Their Expectations Are Sky High, Part 2
This happened years ago. I work at a popular truck stop chain. I was full-time for years, but I went back to school full-time to finish my degree so then I worked part-time, only Friday and Saturday.
If you’re not familiar with Skylanders, they are figures of characters that can be scanned in the game of the same name to unlock different things. They are popular. The chain I work at didn’t at the time, nor has it ever carried Skylanders or any other toys.
This is the conversation I had while covering the counter:
Me: “Hello, sir, welcome to [Establishment]. What can I get for you?”
Customer: “I’ll take this KitKat bar. Also, I see you have some video games here?”
VERY rarely, the company that we get CDs and DVDs from ships us a cardboard display of video games to sell for ‘three-for-ten-dollars’. It’s never anything special, it’s two generation old stuff that never sold originally and has been sitting at a warehouse – unpopular PS2/Gamecube/Xbox stuff with maybe some random Wii/PS3/360 games randomly thrown in. It’s VERY rare that we even have these.
Me: “Yes, we have some games. Not many, but feel free to look and see if there is—”
Customer: “—no, I didn’t know you carried games here. Actually, I’d like some Skylander figures.”
He now starts talking fast, with intent:
Customer: “Grab me some Spyro, Sonic Boom, Stump Smash, Drill Sergent, Flame Slinger, and Wrecking Ball figures. I’ll take all the ones you have.”
Me: “I’m sorry sir, we don’t carry Skylanders here.”
Customer: “Excuse me? Do you know what Skylanders are? I see that you sell video games.”
Me: “Yes sir, I’m familiar with Skylanders. I have actually played some Spyro games, myself—”
Customer: “—Nobody asked you! Now, are you going to sell me the products or are you going to try and hoard them for yourself?”
Me: “I’m sorry sir, we do not carry those figures. The only video game stuff we have in our inventory is that small display.”
Customer: “So you’re telling me you don’t sell them here? This is a truck stop, why don’t you sell Skylanders?”
Me: “Honestly, it’s not really something customers ask for and we just aren’t a video game store, sir.”
Customer: “Well I guess I don’t have any reason to shop here again if this store doesn’t have any reason to stock popular products. You know what? I don’t want the KitKat anymore.”
He then breaks the still-wrapped kit-kat into fours by feeling the package from the outside, as if that’s going to hurt either me or the person who eventually eats it.
Me: “I’m sorry we couldn’t have been more helpful for you.” *Retail smile.
Customer: “Me too. I won’t be back.”
Related:
Their Expectations Are Sky High
