Are you a good customer or a bad one?

[G51989]

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/matt-walsh/bad-customer-service_b_3799574.html

This got me thinking about my days in my latter years of college working part time at a BBQ place.

If we encountered customers like they, we gave them a refund and threw them out the door, and did not welcome them back. And by not welcome back, if they ever showed up again ( which happened ), they were asked to leave.

I personally feel like I'm a good customer, I would never flip out like that.

 

[ucfgrad93]

I would NEVER cause a scene like that in any business. I would complain to the manager in a civilized manner, if I was the complaining type. I generally vote with my wallet and if the service was bad enough, I just would never return.

 

[Parkin Pig]

I used to work for a company that organised luxury holidays based around motorsport events. The guy who owned the business spent every spare moment researching the finest hotels with top reputations for comfort and excellent local cuisine. The trips he organised were superb, and not cheap.

One of the most popular destinations was the Rimini coastline in Italy for races at Misano, with fabulous beaches and a hotel restaurant that people drove substantial distances to visit.

One family who booked with us asked me to have a word with the chef as the menu was 'a load of **** with absolutely nothing edible on it'. Needless to say there was pasta, pizza, local fish, meat and chicken, yet 'nothing edible'.

At the first meal I spoke to the chef and asked if he could do some burgers and chips for Mr and Mrs Philistine and the 2 brats. I was mortified to ask but the chef was very obliging.

At the second meal they kicked off again, annoying the other clients also. The owner of the company went over and gave the father a partial refund and told him to 'There's a McDonalds down the road - never try and book a trip with us again'.

That family went to McDonalds for every meal for the rest of the holiday.

When you lose customers like that, you lose nothing - all the other customers were glad to see the back of them.

This is the opposite end of the scale to the article about the woman bawling out some poor minimum wage burger-jockey, but nobody needs bad customers.

 

[vrDrew]

I never get bad service. Ever.

The secret? Simply treat the people who are providing you with service as they would like to be treated: professionally and courteously. A smile and the little words "please" and "thank you" are the most powerful weapons you can carry.

Inevitably you encounter problems: But if a flight is delayed, for example, don't take it out on the check-in staff. They didn't screw up.

The worst part of rude, "bad" customers is this: They make life miserable for everyone - including the other people they are with. There are some people I make a point of never going out to eat with because I know that at least half of the meal will be spent in tense anticipation of the next angry exchange between them and the restaurant staff. There is no food in the world good enough to make me want to endure that.

 

[yg17]

Don't these people know the golden rule about eating out? Don't piss off the people who cook your food.

 

[GoCubsGo]

I have one rule when going out…be nice.

It seems to work.

 

[ucfgrad93]

The secret? Simply treat the people who are providing you with service as they would like to be treated: professionally and courteously. A smile and the little words "please" and "thank you" are the most powerful weapons you can carry.

Agreed. I always try and treat others how I would want to be treated. However, that doesn't always mean you'll get good service.

 

[Thraun]

I find that the customers who most loudly proclaim that the customer is always right are almost always moronic wastes of space.

My favourite website, and anybody that works in customer service should check it out and sympathize:

http://www.notalwaysright.com

 

[designs216]

...Don't piss off the people who cook your food.

Seems like that was a line from Waiting.

 

[SkyBell]

As a person whom just got out of working fast food for 2+ years, that "lady" quoted in the article gave me horrible flashbacks.

It really is true:

Don't these people know the golden rule about eating out? Don't piss off the people who cook your food.

At the McDonalds I worked at, there were a few regular customers whom we made absolutely certain received the wrong order, everytime they came through - because no matter how often we "screwed up", they just kept coming back and yelling in our faces. After a while, it became a game of seeing just how angry you could make them.

 

[NewbieToMacs]

Don't forget this lovely little ball of sunshine

 

[chown33]

At the McDonalds I worked at, there were a few regular customers whom we made absolutely certain received the wrong order, everytime they came through - because no matter how often we "screwed up", they just kept coming back and yelling in our faces. After a while, it became a game of seeing just how angry you could make them.

I admire your sense of sport.

Did these angry customers ever figure out they were being gamed? Or did they just stop visiting your store? Frankly, if my order was wrong every single time, I'd stop going there.

 

[designs216]

My wife and I both worked in restaurants so we empathize and rarely tip less than 20%. If we have coupons, we tip on the original amount. It's a tough, multi-tasking job where you deal with people in a primal state. Customers are some combination of hungry, tired, rushed, preoccupied, stressed and/or inebriated. If something about the dining experience is amiss, the server takes the brunt of the customer's ire. At that time, our hourly wage was around $2.11. My manager told us we were giving 3/4 of our wage to the house to buy the right to subcontract there as servers -- we were entrepreneurs, he said!

If we do have a complaint, we talk with the server or manager about it, but in a civil manner. If they correct it, we go back again.

