Threatened and verbally abused at work

[JadedStar]

It sounds like he was just an outrageous bully. I think he was just trying to intimidate you into getting his own way, and I doubt you'll see him back on Monday.

 

I agree...most of these angry customers are regular people who are so infuriated by their lack of perceived service that they get 'bullyish' but normally threats are not carried out. again this is why it is imperative to get better customer facing training because more issues than not can be diffused before it reaches bringing in the police. Just proactive measures.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

Excellent post. I am one of those mild mannered people who can get very irate when someone in customer service is adopting the "nothing I can do" line. Sometimes it even takes kicking up a real fuss before they actually try to work out a solution. I find many customer service people are only trained to know the information they are given..they are not trained to trouble shoot and really help the customer. Even if there is nothing they can really do...kindness and empathy goes a long way to sooth ruffled feathers.

[ConfusedDater]

Excellent post. I am one of those mild mannered people who can get very irate when someone in customer service is adopting the "nothing I can do" line. Sometimes it even takes kicking up a real fuss before they actually try to work out a solution. I find many customer service people are only trained to know the information they are given..they are not trained to trouble shoot and really help the customer. Even if there is nothing they can really do...kindness and empathy goes a long way to sooth ruffled feathers.

 

Yeah the "THERE IS NOT MORE I CAN DO" vibe is so annoying especially when dealing with customer service reps for my cable company-lol

[amipushy]

The OP might want to examine some of the key skills on which I was trained which was based on this book if she feels that she could have done something more, something different.

 

link removed

 

But she shouldn't beat herself up about it because from my experience of having the authority to give them exactly what they wanted (which I did) - I'd give them a brand new item in exchange, or their money back, and a free this or that and/or vouchers as a gift for their inconvenience and an apology. I took their names and telephoned them back, I kept things back especially for them, I ordered items for them and telephoned them when it came into store, I reduced items because the boxes was damaged, I took missing parts out of other boxes and sent the missing part box back to manufactuers as faulty, I gave them discount etc, there was NOTHING I didnt do for them, and they STILL whined and moaned.

 

'Some' people don't want appeasing, they really are just obnoxious bullies who WANT take their frustrations out on you, they have geared themselves up all week and go into the store in confrontation mode, particulary if they are with someone else, its as if they have something to prove and whatever you do or say will never be enough.

 

As the saying goes... "I'd love my job if it wasnt for the customers", which is why I left after 8 years of it lol.

[Crazyaboutdogs]

Oh yeah, I know quite a few people like that who just want to pick a fight, any fight with someone...I certainly know of a couple of people who always find something to complain about when at a restaurant...it got embarrasing going out to eat with them because of their nit picky complaints.

[JadedStar]

I never implied she should beat herself up. My posts were 100% about proactively preparing herself for incidents that come up again like this in the future...because they likely WILL occur again if she stays in retail.

 

Whether the cusotmer wants appeasing or not is moot. If they are hostile right off the bat that is when you say what i suggested above "i am sorry you are so frustrated, let me get my manager and see what he can do to help" and you let the manager handle it. They are paid to deal with the rough ones. She put herself into this situation somewhat by being so confrontational and telling an angry man "if you don't calm down I am callling security". No, she should have said she is calling her manager, just like the guy requested. She made the mistake of trying to NOT call the manager.

 

But no, she shouldn't beat herself up but if she doesn't learn anything form this experience it will just continue to end this way.

 

It also infuriates me when i spend a ton of cash on an item and some salesperson is standing there emotionless like a mannequin repeating for me to read my owner's manual. I know how to read and sodoes the customer so the customer was likely insulted by her continuing to say that. I worked for a major electronics firm for several years and I know that when customer's spend a lot of money on these items they want the STORE THAT SOLD IT TO THEM to offer assistance. I frequently called manufactures for customers. It is what differentiates a store from a walmart to go the extra mile...

[Iceman26]

 

They get even angrier about not getting a new console or a refund and complaining that we have the ability to return the defective product and give them a new one.

 

You did the right thing here.

 

This was all this was about; getting something for free. I've worked in customer service for years and in my experience you can't reason with people like this. I believe they were trying to bully or scare you into getting what they wanted. You were forced into having to call security as there are other people in the store and it likely scared away a customer or two. I would've done the same thing.

 

99% of people that own a video game console understand warranties with consoles and how they work.

[Iceman26]

She made the mistake of trying to NOT call the manager.

 

This in my opinion should be taken up with the manager. She shouldn't feel that she can't call her boss because it's his day off, and I can understand why she felt that way given his initial response.

 

The only thing I probably would've have done differently is let the customer know when the manager would be in so they could take the issue up with him. You are right; there are situations that a regular employee should not have to deal with.

[glegend]

Sorry to hear that. Hope all is alright.

