Rude public behavior

[exDS vet]

Let me get this straight...you worked for Disney and Starbucks, and decided you could offer better customer service (your words - "raise the bar"). But, on the other hand, you say that they offer too much customer service. So which is it?

It's nice to quote people for reference. But when you take my words out of their original context, it makes me sound bad. I believe on these boards that most everyone types their replies as knee-jerk reactions to what they read. I try to think about what a person says before I formulate my own opinion. That being said...

I never said that I could offer better customers service than Disney or Starbucks. What I said was that I wanted to raise the bar on customer service. Working for Starbucks, I learned the most about how to run a business. Working for The Disney Store, I learned a great deal about how NOT to run a business. Both were great experiences, and Starbucks was by far the best employer I have ever worked for.

What you did by tearing my post apart was assume that I thought I could provide better service than both Starbucks and Disney. What I want to do is show that as an independent business owner, I can provide the same level of customer service. Something that is lacking in a great many businessess.

What I said about Disney and Starbucks bending over backwards for their customers is true. I never said that they provide too much customer service. They have positioned themselves as leaders in their industries. You get better service at a Starbucks than a McDonalds. You have a better experience at Disneyland than at Six Flags. Some of the things that they are able to do may not be possible for a small business to do. That is a fact. I can't give a free ice cream cone away to everyone who didn't like the flavor they ordered. Starbucks can remake your drink and then give you a coupon for a free one without blinking. They are huge, and they can afford to do it. If I do the same, my business will die.

The nice thing about this thread is that I can (and do) consider the opinions of those who disagree with my point of view. And if people have to misquote me to make me sound like a villain, that's fine. I've had worse attacks here.

 

[mking624]

What I said about Disney and Starbucks bending over backwards for their customers is true. I never said that they provide too much customer service. They have positioned themselves as leaders in their industries. You get better service at a Starbucks than a McDonalds. You have a better experience at Disneyland than at Six Flags. Some of the things that they are able to do may not be possible for a small business to do. That is a fact. I can't give a free ice cream cone away to everyone who didn't like the flavor they ordered. Starbucks can remake your drink and then give you a coupon for a free one without blinking. They are huge, and they can afford to do it. If I do the same, my business will die.

I've been served better at some McDonalds than I have at some Starbucks. You're right, many small businesses can't afford to do what bigger companies do. That doesn't make the bigger companies wrong. It means they can afford to do it, so they will. There's nothing wrong with that and you don't have to put them down for it (and before you protest that, let me remind you that you made it quite clear that you don't like this being done). That said, you act like everyone in the world is going to start asking you for free stuff. You yourself said the vast majority of people respect your rules. That means very few people do something other than what you want. Small business or not, those very few people are not enough to put your store out of business. You lose more business by losing your customers, not by providing an extra cone to a kid who wound up not liking the flavor he got. While I'm not one to ask for "free items", neither am I one to give my business to a place that prides itself in a "tough luck, take it or leave it" atttitude. That's something Disney and Starbucks have learned.

The nice thing about this thread is that I can (and do) consider the opinions of those who disagree with my point of view. And if people have to misquote me to make me sound like a villain, that's fine. I've had worse attacks here.

No one is attacking you. As I recall, it was you who said the following:

There's no debate here because you can't justify your behavior in a way that will make it appear polite, curteous, or considerate.

the truth is that you are all Disney guests, many of whom have a sense of entitlement just because you give someone your business.

Who is attacking whom, here?

 

[fan_of_small_world]

mking624,

Thank you for your post.

 

[rt2dz]

Oh my! How have I been missing this thread? Well, here’s mine.

I don’t expect your children to behave perfectly. It’s normal and age appropriate for them to do certain things. I don’t expect you to just have to correct them once and then behave properly. But could you please try to correct them? Teach them appropriate behavior for the situation? I promise, they are not going to suddenly turn a certain age and suddenly “know”. Start teaching them from the get-go and they will suddenly (at a surprisingly young age ) know the proper behavior. Parenting is about a lot of repetition. If they are just excessively distracting, remove them from the situation. It’s not fair to everyone else around you.