 

[rdowns]

When I am all benevolent dictator of the world, I will require everyone to work in retail for a year and then for tips for another. What a wonderful world it would be.

 

[SkyBell]

I admire your sense of sport.

Did these angry customers ever figure out they were being gamed? Or did they just stop visiting your store? Frankly, if my order was wrong every single time, I'd stop going there.

Generally, the kind of customer who complains every single time about how you're an incompetent moron who clearly doesn't even have the intelligence to take an order - or some variation of that - is either too stupid/embarrassed to realize they themselves did not order correctly, or more likely, they ordered wrong on purpose to greatly increase their chances of getting their money back, plus free food.

Sometimes, it was indeed our fault that the order was wrong, and we made sure to do everything we could to correct it. More often than not though, nothing they were screaming in our face about had anything to do with our employees.

 

[Pompiliu]

I am known to get angry and snap too easily at people. And i complain every time about every minor thing, it's fun for me when i ruined somebody's day. lol. On the other hand, if i'm dealing with somebody stupid, i easily get aggressive, i just can't stant stupid or boring people...

I'm not ashamed of that, actually i think it's pretty effective: when i go to my favourite restaurant/bar/store/etc, people working there know me and they always serve me faster/first.
They never said anything to me, they appreciate my business i think: i eat twice a day at that restaurant, every evening i'm at the bar having a few drinks, most of the time with some friends, so probably they can't afford to lose a customer that comes there all the time with other customers...
And i'm always mean with the waitresses: i yell at them, insult them, tell them that's not what i ordered (even if it is)...

A few years ago i was a photographer, now i'm not, i couldn't stand anymore the majority of people i worked with (stupid and annoying women). I used to quickly snap at them, insult them, ask them to leave, i even hit one girl once.

This got me thinking about my days in my latter years of college working part time at a BBQ place.

If we encountered customers like they, we gave them a refund and threw them out the door, and did not welcome them back. And by not welcome back, if they ever showed up again ( which happened ), they were asked to leave.

Lol. They were asked to leave...
Nobody asked me to leave, actually i can't wait for someone to do that.

 

[G51989]

As a person whom just got out of working fast food for 2+ years, that "lady" quoted in the article gave me horrible flashbacks.

It really is true:


At the McDonalds I worked at, there were a few regular customers whom we made absolutely certain received the wrong order, everytime they came through - because no matter how often we "screwed up", they just kept coming back and yelling in our faces. After a while, it became a game of seeing just how angry you could make them.

I always feel bad for fast food workers, so the very few times I do go into one, which isn't often. I'm typically very nice and courteous.

Because even tho I never worked fast food, the local BBQ place I worked at wasn't all that much different, hot kitchen, fast pace, tons of customers.

So, I'm always nice, don't complain unless there is an actual problem. And I NEVER come in 15 minutes till close.

----------

I am known to get angry and snap too easily at people. And i complain every time about every minor thing, it's fun for me when i ruined somebody's day. lol.

It doesn't really ruin someones day from what I understand, they'll just be a little annoyed.

I'm not ashamed of that, actually i think it's pretty effective: when i go to my favourite restaurant/bar/store/etc, people working there know me and they always serve me faster/first.
They never said anything to me, they appreciate my business i think: i eat twice a day at that restaurant, every evening i'm at the bar having a few drinks, most of the time with some friends, so probably they can't afford to lose a customer that comes there all the time with other customers...
And i'm always mean with the waitresses: i yell at them, insult them, tell them that's not what i ordered (even if it is), ask them if they want to be in my porn movies, etc. (i know, i'm so bored sometimes)

I'd watch asking them to be in porno movies, that can get you in lots of legal trouble

Lol. They were asked to leave...
Nobody asked me to leave, actually i can't wait for someone to do that.

Depends on the place, at the place I worked in College we were ALWAYS busy, a " slow day " didn't exist. So if a customer kept causing problems, we just always asked them to leave. As they were taking time away from other customers.

The owner's kinda a nut job, he didn't even allow substitutions. And would throw people out for even asking for them to many times.

Diet Soda? HA
Low Fat? HA
Gluten Free? HA
Grilled Chicken? HA
Asking about how things are cooked? HA
Reservation? HA
Ranch Dressing? Are you ****ing crazy ?!

The food was so good, people would come from 50-100 miles away just to try it, rules were posted at the door to. His theroy was that if you don't follow the rules you were

1: Not a regular
2: Didn't read the rules on the sign so you can't read
3: Your gonna hold up getting to the other massive lines of customers we had.

So if you can't follow the rules and cause problems, who the hell needs ya?

 

[jav6454]

Wow... I have never done that. If something isn't done the way I asked, I siply ask for it to be done again in a polite manner. "Excuse me man/lady, this item isn't the way I ordered, can you help me please?" Or the likes. That gets things done quicker, and people have a better understanding.

