Monday, November 23, 2009
Friday, November 6, 2009
Customer Service
Actually, this isn't a complaint about bad customer service I have received...but it's about....bad customers!
The last few days at work, I've seemed to get the real doozies of customers to deal with. Every one assumed "customer service" meant that I can move the moon if they snap their fingers. Wrongo! Here's some tips to ensure you do receive what truly is good 'customer service'.
1. Make sure the service you are expecting is offered. One of my problem customers seems to think that the checkouts double as bank. Sorry, but they don't. We can't give you your change in specifically split up denominations. If your change is $20, you get a $20 bill. Sometimes we may be able to split it into 2 $10's, but not all the time. That's what a bank is for. There's been too many problems with "quick change artists" that many retail establishments will not allow the clerks to break up change for anybody. Yes, we CAN do it, but many times, it's against policy. Just like you wouldn't go to the deli to order a birthday cake, you shouldn't do your banking at the checkout.
2. Don't be a chronic complainer. That only serves to give you a reputation and nobody will want to wait on you. We have a regular customer that we've dubbed "Godzilla" because that's what she acts like when she's in the store. Nobody wants to wait on her because no matter what we do, it's just not good enough and she complains. After a while, nobody even pays attention to the complaints so when there's a legitimate issue, nothing will be done because "oh, it's the complainer again". Hold your complaining until there's something worth complaining about. If you don't like the clerk's hair color or makeup, keep it to yourself.
3. Don't be pushy. It's 2009, you will have to wait in line. Try to be patient, and if there's more than one checkout, feel free to use another one. Today I was waiting on a customer and it was taking a while since he was renting a carpet cleaner. There were about 5 regular checkouts open other than the camera counter. The next customer started complaining about having to wait in line. Seriously, the louder somebody complains about having to wait, the longer they'll be made to wait.
4. Store policy is not the employee's fault. Also, if you had one employee who did not follow policy, don't expect that every employee will do the same. There's a reason that some products are either locked up or sold at a special counter. If it were OK for customers to walk around the store with expensive or high theft items, they wouldn't be locked up. Just because one clerk said it was OK to take cigarettes with you around the store, doesn't mean all of them will.
5. Don't be upset when you're not the first priority. When you're checking out somewhere other than the regular checkouts, you may NOT be the priority customer. My store has a camera counter that also has registers. It's not a full service checkout, yet we do get a lot of people who think it is (refer to point 1 above). Firstly, it IS a camera counter and priority will go to customers who have photos on order. If there are no photo orders, then we'll deal with checking out.
Remember, the clerks are people just like you, please treat them with respect. They're expected to do a lot for the little pay they get and they deserve your respect.
The last few days at work, I've seemed to get the real doozies of customers to deal with. Every one assumed "customer service" meant that I can move the moon if they snap their fingers. Wrongo! Here's some tips to ensure you do receive what truly is good 'customer service'.
1. Make sure the service you are expecting is offered. One of my problem customers seems to think that the checkouts double as bank. Sorry, but they don't. We can't give you your change in specifically split up denominations. If your change is $20, you get a $20 bill. Sometimes we may be able to split it into 2 $10's, but not all the time. That's what a bank is for. There's been too many problems with "quick change artists" that many retail establishments will not allow the clerks to break up change for anybody. Yes, we CAN do it, but many times, it's against policy. Just like you wouldn't go to the deli to order a birthday cake, you shouldn't do your banking at the checkout.
2. Don't be a chronic complainer. That only serves to give you a reputation and nobody will want to wait on you. We have a regular customer that we've dubbed "Godzilla" because that's what she acts like when she's in the store. Nobody wants to wait on her because no matter what we do, it's just not good enough and she complains. After a while, nobody even pays attention to the complaints so when there's a legitimate issue, nothing will be done because "oh, it's the complainer again". Hold your complaining until there's something worth complaining about. If you don't like the clerk's hair color or makeup, keep it to yourself.
3. Don't be pushy. It's 2009, you will have to wait in line. Try to be patient, and if there's more than one checkout, feel free to use another one. Today I was waiting on a customer and it was taking a while since he was renting a carpet cleaner. There were about 5 regular checkouts open other than the camera counter. The next customer started complaining about having to wait in line. Seriously, the louder somebody complains about having to wait, the longer they'll be made to wait.
4. Store policy is not the employee's fault. Also, if you had one employee who did not follow policy, don't expect that every employee will do the same. There's a reason that some products are either locked up or sold at a special counter. If it were OK for customers to walk around the store with expensive or high theft items, they wouldn't be locked up. Just because one clerk said it was OK to take cigarettes with you around the store, doesn't mean all of them will.
5. Don't be upset when you're not the first priority. When you're checking out somewhere other than the regular checkouts, you may NOT be the priority customer. My store has a camera counter that also has registers. It's not a full service checkout, yet we do get a lot of people who think it is (refer to point 1 above). Firstly, it IS a camera counter and priority will go to customers who have photos on order. If there are no photo orders, then we'll deal with checking out.
Remember, the clerks are people just like you, please treat them with respect. They're expected to do a lot for the little pay they get and they deserve your respect.
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