Don’t roll your eyes at me when I bring my baby/small child to the movie. I wouldn’t do if they were going to make a peep. And if they do make a peep, we’re out of there in a heartbeat. They are less bothersome than YOU (generally), who keeps running up and down the aisles and talking through the movie. Hold your judgment until it is warranted.

DO NOT assume you have all the facts from a quick snapshot.

This one is from my ex-server/manager days. It’s ok if you don’t clean up after your child in the restaurant (sometimes better), but you better be tipping a heck of a lot extra for it. It is not a server’s job to clean up all that extra mess. And if you can’t afford to tip, don’t go out. Make dinner at home or get it to go.

Do not bring food from a different restaurant in. It’s just tacky. If your kids don’t want to eat there great; go somewhere else or get it to go. Or feed them before you get there and order them a dessert. Just bring in a small (quiet) toy or activity to keep them busy while you do eat.

And servers—do not automatically assume I want my child’s meal out right away. Ask first. One of my children will not eat if everyone does not have their meal. The others will expect to leave as soon as they are done and won’t sit nicely while we eat, otherwise they would have. Please, also don’t offer them dessert or chocolate milk. I may not want them to have it. One of my kids loves chocolate, but cannot have it. If I wanted them to have that option, I would have asked. You are creating problems.

At the same time, when I am ready to order at a counter service place, I will step up from the counter. When I am standing 25 feet back looking up at the menu, I am not ready. I am trying to let others go first who may be ready. I promise, I’ll step up to the counter when I am ready. I do not expect you to read my mind. And when I am up at the counter, can you stop your conversation about how drunk who were at the party last night and take my order? I don’t necessarily expect you to drop everything at once that is work related, but I do if it is personal and not an emergency. And, the least you could do is say I’ll be with you in a moment. Acknowledgement goes a long, long way. Heck, that goes for sit down places too.

Quit parking in front of mailbox!! The mail carrier will not deliver my mail, but leave me a nasty note, when you do that. I don’t know who you are sometimes, other times I do and just don’t want to cause a fuss. But please park in front of the house you are entering—it’s not mine.

 

[exDS vet]

For those who don't want to read all the way through this thread. here is the full text of my original message.

Great stuff here. I worked in retail (Disney Store, Starbucks, etc.) for many years before buying my own store. I have a few to add to the list. These bother me regardless of which side of the counter I am working.

1. Those nasty and rude customers who want the world and when they don't get their way they remind you that "the customer is always right." Yeah lady. You just lost any possibility of getting what you wanted with that comment.

2. Customers who flash the 1 minute signal when it's their turn in line and they are too busy talking on the phone to place their order. NEXT!

3. Customers who have to write a check for a loaf of bread. Have you HEARD of ATM/Debit cards?

4. Parents to take their kids to the ice cream shop and show them all 50 flavors and ask what flavor do you want? The kid says "bubble gum" and the parent says, "not that one, pick somehting else." Is there a prize involved? This is ice cream! They are kids! Let them have what they want.

5. Adults who order a childs item for themselves. (This may be my all-time biggest pet peeve.) It says "child" for a reason. You are not a kid, although you do act like one.

6. Customers who try to redeem coupons that expired years ago.

7. People who park their cars in front of stores to pick-up/drop off people. If you are too important to use the parking lot, maybe you should stay home.

8. Parents who are so lazy to get out of the car, they give their credit card to their kid so they can pay. In my opinion, theres nothing more valuable to a child than teaching them forgery to them at age 11.

9. People who stand in long lines to buy tickets to a movie, when ten feet to the right, there are 5 automatic ticket machines with nobody standing at them. Is standing in line supposed to be part of the moviegoing experience?

10. People who use the self check-out and have no idea what they are doing?

I was going to stop at ten, but this last one is officially my all time biggest pet peeve. When I take your order, don't start it by saying "I need...." unless you want me to reply with "Do you really need...?" Whatever happened to manners? OMG! I count at least 5 to 10 people a day who say this.

Another poster was right. It really does feel good to get this off your chest.

