100% Party People
(I work in a popular grocery store known for its specialty food, customer services, and low prices. As a result, people tend to assume we will know everything about specialty items that we don’t actually carry. A woman and her husband approach me.)
Customer: “Hi. Do you have a thing with figs that you can serve at a party?”
Me: “Sure, we might. What kind of thing are you looking for?”
Customer: “Well, it’s got figs and you can serve a lot of it at a party.”
Me: “Okay. Is it a cracker or a cookie or a chip?”
Customer: “Yes. But it’s not one of those.”
Me: “So, not like a fig newton?”
Customer’s Husband: “A fig newton is a cookie!”
Me: “So, can you describe it in anymore detail?”
Customer: “Sure, it’s got figs and you can serve it at a party.”
Customer’s Husband: “You have to say more than just ‘figs.'”
Me: “What is it made from?”
Customer: “Well, this one was made of figs.”
Me: “Okay. And…?”
Customer: “…and you can put it on a big platter and serve a lot of it at a party.”
(I don’t think her husband knew what she was talking about, either. Eventually I sent her in the direction of the dried figs. She never came back around to me, so hopefully she found what she was looking for without repeating the words “fig” and “party” to another crew member.)
Question of the Week
Have you ever served a bad customer who got what they deserved?
