tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548194306767452285.post7155327991035290725..comments2023-06-16T13:49:21.159-07:00Comments on Em's Joie de Weird: A Place In HellEmily Devenporthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07256608640761617862noreply@blogger.comBlogger11125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548194306767452285.post-57108073456219054512011-02-25T12:50:12.142-08:002011-02-25T12:50:12.142-08:00No -- now he piles his books up on the floor. I c...No -- now he piles his books up on the floor. I can picture this guy on the morning when the doors are locked for good, holding the door handle and shaking it with all his might, trying to will it to open. Then he'll just stare at it like an enraged bull for several minutes. Finally he'll wander over to Barnes & Noble and plague them every single day.Emily Devenporthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07256608640761617862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548194306767452285.post-21334512166693656982011-02-23T09:53:58.089-08:002011-02-23T09:53:58.089-08:00Just out of curiosity, I'm wondering what'...Just out of curiosity, I'm wondering what's happened to your first customer from Hell: the gimp who treated the store like a library. Don't tell me: he was the first one in front of television cameras at the store closing, crying about how unfair it is that this is happening, right?Paul Riddellhttp://www.txtriffidranch.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548194306767452285.post-80097804620736395392011-02-15T08:17:06.643-08:002011-02-15T08:17:06.643-08:00My wife and I are both regularly running into thes...My wife and I are both regularly running into these characters, and they're getting more and more entitled. Even better, there's the new passive-aggressive stick used to beat the retail mule: tell a Customer From Hell "no," and s/he'll bleat "Well, I'm going to write you up on Yelp.com!" (My wife's boss was in an absolute panic about three months ago, crying about how he had to get an Angieslist membership so he could see what people were writing about his store. She had to talk him down, explaining that any "public service" that required you to buy a membership was pretty much going to be set up for complainers. Lo and behold, the only people on Angieslist about their store were the bozos throwing tantrums because they wouldn't give "special discounts" for knowing the former co-owner, who left 15 years ago. Or the ones who were furious that the store didn't offer ValuPak coupons any more, and in fact hadn't for nearly five years, because they didn't want to have to pay a whole $8 for a watch battery change.)Paul Riddellhttp://www.txtriffidranch.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548194306767452285.post-1862753581477746922011-02-14T18:53:41.587-08:002011-02-14T18:53:41.587-08:00I had a woman who was printing out multiple coupon...I had a woman who was printing out multiple coupons. I went past the management in the store to the Loss Prevention Regional Director. :) He gave me the firepower to tell her no. The thing is, those registers at Borders are supposed to note when a coupon code has been used do you *can't* use it again.<br /><br />I feel you, people. I was downsized almost 2 years ago. The job I have now is no picnic, but I am perfectly happy to be out of retail hell.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548194306767452285.post-23439533449696543762011-02-14T11:55:15.862-08:002011-02-14T11:55:15.862-08:00I'm an ex big-boxer (Borders), and now I work ...I'm an ex big-boxer (Borders), and now I work at a massive used bookstore. I've encountered all of the above stereotypes at both locations, with the main difference being that my current employer is able to deal with them in a far more effective manner: troublesome customers are quickly shown the door as soon as they step too far.<br /><br />The real problem that drives these people is the toxic atmosphere that American consumerism inherently creates. I'm not at all surprised that in the era of companies like Wal-Mart, Groupon, and Amazon that we customers wandering around with grossly overinflated egos and senses of self importance.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548194306767452285.post-21566648987763378772011-02-14T11:20:38.247-08:002011-02-14T11:20:38.247-08:00Now that you mention it, we had a poopy person too...Now that you mention it, we had a poopy person too. The assistant manager called him Mr. Poopy Pants, and the guy wasn't content just to leave a deposit on the floor. he was a finger painter. That was several years back, but recently a would-be shoplifter pooped on the floor in the store where I'm working now, in the hopes of keeping the GM busy while he tried to return something he had just grabbed off the shelf. <br /><br />My current GM (who fortunately is a good person) is talking about creating a game based on working at Borders. Hmmnnn . . .Emily Devenporthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07256608640761617862noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548194306767452285.post-59076632281607525952011-02-14T10:51:14.063-08:002011-02-14T10:51:14.063-08:00I'm an ex-employee of the Big Box Bookstore an...I'm an ex-employee of the Big Box Bookstore and reading this blog post was like a hilarious war-time flashback.<br /> I remember the old ladies, one in particular who would demand double bagging, with each book placed spine down. She would then proceed to poop on the bathroom floor (I'm deadly serious), complain to management that our bathrooms were filthy. She'd be back the next week trying to return purchases she made up to 7 YEARS ago with no receipt. We knew how old they were because the dated tags were still on the books. <br /> The store manager's lies to cover her own ineptitude has resulted in a ten year gap in my resume. Ultimately, though, I am estatic to be out of the book retail's evil clutches. Good luck, retail warrior. God knows you're going to need it.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548194306767452285.post-60558573004076921252011-02-13T15:43:02.434-08:002011-02-13T15:43:02.434-08:00i hope there really is a special place in hell for...i hope there really is a special place in hell for these people. I feel like I have been cursed with eternal damnation since I started picking up after these cheap bastards 4 years ago.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548194306767452285.post-27848103929611545982011-02-13T14:58:26.550-08:002011-02-13T14:58:26.550-08:00Ya know, I've had those customers who come up ...Ya know, I've had those customers who come up and stick a coupon in each book and when I tell them they can't do it, expect me to do individual transactions. Do you know what I tell them? No.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548194306767452285.post-23241499087312576772011-02-13T11:13:25.377-08:002011-02-13T11:13:25.377-08:00Umm, actually "indies" generally strive ...Umm, actually "indies" generally strive to deliver even better customer service than any required by "big-box" upper management. I've worked for both and know from experience. "Problem" personality types are for the most part control freaks who seem to get satisfaction from making other people do what they say they want. It's pathetic behavior, and I suspect even a psychologist would have a hard time redirecting it. Just take it as a given in retail!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1548194306767452285.post-71220831140101525582011-02-13T10:06:50.344-08:002011-02-13T10:06:50.344-08:00Those "problems", along with a wealth of...Those "problems", along with a wealth of others, will evaporate when big-box bookstores close. Indies, for better or worse, don't need to follow customer service guidelines handed down by executives sitting behind desks in far away corporate headquarters.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com