(I work at a large chain ice cream shop located in our local mall. This shop also partners with a large food delivery service, though apart from us delivering the food there’s not much other association other than profits. I’ve been working at this shop for a few months now and have yet to receive a truly nasty customer, at least not one that I had to deal with alone, until today. My recently-hired 15-year-old brother worked his first day today, being trained by me — I’m training to become a shift leader in January — and the active shift leader on with us at the moment. My brother has already gotten off shift as his work permit only allows three hours on weekdays and no shifts past 7:00 pm. My shift leader is swamped in the front making cones and handling a small group of customers at the same time while I am in the back mopping as part of our pre-closing requirements. I hear the phone ring, which normally would be our boss, but some other caller ID shows up, instead. I set down the mop and pick up the phone since my shift leader is obviously tied down at the moment.)
Me: “Hello, [Shop].”
Customer: “I ordered a [Delivery Service] from you guys and in the special instructions I put ‘extra cookie dough.’ In my ice cream, I barely got any!”
Me: “I’m sorry about that. Can you give me the name your order was under?”
(He gives his name and suddenly it clicks. That order was actually the very first order my newly-hired brother made today! I continue talking while looking up his order, which, by the way, didn’t have the special instructions in the first place.)
Me: “Ah, that was actually made by an employee who just had his first day today. I’m so sorry about that.”
Customer: “Well, what are you going to do to make it right?”
Me: *slightly stunned* “I’m sorry?”
(I’m not a very strong-willed person and already get phone anxiety as it is, so now realizing I have an actually angry customer on the phone, I internally start to panic a little. I still keep a very calm tone of voice talking to him.)
Customer: “You guys messed it up, so what are you going to do to fix it?”
Me: “I’m sorry, but I’m not sure there’s much we can do. [Delivery Service] operates separately from us.”
Customer: “Well, you have to do something about it!”
Me: *as my shift leader walks into the back* “Let me put you on with my shift leader; please wait one moment.”
(I set the phone down as I’m sure the customer is mumbling curses under his breath, and I talk to my shift leader as she starts to grab a blender from the drying rack.)
Me: “[Shift Leader], I have an angry customer. The [Delivery Service] order [Brother] made apparently had special instructions for extra cookie dough but it didn’t have a lot and I don’t know what to do.”
Shift Leader: “I don’t know. I have lots of milkshakes to make, anyway. Just tell him to call in the morning; [Boss] will be here.” *hurries back to the front*
Me: *picking up the phone again* “All right, sir, I’m sorry about this, but there’s not much I can do right now. However, if you want to call back in the morning, our manager will be here.”
Customer: “Well, that’s nice and all, but I wanted my cookie dough ice cream tonight!”
(Keep in mind this guy ordered a large container like you would see in a grocery store, so I doubt it’s something he is eating all in one night.)
Me: “I’m sorry, but I don’t have the ability to do anything right now.”
Customer: “Well, can’t you send out a delivery person to get me the extra cookie dough?”
(I am practically speechless; this guy is relentless.)
Me: “I’m sorry but [Delivery Service] is a separate service from us. We do make food for delivery but other than that there’s no real affiliation. We can’t just send out a person to pick up and deliver something unless it’s ordered by someone.”
Customer: “Well, then, can I order extra cookie dough and have it delivered and you just don’t charge me for it?”
(I want to scream at this point. What does this guy not understand about “Nothing we can do; call in the morning when our boss is here.”? Ridiculous.)
Me: “As I already said, we aren’t affiliated with how [Delivery Service] works; we can’t control what gets charged and what doesn’t. You would have to call them for that.”
Customer: “Okay, I think I will! I’ll call them right now and tell them the bulls*** you’re pulling! Then, in the morning, I’ll call your d*** manager!”
Me: *officially done and internally screaming and crying simultaneously* “All right, if that’s what you feel will work best for you, sir. Have a good night!”
Customer: “F****** dumbass.” *hangs up*
(I immediately called the manager and let him know the situation, making sure he knew that my brother did put the right amount of cookie dough in if he hadn’t asked for extra, which wasn’t on the instructions in the first place. Also, mind you, even if it was there, special instructions aren’t technically a requirement; it doesn’t cost any extra and is really more of something we do to make sure the customer is satisfied. Extra cookie dough would have cost this guy another dollar if he were paying in person, anyway. My manager did say that he didn’t blame my brother and if he called in the morning he would deal with it. The way this guy handled it was so immature that internally I wanted to scream, cry, and laugh at this whole situation. Cookie dough? More like cookie dough-n’t even.)
