Jerk NB Employee

Williams 728
Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum

Help Support Homebrew Talk - Beer, Wine, Mead, & Cider Brewing Discussion Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
kh54s10 said:
Govner1 are you one of those that demand that retail associates cow tow to your demands regardless??????

Remember they are just like you, just in a different occupation.....

I have had a successful period as a retail "associate" several times in my lifetime.... but will not ever go with the adage that the "customer is always right" that is just stupid....
Click to expand...

Maybe the customer is not always right, but it is the obligation of the person taking his money to treat him as if he is, regardless of personal perspective, opinion, judgment, etc.. That's the REAL test of having "thick skin".
 
Seems like a lot of confusion could have been avoided if the OP had simply talked to the associates about not having a good Witbier, or if upset, simply asking for the manager and taking up his complaint.

People miscommunicate all the time.
 
Agreed. His experience didn't sway my opinion on NB at all, I understand everyone has a bad day. However, NB employees taking the time to create accounts here and respond to clear things up was quite surprising.
 
Homercidal said:
Seems like a lot of confusion could have been avoided if the OP had simply talked to the associates about not having a good Witbier, or if upset, simply asking for the manager and taking up his complaint.

People miscommunicate all the time.
Click to expand...

Now that's over the top! Talking to someone? That's crazy talk.
What do you think guns are for man!

:mug:

BTW - the Caribou Slobber they sell is pretty good.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/caribou-slobber-extract-kit
 
South Park recently had a very timely episode related to this topic. They satirized how every jackoff with a smartphone thinks they're a professional food critic, and how they would manipulate restaurant owners and wait staff by informing them that they were Yelp reviewers, and being overly demanding.


*** SPOILERS ***


The restaurant owners got fed up, but couldn't turn away all those customers, so instead they quietly contaminated their food with boogers and "special sauce" and cheerily served the "critics" their meals.
 
kh54s10 said:
Govner1 are you one of those that demand that retail associates cow tow to your demands regardless??????

Remember they are just like you, just in a different occupation.....

I have had a successful period as a retail "associate" several times in my lifetime.... but will not ever go with the adage that the "customer is always right" that is just stupid....
Click to expand...

No I would never advocate that the customer is always right. However, the customer does always deserve respect and courtesy. An abusive customer should be dealt with by the manager/owner not the salesperson.

I have worked in many retail sales positions while in high school through college. Later in life, I have owned two successful retail operations for over 35 years. Remember, the OP's original comment referred to disrespectful, even (snarky) attitudes by sales clerks. This kind of behavior should not be tolerated under any circumstances. If, this had occurred in one of my businesses the employee would've been summarily dismissed.

Keep in mind, this customer was buying a product he or she had chosen. The profit from this purchase would have contributed not only to the bottom line of the business but to the paycheck of the salesperson.

You should never look down on or snub a customer no matter the circumstances. You never know when that potential buyer turns into your biggest sale of the day.
 
gratus fermentatio said:
So the Mgr apologized, the employee apologized, is @Nikkuchan now a satisfied customer?
Regards, GF.
Click to expand...

This thread does go to show how even a 'satisfied' customer may never make a comment to clarify this.

The reason the 'customer is always right' is that people are quick to complain when things go wrong but are very slow to share when they have had a positive experience. It's a difficult game for companies, stores, etc. to play, but they must understand the rules seldom change.
 
govner1 said:
No I would never advocate that the customer is always right. However, the customer does always deserve respect and courtesy. An abusive customer should be dealt with by the manager/owner not the salesperson.

I have worked in many retail sales positions while in high school through college. Later in life, I have owned two successful retail operations for over 35 years. Remember, the OP's original comment referred to disrespectful, even (snarky) attitudes by sales clerks. This kind of behavior should not be tolerated under any circumstances. If, this had occurred in one of my businesses the employee would've been summarily dismissed.

Keep in mind, this customer was buying a product he or she had chosen. The profit from this purchase would have contributed not only to the bottom line of the business but to the paycheck of the salesperson.

You should never look down on or snub a customer no matter the circumstances. You never know when that potential buyer turns into your biggest sale of the day.
Click to expand...

DING DING DING

Exactly my point and very, very well said!
 
Geeze, this entire miscommunication/misinterpretation could have been avoided by the OP saying to the associate, "What do you mean?"

Good on NB for opening an account here and giving an explanation.
 
DurtyChemist said:
This. I would have found his boss and said "I just wanted you to know as I'm buying a kit this guy laughed and said he has never had a good one. I won't be shopping here as long as he is working here" or said you'd shop set another shop that charges more but hires better people.
Click to expand...

That's all it takes for you? Yeesh. Cant imagine getting that upset over things. How's the blood pressure?
 
Thats pretty funny, I immediately thought about last season's Washington Redskin's episode. "finding new and creative ways to tell our customers to go F themselves"


kombat said:
South Park recently had a very timely episode related to this topic. They satirized how every jackoff with a smartphone thinks they're a professional food critic, and how they would manipulate restaurant owners and wait staff by informing them that they were Yelp reviewers, and being overly demanding.


*** SPOILERS ***


The restaurant owners got fed up, but couldn't turn away all those customers, so instead they quietly contaminated their food with boogers and "special sauce" and cheerily served the "critics" their meals.
Click to expand...
 
kh54s10 said:
Govner1 are you one of those that demand that retail associates cow tow to your demands regardless??????