All I was doing was adding my opinions of "Rude Public Behavior". Prior to my post, just like everyone else who was participating on this thread up until post #77, I was just adding my observations to the list.

Then somebody had to go and get defensive at a couple of my remarks. My remarks were not aimed and anybody in particular, just a general observation of the behavior that I see from my perspective behind the counter, AND as a customer as well.

I commented later that those who disagreed with my observations were probably those who actually do the things that I observed.
Everyone. Please.
Stop taking everything so personally!!
My god! I'm sorry I don't dress all of my posts up with smilies to sugarcoat the message. If you can't handle what I have to say, just read my post and move on. There is no need to get all defensive because someone says he doesn't like it when an adult orders off the children's menu. My comment was about the principle of the matter. Your defensive attitude was trying to convince me that I am wrong. Get over it!

YOU CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH!

 

[Patty3]

I can not tell you how many times I have been in the same aisle in a store when the person ahead of me lets one rip. That is just so digusting and smelly.

I also hate to go into a ladies restroom where they go all over the seat and the floor or do not flush the toilet.

I do not see anything wrong with an adult ordering from a childrens menu unless it is stated on the menu that you can't. To me, it is not being cheap. As others have stated in today's world portion control has gone way out of whack. What was once supersize is now a regular order.

 

[Amlee]

I watched Ugly Betty tonight and thought of all you pee on the seat people.

 

[Nancy]

Today must have been rude customer day for me...either that or I was wearing the "yell at me" sign today.

#1 Gentleman got charge twice for something, ok, it's annoying hut mistakes happen. The register he went through has issues with the "beep" volumn and the cashier made a mistake. Same gentleman bought a bag of oranges that did not have the scan tag on it (how it came off I have no clue since it is attached along the whole top of the mesh bag) but we went and got the price for it and charged him for the oranges and then he complains (after order is checked out already) about our cheating him out of his money. The tangerines he bought were on sale for 3.99 not 4.99...trouble is he had oranges NOT tangerines. we refunded his money for his oranges and for the mistake for being charged twice...but he wanted more money because our county has an accuscan law. Tried to explain how neither of those fit the rules for super refunds. So I am a cheater and disgusting.

#2. Gentleman again. I'm in line buying my lunch with 2 people in front of me and 4 or 5 behind. said gentleman steps up to the counter area from the side bery obviously trying to cut the line. I politely let him know where the end of the line is and he flips out. "I KNOW where it is...I am old and I am not stupid and I KNOW how to find the end of the line" I apologize and don't say another word. (since this is at my work and I'm in uniform with my name tag on) customer in front of me turns and looks at him and said " I guess when you are old you can skip ahead in lines and be rude to people too" Took all I had not to laugh.

#3 Woman this time. Cashed out at my trainees register. Didn't have enough money and needed 2 items voided off. I stood right next to the cashier and saw her void off both items properly. Customer paid and then looked at her receipt and got a bit nasty because she had 3 items and got charged for 4. One of the voided items must have accidently rescanned. She literally was counting the 3 items in front of my face like I was an imbecile. Take her to the service desk to refund her money and she is telling me the cashier is no good and should be fired. I explain that she is new, only her second day on register and there were 2 signs up stating that. Her comment while flipping her hands towards my face "doesn't matter, no good, horrible"

#4 Customer looking for a product, I spent 15 minutes walking the store with her and could not locate it. She seemed fine but a few seconds later I see her asking ANOTHER employee for the same product and pointing at me...I didn't make enough of an effort to find the product. Sorry I didn't go down 3 aisles...the pet food aisle, the cleaning supply aisle and the paper products aisle. I lloked everywhere else and then some.

 

[mking624]

Today must have been rude customer day for me...either that or I was wearing the "yell at me" sign today.

#1 Gentleman got charge twice for something, ok, it's annoying hut mistakes happen. The register he went through has issues with the "beep" volumn and the cashier made a mistake. Same gentleman bought a bag of oranges that did not have the scan tag on it (how it came off I have no clue since it is attached along the whole top of the mesh bag) but we went and got the price for it and charged him for the oranges and then he complains (after order is checked out already) about our cheating him out of his money. The tangerines he bought were on sale for 3.99 not 4.99...trouble is he had oranges NOT tangerines. we refunded his money for his oranges and for the mistake for being charged twice...but he wanted more money because our county has an accuscan law. Tried to explain how neither of those fit the rules for super refunds. So I am a cheater and disgusting.

