Why are customer service people so rude?
By carlaabt
@carlaabt (3504)
United States
January 29, 2007 5:46pm CST
So, basically I just want to vent about an experience I had with a woman at the portrait studio in Walmart today. Here's what happened...
A few weeks ago we went home to Missouri for my husband's grandmother's funeral. While we were there, my sister and her kids came down to see us and we decided to take the three kids to Walmart to get their picture taken for my parents. Well, the lady that took the pictures was pretty rude. She kept snapping at the kids and telling them they had to smile or she wouldn't take their pictures. Keep in mind, my son will be 1 year old this week and my nieces are 2 and almost 6. It is hard to keep them all smiling at the same time, but they respond much better to niceness.
Well, she finally got all the pictures taken and we ordered the pictures. We ordered the introductory package of the three kids together. And then my husband and I decided to order a few more sheets of the two pictures we liked of our son and an extra 8x10 of a different one of all three kids together. We paid like $50 all together.
Well, earlier this week, someone called my little sister (She was the one that was supposed to pick the pictures up) and told her that some of the pictures didn't turn out, but we could get them retaken. She explained to them that Elliott lives 1000 miles away and they said that wasn't a problem, we could just have a refund instead.
Today she went to pick up the pictures and the lady only wanted to give her a $16 refund, even though the only pictures she had were ones of my son. None of the girls at all. I happened to be on the phone with my sister at the time so I asked to speak to the woman at the portrait studio. I asked her why I was only getting a $16 refund and she rudely told me that was all I got because they only messed up on the introductory offer and one other picture so they were only worth $16. But if I wanted to I could bring the kids back in and get them retaken. I told her I live in North Dakota, and she was like "So? You just want the refund then?" I told her I was not going to pay $40 for just a few pictures of my son, and she said "Well, we replaced the introductory package with one of your son, just to be nice." Then I was really mad! I said "How is it just to be nice that you overcharge me on pictures because YOUR company messed up my pictures??" She said "Well, you wanted the pictures, you have to pay for them." I said "NO, I wanted individual pictures of my son in ADDITION to the ones of the three kids together! Why do I need that many pictures that are the exact same?" She said "Well, I don't know why you want them, but you ordered them." I had such a hard time convincing her that I ordered 3 8x10s of the kids together and 3 8x10s of my son individually so that people could have one of each. And that I didn't need 6 8x10s of the exact same picture. I did finally convince her of this, though. And she agreed to only make me pay for the introductory offer and give my sister the rest of the money we had paid as refund. But then my sister got home, looked through the envelope, and realized taht she didn't even give us the whole package! It's so frustrating. I'm not making her go back, but it does make me mad.
If you don't like people, why be in customer service? Do you think I over reacted? I would appreciate some feedback.
Oh and by the way, I don't hate the Walmart portrait studio in general. We take my son to the one in Minot every month and I have nothing but good things to say about it. It's just this particular one that I have issues with.
16 people like this
56 responses
@cassidy22 (2974)
• United States
29 Jan 07
People in customer service really DO need to be nice, no matter how hard it is sometimes. Being polite will bring repeat business, being rude will get you to tell ALL your friends and lots of strangers about your bad experience, and we won't want to experience it either. Rudeness = lost business.
Having worked in retail myself, she really had no excuse, but she COULD have been having a REALLY rotten day. That's no excuse, but sometimes you gotta wonder when people are that rude, what is going on in their life right then to make them react that way? And reacting to rudeness with KINDNESS in return can sometimes change the tide... but two people getting angry with each other are only going to feed the fire and make it worse.
I'm sorry you had such a bad experience, and you can "vote with your wallet" so to speak, and not patronize that store.
2 people like this
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
30 Jan 07
The only jobs I've ever had have dealt with customer service. I've been a cosmetologist for about four years. So I understand how hard it is sometimes to be nice when people are being rude to you. But I am really level headed normally. I was very polite to her until she got snotty and told me to bring my son back in, even after my sister had told her that we live 1000 miles away.
And I just don't think rudeness like that is acceptable to customers, no matter how lousy of a day you are having.
1 person likes this
@TerryZ (22076)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I totally agree with what a witch. When I run into these kind of people anymore I report them. I would have never done this years ago. I just have become so distraught with unreliable and rude people I think they should not get away with this it just isnt fair to you and me as a customer.