Remember they are just like you, just in a different occupation.....

I have had a successful period as a retail "associate" several times in my lifetime.... but will not ever go with the adage that the "customer is always right" that is just stupid....
Click to expand...

This isn't about the customer always being right. It's about a customer buying a product that the associates company sells, then the associate basically telling the customer that their selection sucks.

Is the customer always right, only if you want to make a sale to that customer. Obviously there are demands from customers that go above and beyond good customer service and a lot of things that just can't be met with any sort of reasonable conclusion. But, that's not what is being talked about here.

When you go in to spend money in an establishment, you shouldn't have to have a thick skin. You should only have to have the expectation of being treated with respect.

I never ask for anyone to kiss my butt as a customer, but if you are going to insult my taste as I'm buying from your store, I'll take my business elsewhere.

I certainly wouldn't fire and employee over a situation like this, but he'd definitely get a talking to and have to change his ways if he wanted to keep his job for long.

I know there are plenty of customers who aren't worth the time they take to keep happy. Doesn't sound like this was that case though.
 
Clonefan94 said:
This isn't about the customer always being right. It's about a customer buying a product that the associates company sells, then the associate basically telling the customer that their selection sucks.

Is the customer always right, only if you want to make a sale to that customer. Obviously there are demands from customers that go above and beyond good customer service and a lot of things that just can't be met with any sort of reasonable conclusion. But, that's not what is being talked about here.

When you go in to spend money in an establishment, you shouldn't have to have a thick skin. You should only have to have the expectation of being treated with respect.

I never ask for anyone to kiss my butt as a customer, but if you are going to insult my taste as I'm buying from your store, I'll take my business elsewhere.

I certainly wouldn't fire and employee over a situation like this, but he'd definitely get a talking to and have to change his ways if he wanted to keep his job for long.

I know there are plenty of customers who aren't worth the time they take to keep happy. Doesn't sound like this was that case though.
Click to expand...

Well said.

Let's keep in mind what actually happened here:

* Employee made an innocuous inside joke about a product in the front of a customer buying that product.

* The joke could easily be interpreted as the employee badmouthing the product and/or the customers taste in beer.

* Customer came here to rant. However, the OP was chock full of opinion as to the employees in general being arrogant or knowing more than the customers, but the point about the checkout experience was spot on.

* Employee/Manager caught wind, explained the situation and apologized for the misunderstanding.

Any talk about needing thicker skin, the employee is/isn't always right, etc is way besides the point.
 
Him: "Witbier, eh? I don't think I've ever had a good witbier."

Me: "Then you've obviously never had one of mine."

Laughter ensues...
 
giphy.gif
 
I've never had a problem with NB or their customer service. but if I was treated poorly, I'd get up in arms about it. I have worked in customer service and I know what people are like. thick skin or not, smart mouthy comments don't belong on either side of the counter. it's a show of arrogance. as a customer I stand my ground and defend against it. and while I hated rude customers, at the end of the day they were the ones paying my bills. it sounds like the situation has been resolved, but this whole thread seems to stand on one solid point: Be courteous on either side of the counter. An inch professionalism goes for miles.
 
Billy-Klubb said:
I've never had a problem with NB or their customer service. but if I was treated poorly, I'd get up in arms about it. I have worked in customer service and I know what people are like. thick skin or not, smart mouthy comments don't belong on either side of the counter. it's a show of arrogance. as a customer I stand my ground and defend against it. and while I hated rude customers, at the end of the day they were the ones paying my bills. it sounds like the situation has been resolved, but this whole thread seems to stand on one solid point: Be courteous on either side of the counter. An inch professionalism goes for miles.
Click to expand...

reported for not misspeeling things.
 
He must be a golfer, because golfers call penalties on themselves...


O wait.. there is no way I can see Billy-Klubb as a golfer.
 
Absolutely agree that courtesy is lacking these days and a little more of it from both sides of the counter is appreciated by both parties.

On another note I find the vision of BK in customer service somewhat unsettling.:p

+1 #BK4prez. I like his platform.
 
Peruvian802 said:
This thread does go to show how even a 'satisfied' customer may never make a comment to clarify this.

The reason the 'customer is always right' is that people are quick to complain when things go wrong but are very slow to share when they have had a positive experience. It's a difficult game for companies, stores, etc. to play, but they must understand the rules seldom change.
Click to expand...

This rings true. Seems to me the company & employees have made an admirable effort to make things right, gotta give 'em credit for that; Makes me think I might do some mailorder biz with them sometime in the future.
Regards, GF.
 

Similar threads

Bobby_M
An appeal to Northeast U.S. Homebrewers
2
Replies
50
Views
2K
Bobby_M
Bobby_M
R
First timer
Replies
17
Views
947
oakbarn
oakbarn
sixstring
Hello, lurker with a first post - Just bottled my first brew
Replies
17
Views
539
mac_1103
mac_1103
R
Hello everyone.
Replies
2
Views
319
wallyLOZ
wallyLOZ
Hop
Ongoing Review: BrewHardware Premium Recirculating BIAB Package
Replies
4
Views
986
Bobby_M
Bobby_M
CornyKegs 300

Latest posts

Back
Top