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 Post subject: Rant...The Retail world
PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 6:06 pm 
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7 months ago I got the opportunity to take over a four stall service station with 8 gas pumps with the same company I have been with the last two years. I am required to run a two hour leak test on the underground fuel storage tanks once a month. Once the leak test starts you cannot sell fuel...the system will take that as a failure.

Last month I went to work early and coned off the pumps and started the test. About 30 minutes into I had to run out and stop a guy who moved one of the cones, slid his card and had the nozzle in his hand about to start pumping. I caught him in time so no big deal. This morning I went to work early to run this months test and I CONE OFF THE PUMPS and after last month I decided to ZIP TIE the nozzles to the pumps. I also have the plastic sleeves that say the pumps are temporarily out of order. Well the test is running and I'm filling out some paper work and I hear the pump relay in my office CLICK. I couldn't believe it, this stupid B!@#$ moved the cone, cut the zip tie, slid her credit card and started pumping gas. At that point the test was a failure but I made her stop gassing up anyway. I was an hour into the test and frustration got to me. I asked her what more I could do to get the message across that the pumps were out of order. She just looked at me like she was brain dead and said, " So can I keep getting gas", I told her no even though at this point I could have sold it anyway.

So my question to you is....If you were to pull up to a gas station and see the pumps coned off with out of order sleeves over the nozzles would you still pull up and try to get gas? Then once you saw the nozzles ZIP TIED down would you cut the zip tie and proceed?

These people Vote.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 7:05 pm 
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And it only takes one to mess up your test. She may need lots of gas to drive down to where the road is closed and back to the sign saying ''Road closed".


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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 7:39 pm 
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Is this a 24 hour station? If not why not just do the test in the middle of the night? yeah it would be a PITA to have to go in JUST to do the test, but it would avoid potential headaches.


Oh yeah...and people are REALLY that stupid.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 7:55 pm 
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Dog trainer wrote:
These people Vote.

Of course they vote. How else can you explain the mess we have now?!

So can't you cut the power to the pumps? Or, isn't there an emergency cutoff?

Jack

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 8:01 pm 
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larphead wrote:
Is this a 24 hour station? If not why not just do the test in the middle of the night? yeah it would be a PITA to have to go in JUST to do the test, but it would avoid potential headaches.


Oh yeah...and people are REALLY that stupid.


Ye it is a 24 hour station and I have gone in in the middle of the night but usually if I can get it done before 7 it's not a problem...in short ye it's a PITA to go in at midnight but I'm going to have to it seems.

JoeIsuzu wrote:
Dog trainer wrote:
These people Vote.

Of course they vote. How else can you explain the mess we have now?!

So can't you cut the power to the pumps? Or, isn't there an emergency cutoff?

Jack


I can kill the power to the pumps but it takes a while to bring it back up and it has to be done one Island at a time. Corporate is building a new station set to open next year all state of the art so they aren't going to put any $$$ in this place...understandable so. We have an emergency shutoff but it sets off alarms to the Fire Department if I activate it.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 21, 2011 8:52 pm 
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That's how people are now days. It's all about me and me only. There is no common sense anymore.
Maybe some cheap , keyed alike (for ease) padlocks where the zip ties were.

And I would have told her no also.
And you don't have to worry about losing her as a customer, because someone that ignorant isn't smart enough to be offended by you "going off" on her.

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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 4:35 am 
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You were in the wrong, the customer is always right...

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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 5:46 pm 
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Like we say at work, just when you think you've idiot proofed something, along comes a bigger idiot.


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PostPosted: Fri Jul 22, 2011 6:29 pm 
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Well we made it through today without to much of an issue. However I do have to say there are some people you can't make happy even with free stuff. We have a Month long promotion to give out a free bag of M&M's with a purchase of 8 gallons of gas or more. A guy came in and wanted a SNICKERS bar. After the supervisor tried to explain to him why he couldn't have a Snickers he wanted to talk to the Manager. (Can you believe that) She came and got me from packing a set of wheel berings on, of all things,(a camper, we don't work on many of those) and I had to explain to him that we get re-imbursed for M&M's that we give out and not for other items. He kept complaining so I just asked....Plain or Peanut M&M's with the best smile I could fake. When he finally decided on peanut....because they have peanuts in them like a SNICKER BAR, I, with dirty greasy hands handed him a bag. We have the cheapest gas in town and give out free crap and it still isn't enough for some people. THat was the joke the rest of the day....I want a damn Snickers! Not a bad day to be on the other side of the counter tho, that's easy stuff to deal with.

I know Mytmouz...the customer is always right and I should have caved in and gave him what he wanted. :lol:

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In life there is the "Way things should be" and then "There's the way they are".

2005 Silverado 3/4T Crew Cab
1981 Luv 2WD
1979 Luv 4x4 Currently going through Open Heart and Cosmetic surgery
1995 Roughneck JetBoat
1981 Luv parts trk


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 12:42 am 
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I have 4 basic rules for dealing with PITA customers in every type of business I've ever been involved with:


#1...The best way to resolve a disagreement with a customer is to always just state the facts as politely and simply as you can and stand your ground.

#2...Not everyone will love you - but they all have to respect you.

#3...The customer's satisfaction is always the priority - but you decide whether anyone is a customer or not.

#4...If you truly believe you are in the right - then don't spend much time worrying about what the public might think - it's not like they all do it very much.

I also recommend you don't repeat yourself or discuss it with them any longer than absolutely necessary. Assuming they heard and understood what you said - repeating yourself and arguing with them is a complete waste of your valuable employee time.

And if all that doesn't work...I've found a well placed kick in the groin and a strong choke hold will usually shut them up.


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PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 3:39 am 
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it only takes one customer to stuff up the day...

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 11:57 am 
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I worked for a company that had a policy that i firmly believe in "do what it takes to make the customer happy" but afterwards you do not have to do business with them again. This is a good way to do business and no customer can badmouth you cause he was happy when he left. (sounds good but there is always the one)

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PostPosted: Sat Jul 23, 2011 6:40 pm 
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tumwatertaz wrote:
And if all that doesn't work...I've found a well placed kick in the groin and a strong choke hold will usually shut them up.


There have been a few over time I have wanted to do that with.

tj white wrote:
I worked for a company that had a policy that i firmly believe in "do what it takes to make the customer happy" but afterwards you do not have to do business with them again. This is a good way to do business and no customer can badmouth you cause he was happy when he left. (sounds good but there is always the one)


I am sure you are right and my boss would have told me to give him what he wanted...I guess I just have the idea that if I'm giving out a corporate sponsored SNACK, a person should either take it or realize they have the option to go to the next station about three miles away and pay .08 cents more per gallon and get nothing free. I've been in this job about 7 months and it's starting to get to me...dealing with people all the time. I dropped off an application this week for a job in a total different line of work. Also bouncing around the idea of going into business for myself.

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In life there is the "Way things should be" and then "There's the way they are".

2005 Silverado 3/4T Crew Cab
1981 Luv 2WD
1979 Luv 4x4 Currently going through Open Heart and Cosmetic surgery
1995 Roughneck JetBoat
1981 Luv parts trk


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