Not what you expect the store clerk to say

At lunchtime today I stopped by the Home Depot to buy some mousetraps for a friend. Really! They’re not for me. (I already own a half dozen of them to capture the critters that invade my crawl space each autumn. Let’s just say that retrieving them is not my favourite job.)

As she passed the traps over the scanner, the store clerk said, “evil.”

I  just looked at her.

Then she shared her opinion again: “These traps are evil.”

OK, I couldn’t stop myself. I said, “If you’d prefer, we can trap the mice humanely and then deliver them to your house.”

“Don’t you think it would be better to buy the poison?” she asked.

“Um, no, I actually think these are more humane,” I answered as I pocketed my change and left the store, wondering what kind of training this clerk had received. Can you imagine her working at Whole Foods? “Oh my, are you buying chicken? Yes, these are organically raised, handfed and cost $47 a pound, but how COULD you?”

When I was a teen working in retail, I don’t recall expressing any opinions to the customers. What do you think?

Comments

[Mike Keliher]

You should have informed her the traps were to keep your small children out of the cookie jar.

[Joan Vinall-Cox]

I'm not sure how I would have reacted, but I like "Keeping the kids out of the cookie jar" idea - just to see the look on her face;->

[Donna Papacosta]

I agree, Joan. I wish I'd thought of it. Good work, Mike!

[Michelle Sullivan]

Don't get me started with the poor customer service etiquette of the under-30 set. I'm going to sound like an old biddy. Come to think of it though, the quality of customer service from pretty much any age group is in alarming decline. Now where's my rheumatism ointment ...

[Donna Papacosta]

Geez, Michelle, you're a lot younger than I! I know, I know... customer service was stronger in the olden days. ;-)

[Deborah Zanke]

You can guarantee lots of comments on your blog when you write about customer service. Everyone has a story.

Frankly, I'm surprised the clerk displayed this level of engagement. Usually, I barely get a word when I go through the check out of a big box store.

The CBC just did a survey on customer service related to contact/call centres for major service industry corporations. Only 12 of the 40 companies in the survey got a grade of 80% or higher on service. You can see the results at http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/customer-service/.

It's odd because so many companies state that customer service is how they differentiate themselves. There's a definite disconnect there.

Deborah Zanke
www.messagecom.wordpress.com

[Donna Papacosta]

Thanks for commenting, Deborah. You're right! Many companies say that service is what distinguishes them, but they fall flat in the execution.

(I'm checking out your blog. Oh, I've just subscribed.)

[Stephanie Ciccarelli]

I heard that CBC report too!

Donna, I've never had someone say something like that to me at the till but can only imagine... were there other people behind you in line?

I wonder what anyone who overheard the encounter thought of the situation.

[Donna Papacosta]

Stephanie, no one was behind me. So, sadly, there were no witnesses. You're right: It would have been interesting to see/hear the reactions of others!

[Mike]

Donna,

I doubt that you would have been treated so rudely if the owner of the store had been nearby which is one of the reasons that I avoid chain stores at all costs.

You're a much more patient person than I am. I would have considered the clerks comment an insult (How can I buy something evil unless I'm evil myself?) and taken my business elsewhere.

You can build a better mousetrap but if you have rude, clueless people working for you, nobody is going to beat a path to your store.