2 people like this
@SK401001 (934)
• United States
30 Jan 07
Wow, sounds like a real run around that they gave you. I would suggest to write a letter to Walmart Headquarters, or even call the customer service line. As long as you have the name of the person and if not that, the day and time instead. They will take it a little more to heart at the least give you a coupon to use for some free pictures. Here is a link to the information to contact them wither via email, phone or mail. http://walmartstores.com/GlobalWMStoresWeb/navigate.do?catg=224
Hope you'll get this resolved, I'am sure if she treated you this way, you will not be the last. And someone like that should be talked to at the least.
2 people like this
@marief2rnurse (2704)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I think it will be best for you not to get any of the pictures and just get your whole money. Go to JC Penney's instead where you can view the pictures they have taken right after then you can choose. These portrait studios are trained to deal well with children and it was not right that she was treating your kids that way. Call their customer service and complain, people who have attitudes like that should not be working in my opinion.
1 person likes this
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
30 Jan 07
We were able to view the pictures right away at Walmart, too. They just messed up the order, and weren't able to give us the ones we wanted.
We can't just go to JC Penney's though, because we live nearly 1000 miles away from my nieces. That's part of the reason that is so frustrating. We can't just go get them redone.
@engeekay2003 (211)
• India
30 Jan 07
Few points i just could not digest....
1. When we are going to a place with family, if our children are getting annoyed due to any reasons, let it be a hotel, or a church, or a photo shop, first thing I would have done in your place is get out of there ! But before coming out, give the respective manager or the person concerned a ,
nice 'pudding'...dont wait for his/her answer...just give it and come out !
2. In this present world, there are courts taking care of the consumer interests, the so-called "consumer protection cell", where you could have taken the matter to...you should not have wasted your time arguing...with useless persons like this..
3. Since you have taken the matter to this level, do NOT waste the remaining balance of the money..however meagre it is ! Either ask her to send it to you or get a "pay order" or so, which you can collect later..
4. By getting irritated does not give results.. If you are NOT happy with somebody. or irritated with somebody, tell him/her at his/her face and give it strongly...then only a reult will be there ! otherwise, we will be wasting our mental peace and family environment only !
best wishes !
1 person likes this
@carlaabt (3504)
• United States
30 Jan 07
The kids weren't upset or anything. We wouldn't have made them get their pictures taken if they were upset about it. They were just having a hard time looking at the lady and smiling at the same time. For instance, my nieces would be smiling nicely looking at my husband who was standing by the camera, but my son would be turned looking at them. No one was cranky or anything during the process.
@livinghell01 (398)
• Pakistan
30 Jan 07
OK,Actually according to me its because they respond to so many phones in the whole day that they loose thier mood and so they become rude
1 person likes this
@writerspostindia (298)
• India
30 Jan 07
thats the most common way to look at this matter. and that is the best as why should one make a big issue out of someones bad day
@dareformore (794)
• Pakistan
30 Jan 07
But it is their duty which they have to perform.They get paid for it
@wsue1023 (1395)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I can see both sides of the coin. Sometimes it's hard to wait on the public... I did it for years during and after college and a lot of my mood depended on the kind of experiences I'd had that day with the public. That said, I would never snap at someone's kids... I repeat NEVER!
There are those though that have no business being in customer service. A lot of them are there, because they can't find anything else, not because it's their life's calling. When you encounter an experience that is less than it should be with anyone in a customer service position, you should always talk to their manager. They do take note of this. A good manager won't want to keep someone around who is rude or insulting. I'm not saying they'll fire the person based on your complaint, but they might based on your complaint and the complaint they get tomorrow and the next.
I hate to say this, but sometimes people are just plain stupid. We've had some experiences lately with people in the food industry who couldn't even read their own reciepts, figure out how to redeem a coupon, or do simple math. The worst experience I ever had... is sorta pathetic, but the cashier in a grocery store took my coupon for a FREE Pillsbury product. It was all I brought with me to the register. I expected her to charge me the sales tax, but instead she tried to pay me $3.43??? When I asked her if that made sense to her she looked at me like I was from Mars and said, that's what the register says I owe you. Being the honest person that I am, I didn't take the money, but told her to get someone to help her figure this out. Before she was willing to do that, she tried a couple other times, once trying to pay me yet another amount, the other trying to charge me more than the product was selling for. Ugh! I was there 10 minutes for something that should have taken 2.
@anup12 (4177)
• India
31 Jan 07
The reason is very simple because they are getting nowadays so many new customers so they do not bother to give the existing customers a damn.They think that there is nothing to gain from tehm so why to give them any patient hearing they just go on misbehaving with them.
