist views in public.


ETA - can't be too shocked to hear this is Danville. Some of the most violent events of the civil rights era took place in Danville, most notably a day in 1963 that was so bad it was remembered as Bloody Monday.

 

[gottaluvPluto]

Very strange that the manager was fired. Maybe he had more write ups, but this write up shouldn't have made a difference. I send people on home visits all the time. We have to look at what is safe for our employees. I have areas that I can not send white people just like I have areas I can't send black people, for their safety. If someone doesn't want a certain race in their home .... for the safety of the employee I would not send that person.

 

[usnuzuloose]

I think no matter what this manager did he would have gotten fired for it. Trying to do what the customer wanted, if not the person would have called and complained. Not changing the person from the route , he would have been yelled at and maybe still would have gotten him fired. I never hear a lot of company's stand behind their employee's for trying to do what they have been taught or told to do. Darned if you do, and darned if you don't. But company's are sure all about greed and doing away with the jobs.

 

[StitchBuddy]

Wow, what a sad world we live in! The manager was caught between a rock and a hard spot. Either way he probably would have been fired. Can't believe the customer is so racist, but it is their choice whom they allow in their home. The manager was in a no win situation. I think I would have been completely caught off guard too.

 

[eliza61]

One of the major reasons I got my act together and took my school work seriously was after a stint working in retail and with John q. public. those that do have my undying sympathy.

too bad the manager could not come back with some of the snappy replies here. Not sure if I would have fired the manager.

 

[EMom]

I think no matter what this manager did he would have gotten fired for it. Trying to do what the customer wanted, if not the person would have called and complained. Not changing the person from the route , he would have been yelled at and maybe still would have gotten him fired. I never hear a lot of company's stand behind their employee's for trying to do what they have been taught or told to do. Darned if you do, and darned if you don't. But company's are sure all about greed and doing away with the jobs.

This is what I wondered. If the manager had sent the crew anyway, then the customer went above his head and complained about how she made it clear she didn't want any Black delivery people, but he sent one anyway, I can see his superiors saying, "We want to keep the customers happy. Couldn't you have just subbed another guy for that job? What were you thinking?" The manager should have probably asked a superior and gotten a CYA instruction on what to do, but didn't realize his job was on the line.

 

[usnuzuloose]

This is what I wondered. If the manager had sent the crew anyway, then the customer went above his head and complained about how she made it clear she didn't want any Black delivery people, but he sent one anyway, I can see his superiors saying, "We want to keep the customers happy. Couldn't you have just subbed another guy for that job? What were you thinking?" The manager should have probably asked a superior and gotten a CYA instruction on what to do, but didn't realize his job was on the line.

This is another reason I got out of working where I was, your told to do one thing and you do it and then they yell at you if do it and they don't want you to do it. I couldn't win for losing.

 

[bcla]

The woman (who was interviewed) makes me thing of this:

 

[Sabeking]

Kind of surprised that nobody else posted about this before since it's a couple of days old (strike that - almost a week). Apparently a Lowe's customer had a delivery coming, and while the delivery crew was out, the customer called in and said she wouldn't allow a black delivery crew member in her house. I guess that might happen, but then the manager decided to call them back and replace the one crew member who was black with a white guy. His (white) partner then refused to make the delivery with a temporary partner.

http://wtvr.com/2015/08/09/delivery-driver-denied-due-to-skin-color/
http://www.newschannel9.com/news/to...acist-request-white-driver-report-19403.shtml
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-after-lowes-customer-demands-white-employee/
http://myfox8.com/2015/08/06/lowes-...ays-store-stopped-delivery-because-hes-black/

A TV news crew went to the woman, and she said she didn't feel bad about making the request.

As a customer, it would have never occurred to me to specifically request that someone of a particular race or ethnicity not be allowed in my home, not serve me in a restaurant, or not serve me as a salesperson. Heck - even though this was the South, I'm still surprised. If I were dispatching the delivery, I would have told her that under no uncertain terms could she dictate who could deliver to her house unless she had a specific issue with a particular employee that didn't involve race or ethnicity.

I think the customer was out of line BUT how in the world did a TV crew come to know and report this?! They sent a camera crew to her house. Sometimes I feel like we can't even visit the toilet without the NEWS finding out.

Media: mam, did you wash your hands after using the restroom? You didn't hog the stall did you? Did you spare a square for the other future users? Geez

 

[Unas]

Of course the flip side is that handling this exact situation may have been part of his training. So, who knows? I will give them credit for doing it right away as opposed to keeping him initially, then firing him once the PC pressure built up. It appears the move was entirely theirs.

Kudos also to the delivery man for not making a huge stink.

Wait a minute. PC? Calling out a manager for being willing to cave in to a customer's overtly racist demand is PC? I don't think so.