 

I've been in your position many times before. At my work we have a different return policies. For products like BBQ's, lawn mowers, snow throwers and a few other products we have a no exchange or return policy, if there is anything wrong with it they have to deal with the manufacture. There is usually a loop hole in it which gives them a 7day return grace period as long as it is unopened.

 

I've gotten yelled at many times about the policy and how it stinks. When they ask why, all I can really say is that once its been opened and assembled is usually used right away. So we cannot take back a used BBQ or a lanwmower and then resell it or in the case of a BBQ we cannot also take back a fully assembled BBQ because then we cannot sell it as a new product we can only sell it as a display model and we have to reduce the price.

 

I've gotten yelled at by a customer because she broke 2 electric snowblowers. She hit a rock or hard piece of ice and broke the augur. The augur is plastic so what does she expect. I got yelled at because we did not inform her that she has to shovel the snow before she uses the electric snowblower to clear the now. I also got yelled at because the manual does not tell her that she has to clear the snow. I got yelled at that we didn't tell her that it could break. I was laughing, or wanting to. Because its pure common sense, and it says that they are light duty machines. There was even a news segment done saying that you should avoid buying them and spend the extra $$ for a gas powered one if you can.

 

I've almost got punched in the face by a customer in the summer. He wanted to buy our display model and I told him its as is. He was getting upset at me because I told him I cannot discount the BBQ and if I do he has to pay 40 dollars for assembly because we get our BBQ's and BBQ's professionally assembled by a 3rd party company. After he decided to buy it he was like ok I'm not going to take it. So I left, then he changed his mind. He comes to me in the aisle I was working in and is asking me for the box. I told him it is as is and doesnt come with a box, take it or leave it. Then he snaps and is coming towards me you can tell he is going to hit me and then his wife just grabbed him and told him stop and then starting talking to him in Indian, they were from Indian background.

 

Happens all the time and I guess its the nature of the beast when you work retail. To be honest with you anyone who has that much time to complain and be a @$$ like you customer just has too much free time on their hands.

[JadedStar]

This in my opinion should be taken up with the manager. She shouldn't feel that she can't call her boss because it's his day off, and I can understand why she felt that way given his initial response.

 

The only thing I probably would've have done differently is let the customer know when the manager would be in so they could take the issue up with him. You are right; there are situations that a regular employee should not have to deal with.

 

I am not sure what you are trying to say. My post said she SHOULD have taken it up with the manager. I am not sure what you are disagreeing with since you are saying the same thing here.

[JadedStar]

You did the right thing here.

 

This was all this was about; getting something for free. I've worked in customer service for years and in my experience you can't reason with people like this. I believe they were trying to bully or scare you into getting what they wanted. You were forced into having to call security as there are other people in the store and it likely scared away a customer or two. I would've done the same thing.

 

99% of people that own a video game console understand warranties with consoles and how they work.

 

 

I disagree. He bought a PS3 that was likely over 500 dollars and under a year old. he doesn't want something free he wants what the heck he paid for, and I don't blame him. Sure there is a warranty on it that states call the MFG but when you are a loyal customer to a store and they refuse to even make an ATTEMPT to help you with somehting like this no wonder people get ANGRY. no one wants to hear a sales person reading from the computer screen the words that translate into "I know you gave us the money and bought that unit here but we do not and will not help you get another unit to replace your defective one".

[Iceman26]

I am not sure what you are trying to say. My post said she SHOULD have taken it up with the manager. I am not sure what you are disagreeing with since you are saying the same thing here.

 

Wasn't disagreeing with you. What I was trying to say is that it was the manager's fault for making her feel that she would be bothering him with a phone call.

[Iceman26]

I disagree. He bought a PS3 that was likely over 500 dollars and under a year old. he doesn't want something free he wants what the heck he paid for, and I don't blame him. Sure there is a warranty on it that states call the MFG but when you are a loyal customer to a store and they refuse to even make an ATTEMPT to help you with somehting like this no wonder people get ANGRY. no one wants to hear a sales person reading from the computer screen the words that translate into "I know you gave us the money and bought that unit here but we do not and will not help you get another unit to replace your defective one".

 

It was the customer's fault. The console had a 30 day warranty and he chose to not buy the extended warranty. It's his problem and now he wants the store to correct his mistake?

[JadedStar]

It was the customer's fault. The console had a 30 day warranty and he chose to not buy the extended warranty. It's his problem and now he wants the store to correct his mistake?

 

Like i said i worked for a major electronics store. We never told our loyal customer's "sorry pal, you didn't fork over MORE money for the extended warranty so that we could meet our sales quotas, so go suck an egg and call sony" and its YOUR fault, not ours! What kind of customer service is this? The customer didn't make a mistake (unless you consider his choosing that store to make a high dollar purchase a mistake), the unit was a mistake as in it does'nt work. A sales associate trained by a store to retain loyal customers will get on the phone for the customer and see what they could do. It takes ten minutes or less to call Sony and give them the info needed and get the man a new unit.