1 person likes this
@danishcanadian (28955)
• Canada
31 Jan 07
You didn't overreact at all!!!! I hate people who do that. I really can't stand people who do that to other people. It was not your problem, it was hers. I just don't tolerate that kind of crap from anyone. I don't give it either. What is wrong with some people??? Good for you for sticking to it. A good lesson to be learned is to check the envelope to make sure you have your package, before leaving the store.
1 person likes this
@sweets9900 (726)
• United States
31 Jan 07
It sound like that woman does not need a customer service job at all. She needs to be in a job where there is no interaction with people, just her and a computer. I feel everyone in customer service should be friendly and courteous at all times.
1 person likes this
@ScrappinHappyMom (914)
• United States
31 Jan 07
I have to agree with you. I think some of the problem with customer service is the fact that you aren't getting the people with the highest of educations. It would seem that she just didn't have the mental ability to communicate with you. Also I think sometimes customer service people get so caught up in their scripts adn what the computer says that they stop thinking for themselves and listening to logic.
1 person likes this
@dunce002917 (226)
• United States
30 Jan 07
Well, in defense of some customer service people, they do try to be nice to their customers and even go beyond their duties to make the customer happy. Perhaps that lady had a rough day and/or (in most cases) handled a difficult customer. Some customers are mean... making big deals over things that are relatively small. Although this should not be an excuse but customer service peopleare people too (no matter how you look at it) and they have feelings. I just feel so bad that customers like you had to feel the back-end of that customer service lady's frustration (and/or problems). What I would do is ask the manager (just walk around and you'll see them - red blazer people or the ones with ties) to talk to the employee and do not make a scene. But you know, I haven't been to a walmart lately (it's true) and honestly, some of their employess deserve to be paid minimum wage for the way they treat customers.
@joey_matthews (8354)
•
30 Jan 07
Most get away with it. (which why i think they are)
In stores they "think" they know it all. so they have a massive ego, especially in "dixons" or places like "curry's".
On the phoe.. geez these guys can be very rude
@Laydee83 (275)
• Atlanta, Georgia
30 Jan 07
I agree with you on some points. Customer Service Reps have a hard time communicating with people, so it seems, but they are just doing their job. I use to do CS and I had no isses, always got good reviews. Its just SOME people who are in customer serbice.
Ooh, and your sister should have looked in that package before she left the store. That would have been smart too.
1 person likes this
@kareng (61739)
• United States
30 Jan 07
I have a feeling she won't be working very long if she treats all the customers like that. Those jobs are pretty high turnaround. And with people like that we know why!
Yes, you should be mad. You have the right to receive what you ordered or have a refund. I would write a letter to the corporate office and let them know of your experience.
1 person likes this
@lpetges (3036)
• United States
30 Jan 07
yes that was rude. people in retail and customer service are not always there because they want to be. just mark it off as she had a bad day, and hopefully you won't be seeing her again.. i guess you could complain to the manager, but what will become of that. shes working at wal mart for goodness sakes. so many people are living check to check these days with the economy, maybe we should all be a little bit nicer to eachother. (not meaning you)..
1 person likes this
@rahuldmhatre (736)
• India
30 Jan 07
well its maybe they attend a lot of customers and that may have caused something wrong with the prints, it happens one in a thousand, maybe you were the unlucky one.....also they have this policy of trying to give the least refund.....so thats why you didnt get the full refund, and maybe the representative was having a bad day like we all do......why dont you visit once again and get it sorted....i am sure she will give you what you want, just be nice to her, remember even they have to answer their boss, who is not usually a good natured fellow, so maybe that may have made her mood sour........
@vthluv (40)
• India
30 Jan 07
Customer service people are not generally rude. People get rude when they are not able to competently handle a given situation. A customer service person should have the most amount of patience and handle their customers with utmost care. A person who is not having such a mould should not be in customer service. They will simply spoil relations.
1 person likes this
@vicky_lane4987 (980)
•
30 Jan 07
i hate customer service people, they are all so rude...as if it is your fault you have a problem or a question to ask them. its like when your in some shops and a member of there staff comes over and starts asking what your looking for etc...no one is able to just go window shopping any more
1 person likes this
@bananamanuk (835)
•
30 Jan 07
A lot of customer service staff seem to be rude because they are relatively poorly paid, accept a lot of abuse and rarely do customers get the opportunity to speak to the same person more than once. (I'm talking more about call centres I guess).
Am I defending such behaviour, certainly not. One of the bright spots in my otherwise usual day was a customer of the organisation thanking me personally for helping him get an answer to a query that no-one else would help with. It was genuine and made me feel good. I'm not in direct customer service but I do believe we should help people in whichever walk of life as much as we can.
1 person likes this
