dammit customers!

If I'm sitting on the floor, with the guts of a self-checkout system spread around me, along with various tools, you've got a clear indication that no, I can't help you check a price, find an item, or deal with whatever you think needs dealing with. Similarly, if I'm standing near a register, but am drowning in mounds of paperwork, no I am not available to help you. If I am talking to a cashier, sales clerk, manager or even another customer, you will have to wait. I promise you that as soon as I've wrapped up whatever other business is occupying me, you'll have my full attention, but you will have to Wait. For. Your. Turn. Since I'm annoyed today, I've decided to give you guys the benefit of my many, many years in customer service. Some advice:


1) Find the best equipped person to deal with your problem. Not every employee has the skills or knowledge to solve your problem. If they seem confused, don't get frustrated, simply ask if there's someone else you can talk to. You owe it to yourself to get the best possible service, and to get the right answers, the first time out. As a decent human being, you also owe that employee some courtesy, and that means not pressuring him/her to venture into areas for which they are not trained. Don't ask a sales rep to help plan a project for you. Don't ask a stock boy to give you advice on vitamins. Don't expect people to be trained on absolutely every aspect of the business. Even in the smallest businesses, there are still experts. Find the right person. ( Read more... )

So there you go, seven steps to not being a total jerk. I'm going to cut myself off here, because the dog needs walking (and if I don't stop myself here, I could probably go on forever).

Thank you, drive through.