Overreacting

[destinie21]

I meant to post this thread in the afternoon when I was still enraged. Maybe it's better this way though. '


This is a two part thread the other day I hurt my neck and had to go to the ER. Upon getting there I realized I'd forgotten my insurance card and to call the damn insurance people and get approval for emergency care. (my insurance sucks ass). In any case The woman behind the desk at the Er hands me a stack of forms to fill out and I told politely as I could, with fiery pain in my neck that with all due respect she'd better get a doctor. However my wording was more like "Listen, if you don't want to call a doctor then call the police." she of course asks why and I replied "because if you don't get a doctor I will choke you"
She got the "doctor" Who o was really a resident. He looked like he just learned his ABC's and he was nervous. K says he was just intimidated.


Then today I was in a store and I was in line. ( I was wearing jeans and a casual shirt) The woman behind the counter was on the phone. After about thee minutes it became apparent from her end of the conversation that it wasn't a business call. After 5 minutes I said "excuse me" and she held up her hand as if to silence me. If any of you know me at all you know I was not happy. Anyway when she finally got off the call and decided to help me. She said "can I help you" the way she said it was as if she was going out of her way to do so instead of doing her job.
So I said "yes you can get the manager for me." She was in a huff but she did it. When the manager came out and I gave her the rundown of what had just happened the manager was saying she was sorry and she would check me out now she didn't realize I was a platinum member and so on ....
By that time I was mad enough to spit. I said "Why would that matter" She said something to the effect all the customers were important and so on. I said " cancel my card and I won't be back."
She said only the corporate office could do that. I told her her in that case she needed to call them.
anyway after a while the card was canceled. Any ways K thinks I overreacted on both counts. What about you guys

 

[Guest]

Aw, Dest. I understand the ER situation; if you're in pain you do what you have to do. But the shop girl bit, well I've been there and it's just not my thing to waste anger on, plus I'm greatly sympathetic to clerical workers. They get paid crap wages and have no reason to take pride in service. I walk away or am simply patient (it's why I always have a book with me).

Chill, girl. Perdita

 

[raphy]

I'm with 'dita, but I've learnt that if I tell a woman to 'chill', I usually get beaten around the head with the nearest blunt object....

So I'll just agree with Perdita, let her tell you to chill, and manfully hide behind her.

p.s. You have my sympathy tho, hon - For whatever reason, stress is bad, mmkay?

 

[Jenny _S]

I meant to post this thread in the afternoon when I was still enraged. Maybe it's better this way though. '


This is a two part thread the other day I hurt my neck and had to go to the ER. Upon getting there I realized I'd forgotten my insurance card and to call the damn insurance people and get approval for emergency care. (my insurance sucks ass). In any case The woman behind the desk at the Er hands me a stack of forms to fill out and I told politely as I could, with fiery pain in my neck that with all due respect she'd better get a doctor. However my wording was more like "Listen, if you don't want to call a doctor then call the police." she of course asks why and I replied "because if you don't get a doctor I will choke you"
She got the "doctor" Who o was really a resident. He looked like he just learned his ABC's and he was nervous. K says he was just intimidated.


Then today I was in a store and I was in line. ( I was wearing jeans and a casual shirt) The woman behind the counter was on the phone. After about thee minutes it became apparent from her end of the conversation that it wasn't a business call. After 5 minutes I said "excuse me" and she held up her hand as if to silence me. If any of you know me at all you know I was not happy. Anyway when she finally got off the call and decided to help me. She said "can I help you" the way she said it was as if she was going out of her way to do so instead of doing her job.
So I said "yes you can get the manager for me." She was in a huff but she did it. When the manager came out and I gave her the rundown of what had just happened the manager was saying she was sorry and she would check me out now she didn't realize I was a platinum member and so on ....
By that time I was mad enough to spit. I said "Why would that matter" She said something to the effect all the customers were important and so on. I said cancel my card and I won't be back.
She said only the corporate office could do that. I told her to cancel a platinum card. I told her in that case she needed to call them.
anyway after a while the card was canceled. Any ways K thinks I overreacted on both counts. What about you guys

I've been known to pull a small swiss army knife out of my bag and cut there phone cords.

Overract? Naw

I will relate a story, Des. I'd been working out in my yard in the rain for hours when I noticed that it was getting late and I needed to run to the mall and buy a present. I didn't have time to change so I went in muddy jeans and filthy sweat shirt. Who cares, right?

