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nikkuchan

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jun 23, 2013
Messages
76
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8
Location
Minneapolis
I have no idea why I'm writing this, just some venting, I guess. It didn't really bother me, but later on I thought "that was a really sh***y thing to do, especially to a customer."

I went to Northern Brewer as I usually do. I noticed a few of the employees had a bit of an arrogance, like they know way more than anybody who walks in, but I never cared about that (that's a bit to be expected), one of the guys was just a plain jerk. I bought a Witbier kit, that was all. As one guy was checking me out, he looks at the kit I'm buying and says "Witbier, eh? I don't think I've ever had a good witbier. *turns to other employee* Have you?" Then he turns back and laughs in my face. Insulting a customer's taste is not a very smart thing to do, but I ignored it and went home. I probably should have said something, but oh well. I'll see him again, I'm sure.
 
You're right. Being made to feel like your choice doesn't measure up to some magical standards is not how you want to feel. Give it till tomorrow and call the manager while the details are still fresh in your mind. Best case is they get a talking to and you have saved the next person from that treatment. Worst case is at least you get it off your chest.
 
I agree with you 100%! That was really ****ty and not very customer friendly. If it were me I would call NB and speak to a manager. Doesn't matter what type of retail establishment the last thing they want to hear is a customer who isn't happy.

Personally, after that was said to me I would have asked for a manager right then and there and tore both them a new whole between the cheeks, but then again I was a retail manager for 8 years and if I get disrespected like that I would have flipped a ****.
 
CarbonTom said:
Probably one of the newcomers to beer that think IPAs are the only thing worth drinking.

Sorry to hear that happened to you man. All I could think of when I read your post was this:
http://www.videobash.com/video_show/pop-copy-from-chappelle-s-show-627685

"why treat our customers this way? Why? 'cuz fu(k em that's why" -
hope that cheers you up a bit
Click to expand...

Haha! I remember that!

Yeah, I think I will give them a call. I don't know the kid's name, but they will probably know who it is.
 
personal taste is a helluva thing, but arrogance is another creature entirely. I'd go back down there and get hostile in his smarmy face about it. not the fact that he doesn't like Wit, but that he has to be an a-hole to the guy helping pay his bills. and I'd let the manager know that if they don't want my business, there's plenty of other HB shop options out there and it's no problem for you and your friends to make a change of customer loyalty. but I am a bit of an a-hole myself and despise arrogance, especially in customer service.
 
Sammy86 said:
I agree with you 100%! That was really ****ty and not very customer friendly. If it were me I would call NB and speak to a manager. Doesn't matter what type of retail establishment the last thing they want to hear is a customer who isn't happy.

Personally, after that was said to me I would have asked for a manager right then and there and tore both them a new whole between the cheeks, but then again I was a retail manager for 8 years and if I get disrespected like that I would have flipped a ****.
Click to expand...

This is totally over the top!!!!

Granted what the employee said was not totally appropriate but in the real world it was nothing to get bent about. He mentioned something about never having a good Witbier... That is his problem... He made no reference to anything concerning the customer other than the fact that the customer was buying a witbier kit. As far as I can tell he never said anything like "You are stupid to buy a Witbier kit, you can't make a good o

People need to have thicker skin.

I would have only thought that it is too bad that the employee cannot make or buy a good Witbier, again HIS problem...
 
DoctorDuvel said:
Tell that punk kid that if he were a good brewer he would have had a good witbier by now.
Click to expand...

This would've been the absolute perfect response. No need for a manager, no need to complain. it was rude and idiotic but not so outright insulting to require calling management. Unfortunately, sometimes we don't think of such a great response quick enough to be able to shoot back. But I think the above response would've left him feeling really reeeeally stupid.


Rev.
 
nikkuchan said:
I have no idea why I'm writing this, just some venting, I guess. It didn't really bother me, but later on I thought "that was a really sh***y thing to do, especially to a customer."

