I have worked customer service for many many years and I know you can get some ugly customers, so I always go out of my way to be friendly in stores-- they get enough crud from others without me being pouty.
So, this morning, I called Sam's Club. It is in Maryland (only 20 minutes away) and I do not have a membership. Here is how the conversation went:
Me: "Hi, I don't have a membership, but is there something like a day pass to try it out?"
Customer Service Person who woke up on the wrong side of the bed: "Yes."
Me: "OK good, so I can just come in and shop to decide if I want a membership?"
CSPWWUOTWSOTB: "No. That's not how it works."
Me: " OK can you tell me how it works."
CSPWWUOTWSOTB: "Do you have a guest pass?"
Me: Not yet.
CSPWWUOTWSOTB: " Well then you can't get one."
Me:"What, why? I thought you just said that I could get one?"
CSPWWUOTWSOTB:"Yeah but you have to find one in a magazine or email."
Me: "OK...Is there SOMETHING I can get just for today to make sure I would USE the $40 yearly membership before I buy it?"
CSPWWUOTWSOTB:"Yes, it's called a Browser pass."
Me: "OK how do I get one of those?"
CSPWWUOTWSOTB: (who is now taking a nasty tone with me)"Maam, you come to the service desk."
Me:"OK I'm just trying to make sure so I don't drive all this way for nothing. SO, you're saying I can come in and get a 'Browser Pass' and shop around for one day, right?"
CSPWWUOTWSOTB:"Maam, (very huffy now) I said you could BROWSE, you know, like walk around, but not actually BUY anything...that's why it's called a Browser Pass!"
Me:" So basically, unless you find one of these magical "day passes" that don't actually exist, you have to buy a membership to buy ANYTHING?"
CSPWWUOTWSOTB:"You got it."
Me: " Why didn't you just tell me that in the beginning?"
CLICK.
ugh! I hope you dont have to call in to Sam's in Maryland...they are not the friendliest today!
That's when you play the "Can I speak with your manager," card. I had a similar experience with a crabby lady from Ava's old pediatrician's records office. I was trying to get a copy of her shot record sent to our new doctor and this lady was treating me like I was trying to sneak a bomb on an airplane. Had it not been for my friend (who was a manager for a pediatric office and knew records regulations) sitting next to me I probably would have just given up. I ended up speaking to the supervisor and the record was faxed within 10 minutes. Why do people have to be so ugly and unhelpful?
ReplyDeleteI KNOW! Well, I went to Sams anyways and paid my $40 membership fee thinking "I'll just look around this trip and see what they have...$100 later I had to pull myself from the store... i know you save, but geez! Oh well, now I am stocked up for about six months! And Autumn, no sneaking a bomb on a plane!:)
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