#2. Gentleman again. I'm in line buying my lunch with 2 people in front of me and 4 or 5 behind. said gentleman steps up to the counter area from the side bery obviously trying to cut the line. I politely let him know where the end of the line is and he flips out. "I KNOW where it is...I am old and I am not stupid and I KNOW how to find the end of the line" I apologize and don't say another word. (since this is at my work and I'm in uniform with my name tag on) customer in front of me turns and looks at him and said " I guess when you are old you can skip ahead in lines and be rude to people too" Took all I had not to laugh.

#3 Woman this time. Cashed out at my trainees register. Didn't have enough money and needed 2 items voided off. I stood right next to the cashier and saw her void off both items properly. Customer paid and then looked at her receipt and got a bit nasty because she had 3 items and got charged for 4. One of the voided items must have accidently rescanned. She literally was counting the 3 items in front of my face like I was an imbecile. Take her to the service desk to refund her money and she is telling me the cashier is no good and should be fired. I explain that she is new, only her second day on register and there were 2 signs up stating that. Her comment while flipping her hands towards my face "doesn't matter, no good, horrible"

#4 Customer looking for a product, I spent 15 minutes walking the store with her and could not locate it. She seemed fine but a few seconds later I see her asking ANOTHER employee for the same product and pointing at me...I didn't make enough of an effort to find the product. Sorry I didn't go down 3 aisles...the pet food aisle, the cleaning supply aisle and the paper products aisle. I lloked everywhere else and then some.

Oh man, sorry for the rough day!! I seem to wear that invisible sign a lot. That or some mean person put up my schedule on the door with a note that says "all attitude-filled people, here is when Mary works!" I've been humiliated in front of guests and cursed out at by one guest who was ticked off that I wouldn't let her have a $20 item for $3. Nope it wasn't like it was on sale, and she didn't have some amazing coupon. She knew it was regular price, she admitted it was regular price, but she wanted it for $3 because she saw some random clearance items that were $3. Yes, a very odd demand. She goes to my manager, calls me a "lovely" name to him, and tells him that I should be fired.

I've been yelled at because I wouldn't accept a coupon seven months after it expired. And it's not like I can use it anyway, the coupon code will not work in our system. Sometimes the company will extend the code entry by a couple of days in case a person didn't realize they just missed the expiration. But seven months later?!

Well I should stop there. I have so many stories.

 

[exDS vet]

Today must have been rude customer day for me...either that or I was wearing the "yell at me" sign today.
Take her to the service desk to refund her money and she is telling me the cashier is no good and should be fired. I explain that she is new, only her second day on register and there were 2 signs up stating that. Her comment while flipping her hands towards my face "doesn't matter, no good, horrible"

This is another great example of rude public behavior. Who the hell do people think they are when they complain that somebody should be fired? These people are hopeless losers in my opinion. I may provide feedback to a manager about questionable customer service, but I would never call another employees or put them down in any type of disrespectful way.

I have had customers tell me that I should fire employees before. These people are unreasonable and they think the world revolves around them. They are the ones with the "I'm the customer and the customer is always right" attitude that makes me sick. As an employer, I will usually support my employee, especially when a customer puts them down.

When my past customer told me they weren't leaving until I fired the employee I replied, "that's not going to happen". I then informed the customer that they were being rude, that I would never disipline an employee in front of anyone else, and that if and when I determined that disciplinary action had to be taken against the employee in question, it would be at my discretion and not at the customer's.

As a customer, if you ever have issues with an employee or a manager at a company, it's best to document your complaint by putting it in writing and sending it to the appropriate person. Being rude and disrespectful will never get you anywhere.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

but he wanted more money because our county has an accuscan law.

What on earth is that?

 

[almburr]

What on earth is that?

If im thinking of the right thing or not tell me. At some stores they do this.