I went to Northern Brewer as I usually do. I noticed a few of the employees had a bit of an arrogance, like they know way more than anybody who walks in, but I never cared about that (that's a bit to be expected), one of the guys was just a plain jerk. I bought a Witbier kit, that was all. As one guy was checking me out, he looks at the kit I'm buying and says "Witbier, eh? I don't think I've ever had a good witbier. *turns to other employee* Have you?" Then he turns back and laughs in my face. Insulting a customer's taste is not a very smart thing to do, but I ignored it and went home. I probably should have said something, but oh well. I'll see him again, I'm sure.
Click to expand...

You should be happy, no mad. He did you a favor. :fro:

Witbiers do suck. :D

You should be brewing IPAs. ;)


(So how did your Witbier turn out?
Do you have a preferred yeast, and do you have any suggestions on flavorings like dried orange, and when to and how to add it?)
 
I would've just started laughing with him, louder and louder until it became maniacal and absurd enough to cause a scene.
Right or not. Then again, I'm fortunate enough to have an extremely friendly and caring lhbs.
 
Pierre Celis is rolling over in his grave right now!

I'd call the manager and clue him in. They should want to know when employees are insulting to the customers. The employee isn't doing them a favor by implying that their taste in beer is bad.

I mean, it's not like it was a sour beer kit or anything...


;)
 
Meh, who cares. Was it unprofessional? Yeah, but is it worth making a stink over? Not in my opinion.


Then again I typically have fairly thick skin..
 
nikkuchan said:
I have no idea why I'm writing this, just some venting, I guess. It didn't really bother me, but later on I thought "that was a really sh***y thing to do, especially to a customer."

I went to Northern Brewer as I usually do. I noticed a few of the employees had a bit of an arrogance, like they know way more than anybody who walks in, but I never cared about that (that's a bit to be expected), one of the guys was just a plain jerk. I bought a Witbier kit, that was all. As one guy was checking me out, he looks at the kit I'm buying and says "Witbier, eh? I don't think I've ever had a good witbier. *turns to other employee* Have you?" Then he turns back and laughs in my face. Insulting a customer's taste is not a very smart thing to do, but I ignored it and went home. I probably should have said something, but oh well. I'll see him again, I'm sure.
Click to expand...

Should have asked to speak to the manager; say something like, "Your employee here says that this witbeir kit sucks. Do you have any kits that are worth brewing, or do they all suck?"

I'd call the manager and clue him in. They should want to know when employees are insulting to the customers. The employee isn't doing them a favor by implying that their taste in beer is bad.
Click to expand...

He wasn't just insulting the customer, he was insulting the customer and the product, and by extension the store (they produce their own kits)
 
NB offers a couple of Witbiers. Did this employee of NB also mean his employers products were no good?

Employee should be forced to brew Witbiers until he gets it right.
 
My name is Jeff Merriman. I’m the Manager for Northern Brewer’s Minneapolis retail store. I would like to thank you all for sharing feedback.

I need to personally apologize to nikkuchan as I was the associate that was at the register.

My comment about the kit was not at all intended to be insulting or rude. In fact, Witbier is one of my favorite styles. I was being sarcastic to the associate at the other register, and was referring to the most recent batch we made. We recently brewed an awesome batch of Witbier at the store (it only lasted three days on tap in the breakroom). I should have been sensitive to the fact that nikkuchan didn’t have any other details and shown my appreciation of the kit choice in a different manner.

Northern Brewer’s focus is to get you the best ingredients and equipment while you are getting the best customer service experience possible. In this case, we let you down.

We are here to help, please let me know if we can help.

Cheers,
Jeff Merriman
 
Clearly the situation in regards to the OP is being resolved. But I was a little confused by this when I first read it because of the comment that he's noticed some of the employees at this location being arrogant in the past. And I'm sure that influenced his perception of the comment made to him on this particular occasion. But I've never, EVER, found any employee at the NB Minneapolis location to be rude or arrogant, so I'm somewhat shocked to hear that from someone else. I do 90% of my homebrew shopping at this store, and have had really great customer service (including such gems as being allowed to exchange a broken stir plate without a receipt and being allowed to walk away with ingredients and pay later over the phone via credit card because I forgot my wallet). Glad to hear the store manager get involved and admit to being involved and in the wrong. If I was the OP I'd have been really offended at this as well and would have questioned the quality of the products I'd just purchased.
 