I don't think, me as a customer (in line) would have allowed that woman to keep on raging. I would have pulled her by her neck and threatened to call the cops for causing a "disturbance to the peace" event.

 

[noisycats]

I am known to get angry and snap too easily at people. And i complain every time about every minor thing, it's fun for me when i ruined somebody's day. lol. On the other hand, if i'm dealing with somebody stupid, i easily get aggressive, i just can't stant stupid or boring people...

I'm not ashamed of that, actually i think it's pretty effective: when i go to my favourite restaurant/bar/store/etc, people working there know me and they always serve me faster/first.
They never said anything to me, they appreciate my business i think: i eat twice a day at that restaurant, every evening i'm at the bar having a few drinks, most of the time with some friends, so probably they can't afford to lose a customer that comes there all the time with other customers...
And i'm always mean with the waitresses: i yell at them, insult them, tell them that's not what i ordered (even if it is)...

A few years ago i was a photographer, now i'm not, i couldn't stand anymore the majority of people i worked with (stupid and annoying women). I used to quickly snap at them, insult them, ask them to leave, i even hit one girl once.



Lol. They were asked to leave...
Nobody asked me to leave, actually i can't wait for someone to do that.

You seem to have nothing constructive to offer...by your own admission.

Please leave.

 

[PinkyMacGodess]

When I am all benevolent dictator of the world, I will require everyone to work in retail for a year and then for tips for another. What a wonderful world it would be.

But working for tips doesn't meant that they will 'get it'. I worked with someone who worked at a restaurant I ate at a lot and they said they never got much in tips. No kidding, they were intolerable to work with, and I can imagine if they were like that, I'd not want to tip them either. I tip 20% irregardless of the service, and if the go 'above and beyond', I do too. One time tipping nearly 50% for an incredible experience at a restaurant in San Diego. The waitress actually came out and thanked us as we left.

But I am so tempted to not tip for crappy service. One restaurant we were eating at had really snotty employees who treated everyone like crap. Slow coming to the table on getting there, slow taking the orders, screwing the orders up, giving the wrong things to the wrong people, never checking back, slow to bring additional drinks, etc... One table asked for their check, and after waiting for nearly a half hour as the wait staff sat and talked the whole time, they left and left no tip. he staff was so rude to them after they left. I wanted to say that good service makes tipping a necessity, but after the vicious wya they ripped that prior table, all we could think of was leaving, and not asking for anything else. We never went back. Bad service sticks with a restaurant...

I'm embarrassed when things go bad, and believe that not returning, and not recommending the place if asked works better.

----------

I am known to get angry and snap too easily at people. And i complain every time about every minor thing, it's fun for me when i ruined somebody's day. lol. On the other hand, if i'm dealing with somebody stupid, i easily get aggressive, i just can't stant stupid or boring people...

I'm not ashamed of that, actually i think it's pretty effective: when i go to my favourite restaurant/bar/store/etc, people working there know me and they always serve me faster/first.
They never said anything to me, they appreciate my business i think: i eat twice a day at that restaurant, every evening i'm at the bar having a few drinks, most of the time with some friends, so probably they can't afford to lose a customer that comes there all the time with other customers...
And i'm always mean with the waitresses: i yell at them, insult them, tell them that's not what i ordered (even if it is)...

A few years ago i was a photographer, now i'm not, i couldn't stand anymore the majority of people i worked with (stupid and annoying women). I used to quickly snap at them, insult them, ask them to leave, i even hit one girl once.



Lol. They were asked to leave...
Nobody asked me to leave, actually i can't wait for someone to do that.

But it's the boogers and spit in your food that you don't see that are 'pay back' for *******s like you... Sorry, but I do believe in karma. You might want to think about that sometime... Plus, imagine if you were chocking and no one tried to help you because you were known to go out of your way to ruin someone's day...

 

[roadbloc]

I'm usually friendly. Usually. There have been exceptions. Not over trivial matters like Ketchup though.

 

[mlsusa]

When I am all benevolent dictator of the world, I will require everyone to work in retail for a year and then for tips for another. What a wonderful world it would be.

If you had that power I'd suggest you get rid of the tipping system altogether and have people working in a profession that depends on tips to actually get paid a decent wage. Heck, have everyone working an honest job get paid fairly.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/15/abolish-tipping_n_3763887.html

 

[G51989]

If you had that power I'd suggest you get rid of the tipping system altogether and have people working in a profession that depends on tips to actually get paid a decent wage. Heck, have everyone working an honest job get paid fairly.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/15/abolish-tipping_n_3763887.html

Great read.

However, do you really think most owners and chains are gonna go for this? Probably not.

I could see lots of independent restaurants going for it, but the chains? Never. If they didn't use a tipping system, you would most likely see 7.25 an hour waiters, who would end up providing even worse surface.