If you go to buy something that is on sale for $3.99 and it was $4.50 and the scanner rings it up at the regular price the store has to give it to you for free.

This had happend to me one time. I was buying tyson breaded chicken strips and they were on sale. I had like 6 boxes. THey rang up at the regular price. They store gave me all six boxes for free. I tried to tell them i would pay the sale price. They said no it is store policy. THat way they can keep an eye on the computers to keep the prices straight.

 

[LindsayDunn228]

I Googled it came up with AccuScan. Is that what you are talking about, almburr?

 

[disneyfav4ever]

4. Look, if you have 12 items in the 10 items or less line, I'm ok with that, the store is crowded, you had a long day, I get it. But, if you have 300 items in the fast lane, I'm going to ask you to let me go ahead, loudly sighing at me does not help your case.

Don't you just hate that? I agree, we have a 15 or less line where I work, and I don't care if they have 16 or 17 items. In fact, once a lady had sixteen items, and she gave a few to her DD to pay for seperatly so her order would only have 13 items, and she wouldn't be over. I of course told her to put them together, since no one is going to care if it's only 16, and it would take longer to do two orders of 13 and 3, then one of 16.

But I've had customers get really mad at me for not letting them come through the 15 or less lane because they have way to much. I'm talking about at least half a cart full, and then they want to come through my line because they're in a hurry, and don't want to wait in a regular line.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

If im thinking of the right thing or not tell me. At some stores they do this.

If you go to buy something that is on sale for $3.99 and it was $4.50 and the scanner rings it up at the regular price the store has to give it to you for free.

This had happend to me one time. I was buying tyson breaded chicken strips and they were on sale. I had like 6 boxes. THey rang up at the regular price. They store gave me all six boxes for free. I tried to tell them i would pay the sale price. They said no it is store policy. THat way they can keep an eye on the computers to keep the prices straight.

Our stores policy is to give on for free, and the rest for the sale price.

Once I was at a different store, and something was scanning wrong. I was with DM, and she was asking me what the store I worked for was. I said what it was and the cashier, said that wasn't it. Wait, a cashier at (I think it was Wal-Mart,) was going to argue with me, the customer, what the policy was at the grocery store I worked at. WTH? She was convinced that I didn't know what I was talking about, and I'd been working at the store for five plus years. Some people.

 

[xyzabc33]

x

 

[Amlee]

OH! I just thought of a few more.

Employers that proceed to tell employees off in front of everyone. If you have a problem with an employee take it to the back room. I really lost it on a guy once for yelling at his employee in front of everyone. As the topic was her behavior in front of his clients. Hmmm!

If I take time to shop in your store and come to the countier to finalize my purchase. Get off the freakin phone and check me out. Don't proceed to ignore me and then complain because you have to go work.

If I am trying to enter a building through a door that says enter! Don't get huffy with me, if you can't exit out of the enter door. There is a door marked exit 2 feet away. Try that one!

 

[xyzabc33]

x

 

[almburr]

I Googled it came up with AccuScan. Is that what you are talking about, almburr?

yes

 

[fan_of_small_world]

Here's another one from me...

I'm always pleased when someone working at a store I venture into greets me and asks if I need any help or if I'm looking for something specific. But when I smile and say "No thank you, I'm just browsing," I wish they would leave me alone. I am not going to buy more because they hover, point out everything on sale or that just came in, etc. When I'm shopping I usually have in mind what I'm looking for, and employees constantly talking to me is just distracting. In fact, I usually leave without buying anything since I can't stand the hovering. I find it happens more often in smaller, boutique-type stores that are not part of a chain. I don't know if the owner feels that this increases sales, but I can honestly say that there are a few stores I simply won't go into anymore because I don't like the pressure the owner/employees put on shoppers.

One more...the pushy employees at the mall kiosks. It's like being in the Bahamas at a marketplace...you want to try this? can I see your hands? have you tried this? One vendor was horrible at Christmas - a polite head shake did nothing...they would keep talking to me even when I was already talking with my daughter, follow me, and just be a PITA. I finally wrote a complaint at the info booth. The next time I went it was obvious that someone in management took care of the problem!