I have to say that sometimes my customer service jobs were probably one of the most exciting times in my life where I actually had good stories to tell. Luckily right now I'm working at a wonderful job that has fewer customer services and more... well, just fun customer stories. (Last week I saw one co-working driving around one of those mini BB-8 robots around the office. So cute!!)
No, I've decided to tell a few good stories that I had while working in customer service.
The first, I used to work at Bed Bath and Beyond. Personally, I love the store, and I think they have great policies. One policy is that when you return something, you must have the receipt in order to get a full refund. If you do not have the receipt, but you paid with a debit or credit card, we can still look up the receipt for you. If you paid in cash and do not have the receipt, I'm sorry, it's unfortunate but we have to take 20% off for that. The reason they do that is because often people try to make money off of us. They will buy a product from another place (perhaps discounted, or it had a lower price on it) and then they will try and return it to us and get money out of it. We, of course, lose money that way, so thus the policy.
Well, one day I was working the customer service desk and a woman comes to return an object. I ask if she has a receipt, she doesn't, so I tell her I have to take 20% off of her refund. She gets kinda huffy over this.
"Why do you do that? You don't have any signs that say that!! Why do you do that and not tell people?"
"Well actually it's written on every receipt that we hand out."
"I want to speak to a manager, this is ridiculous that I can't get my money back!"
And so, as an employee I have been told that once they ask for a manager, you just do as your told. So I call up one of my supervisors. (First, you call a supervisor, then a manager, because once a customer is told the same thing 3 times, then they usually give up).
My supervisor shows up, here's her ranting story, ("Why don't you guys have a sign up that tells us these things?" To which he said nothing, pointed at a sign standing right next to me that clearly states the entire policy. She grimaces, then huffs and said: "Well she didn't tell me that!!" (Pointing to me). I shrug. I had forgotten the sign was there (It's facing away from me where I stand behind the customer service desk so I don't actually see what the sign says.)
She pouts again and tries to push my supervisor but he just keeps pointing at the sign. Finally, she gives up and leaves. I always have to laugh when people keep on going with their arguments even after they've lost. People.
My second story happened at the same place. A teenager walked in carrying a blender. For some reason, our blenders always seem to be the merchandise that people use to try and "return and make money" off of us. Honestly, people, pick a different item. Anyway, he puts the blender up on the desk, tells me he wants to return it because his engagement got broken off and all his gifts need to be returned. He has his hood up in a kind of gothic style. (I think that style went out a long time ago). I stare at him, thinking you are waaay too young to be getting engaged anyway.
He continues his sob story, making his father in law sound mean, (Though in my head I would've done the same thing had I been his father in law.) I'm scanning the item, I ask if he is registered with us, no gift receipt, nothing. I tell him it has to be 20% off what it used to be. He kinda stops at this, and I can see him shifting back and forth. He keeps trying to tell his sob story to me, trying to get some sympathy.
This is when I start rethinking his sob story and its truthfulness. I see him watching out the window, and I glance back to see what he's looking at. It's a gothic dressed girl with her hood up. Sheesh. Talk about trying to be inconspicuous. She's motioning to him. He looks back at me and tells me he has to make a phone call outside. A few seconds later the girl comes in, and she's much more pushy with me. By this time I've called a supervisor, telling them I see something suspicious. The girl starts swearing and cussing at me, telling me that I better give him his money. At this point, I've moved the blender behind me and onto a separate desk that they can't reach.
My supervisor Jen shows up. (Good old blessed Jen. She can catch anyone in their lies). She tells them she has to take the blender upstairs to see if she can track who bought it, and then the girl really starts freaking out. She demands the blender back, but Jen won't give in. The girl cusses at us gives us the finger and then leaves. The teenage boy simply follows behind her, his head down.
Jen then proceeds to tell me that the exact same kind of blender was stolen from the Bed Bath and Beyond further north, and these kids could possibly be the ones who stole it and were trying to return it to make money. (Goodness kids, we aren't stupid. The stores all keep each other up to date on these things.)
I noticed another one of my coworkers follow the kids out, (apparently studying what kind of car they were driving) and I believe the police were called on them. I'm not sure what happened after that. I still laugh about it now.
Well people... People are great. I've got more for next week.
