My parts guy got fired !

[masraum]

Originally Posted by rfuerst911sc

In a previous life 😁 I worked in retail . Started in Mcdonald's then progressed to Bradley's department store then various hardware/home centers . Retail basically sucks ☹️ . The hours suck the pay generally sucks and you have to deal with all the a$$hats in society .

The customer is always right mantra is BS ! The day GE hired me was one of the happiest days of my life that lead to a 26 year career in the defense industry . When I interface with retail employees regardless of the setting I go the extra mile to be pleasent because I know how crappy their jobs can be .

No not every customer is a dip$hit but the majority are , it's a reflection of society and not a good one . I am so happy to be retired and just enjoy life 😊 .

That pretty well describes it. As a kid delivering news papers and mowing lawns I had no issues. Once I started working in fast food places, clothing stores and auto parts stores I knew that I had to get out of retail. I tended bar for about 5 years, that was better but had it's own set of issues. I'm a bit over 20 years into a good path now.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

Since we're going in this direction....

Easter weekend about fifteen years ago I went to Home Depot to buy some paint. There's a huge crowd at the counter, but there's also a number system with paper tags, just like a deli.

One guy behind the counter finishes with his customer and says 'Next!'. Some person steps up and tries to get served. I spoke up and said 'it's not random, you have a counter over your head and you're handing out tags, is at 56, I have 57, I'm next'.

The HD guy says 'You don't run the paint department I do, I'm not serving you'. So I said 'Okay, I will go speak the manager, because when the numbers are turned on you should use them'.

Then he made a mistake... 'If you know so much about running a paint department, why don't you come back here and mix your own paint?'

I said 'I have no problem with that, I worked in hardware store for ten years, I can easily mix and shake my own paint, get out of the way'. Now people are interested, and there's a big gasp from the group. I actually didn't need to mix paint, but I could have done it. I just needed the shaker.

A younger me might have had a dust up...

As I started to go behind the counter he says 'One more step and I'm calling the police'. I didn't need the confrontation, so I put my paint on the floor and walked away, but as I did, from about ten feet away, I threw my rolled up tag at him and hit him right in the forehead. That caused a bit of laughter and he was really pissed.

I went and found the manager, told her what happened, and she could do something or lose a good customer. She told me there was nothing she could do.

For ten years after that I avoided that I never set foot in that store, I spent at least $10,000 at other chains and other Home Depot stores. Their loss.

That's very messed up on several fronts

[RWebb]

fast cars, not fast food

[oldE]

About 20 years ago, my sister planned a major kitchen re-do, so she headed to a local hardware store to discuss custom birch cabinets. The young fellow in the cabinet department took all the information and did rough calculations as per project cost then made his mistake.
"Now, if you just get your husband to come in and go over the numbers with us, we'll get the order started."
My BIL runs the farm, but my sister's house is her domain. She advised the kid of this and suggested he consult with his boss (with whom she had gone to school years before.). The kid stood on 'store policy' and declined to check with his boss.
Later my sister talked to her old school acquaintance, "Sorry Raymond. I tried to give him a chance, but he blew off the business because he wanted to play the big man. I'll be back when he is gone."
And Yes. Her name is Karen!

The customer may not always be right, but you have to treat them with respect.

Best
Les

[legion]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

I don't get it. It takes 30 seconds to create a new separate table.

Oh no. There are forms to fill out. Meetings to attend. Approvals to be made. Then the work has to be scheduled. 3 months, minimum.

[ckcarr]

He was a quiet man...

Originally Posted by fastfredracing

... A newer hire , Jason, has been there about 2 years . He is soft spoken, and seems to always have his stuff together.
Well, I guess, he got into a confrontation with a customer over the weekend over an Alternator .
Other guys who were there, said the customer was an ass, and had it coming, but Jason lost his marbles, and launched the guys alternator through the window then asked the customer " How do you like your fkin alternator now ******* ?"
He launched it right through the huge showroom window out front . Its all boarded up right now .
Of course , they had to fire him .
Be nice to your parts guy

[LakeCleElum]

Irony: Reading this thread makes me chuckle and remember when Fred was in the same boat:

Do you ever crack under pressure??