Anyway there was not one damn twilly twat clerk in Nordstorm's who would wait on me. Finally I caught the floor manager and read him the riot act, curshed my platinum charge card in front of his face and stuffed it in his shirt pocket. Then I reached in the pocket of my jeans and pulled out $700.00 in green backs, waved them in his face and told him to FUCK THE HELL OFF and I wouldn't be back.

Haven't set foot in a Nordstorms store for 10 years now

 

[Guest]

So I'll just agree with Perdita, let her tell you to chill, and manfully hide behind her.

Ha! OK, Raff. I'd say I've got your back, but if you're behind me I guess I'll keep it quiet what I've got.

'dita

 

[Guest]

Whoa, Jenn! You've got layers.

Perdita

 

[Jenny _S]

Whoa, Jenn! You've got layers.

Perdita

A nasty Irish Temper too, perdita

 

[raphy]

Jenn - I'm not too proud to say - "This is your world. I just live in it"

Respect.

 

[Jenny _S]

Jenn - I'm not too proud to say - "This is your world. I just live in it"

Respect.

Respect is exactly the point Des was making, raphy. Disrespect should not be tolerated. The clerk who held up Des showed disrespect not only to her but to her employer too. Her phone call was so important that the entire world was placed on hold and she could see nothing wrong with it.

 

[destinie21]

Aw, Dest. I understand the ER situation; if you're in pain you do what you have to do. But the shop girl bit, well I've been there and it's just not my thing to waste anger on, plus I'm greatly sympathetic to clerical workers. They get paid crap wages and have no reason to take pride in service. I walk away or am simply patient (it's why I always have a book with me).

Chill, girl. Perdita

K. said as much.
In anycase the store I was at pays the workers an arm and a leg but thta's beside the point. The point was they would have treated me differently If they'd known I had a platinum card from the get go. That's what caused me to react that way. I guess being a regular young looking black chick who was not dressed to chic wasn't enough to inspire her help.

 

[Icingsugar]

Any ways K thinks I overreacted on both counts. What about you guys

In the store. Maybe. One dimwit is a nothing. Two dimwits is just a coincidence. I'd had complained, see if they learned from it, and if they kept fucking up, give em.

In the ER, no way you over reacted! There is something called common decency, and if the pepole working with emergency cases and pepole in physical and emotional distress hand you bureocracy instead of that, then to hell in a bobsleigh with them.

And it's annoying on a bigger scale than your personal ordeal. the issue of health insurance fanatism is also really bugging me. Free and instant medical energency care should a right for each and every one in any modern society. There are a few other things like that. Basic education, police, clean water, working roads...y'know, the basics. If thsat can't be provided, we're not a soceity, just a grid of service providing corporations.

Dang, I'm gettin all puhlittical here.

/Ice, planning for the revolution...

 

[oggbashan]

As a retailer (and a sole trader) I try to treat all my customers with courtesy. With some customers it is very difficult.

If I am on the telephone I ask the person who called me, or I called, to wait while I deal with the customer in the shop. I have even done that while being interviewed on live radio. Why not? The radio station called me. They know I am a shopkeeper.

I even treat the local teenagers who just come in to take the piss as if they are genuine customers. They soon get tired and some even creep back later as real customers.

My wife works part time in a supermarket. She tries to treat all her customers as I do but the store management make it difficult at times. What does she tell a customer who rang to check that something was in stock, was told "Yes, Madam, we'll have it waiting for you." and when she arrives my wife not only hasn't got the item, she hasn't had it for weeks and nobody asked her or her department whether it was available? My wife apologised for the store, summoned (without the customer asking) her department manager who also apologised, but the staff who took the phone call won't be disciplined (and sit in a back office never going face to face with a real customer).

In the UK we have different customs from in the US. Too few customers are willing to complain about poor service, and those that do feel embarrassed about complaining.

We put up with poor service from many organisations. For example my local bank put up a notice "As from 1 September 2003, customer service advisors will be available on appointment." Previously they were usually available all the hours the bank was open. Do we complain? No.

If I want to see my bank manager I have to make an appointment a week in advance and I don't see him/her anyway. I get to see a customer services management assistant who can't decide anything.

The banks blame the reduction of service on the competition with internet banking. They don't seem to see that their greatest asset is their face-to-face contact.

End of my rant.

Og

 

[ffreak]

Rant away, Ogg. Companies that provide the best customer service should attract the most business.

Destinie and Jenny, I just wish I had been there to watch.

