Some People Have Never Been Told “No” And It Shows, Part 8
A couple of years ago, I was working the floor at a furniture store and was talking to a woman asking about a coffee table. This thing was 200 pounds of solid wood and marble, and store policy/common sense/safety was that we would deliver a new one from our storage warehouse to the customer’s home via trained men with equipment.
We would not order something that big and heavy into the store for customer pick-up because a) policy said no, b) our stock people were not able to handle something that heavy and safely put it into the customer’s vehicle, and c) there’s no way in h*** the customer would be able to get it out of their vehicle and into their home without getting hurt or damaging it.
Customer: “How much is the coffee table?”
Me: “$700. In-home delivery is $150.”
Customer: “Can I pick it up in-store?”
Me: “No, because [all of the reasons above].”
Customer: “Then waive the delivery fee.”
Me: “No, delivery is $150.”
Customer: “Then I want to pick it up in-store.”
Me: “We can’t offer that.”
Customer: “Then I want the floor sample, and I want a discount because it’s a floor sample.”
Me: “It has not been designated a floor sample, and I cannot sell it to you like that without approval.”
Customer: “Then I want a discount.”
Me: “It’s not on sale.”
Customer: “Then I want delivery waived.”
Me: “We can’t offer that.”
Customer: “Then I want to pick it up.”
Me: “We can’t offer that.”
Rinse and repeat this conversation several times. She was shocked — SHOCKED, I tell you — that I was not able to give her the discount as she had never been to a store that wasn’t willing to deal.
Customer: “Customer service here is disgusting! I have never been to a store that hasn’t been willing to work with me. How much do you make?”
Me: “Respectfully, that is none of your business.”
She screamed at me some more and left. I went back to the stockroom, and a stock guy gave me a few damaged flowerpots to throw in the breakage bin to calm down.
Related:
Some People Have Never Been Told “No” And It Shows, Part 7
Some People Have Never Been Told “No” And It Shows, Part 6
Some People Have Never Been Told “No” And It Shows, Part 5
Some People Have Never Been Told “No” And It Shows, Part 4
Some People Have Never Been Told “No” And It Shows, Part 3
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