 

This is why customers are turning to dot com stores more than the brick and mortar ones. If you are going to get ZERO service out of robot sales staff you might as well save even more money and find the best bargain online without ever leaving your home. And trust me, the upteen options on the internet are SERIOUSLY saturating the consumer market and this is why brick and mortar retailers are failing. There is TOO much compeition, so these stores can keep on putting untrained sales staff on the floor and they will continue to lose sales. Stores like that have not made themselves valuable enough in the customer's eyes for them to actually get in the car and go shop there when they can order the same item and get the same lack of service from an internet bargain basement.

 

Poor sales staff is the number one reason that customer's are deciding to stop getting in the car and driving to retailers and turning to the internet.

 

So many attitudes I have seen on this thread is why some retailers are closing their doors. They failed to learn how to keep customer's coming back.

[Iceman26]

I can't say I disagree with your assessment. I agree that the sales staff are poorly trained (not their fault) and that the best viable option these days is to be found on the internet. I know, I once worked at Circuit City.

 

I also understand the retailer's side because they are the middle man and would lose money by offering refunds for anyone that had a problem with their consoles. These stores aren't equipped or staffed to exam consoles.

 

The best thing to would have been to give the customer the phone number to Sony along with all information the man would have needed to communicate with Sony to get another console. I don't agree with calling Sony for the customer, but I think he should have been given all the information he needed to be successful.

[JadedStar]

I .

 

The best thing to would have been to give the customer the phone number to Sony along with all information the man would have needed to communicate with Sony to get another console. I don't agree with calling Sony for the customer, but I think he should have been given all the information he needed to be successful.

 

Well i definitely disagree and feel that Sony could have been called by the sales person. This is what differentiates stores from online bargain basements. so when they refuse to do it there is no added value prop by that customer continuing to frequent that establishment - having a real live person do that for you (becausae let's face it, even calling a vendor and going thru all their prompts on the phone is daunting for the average no tekkie conusmer but the kids working in the stores are usually pretty quick with this and familiar with the vendor/mfg) DOES add value over buying off the internet.

 

Years ago when i worked retail electronics I offered to call the mfg all the time in these cases and that was why i got promoted to a supervisor so quickly.

[Iceman26]

Well i definitely disagree and feel that Sony could have been called by the sales person. This is what differentiates stores from online bargain basements. so when they refuse to do it there is no added value prop by that customer continuing to frequent that establishment - having a real live person do that for you (becausae let's face it, even calling a vendor and going thru all their prompts on the phone is daunting for the average no tekkie conusmer but the kids working in the stores are usually pretty quick with this and familiar with the vendor/mfg) DOES add value over buying off the internet.

 

Years ago when i worked retail electronics I offered to call the mfg all the time in these cases and that was why i got promoted to a supervisor so quickly.

 

I think this goes back to the training aspect you were speaking of and I agree that this is something her company may want to look into doing for customers in the future.

 

Would this help out and please most customers? Yes. This type of customer? Probably not, and I would venture a guess that his temperament (given the threats and insults directed at the employee) that he probably broke the console himself.

[JadedStar]

Would this help out and please most customers? Yes. This type of customer? Probably not, and I would venture a guess that his temperament (given the threats and insults directed at the employee) that he probably broke the console himself.

 

Well that is an unknown since it was never tried. I have to admit the things stated in the original post were fairly confrontational things for a sales clerk to tell a person who has a defective item that is still really new, and that cost a wad of dough.

 

It might not work in every case but that is when you employ the use of "i understand you are frustrated, let me call my manager to see if he can do something for you". I don't know of many retail front line employees paid enough to handle someone very beligerent anyway.

[Iceman26]

I don't know of many retail front line employees paid enough to handle someone very beligerent anyway.

 

That is hard truth right there and the reason so many stores have fallen into decline in my opinion.

[ConfusedDater]

Well that is an unknown since it was never tried. I have to admit the things stated in the original post were fairly confrontational things for a sales clerk to tell a person who has a defective item that is still really new, and that cost a wad of dough.

 

It might not work in every case but that is when you employ the use of "i understand you are frustrated, let me call my manager to see if he can do something for you". I don't know of many retail front line employees paid enough to handle someone very beligerent anyway.

 

I kind of always disagreed with that because my mom tends to make a excuse for bad customer service. regardless if you are making $7.00 an hour you are a representative for that company and you still treat people with good service. I never been one to say-

 

"I can understand why she is nasty because she has a low salary"

 

LOL. No excuses