Saturday, November 7, 2009

They Don't Live To Serve

Yesterday I was chatting with a friend about the problems I have encountered with customer service at the local Target.

A year ago right around Christmas Garry called the local Target and found out that they had received a shipment of 200 Wii's. Hot dog! He drove to the Target, so excited to make all of his wife's Christmas dreams come true (though he plays more than said wife).

But by the time he got to the store, the clerk said that they were all out. All out? Really? Was there a mass run in 30 minutes? Discouraged, he drove the 20 minutes to another Target and bought the Wii there, telling the clerk at the LaPlata clerk his sad tale.

"They have them," the clerk promised. "They are just too lazy to check. That's the Waldorf store."

But, like Charlie Brown to the football, we keep going back! Garry's luck got even worse when he was shopping for an IPOD dock for me. (I am a LUCKY woman). Garry had a question and turned on the flashing light to signal that he needed assistance.

A clerk came, turned the light off and walked away.

I love that story.

Yesterday I was at Borders and stopped to get a large hot chocolate for me and Emma (Macey was in preschool) and a bagel for Molly. I got the hot chocolate but my bagel was missing. Stupidly, I asked the clerk for my bagel.

"It's in the oven!" she barked.

Wow, crazy lady, I did not know there was an oven and did not ask for a TOASTED bagel. Now I was going to have to wait until it cooled down to give it to Molly. Did she not have kids? Do you know how time slows to an excruciating halt as you wait for food to cool to feed your hungry, screaming little one?

But, bygones. Everyone has a bad day. But then I noticed that she did not tear off the receipt for the customer behind me. She just pointed to it and walked away, clearly instructing her to tear it off by herself because she was ever so busy. The poor lady did as she was instructed, reaching across the cash register and tearing off her receipt. Who has to tear off their own receipts?

The good side of a bad economy is that you are supposed to get great customer service because people are just so grateful that you are shopping. But someone forgot to tell the workers.

4 comments:

Tina said...

Where Chancy used to work (you know where I think) they told them 3 strikes and you are out! Hundreds of people apply for jobs there and they would be happy to give your job to someone else. How's that for pressure?

I agree with you about the Target, Walmart and other employees. They seem to think that all they need to do to earn their pay check is to stand around and bide their time. It can be frustrating.

Nina said...

I remember that well. Waldorf store's service stinks!!

Tara @ Tales of a Trophy Wife said...

I think the problem is that there are just too many min. wage type jobs and not enough employees. Even now, I see help wanted signs everywhere.

LeeAnn said...

I will take Waldorf Target customer service over Waldorf Walmart ANYDAY!