ToysRus Don`t care about children !!!!!

IvanOpinion

Gingham_Ribbon wrote:

Ivan, I disagree. Customer SERVICE should be that the customer is SERVED with respect. I understand that a company may decline to hold an item, but then it should be standard policy to do so, not on the whim of a bad tempered staff member. And it's not an unreasonable request. Although if it was my shop I'd be tempted to ask for a deposit on held items.

The point I was trying to make is that nowadays we seem to think it is our right to have anybody do anything for us. Shops are there to sell products they are not stock takers for every Tom-!!!!!!-and-Harry that comes in off the street. If they are willing to hold things then we should be thankful but if they don't then it is nothing to do with them being reasoinable or unreasonable, it is simply a service that they do not offer - lump it or like it.

The customer had been told at least twice that they did not put things aside yet they asked again ... if you have to keep repeating yourself do you not get a bit annoyed ... I do. You also have to remember, as usual, we are only hearing one side of the story (and I am not doubting that the OP has reflected this as accurately as they have remembered it) ... however there are always two sides. From the OPs note she did get confrontational with Mrs **** and tried using emotional blackmail (I sure as heck never respond to emotional blackmail ... if people try laying a guilt trip on me then they will lose).

I get the impression that this is not a customer service issue but more an issue that the OP did not get their way and are basically venting off. We all do it at times ... but remember a shop does not HAVE to put things aside for anyone ... and given how badly such systems have been abused in the past it does not surprise me that many have withdrawn this service.

Ivan

Gingham_Ribbon

IvanOpinion wrote:

If they are willing to hold things then we should be thankful but if they don't then it is nothing to do with them being reasoinable or unreasonable, it is simply a service that they do not offer - lump it or like it.

Ivan

It sounds like it IS a service they offer, though, and the staff member just couldn't be bothered. Like you said, it's only one side of the story, but I do feel that customer service is generally getting very poor in many places. Particularly big companies, who get enough custom to do pretty much as they please.

I know that staff get fed up of repeating themselves and dealing with the same questions, or people who are frustrated when they can't get what they want. But I do think think that they are being paid to look after the customers and sell stock. They are therefore obliged to be polite and helpful unless someone is being very unreasonable.

The woman should have stopped what she was doing to deal with the matter quickly, or apologised and told the first member of staff to find someone else because she was too busy. Shouting out and humiliating customers is hardly what she's being paid to do.

In my opinion!

IvanOpinion

Gingham_Ribbon wrote:

It sounds like it IS a service they offer, though, and the staff member just couldn't be bothered. Like you said, it's only one side of the story, but I do feel that customer service is generally getting very poor in many places. Particularly big companies, who get enough custom to do pretty much as they please.

Funny there was a story on the news this morning about some UK bank that is realising that the uK market is too competitive and so they are looking to gain something like 50% of their business outside of the UK. One of things cited as costing was the demands on their CS line.

The woman should have stopped what she was doing to deal with the matter quickly, or apologised and told the first member of staff to find someone else because she was too busy. Shouting out and humiliating customers is hardly what she's being paid to do.

Maybe she was serving another customer (in which case it would have been rude of her to leave that customer) ... maybe she was balancing a pile of those flamin furbies that was about to fall over .. the OP did not make it clear .. maybe she was just genuinely busy (stock taking or something) and having given the answer twice, just got exasperrated because her child was sick in hospital about to undergo an emergency operation and she was scared and so triviality about putting a toy aside was irrelevant... we just do not know

Ivan

Twopints

So, let me see if I have understood correctly:

You get told by staff member A that something is "no problem". Staff member B says it cannot be done.

According to Ivan you should just accept this in case staff member B is undergoing some unknown serious trauma.

You then check with customer services, who again assure you it is "no problem". Call the store and get staff member B (still undergoing serious trauma?) leaves the phone for over 15 minutes.

Again you should accept this as clearly you are too demanding i.e. expecting a member of staff to do their job properly.

Sheesh. :rolleyes:

IvanOpinion

In many stores the manager/manageress has the right to exercise those rules that are not compulsory. Head office may say one thing however each store may operate slightly different policies ... a bit like a check out operator adhering strictly to the rules that they have been told to adhere to only for a manager to come along and override them because some customer is making a scene.

So to amend your scenario slightly
You get told by junior staff member A that something should not be a problem. Senior staff member B says it cannot be done ... on several occasions and explains reason why (due to some management decision about being close to Christmas). Because you did not get your own way you decide to cause the senior staff member some grief by contacting their manager. You then check with some manager who may not have heard of the new policy who again assures you it is "no problem". Call the store and get senior staff member B who explains the situation again but is subjected to emotional blackmail from a 'furious' customer sets phone down (possibly goes to the loos to cry her own eyes out and does not manage to compse herself for 16 minutes and 41 seconds).