NB-MPLS said:
My name is Jeff Merriman. I’m the Manager for Northern Brewer’s Minneapolis retail store. I would like to thank you all for sharing feedback.

I need to personally apologize to nikkuchan as I was the associate that was at the register.

My comment about the kit was not at all intended to be insulting or rude. In fact, Witbier is one of my favorite styles. I was being sarcastic to the associate at the other register, and was referring to the most recent batch we made. We recently brewed an awesome batch of Witbier at the store (it only lasted three days on tap in the breakroom). I should have been sensitive to the fact that nikkuchan didn’t have any other details and shown my appreciation of the kit choice in a different manner.

Northern Brewer’s focus is to get you the best ingredients and equipment while you are getting the best customer service experience possible. In this case, we let you down.

We are here to help, please let me know if we can help.

Cheers,
Jeff Merriman
Click to expand...

Excellent customer service right there! Kudos to you! :mug:
 
geoffey said:
Clearly the situation in regards to the OP is being resolved. But I was a little confused by this when I first read it because of the comment that he's noticed some of the employees at this location being arrogant in the past. And I'm sure that influenced his perception of the comment made to him on this particular occasion. But I've never, EVER, found any employee at the NB Minneapolis location to be rude or arrogant, so I'm somewhat shocked to hear that from someone else. I do 90% of my homebrew shopping at this store, and have had really great customer service (including such gems as being allowed to exchange a broken stir plate without a receipt and being allowed to walk away with ingredients and pay later over the phone via credit card because I forgot my wallet). Glad to hear the store manager get involved and admit to being involved and in the wrong. If I was the OP I'd have been really offended at this as well and would have questioned the quality of the products I'd just purchased.
Click to expand...

Agreed, I'm actually just a mile or so away from the store, and the regular staff - including Jeff have always been great, and willing to have fun when it comes to beer.

Glad to hear the OP was taken care of, hope he follows up here too.
 
kh54s10 said:
This is totally over the top!!!!

Granted what the employee said was not totally appropriate but in the real world it was nothing to get bent about. He mentioned something about never having a good Witbier... That is his problem... He made no reference to anything concerning the customer other than the fact that the customer was buying a witbier kit. As far as I can tell he never said anything like "You are stupid to buy a Witbier kit, you can't make a good o

People need to have thicker skin.

I would have only thought that it is too bad that the employee cannot make or buy a good Witbier, again HIS problem...
Click to expand...

Now that it's a moot issue because the Manager apologized and contacted the OP...I don't feel it's over the top at all. Retail establishments are here to provide products and services. With the home brew market increasing wouldn't you think they want customers to be happy and return to their establishments? One bad experience is all it takes for a business to get a bad reputation and lose business.

Think about it this way, one person has a bad experience at the store and tells their friends. Now, they tell people about their friends experience and so on and so forth. Then you have someone who makes a post on a forum like this or on other social media and the next thing you know you've lost a contingent of customers.

It's the way it is in retail and especially with the way the economy is stores are working harder then ever to provide top notch customer service. I can't commend this manager enough for stepping up and making sure the customer as well the people who have commented on this thread their intentions.

End rant
 
Sammy86 said:
Now that it's a moot issue because the Manager apologized and contacted the OP...I don't feel it's over the top at all. Retail establishments are here to provide products and services. With the home brew market increasing wouldn't you think they want customers to be happy and return to their establishments? One bad experience is all it takes for a business to get a bad reputation and lose business.

Think about it this way, one person has a bad experience at the store and tells their friends. Now, they tell people about their friends experience and so on and so forth. Then you have someone who makes a post on a forum like this or on other social media and the next thing you know you've lost a contingent of customers.

It's the way it is in retail and especially with the way the economy is stores are working harder then ever to provide top notch customer service. I can't commend this manager enough for stepping up and making sure the customer as well the people who have commented on this thread their intentions.

End rant
Click to expand...

Rant, as I said everyone needs to have a thicker skin. The employee basically said that Witbiers are no good. Nothing other than the fact that the OP was buying one was a connection.