[svandamme]

not shop customer service, but phone work

Guy calls us, for some problem with his blackberry
We were a services company dealing with blackberry servers
many folks from small businesses would call us thinking they were calling actual Blackberry (rim)
We'de get calls like this all the time, most would figure it out and either get forwarded to sales or go to their carrier

ME Good morning, this is GPXS support
GUY Hi my blackberry seems to be hanging a lot
ME Sorry, sir, but we only work for companies, with support contracts
ME do you have a support contract?
GUY No, but i have a blackberry with a problem
ME ok, but you need a support contract if you want support, we are not Blackberry, we are a company that does support contracts
ME Blackberry doesn't offer private support, that is done via their carrier, which one do you have KPN? orange? vodaphone?
GUY I'm not a private person, I run a company
ME Do you have your own server? we have support contracts for companies with a Blackberry Server ranging from 5 to 5000 phones, depending on your needs
GUY I don't have a server, it's just my phone
ME then you have to contact your carrier, as they manage your phone
ME Or I can forward you to our sales to discuss the installation of a BES server on your mailserver if you want?
GUY I don't want a contract, i have a blackberry and a problem just answer me
ME Well I can't.. you need a support contract first
GUY Well that's not very customer friendly !
ME Well I can't be , you aren't a customer!

Guy throws a fit and hangs up

Everybody else in the office falls to the floor laughing their ass off.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

For ten years after that I avoided that I never set foot in that store, I spent at least $10,000 at other chains and other Home Depot stores. Their loss.

Actually, this was your loss.
Higher prices and driving further to another branch.

[Bob Kontak]

Originally Posted by ckcarr

He was a quiet man...

Mostly, kept to himself.

[1990C4S]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Actually, this was your loss.
Higher prices and driving further to another branch.

There was a Home Depot near my work, but for sure I drove across town a few times. But that store lost at least $10,000 in business from me during my home repairs.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

There was a Home Depot near my work, but for sure I drove across town a few times. But that store lost at least $10,000 in business from me during my home repairs.

Something tells me that you didn't spend $10k in gas.

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by 1990C4S

Since we're going in this direction....

Easter weekend about fifteen years ago I went to Home Depot to buy some paint. There's a huge crowd at the counter, but there's also a number system with paper tags, just like a deli.

One guy behind the counter finishes with his customer and says 'Next!'. Some person steps up and tries to get served. I spoke up and said 'it's not random, you have a counter over your head and you're handing out tags, is at 56, I have 57, I'm next'.

The HD guy says 'You don't run the paint department I do, I'm not serving you'. So I said 'Okay, I will go speak the manager, because when the numbers are turned on you should use them'.

Then he made a mistake... 'If you know so much about running a paint department, why don't you come back here and mix your own paint?'

I said 'I have no problem with that, I worked in hardware store for ten years, I can easily mix and shake my own paint, get out of the way'. Now people are interested, and there's a big gasp from the group. I actually didn't need to mix paint, but I could have done it. I just needed the shaker.

A younger me might have had a dust up...

As I started to go behind the counter he says 'One more step and I'm calling the police'. I didn't need the confrontation, so I put my paint on the floor and walked away, but as I did, from about ten feet away, I threw my rolled up tag at him and hit him right in the forehead. That caused a bit of laughter and he was really pissed.

I went and found the manager, told her what happened, and she could do something or lose a good customer. She told me there was nothing she could do.

For ten years after that I avoided that I never set foot in that store, I spent at least $10,000 at other chains and other Home Depot stores. Their loss.

We had a similar experience at HD and when I wrote to Corporate to tell them why I would never shop there again they sent a gift card. I sent it back.

