Here is a great story. I have worked for Pencils for a long time. Of course, I work in office supplies, which means I also work in furniture, office equipment, cashier, copy center and every thing else because I have to. Too bad the other departments don't have to do the same. So on Wednesday Dec 27th, an old man comes into the store and says that the chair he is looking at right now was on sale last week for 99.99, original price is 149.99 and that he wants the chair for the sale price even though it isn't on sale anymore. I explained that our sales run from Sunday to Saturday and that if it isn't on sale anymore, he wouldn't get it for the sale price since we don't backdate sale prices. I asked why he didn't buy it when it was on sale last week and his response was that he didn't feel like buying it then because his son was out of town and it was for him for Christmas. But now his son is in town and he wants THAT CHAIR AND THE SALE PRICE FOR LAST WEEK. Again I reminded him that the sale was over and it was back to full price. So the arrogant ass tells me that he has been a long time customer of Staples and that he wants to see my manager RIGHT NOW BECAUSE HE DOESN'T WANT TO PAY FULL PRICE and he doesn't want to talk to me anymore. So of course, I responded that I'll get the manager for him but the sale is over, for the third time. I go tell my Ops Manager about the situation and he tells me to handle it. I told him how the customer demanded he talk to a manager and didn't want to deal with me anymore. The manager again pawns the guy off on me and I responded that the customer demands he talk to a manager. so the manager finally leaves the office and I'm walking him to the customer. He tells me to go check for the chair so I do and we have 3. I get one down and bring it out and the manager says " I'll take it from here" and wheels it away saying that he is sorry for the inconvenience. Not 2 weeks ago, the company screwed up and released a coupon for $90 off of a massage chair, which was already on sale for 99.99. This bitch blew a gasket telling me that we have to honor the coupon because we issued it and she wants the chair for 9.99 after the coupon. I told this situation to my GM and he did the same thing... YOU handle her. These are managers making a minimum of 50k per year and are afraid to talk to customers unless they have great curves and slinky dresses on. My advise to anyone looking to get a great deal. Next time something WAS ON SALE AND YOU WANT IT FOR THE SALE PRICE WHEN THE SALE IS OVER, just bust the manager's balls until you get your way and if they still don't give it to you, remind them that you are a long time customer, threaten to take your business elsewhere and then ask for the OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT'S NUMBER. Guaranteed you will get your way.
This is the sad fact about working in office supply retail, no one not the other employees, management, nor customers are on your side. The policy is simply COVER YOUR ASS.
ReplyDeleteIts amazing how stores are given limited quantities of hot items and than we run out, customers complain, and corporate gets pissed at us.
This is the reason why employees go postal
ReplyDeleteThis story was funny. On cyber monday there was a deal on a printer online for $69.99 and then the next day it was back to $99.99 so the lady called corporate demanding that she get it for $69.99. Corporate calls our store (have no idea why, maybe because the woman lives in that area but she never stepped foot in our store for that item). Then corporate asks us to tell the customer that she can't get it for that price and to explain why, since they already did and the customer is being stubborn. My manager responded by saying "How backwards is this company?" My CSL said "Corporate probably called our store so if the customer complains then she will be complaining about our store!"
ReplyDeleteWell get ready for some more BS. In addition to "Cashier on deck" where O/S has to stop what they are doing to go ring, then get yelled at for not finishing the truck or not being on the floor or whatever, they are now rolling on "CPC on deck".
ReplyDeleteSo you will now be trained for CPC because Staples is losing sale in CPC.
Customers want their business cards "in minutes" and the fact that Staples only provides enough payroll to staff the CPC with 1 person at any given hour has absolutely nothing to do with said "lost sales".
In addition to being on register and furniture and cleaning the rest-rooms you will now be called to cover CPC, then get yelled at because the god-damned dated goods are all out of sorts.
Every store has different managers with different management styles (Due to moving around a lot I have worked for three different locations). The store I currently work for has a good management team. Our ops manager in particular is an obvious workaholic. She is always helping us out in every department. For example, last week she came in on her day off to help us get the store presentable for a corporate visit. I'm not a manager or a supervision (ie decision-maker), so I don't feel that handling unruly customer should be my responsibility, as I'm not the one making the decisions, just doing the work. Whenever a customer gets rude or demands things I can't do, I tell them to have a nice day and pass them off to a manager.
ReplyDeleteAnd the managers usually give in to the customer's ridiculous demands for the sake of good CSAT numbers. Which is unfortunate because I feel like our store already bends over backwards to satisfy our customers. Try getting rude at a Target or a big-chain pharmacy, and Shaniqua behind the counter will put you in your place in a second.