Need opinions...manners question

Okay yesterday I was down to about 2 cups of caseys food, I had tried the reduced calorie so I bought 20lbs instead of 36 and kind of got caught off guard with how low it was.

Since I buy special food I can only get it at the feed store. I called hubby and asked him to stop and get it yesterday but knew he would be confused so I called the store. I told her specifically what I wanted and he would be right in.

Well he comes home with the regular not the reduced calorie so apparantly she didn't really listen to me.

I got home from work and knew I had to take it back today or she would have no food, I did not open the bag. I called them and told them that hubby had the receipt did they remember the call and can I exchange it. She said she hadn't worked yesterday but just bring it in.

That was nice of her but when I lugged that huge bag in and hefted it on the counter neither clerk acknowleded me. She was working on something on the computer, nobody else was around, I assumed she just knew it was me and was working on the exchange, which was true.

She looks up and says "that will be 54 cents more" that is the first acknowledgement that I was there. Sorry but I thought at some point a polite apology was in order so by now I am kind of peeved so I said "thats no biggie, even though I am having to make an extra trip"

My daughter was mortified. I think I was okay, what does everyone think?

Then I said I need help out to my car since I have had to lug this bag around all over. She did it and never spoke to me any more. They always help me out this wasn't an outrageous request they always insiste.....

what do you all think?

I think since she did not acknowledge her mistake with a polite
apology you were fine in mentioning the extra trip. Especially if
you're a long time customer. Next time, I'd send hubby with a
written note.:)

Yeah I will do that in the future, it was sort of a last minute thing. I really wasn't mad at them for getting the order wrong just thought she was sort of rude. It wasn't her that made the mistake.

I just wonder if I am turning into an old crabby lady, my daughter seemed to think so. Does anyone else notice losing patience with poor service the older you get?

I don't think you were out of line. When I worked retail, if I someone made a mistake in the company, ESPECIALLY if someone ELSE made a mistake and I had to set it right, I was extrememly polite and helpful when the person came back to have their problem set straight. And if there was even a $1 difference, I'd have not said anything, speicifically because the poor person had ot schlep their problem back and forth.

But, all that said, my daughters would have said the same thing. I would have reacted the same way andI'd have been told I was rude. I don't think its rude when you are merely pointing out their lack in customer care.

I could tell you some stories about RUDE! Having said that, you can see I have noticed it. It seems that employees just don't want to be bothered with doing their JOBS anymore.. It inturdes on their personal cell phone calls, the book they are reading, the game on the computer and checking their email or just having to GET UP!

I use to tell my employees that the jobs they had were NOT created to inconvience THEM.... This job IS what they job IS and plenty before you have handled it WITHOUT a problem! So if YOU got a problem, the problem is NOT the job.. I tell the deckhands that too when they complain about what they have to do... I am not the boss there but when they look for sympathy in the galley, they are looking and complaining in the wrong department.

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Originally posted by lizbud
Next time, I'd send hubby with a
written note.:)

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Why don't you get off the poor dude's case?

A written note?

Everyone knows that men are visual.....

The logo/name on the package would do just fine!!!;) :eek: :D

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That was how she greeted you?

With the 54 cent question???

Before Karma became huge in my life I'd go back into stores and
accidentally run my basket into the displays, accidentally poke a key into packages or accidentally "Squeeze the (crap outta the) Charmin"

Now I just make say things out loud....

Basically, the customer is always right and if you didn't get the service that you expect and deserve, all bets are off.....
The thing is not to make yourself look like the "p.o'd" consumer.

Do it quietly and viciously!

LOL! Richard, you men are ALWAYS trying to sound like you know what is actually going on!:eek::D;)

I don't think that was rude of you to mention that, the lady at the computer was rude. Don't worry about it:)

Steph and Jes

I think you were too laid back. I would have spoken to the manager immeadiately.

But the question is about manners. Miss Manners never wants you to be anything but gracious.

Maybe the following said in a sincere tone: *Oh dear I guess I was just not very clear when I called about what variety I needed the clerk to give my husband or maybe I caught her at a very busy time. One of these days my husband will pay attention to recognize just what food we use..*

This would acknowledge the mistake without mortifying your daughter.

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Originally posted by Rachel
But the question is about manners. Miss Manners never wants you to be anything but gracious.

Maybe the following said in a sincere tone: *Oh dear I guess I was just not very clear when I called about what variety I needed the clerk to give my husband or maybe I caught her at a very busy time. One of these days my husband will pay attention to recognize just what food we use..*

This would acknowledge the mistake without mortifying your daughter.

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What she said. Exactly. :D

I don't think you were out of line. I probably would have said something about the inconvenience and would have been upset that they requested the price difference. Especially if you are frequent customer.

When I called on the phone to talk with them about the mishap I did say something like you suggest Rachel. I did not even mention to my husband the fact that casey was now on reduced calorie so I took the blame.

I guess I didn't like my treatment once I went into the store so a question is...when you go up to a counter and there are 2 clerks and you are not acknowledged for a full 3-4 minutes what is a good thing to say?