I often tip pretty high myself, and I know some tipped waiters who make pretty crazy money.

Then again, unless I'm on the road I don't eat at dumps.

----------

But working for tips doesn't meant that they will 'get it'. I worked with someone who worked at a restaurant I ate at a lot and they said they never got much in tips. No kidding, they were intolerable to work with, and I can imagine if they were like that, I'd not want to tip them either. I tip 20% irregardless of the service, and if the go 'above and beyond', I do too. One time tipping nearly 50% for an incredible experience at a restaurant in San Diego. The waitress actually came out and thanked us as we left.

I never worked for tips, but in my college days I worked in the kitchen, so I kinda know what its like.

And tipping 50% is awesome .

I remember when I was taking my Corvette road trip ( I had just bought a brand new Corvette 2 years ago, good 2012 Grand Sport, and the GF and I decided to literally drive it from coast to coast, even doing Route 66 ), we stopped at this little hole in the wall, well more like a small building in the middle of the freaking Rockie mountains. The nearest place on the interstate was about 50 miles away so we decided to pull into this little town and see what they had, super country folk. However. The food was some of the best we've ever had. Everything was fresh, the waitress was rural but awesome, always refilling our drinks when they ran out, made sure everything was perfect. And loved my GFs accent and were super nice.

The bill came to 29.81 plus tax.

I slapped down 200 bucks and said keep the change. On the condition the single cook working got 50 of it . No regents. I am not afraid to tip super high for really good service. I typically tip like 25-30%, but this place was so awesome I HAD to throw them something. Best milkshakes and fries I've ever had, AND THEY HAD DEER, which was so good.

 

[samiwas]

I only worked in customer service when I was in high school over 20 years ago. I don't remember any actual experiences.

But my wife has done plenty of it. She worked as a waitress for a while, and saw all sorts of stupid stuff that customers would pull. When she moved to Atlanta from New England, and worked at the same restaurant here, it was amazing how much worse she was treated. She finally left that.

Nowadays, she does volunteer work reading and forwarding/answering emails for a large local attraction. She reads me emails periodically, and it is crazy what some of the people write.

• People who are absolutely furious, with expletives and all, that they can't park their winnebago with car trailer in the parking garage at the attraction, and demand compensation.
• One guy who claimed he got food poisoning from the attraction's pasta bar (they don't have a pasta bar). Due to being sick, he was unable to make it to his daughter's dance recital in another city. He demanded that the attraction pay for all of his plane flights, hotel rooms, other transportation and some sort of damages claim.
• There have been several angry "Why can't I bring my gun with me" emails.
• One guy who needed to replace something at the gift shop, and was pissed off that he could not do it online. His email went on about how they don't know who he is, and how he will now have to drive all the way in town, taking up his time which is worth hundreds of dollars, park his expensive car in a parking lot..oh, and to add to his doucheyness, his email address was bodybuilder@something.something.
• All sorts of people who demand free admission for their entire extended family because they came one hour before closing and didn't get to see anything because it was crowded.

In another job, she fielded a call from a woman asking for free admission to the attraction. When she replied that there was no free admission, the grown woman said "WAAAAAAAAHHHHH!! It's my birthday!! WAAAAAAAHHHHH!!!" She actually said it like that.

One of my favorite stories came from the general manager of that attraction, who was an attractive mid-30s girl. Some huffy guy had some sort of issue, and she came out to help. He said "I want to see your boss". And she replied, "Well, I am the general manager. I don't have a boss here." His response? "You're a woman. There has to be a man here who is in charge." She has him removed from the premises.


But, the topic isn't about other people. I, myself, am a good customer. Unless service is really bad, I am happy, always say thank you, always tip well, and clean up after my kid so they don't have to.

I have been out with those people who are bad customers, and I don't like it. Thankfully, I've can't recall being out with one of those people who is just downright mean to service people. One guy I know can get a little weird, so I try to avoid situations with him.

stuff and junk...

Yeah, I don't believe any of this.


EDIT: Let's hope Springs1 doesn't find this thread!

 

[mlsusa]

Great read.

However, do you really think most owners and chains are gonna go for this? Probably not.

I could see lots of independent restaurants going for it, but the chains? Never. If they didn't use a tipping system, you would most likely see 7.25 an hour waiters, who would end up providing even worse surface.

I often tip pretty high myself, and I know some tipped waiters who make pretty crazy money.

Then again, unless I'm on the road I don't eat at dumps.

I doubt it'll catch on which would be a shame. I do feel if most restaurants start adopting this policy and do it right it'll improve the whole experience. I don't need the staff to kiss my ass. Actually I'd prefer that they don't. All I'm looking for is for them to be attentive and polite. And I think you get that by getting paid properly for what you do and knowing up front what to expect, as opposed to having to chase down a tip that may or may not come because it all depends on the people you're serving.