[flipper35]

Originally Posted by svandamme

not shop customer service, but phone work

Guy calls us, for some problem with his blackberry
We were a services company dealing with blackberry servers
many folks from small businesses would call us thinking they were calling actual Blackberry (rim)
We'de get calls like this all the time, most would figure it out and either get forwarded to sales or go to their carrier

ME Good morning, this is GPXS support
GUY Hi my blackberry seems to be hanging a lot
ME Sorry, sir, but we only work for companies, with support contracts
ME do you have a support contract?
GUY No, but i have a blackberry with a problem
ME ok, but you need a support contract if you want support, we are not Blackberry, we are a company that does support contracts
ME Blackberry doesn't offer private support, that is done via their carrier, which one do you have KPN? orange? vodaphone?
GUY I'm not a private person, I run a company
ME Do you have your own server? we have support contracts for companies with a Blackberry Server ranging from 5 to 5000 phones, depending on your needs
GUY I don't have a server, it's just my phone
ME then you have to contact your carrier, as they manage your phone
ME Or I can forward you to our sales to discuss the installation of a BES server on your mailserver if you want?
GUY I don't want a contract, i have a blackberry and a problem just answer me
ME Well I can't.. you need a support contract first
GUY Well that's not very customer friendly !
ME Well I can't be , you aren't a customer!

Guy throws a fit and hangs up

Everybody else in the office falls to the floor laughing their ass off.

That brings back memories. Not really good ones though.

[vash]

when i was younger, and full of venom:

i pulled my Camaro in to get gas. i pulled in front of a busted up looking car, and got out to pump gas. he comes to me and starts yelling at me. from what i could gather, his tranny was busted and he did not have reverse. he yelled, "kid..move your damn car". "no, you cant ask nicer than that?" "he said, "no..i dont have to kiss your ass"

i said, "no sir, you dont. but you do have to sit there and wait until i am finished"

i did the entire thing. checked tire pressure, topped off my washer fluid. topped off my fuel event tho it would click immediately.

i thought he was gonna punch me out. he was seething. i pull out slowly and he slingshots around me in a cloud of fumes. it was awesome.

[fastfredracing]

Originally Posted by LakeCleElum

Irony: Reading this thread makes me chuckle and remember when Fred was in the same boat:

Do you ever crack under pressure??

Im a hot head also, that is probably why what Jason did resonated with me . Im proud of my self though .
I have grown so much as a man and a person over the last 10-15 years. Sure, I still have my moments .
When I feel that stress , and aggravation building, I just lock my door , and avoid interactions with people, and the phone till I cool off .
I gotta say though. The best way for me to rid my self of anger, is just to vent, let it out. I can take a quick **** fit, and be back to normal and centered in less than 5 minutes . It is how I deal. Must be a genetic trait. My dad was the same way, and so is my 3 year old son. Its almost amusing to watch him .

There are times though, , where I would like to choke a mother out

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by vash

his tranny was busted and he did not have reverse.

He should have put it in Neutral and pushed it backwards to create room.

[legion]

Didn't Eddie Murphy get busted with a tranny a few years ago?

[masraum]

Originally Posted by legion

Didn't Eddie Murphy get busted with a tranny a few years ago?

Hahah, was that Eddie? I'm pretty sure Hugh Grant did.

Reminds me of the scenes from "Anger Management" with Woody Harrelson.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by vash

when i was younger, and full of venom:

i pulled my Camaro in to get gas. i pulled in front of a busted up looking car, and got out to pump gas. he comes to me and starts yelling at me. from what i could gather, his tranny was busted and he did not have reverse. he yelled, "kid..move your damn car". "no, you cant ask nicer than that?" "he said, "no..i dont have to kiss your ass"

i said, "no sir, you dont. but you do have to sit there and wait until i am finished"

i did the entire thing. checked tire pressure, topped off my washer fluid. topped off my fuel event tho it would click immediately.

i thought he was gonna punch me out. he was seething. i pull out slowly and he slingshots around me in a cloud of fumes. it was awesome.

I was getting gas at a local station and some dude in a pickup pulled right up to my front bumper. The only way I was getting out of there was to back up through a very busy gas station entrance lane. So I finished getting my gas, then I checked the oil, the transmission fluid, then I checked the air in all four tires, and even the air bags for the load leveling in the rear. I started washing the windows which was a pain since he was so close to my bumper I had to walk around the back of the car to switch sides. I walked slowly. He finally got fed up, and peeled out of the gas station and a cop pulled him over. I laughed a lot. He had a bad day.

There were many different pumps at that station, and he could have gone to any of them, but for some reason he wanted my spot and wanted me to backup into a risky entrance. If he had just gone to any of the other open pumps he would fill up and be done.