My wife and I were in Beverly Hills (years ago now) and saw Linda Evans (TV star for you kiddies). I'm not real good at recognizing people on the street, but my wife recognized her instantly. She was wearing cut-off shorts, a t-shirt, dark glasses, and had her hair pulled back. We were in a store (whose name I conveneintly can't remember) and waiting in line to be helped. OK, we were nobody and were already pissed at the attitude the help was taking with us. Ms. Evans tried to get the attention of two clerks who seemed to be talking about a party they had been to the night before. Now, one would think, I would imagine, that a TV star in a (then) current, popular series, would have a really busy schedule. And one would think that in Beverly Hills, the typical young person would be well aware of who's who. But these two nimwits refused to acknowledge anyone's presence, even a star. Ms. Evans gave up and left. When the empty heads finally decided they couldn't think of anything else to keep them from their jobs, they came to the counter (together - apparently attached at the hip) and said, "May we help you". My wife said, "Do you realize you just failed to serve Linda Evans?" They said, "Who's she?"

-FF (still shaking his head - the bald one - I mean the one where there used to be hair)

 

[Weird Harold]

Any ways K thinks I overreacted on both counts. What about you guys

I think you might have over-reacted in the store, but not by very much.

I don't think Ogg's point about Brit's not demanding the service they deserve is limited to the UK. If more people would "over-react" the way you did, there would be far fewer rude sales-people with employment.

 

[destinie21]

As a retailer (and a sole trader) I try to treat all my customers with courtesy. With some customers it is very difficult.

Og

That's all I'm asking for. The clerk as
I said ,clearly wasn't on business related call. I didn't expect her to hang up right away in mid sentence as soon as I walked up but to not only continue to talk but to motion me to be quiet, seemed a bit much. I didn't make a scene BTW I do have a bit of decorum. Also for the manager to say "We had no idea you were a platinum card holder... was ignorant. Who cares if I can buy the store or only a pair of overpriced socks?

Yes I too have worked in retail and yes there are time when you have a bad day or customers bug you but you have to have some control and always respect. I also have a feeling had I been dressed in say a Yves st Laurent paint suit and Anna Sui pumps I might have been regarded differently. When I don't have to work or an engagement or meeting to attend I do on the rare occasion wear jeans and a tee shirt, and I have to say when my hair is pulled back I can pass from anywhere from 16 -23 but regardless I shouldn't be treated any old kind of way. I refuse to give my money to a store whose employees can't see that. To bad too I was a great customer. I can get my clothes elsewhere though.

 

[Quasimodem]

D21,

(a.) If I didn’t know better I would think you had patronized a Hospital in Ontario. The treatment they served you sounds like a combination of vastly overworked care-givers and the over-emphasized importance of bureaucracy.

I know it doesn’t help, but that “intimidated” intern offers a clue.

His reluctance to actually give treatment, and the paper prelude to assistance in an emergency situation may be directly traced to the constant barrage of nuisance lawsuits, and the consequent importance of getting signed releases before actually offering anyone an iota of medical attention.

Your forceful attitude – since most have learned that they must put up with such treatment – undoubtedly nonplused the young physician even more.

(b.) Bad help in stores is pandemic, and I always do what I can to stem the flood of merchants who think they can increase profits by offering limited service, and minimum-wage staff with no interest, or knowledge in their product.

Most recently, I dropped into a rather pricey audio store, looking for a new set of cans. (Earphones.) Like your case, I was the only customer in the shop, ignored by two salespersons (one guy, one gal) who were taking turns talking to someone on the phone. It was obviously not a business call, nor even very adult from the side I overhead.

After fifteen minutes of trying to get someone to come where I could be served, I approached them. As I did, the guy – who wasn’t at that minute holding the receiver – turner his back on me, just as I was about to speak, as his courteous method of signalling that he could not take care of me at the moment .

I wandered about the store for another ten minutes practising what I intended to say to the salesman, when the owner of the store finally returned.

“Can I help you?”

I was inspired. I quickly checked my watch before replying.

“Sorry,” I replied, “I had planned to pick up one of those new 50' Plasma TV Screens you have in your window, but I haven’t been able to get any service. Now, I’m dead out of time. Guess I’ll have to pick one up from The Brick on my way home.”

Then, I immediately left the store.

For all they knew, my story could have been true. Had that been my object, since I never got to speak word one, they would have acted no different.

That evening, I went half an hour out of my way to buy new headphones at a Radio Shack.

No. I don’t think you over-reacted.

