Saturday, May 22, 2010

How Not To Act In a Retail Shop

This nasty, mean woman came into the store today & I could immediately tell by the look on her face that she wanted to pick a fight.

Unfriendly Nasty Woman: "Do you have La Sierra jug wine from Argentina? I used to get it at (name of other store) & they stopped carrying it so I decided to try here." She was wearing a stink face like she just smelled some putrid odor.

Me, in my normal chipper friendly voice: "I'm sorry ma'am but we've never carried that product. Perhaps the distributor has dropped that product."

Nasty Woman: "Well just buy it from someone else then!"

Me: "I'm terribly sorry but unfortunately we can only buy from the distributors in our zone."

Nasty Woman: "*Grumble*! I don't know how you people expect us to not vote for wine in grocery stores if you don't stock the damn products I'm looking for! I'm from California & I'm sick of not getting what I want!"

Me: "Well unfortunately we have no control over what they choose to represent or not."

NW: "That's ridiculous! I'm from California! Why is it like this? How can I get anything here?....." and she trails off as she heads for the door.

Me: "Why is it always someone from California that gets so upset? You know what? Washington State makes better wine than California does!"

NW, from the door: "I would agree with you in some cases, I'm from Washington too."

Me: "Well then, you know don't you?"

Wait..you're from California or from Washington? Which one is it woman? How exactly can you be from two places at once huh? Having lived in different places is one thing but BEING from someplace is quite different.

What I really wanted to say to this awful person is "look you mean, ugly, no personality having self-entitled haint I'm sorry I don't have your plonk. I'm sure some other terrible beverage that passes for wine will do you just fine. And just because you're from California doesn't mean you have the right to throw some awful attitude around. If you're so miserable in Memphis than why don't you just get the hell out of my city? And really? You are so anti-small business that you would side with large corporations? You'd rather you're money go to other cities besides the one you live in? Nice, real nice.

But I didn't. You know? Because I am a nice person who gives good customer service. However, I can only take so much. I really hope that this person opens up an independent business, preferably retail, so she can get a reality check. It's not fun dealing with people like this..um, person.

4 comments:

dave said...

nice use of "haint." my new favorite word.

you should post more of these. i'm seeing a book deal in your future. i'll go ahead and email simon + schuster on your behalf.

Michael Hughes said...

Thanks Dave. I'll be patiently awaiting my 5 book deal contrace

Samantha Dugan said...

Argh, some people can be so awful! Speaking as a very mellow Southern California girl I'm gonna have to say that cow was from Washington!

Michael Hughes said...

Hahahaha! Nice Sam!