Hurt Yourself.

A couple months ago I wrote about my then-recent experiences at a couple restaurants. Corey's been having a go at some UPS customer service issues as recent as yesterday, but the issue is months old (I never buy anything online: I like going to stores and I have zero concern over shipping/delivery issues). And we're talking about customer service yet again and when it is absolutely abhorrent and when customers are plainly wrong.

As it happens, it seems this keeps popping up everywhere I read. A rant over at the New York times is the type of rant I like, from another customer no less, instead of employees of the place in question. Which Caitlin Kelly (who I normally don't read at TRUE/SLANT but saw the headline) then decided to comment on, and in her post's comments as well are examples of what can be argued to be self-righteous retail/customer service folk who're simply bitching about doing their job. The there's over at THE CONSUMERIST this little gem of stupidity by all parties, and the comments again reveal a few interesting tidbits (for me, how many folk seemed to think demanding something for free is ridiculous). Lastly, through FARK, I found this one, which, really, is my favorite, even with the ambiguous details.

I remember the worst of my experiences from years ago, when I worked at Target in Culver City: closing shift and another manager and I were closing --Lesley was his name -- and a customer was pitching a fit over not being able to return a bunch of unopened movies. At the time the policy was no electronics and movies and video games are returnable/exchangeable without receipt which he didn't have. Of course, I come over and reiterate that I won't return them and this man gets so irate he begins yelling he doesn't want them and they're new and why can't I take them back or exchange them. He says it's not about the money, that he has money, and he takes out an impressive wad of cash and begins to tear apart a little kiosk we used to have at the returns area. Lesley comes over after being called by one of the girls there (I wonder how scared they were? I wasn't at all calm myself). The man calls me racist because he's black and I just don't want to do it. Lesley, who's black, re-states our position. The guy knocks over the kiosk and yells that he's going to fuck us up as soon as we close, grabs his stuff and leaves. Eh.

So who is right? At what point is one's actions unreasonable? Were we wrong? Was he? What is it?

It's easy for me to bitch about customers left and right, and about folk who've served me poorly, and folk who're indifferent to their jobs and by extension, me as the customer. I think we've all had both good and bad experiences and the ones that're bad stick, that's customer service 101.

Of course, I think I'm right in my story. But then, I usually think I'm right.

One of the curious bits I find is what makes folk who're working so useless sometimes it's nearly painful. If I can, I avoid asking anyone anywhere anything unless I'm 100% stumped because I know what it's like being some kid with no training and passion for it. I usually don't go anywhere except restaurants for good service. I mean, let's keep some perspective. And usually, when I've had to deal with people in customer service, it's been positive except in restaurants. Why is there that difference for me? When I worked at Starbucks, that's when I got the worst customers, wanting stuff for free because they didn't like it, because they ordered wrong, because they wanted to return prepared food. And I don't think they were bad customers because they wanted to return anything but because it felt as if they were owed something because of a mistake they made.

I remember getting a call from my district manager at Michaels because customers were 'overcharged' and my boss wanted me to fix it (which is of course lingo for he didn't want more calls), and I did when the customers came in because I was told to. However, when left up to me, I had it on good authority, and the state department of weights and measures's authority, that I was doing my job when everything came up the right price. But that's not the point, one-upping each other, who's right when the customer is wrong? And then, what's a valid complaint? Customers should not hear curse words ever. Neither should employees. So who's right?

As a customer, I hate it when folk ahead of me in line are terrible to the cashier for two reasons, I'm being inconvenienced and their abusiveness. As an employee, I hate co-workers who simply hate their job and do it half-assed. I've told customers to leave my store or I'll call the police and escort them out, and I've fired employees for being useless to customers and me.

My biggest gripe about all this is pretty much shown in every article I've linked here: customer entitlement. Entitlement to goods or services or abuse. What is wrong with us that we feel some odd sense that we come first even when we're wrong? Where the reason and the common sense and plain courtesy anymore?

Of course, I'm going to end with the idea that expecting my waiter to come and offer me more coffee more than twice isn't unreasonable. It's his fucking job.