The thing is: if you have a complaint, complain; when you complain, don’t complain to the person who pissed you off, complain to the person who can penalize the person who pissed you off!

Two potent questions, when you are in the right:

1/. What’s you name. (Be preparing to write it down.)

2/. What is the name of your superior? (Ditto, question one.)


People get what they deserve.

If you let people treat you like shit – especially people paid to satisfy your needs – you deserve to be treated like shit.

__________________

 

[Guest]

Now I'm wondering about place or locale. I don't shop often at the big stores like Macy's, Nordstrom's, Nieman Marcus here (San Francisco) but I've never encountered a lax salesclerk. They are always personable and attentive. Once I had a book in hand and the young woman asked about it and somehow we got on to discussing Nabokov. I thought to myself, Where else might one have a literary conversation while shopping for hose?

Venice is a wonderful place to shop, no matter the item or cost. I bought a cheap scarf one day and the gentlemanly shop owner asked if it was a present. I told him it was just for me and he proceeded to wrap it in lovely paper as if it were cashmere, then tied it with a ribbon, saying, "Ah, signorina, then it is a very special present."

Perhaps it's that SF and Venice are tourist cities and we learn to be grateful for our visitors?

Perdita

 

[sailorm72003]

In no way did you overreact, especially in the store.
I get so tired of the attitude that the sales staff is doing ME a favor by taking my money, that I will not return to places where I've had poor experiences.

As others already said, the only way to change this type of behavior is to make it known to the appropriate person, who can deal with the situation.

*Ogg, I wish I could patronize your shop. That attitude is why I prefer the small, one-man bookstores to the proliferation of huge chain stores such as B&N, it's so refreshing to deal with one who knows the product and understands customer service.

Sailor

 

[destinie21]

Two potent questions, when you are in the right:

1/. What’s you name. (Be preparing to write it down.)

2/. What is the name of your superior? (Ditto, question one.)



I always get the persons name.
Good or bad. If a sales person does an exceptional job of waiting on me I want them recognized as well.

 

[ffreak]

Perdita, people just treat you special because you bring out the best in them. (the guy in Venice was hitting on you by the way - not that I can blame him)

-FF

 

[Guest]

(the guy in Venice was hitting on you by the way - not that I can blame him)

Thanks, Eff, but I know when I'm being hit on. He was 'merely' one of the thousands of real gentlemen in Venice. Veneziani know how to flirt with real women is all. You've still got promise, sweets.

Perdita

 

[destinie21]

Now I'm wondering about place or locale. I don't shop often at the big stores like Macy's, Nordstrom's, Nieman Marcus here (San Francisco) but I've never encountered a lax salesclerk. They are always personable and attentive. Once I had a book in hand and the young woman asked about it and somehow we got on to discussing Nabokov. I thought to myself, Where else might one have a literary conversation while shopping for hose?

Venice is a wonderful place to shop, no matter the item or cost. I bought a cheap scarf one day and the gentlemanly shop owner asked if it was a present. I told him it was just for me and he proceeded to wrap it in lovely paper as if it were cashmere, then tied it with a ribbon, saying, "Ah, signorina, then it is a very special present."

Perhaps it's that SF and Venice are tourist cities and we learn to be grateful for our visitors?

Perdita

Actually and I'm not trying to be funny here, I think age may also have something to do with it. People tend to treat the young with less respect. Also you have a look and an presence about you that I can't explain but it makes people want to be helpful.

 

[Guest]

Dest and Eff:

You've given my weekend a great start. Much later I have a very special date, how good can life get?!

xo's, Perdita

 

[DarlingNikki]

I don't think you overreacted at all in the second situation. That woman was inexcusably rude and the manager was an idiot.

But the first instance, at the ER, well I don't know about that. ER employees have proceedures to follow. It's their job, and if they don't do it right, they get in trouble. I'm sure (well, I hope) if you were carrying a severed limb she would have called a doctor immediately. But you were complaining of "neck pain" which is not necessarily life or death urgent. She probably thought it was possible that you could have filled out some forms. But it was really bad and you couldn't do that. So rather than threatening her with physical violence, what would have been wrong with just informing her that you were in too much pain to wait and really needed to see someone immediately? If that didn't work, then anything goes, but maybe it would have worked. Maybe you did this and just didn't put it in your post. If that's the case, well then you have every right to "overreact."

 

[Guest]

Nikki, Darling,

What became of your beautiful AV? Nice to 'see' you,

Perdita