PopCrush Chronicles: Local Business With The Worst Customer Service EVER

I experienced some of the worst customer service ever at this establishment. It was so bad, it made me consider NEVER spending my money in this store again!

It was a local retail chain store that sells everything from brand-name clothing & shoes (last seasons rejects), to purses, pots & pans, and almost everything (except for groceries) in between. I often tolerate how disorganized and in disarray the store always is because I can purchase things at a discounted price.

But this experience was my final straw…

I went to the check-out line to purchase my items, as I have done so many times before. They have it set up where one line is for returns and exchanges only, and the other line is specifically for purchases. It's roped off with signs and the whole nine. This "fun-fact" was what the gum-smacking cashier with a bad attitude (who quipped he, “don’t give a damn about his job because he only makes $7.00 an hour”), repeatedly kept pointing out.

Ummm, genius... I get that! I. Can. Read. It is fundamental. That wasn’t the point! The point was that you & the only other cashier, who also obnoxiously stated he was “the manager” (so act like it, bih); had me standing in the purchase line for ten minutes with no help. They stood two feet in front of me in the exchange section…completely ignoring me! What they were doing, other than oozing a stank-a** attitude, I’m not sure.

The only other customer to witness their brazen unprofessionalism stood in front of me waiting as well. There were no customers behind us. The two employees at the exchange and return register clearly saw us, but went out of their way not to acknowledge us. They didn’t inform us that the purchase line was closed. They didn’t call another cashier for assistance in the purchase line. Nothing. But, when we stepped into the exchange and return line to purchase our items (how dare we), All hell broke loose!

They both completely spazzed! They became belligerent and SO argumentative about the fact that we stepped into the exchange and return line to purchase clothes when the sign “clearly states” it was for exchanges and returns only. They didn’t even acknowledge the fact that we were standing there looking straight at them for ten minutes with no assistance and no communication whatsoever. But, the minute we stepped into the "wrong" line, it was a wrap!

The fact that the manager was quarrelsome and disrespectful about the situation and allowed his subordinate to openly state he didn’t care about his job, and be so offensive to customers, completely baffled me. They even had the unmitigated gall to ring up other customers who later arrived, instead of us. What ever happened to good customer service?!

They didn’t even care that the other customer & I felt their behavior was so unacceptably disgusting that we left our purchases on the counter and waked out. In fact, the gum-smacking cashier with the bad attitude gave us the sassiest, “Um. BYE…next!” that he could muster up. Grrrrrr…. It took all the "public relations gaaaawds" in media heaven to convince me not to come across that counter and slap the sepia-toned teeth, gum and all, out of his flippant mouth! FYI, I don’t really mean that I would actually do that…I’m just venting. Violence is not the answer. But neither is poor customer service. Anyway, even if only in my mind, I really wanted to smack some good customer service into his a**.

I’m so sick of local businesses allowing their employees to display poor customer service simply because we’re in a small town and don’t have anywhere else to go. If you hate your job…quit, bih! Find a better one. Do something you love, or at least something where you’ll have a better attitude when you come to work.

To all the businesses in town that exemplify amaaaaaazzzzing customer service, and there are many, kudos to you! Thank you for getting it so right, and keep up the good work! But for those of you who don’t…this store in particular…do better!­­­­
UPDATE: So I had a call from, what I was told, was a person in charge of this establishment. Now this employee exuded proper customer service protocol. They listened, they were apologetic and expressed that they hoped this awful experience did not deter me from doing business with them in the future. (They ain't offer me no coupons or free stuff though. #Fail). They also made it a point to inform me that they were "totally surprised" at the attitudes of the other two employees (yeah, right). They said normally, the two of them are often recognized as their best employees (God help us). Anyway, I understand "damage control hustle"...even when I know it's complete BS. That's all a part of good customer service. "Make the customer feel appreciated & settle the matter amicably, especially when you were wrong."

Because you just never truly know who that customer might be.