Mountains and molehills ... if it was that important then back to my original question, why not simply buy it and get money from grandparents the next day? Why do people allow themselves to get wound up over trivia?

ivan

Wig

Ivan has a point - trivia.

Everyone else has a point too, it's either the policy or it isnt. OP should have accepted she wasn't going to get anywhere with this staff member and walked out - not stand there having an arguement with someone metres away. The staff member was wrong in the manner they handled the situation.

When I was in B&Q customer service desk once I was waiting for a customer to finish being dealt with by CS assistant (sitting on stool behind desk) I was about 2 meters away and between me and her was a big trolley blocking my access any further. When it came to my turn she dealt with me from on her stool, I wanted to show her something I think - and I said something like "are you going to stay over there or come to me?" of course her face gave away the fact that she was reluctant to do this but nevertheless knew she would have to come to me and use her feet!

liz_uk

The woman was taking things out of a trolley and putting them back within the store - could have been returns as there were various different items.

At the point she was speaking with me, I believe she may have been sorting out balloons at the end of the checkout aisle.

My problem was, that on one day of the week, its fine to put something by and then on another - it isn`t !! Its one rule for one and one rule for another. There are 3 different managers in that store and depending on which one you get, the rule is different.

It has now been imposed by the area manager, that in order to provide good customer service, they will hold items for a maximum of 24 hours.

Ivan, I was venting, but I gave a true account of what hapenned that day. My frustration was that there was clearly a lack in communication between managers, if one was willing to do it one day and then another wasn`t the next. I`m sure it would P*** you off !!!!!

IvanOpinion

liz_uk wrote:

Ivan, I was venting, but I gave a true account of what hapenned that day. My frustration was that there was clearly a lack in communication between managers, if one was willing to do it one day and then another wasn`t the next. I`m sure it would P*** you off !!!!!

As I said I have absolutely no doubt that you related the story as accurately as possible and as best you can remember it from your side but there are always two sides. I have been in a situation where, a few minutes after a staff meeting telling us that we MUST adhere to a new policy, a manager has overridden me doing exactly what I was told to do ... therefore you will find that most managers will say or do anything so that THEY do not have to be confrontational, whereas they leave their staff to fend for themselves. Company policy may change overnight therefore one day they may allow a particular service but because of various reasons the next day they don't ... it does not give you or anybody else the right to demand that they change their policy back just because it does not suit you.

Life is far too short for me to allow trivia to !!!!!! me off, particularly something that could have been easily sorted out other ways. Remember we are building the society we deserve and it is the 'pains in the butt' that have gone before you that have caused these sorts of 'rules' to be put in place.

As I have said before ... how much of a product price is designed to cover customer service related costs for a minority of people who need additional care and pandering (10%? 15%? 20%?). We know that we already have to pay an additional 5% in many shops to cover 'shrinkage' (e.g. shop lifting). How much are people willing to pay for the absolutely perfect customer care and service ... as usual I would say those that need it should pay for it ... I want my goods as cheap as possible ... therefore maybe shops should charge a non-refundable fee for keeping things over?

Ivan

bluep

Having worked in my early days as a customer service manager for the Caudwell Group (NEVER AGAIN!!), there were many times I had to tell an angry customer on the telephone that they couldn't have what they wanted and it wasn't company policy/in their contract despite what someone might have told them in the shop/they've heard etc... I NEVER approached that in a way that wasn't polite and curtious, remaining calm at ALL times and without any hint of rudeness. Some customers swore and hung up, others calmed down and became reasonable, most understood what I was saying and worked with me to fnd a mutual solution that was within mobile phone industry standard practise. There is never any excuse for rudeness to your customers. If they are rude to you - warn them politely that you will not tolerate being sworn at/intimidated and can end the call/have them removed from the store etc... It doesn't matter what personal events you have going on, or if other customers are wanting your attention - NEVER AN EXCUSE FOR BEING RUDE. It's that simple.

By all means tell the OP its not store policy, politely say that customer services may have incorrectly informed her, that it used to be policy but that the store manager had recently stopped it, apologise for any inconvenience and offer an alternative solution. Offer to refer her to the store manager if she wants to push the point but NEVER be rude.

liz_uk

£10 gift voucher arrived in the post and a personal apology from the woman in question when I went to spend it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!