Clueless customers, Chapter 47...

[Cuban_Liberal]

Although it's not received the same media attention that S. CA, AZ, NV and UT have, we have also had torrential rains here in the Midwest; at our house we got 7.9 inches between 8:00 p.m. last night and 3:00 a.m. today, and it's still coming down. We are under a flash-flood warning until 1:30 p.m. this afternoon. Any way...

One of our carriers lives in a rural area and his house is cut off at the moment by two creeks which have left their banks and covered the road to his house, so I had to deliver his rural route this morning. It took about twice the normal time to deliver the route, due to high water over many rural roads, etc. . One customer lives way off the road and there is a creek between the road and the customer's house; this morning, the bridge spanning the creek was covered in about 2 feet of fast-running water, so I didn't deliver her paper.

About 15 minutes ago, this customer called to complain about not getting a paper this morning. I politely explained to her why she didn't get one and told her that she would get today's paper with tomorrow's paper, assuming the water had gone down enough to make her bridge safe enough to drive across--- a perfectly reasonable solution, I thought. She did not agree, apparently, because she told me "If you can't deliver it today, I don't want it at all, and you can just cancel my subscription".

Consider it done, lady.

:wtf::eyes::grr:

[shoelace414]

1. you mean you don't have a Canoe?

:)

[Cuban_Liberal]

2. I have a jon boat.

:P

[Lefta Dissenter]

3. that's SO 'last year'...

I was thinking helicopter...

[Cuban_Liberal]

4. hmmmmm....

It takes a LOT of $.11/copy profits to buy a chopper, methinks.

;)

[shoelace414]

5. have the shareholdrers buy it

and give yourself a nice bonus.

[Cuban_Liberal]

9. You obviously have me confused with....

... some rich, union-busting, Republican corporate slug, whereas *I* am a hardworking, independent, Democratic small businessman who employs union labor.

;)

[Guaranteed]

12. LOL nt

[shesemsmom]

6. Are you supposed to risk your life for an idiot

why don't you call her back and tell her if she'll meet you on YOUR side of the creek you will be glad to deliver her paper. Crazy people!!!!!!!

[Cuban_Liberal]

10. I briefly considered that.

:evilgrin:

[shesemsmom]

11. I'm afraid I would have done it

[Cuban_Liberal]

13. Oh, I was tempted.

On balance, though, I normally make poor decisions when I'm angry.

:shrug:

[shesemsmom]

14. me too

I try to think first, but it can be hard

[Rabrrrrrr]

7. what a bitch

thoughtless, self-absorbed cu*t.

I think it is high time that stores and restaurants and other service places should stop serving the asshole customers, and force their clients to be respectful and mannerly.

We have a bar owner here in town that refuses to serve anyone who doesn't ask for a drink (and empowers his whole staff not to serve rude people). So, if you walk up to the bar and say, "Gimme 2 Buds", he won't serve you, and he'll tell you why. If you then feel like asking, either "2 Buds, please" or "Can I have 2 Buds", etc., he'll serve you. Otherwise, you'll stand there, drinkless, and he'll ignore you, and have the staff ignore you, all night. And if he knows you're with others, he won't let your friends buy you a drink, either.

[Cuban_Liberal]

8. I like his technique.

When I used to tend bar, I tried very hard to be attentive, but one sure way to enter my 'blind spot' was to snap your fingers at me or rattle the ice in your glass to get my attention. A simple "I'd like another when you have time", or anything remotely similar and civil brought me running, even when it was busy.

[last1standing]

15. The best part of this post was "empowers his whole staff".

The problem with so many companies is "the customer is always right" philosophy. Of course that only means that the corporate executives have given rude and obnoxious customers carte Blanche to harass employees who deal with the public.

I find it interesting the this philosophy never seems to apply when corporations are spending all those billions on lobbyists to take away our rights.

[Rabrrrrrr]

17. Aye. I think it's a good philosophy, that the customer is always right,

but it's been taken too far. The customer might always be right, but the customer should also be held to a decent level of politeness.

If businesses would start requiring some decency from the customers, then the country itself will become more polite, IMO.

Too many people have the idea that the person working the counter or the register isn't a human being, but just the face of an otherwise faceless corporation, and not entitled to any of the respect or rights due to a human being.

Workers need to reclaim their humanity, and the businesses need to empower them to do so; and the businesses need to start to be willing to give up even potential huge accounts if the customers are being rude.

A friend of mine has an architect friend who was asked by A Big Money Republican Family a year or so ago to do a house for them - huge-ass house, big account, lots of money involved. After a few weeks of meeting with the family, he said, "I can't do this. You people are awful. You're rude, condescending, and bitchy." (not surprising for family values republicans, is it?). He finally negotiated with them in the contract that they won't be rude, he will only do business with one of them, and only two phone calls a day and they better be important.

Imagine that, having to put "be nice to me" in the frickin' contract.

[lpbk2713]

21. ....but you've got to ask me nicely.

I love it.

[skypilot]

16. The Big News is...

...THE ROADS ARE FLOODED!! What more news did she need?:)

[Cuban_Liberal]

22. LMAO

I frankly thought that it was the #1 story today, or would, if I lived where she does.

;)

[Dookus]

24. How would she know that

if she didn't get her paper? :P

[DS1]

18. If those damn Democrats didn't ban personal 105 mm howitzers, you

could EASILY deliver that paper, and 30 more copies to compensate for windage :eyes:

[Rabrrrrrr]

19. "HERE'S YER FUCKIN' PAPER, LADY!"

BADOOM! BADOOM! BADOOM!

LOL!!

[Cuban_Liberal]

23. *grin*

:P

[Dr Batsen D Belfry]

20. Build an RPP Launcher

out of PVC tube. Use a small enough amount of propellant to launch it across mother nature's moat to where the customer can pick up what is left of the paper.

DBDB