I work in retail and will say that CUSTOMERS ARE NOT always right.. That is an insult to the retail employee. They must be reasonably courteous but IMO if the customer goes too far he/she deserves to get what comes less anything abusive. I agree that the idiot customer will then tell everyone what lousy service they got, but you can't help that. It doesn't apply in this case, but, should the retail employee be subjected to abuse because of the almighty "customer"? I think not.

End rant.
 
kh54s10 said:
Rant, as I said everyone needs to have a thicker skin. The employee basically said that Witbiers are no good. Nothing other than the fact that the OP was buying one was a connection.

I work in retail and will say that CUSTOMERS ARE NOT always right.. That is an insult to the retail employee. They must be reasonably courteous but IMO if the customer goes too far he/she deserves to get what comes less anything abusive. I agree that the idiot customer will then tell everyone what lousy service they got, but you can't help that. It doesn't apply in this case, but, should the retail employee be subjected to abuse because of the almighty "customer"? I think not.

End rant.
Click to expand...

I worked retail for 11 years, 8 of which as a manager. I agree the customer is not always right...and trust me there were plenty of times that as a manager I had to shut my mouth and give the customer what they want. What I said does apply...did the customer not post on social media where his experience could gain attention?

Did people chirp in...yes they did. Did NB become aware of the situation and remedy it? You betcha, because they understand what it means to run a business and give great customer service.

Do I agree that retail employees are the most abused workers in the US, you know it...but when a customer is legitimately wronged because you're having a bad day or you were sarcastic and someone took it the wrong way and you don't expect someone to say something to you or your manager then maybe you need to find a new job. As a manager I did my best to protect my employees but a lot of times managers won't because they want to make the sale, to hit the numbers to make the budget.

Business is simple...provide a product or service, have great customer service and fix it when someone messes up. As Craig Carton says, PERIOD.STOP
 
The guy was 100% spot on, but he should have kept his thoughts to himself.
 
Sammy86 said:
I worked retail for 11 years, 8 of which as a manager. I agree the customer is not always right...and trust me there were plenty of times that as a manager I had to shut my mouth and give the customer what they want. What I said does apply...did the customer not post on social media where his experience could gain attention?

Did people chirp in...yes they did. Did NB become aware of the situation and remedy it? You betcha, because they understand what it means to run a business and give great customer service.

Do I agree that retail employees are the most abused workers in the US, you know it...but when a customer is legitimately wronged because you're having a bad day or you were sarcastic and someone took it the wrong way and you don't expect someone to say something to you or your manager then maybe you need to find a new job. As a manager I did my best to protect my employees but a lot of times managers won't because they want to make the sale, to hit the numbers to make the budget.

Business is simple...provide a product or service, have great customer service and fix it when someone messes up. As Craig Carton says, PERIOD.STOP
Click to expand...

Again, these days everyone seems to be OFFENDED by something.

I am presently a retail associate, If I was in retail management, I would try to appease the customer, within reason, but would not even bring it up with the employee with something as trivial as presented in this thread.

Again, people these days need to have thicker skins........
 
kh54s10 said:
Again, these days everyone seems to be OFFENDED by something.

I am presently a retail associate, If I was in retail management, I would try to appease the customer, within reason, but would not even bring it up with the employee with something as trivial as presented in this thread.

Again, people these days need to have thicker skins........
Click to expand...


So much for customer service & retention!
Good luck as a retail "associate"!
 
govner1 said:
So much for customer service & retention!
Good luck as a retail "associate"!
Click to expand...

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....
 
govner1 said:
So much for customer service & retention!
Good luck as a retail "associate"!
Click to expand...

Retaining customers is important. It's how any business survives long term.
But some customers are quite literally not worth retaining.


Not directed at the OP of course. After reading the NB responses, it appears to just be a stupid unfortunate misunderstanding.
 
hunter_la5 said:
Retaining customers is important. It's how any business survives long term.
But some customers are quite literally not worth retaining.


Not directed at the OP of course. After reading the NB responses, it appears to just be a stupid unfortunate misunderstanding.
Click to expand...

This is describes exactly what I was trying to express....
 
brew703 said:
Should have left the kit on the counter and walked out-
Click to expand...

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.
 

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