I have to rant, about
customer service. What is with people and their lack of customer service anymore? With the economy the way it is, people wishing and praying for jobs, if you don't like your's I promise, there is someone more than willing to happily take your job!
What am I babbling about? Hobby Lobby, in particular. I am never impressed with their customer service, or lack of. However, my latest experience with them pissed me off. Big time. And, I hope that their corporate folks stumble on my blog and read it! Yup, that annoyed!
I feel like I can fuss about customer service because I worked retail the first almost 5 years I was in the workforce. First in a grocery store, then as a pharmacy tech, followed by shoe
hell stores, and finally at
Pier One. Then, during a break from law enforcement, I worked as a manager at a major pet store company. So, I can be pretty understanding with a lot of issues. Just not poor customer service!
I ran in to Hobby Lobby, on my lunch break, to grab the necessary items for a Christmas present I'm going to make. I would show you guys, but it's a secret...shhhh.
First of all, they
never have more than one line plus a returns/exchanges line, which is always backed up. Of course, this trip was no different. I found most of what I was looking for, then when I had to ask for buttons (yup, buttons are a part of this project) from who I believe was a manager (no apron like everyone else) she just pointed and said, "With fabric" and kept going. A) rude B) managers/everyone should stop and escort their customer to the desired product.
Finally, found what I was looking for, got all of my items in my buggy (yup, I'm a southerner, it's a buggy not a shopping cart). Headed for the one open check out line.
This line is moving slowly. Not because of customers purchases. I can deal with that, cashiers can't help the fact that they have difficult customers in their line. No, I get mad because the cashier is chatting it up with a fellow employee. My first thought is, "Hey, fellow employee, why don't you hop on a register instead of run your mouth!" No, no. I get to listen to the saga of how Cashier's fiance (I assume, as she made several jealous comments and had a diamond ring on her finger) has a 7 year old daughter that he only gets to see 3 times a year. Then, complaining about how they can't believe management would leave just two cashiers up front at this time. Why, oh why, is this a conversation being had while you have customers in line?! Isn't that was lunch breaks are for? Text messaging, after work? Or am I crazy?
She rings me up, remember, I'm pretty OCD about things, especially my budget, so I knew what my total should have been. $30.49 she says.
Excuse me? I immediately see that she has rang up a duplicate of one item. I didn't buy two of any one item. I point this out to her. She then tries to tell me that the one item is, in fact, two. No, no. You work at Hobby Lobby, you should know that a cross-stitch loop is a two-piece item. I don't cross-stitch and I know this! My 22 year old, very manly husband knows this! How do you not?!
So, babygirl tries to tell me that I'm going to have to get out of her line, and into the long returns/exchanges line. Again, Excuse me? No. Chatty Cathy tells Cashier that she can do the return at her register and shows her how. Ok, Chatty Cathy, you now have some value in my life.
Bing bang, done. Ok, thanks. I still think this is a little more expensive than I expected, but hey, $25-tax included isn't terrible for a Christmas gift.
Excited to get started on my project, I get back to work and sit down. Something told me to look at the receipt again.
Wait, wait a minute. What in the world did I buy for $9.98?! I purposefully bought other items instead of pre-packaged to bring the cost down. The most expensive thing I bought were the buttons! So, I went back through my receipt.
Well, damn. Cashier and Chatty Cathy screwed up again.
I called the manager, and got mad all over when it took 12 rings for someone to pick up a ringing phone at a business. Again, Customer Service? Anyone? Finally someone answers, and I say, "May I speak with a manager, please?"
"How can I help you?" Um, wait, is this a manager? Shouldn't managers let the caller, who is requesting a manager, know that they have reached a manager? "Are you a manager?!" Yes, I got an attitude, but that's just stupid.
I tell her that I was charged for an item that I didn't purchase, and that Cashier and Chatty Cathy were too busy fraternizing to do their jobs properly. Yes, I was semi-polite, I didn't yell or cuss, I just changed my tone to one that my husband swears is the most condescending tone in the world.
After going through what happened and my charge of nearly $10, she says for me to just come back. Ok, that's what I was expecting. Then, she tells me that I need to bring in my receipt along with all of my merchandise. Thank God I didn't buy a whole lot! She tells me, "So the manager can compare your receipt with your products"
"So, you want me to bring in product, so that you can see that I do not have the product I'm already telling you I don't have?" Yes. Ok...? She then tells me that if I don't do that, that the management will have to review surveillance video. WOW! Hobby Lobby really trusts it's customers! All that for $10?! Seriously?
If it weren't for their prices, which aren't that fabulous unless you catch their awesome sales, I would go to Michaels. They've always had better customer service. I already shop the more expensive Target over Walmart because they at least have decent customer service. I will pay for good service!! Even though my pockets aren't deep.
I admit, I can be down right mean. Ruthless. But, I only expect customer service. I don't even expect the level of customer service I would give!
Another Friday Favorite...the way Sully loves his Daddy!