Hmmm...

*Excuse me, I'm sorry to interupt, but I'm in a bit of a hurry. Could one of you help me please?*


I probably wouldn't have waited that long. The staff were rude but even more than that, it just isn't good business to ignore a customer like that. My husband and I run into this type of attitude so frequently that when we do go into a store where we are treated with any kind of common respect, we really take note and appreciate it. I do think that management bears a good bit of the blame because if customer service is a priority in an establishment, it generally shows.

I don't think you were out of line at all. But, pretty much anything you say in public is going to mortify your daughter. ;) That's just a right of passage. How old is she, anyway? I'm almost 29 and I always say something about poor customer service. I try really hard not to let sarcasm take over my tone. I ALWAYS point out bad service, though. Even if it's in a joking way...I've been in a situation like that, and, the girl didn't acknowledge me at all. I just laughed and said "A hello would be nice." She laughed and admitted she had lots of crap on her mind, that she was sorry... I try really hard not to be ugly, but, sometimes even that happens. Good customer service is so rare. It's sad.

I don't think you did anything wrong. I hate when people don't acknowledge you at stores. It's our company policy at my job to always acknowledge the costumer. When they say thank you we must say "My Pleasure."

On a side note, one lady once told us that we were too nice and cheery to our customers and complained about that. Just the other day some kid filled out a comment sheet (to tell us how we were doing) and complained that it was rude to our customers to be closed on Sunday because of tradition.:rolleyes:

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Basically, the customer is always right and if you didn't get the service that you expect and deserve, all bets are off.....
The thing is not to make yourself look like the "p.o'd" consumer.

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This is something that causes us trouble at work. No matter what WE think we always give the customer what they want. One a-hole complained about his food being "too cold" when in fact everything just came up completely fresh and HOT.
He was sent BOG's (Be our Guests, free coupons) and ripped us out of money.

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Originally posted by Kfamr
On a side note, one lady once told us that we were too nice and cheery to our customers and complained about that.

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There have been several stores where I would have said the same thing, if I had more energy. This one place, Coldstone Cremery- they do this most ANNOYING greeting, nearly shouting in your face, and I HATE it. It scares Jonah, it is that over the top.

The "Welcome to my store, how can i help you..." said in the breathy, salesly way grates my nerves. I much prefer the "Welcome, let me know if I can assist"...

I don't mind sales greetings, as long as they're done sincerely. I don't necessarily like when every single person in a store says exactly the same thing, it becomes very robotic. It's no longer sincere, and, defeats the purpose, in my opinion. But, it's better than being ignored, that's for sure. All this makes me think of the waiter in Office Space..."looks like someone has a case of the Mondays." Ugh, I wanted to punch him right in the mouth. ;)

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Originally posted by finn's mom
I don't mind sales greetings, as long as they're done sincerely. I don't necessarily like when every single person in a store says exactly the same thing, it becomes very robotic.

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Oh you have no idea how much I hate this.
Lucky us (servers at Red Lobster) we have a new "word for word" saying we're supposed to say to EVERY TABLE and we have to know it by the 15th of this month or we won't be able to serve:rolleyes:
I really think they don't want personality anymore, just robots:(


And I don't think you were rude at all. I probably would have been po'd but just went out with a BIG...THANKS AND YOU HAVE A WONDERFUL DAY! That's my way of getting my feeling across:p

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Originally posted by finn's mom
But, pretty much anything you say in public is going to mortify your daughter. ;) That's just a right of passage.

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LOL - you beat me to this observation.;)

Everyone at my work has their own little sayings and things they add on. Sometimes it sounds real fake and cheesey coming from certain people, others it sounds sincere and those are the people who work up front more often. Hence the reason I work in the back because there's no way I could be as excited as some of the people who work up front. ;x That's why a lot of us work in the back soley. :p

I've never heard anything too obnoxious from anyone here, but I thought it was awfully rude of the lady. Some people are just cranky I guess. Next time she should just go to the local McDonalds when they give you no acknowledgement at all.

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Originally posted by jesse_3
LOL! Richard, you men are ALWAYS trying to sound like you know what is actually going on!:eek::D;)

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Damn, foiled again.

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Usually I start off with a stock greeting for the people on computers or playing with their cell phones.


"Dude, are you winning??? I got canned from one job for playing Donkey Kong -some customer complained....."


IF THAT DOESN'T get things rolling they get one more chance...and then all bets are off....
:eek:

Finn's mom, my daughter is 12, my 14 year old daughter usually takes my side and actually can gets kind of mouthy herself. Once in Macy's she said to a clerk "hey don't be giving my mom a dirty look"

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Originally posted by caseysmom
Finn's mom, my daughter is 12, my 14 year old daughter usually takes my side and actually can gets kind of mouthy herself. Once in Macy's she said to a clerk "hey don't be giving my mom a dirty look"

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Ah, gotcha. That's about when I started taking my mom's side, too. ;) Now, I'm usually the one to say stuff, she tends to let it slide. She just won't shop there again, but, she won't say anything. I like to let them know we won't be coming back.