Unable To Provide Console-ing Advice
(I work as a sales assistant for a popular video game retailer, and part of what we do as a company is trade in old consoles and games for cash or credit. In order for us to trade them in, they need to be in a sellable condition with all parts present.)
Customer: “Hi, we’re looking to trade in our [Console #1].”
Me: “Sure thing, I’ll just get everything out to test it.”
(Upon taking the console out of the bag it was presented to me in, I untangle the cables to find out that they’re missing an AV cable.)
Me: “Do you have an AV cable or HDMI cable with you as well?”
Customer: “No? Why would I need that?”
Me: “Well, in order to proceed with the transaction I need to test the console, which I can’t do without an AV or HDMI cable.”
Customer: “That’s ridiculous. Why can’t you just use one of your cables? You must have hundreds.”
Me: “We can’t use other cables because we also need to sell the console with a connecting cable for the TV. Every console is sold with an AV cable, so we need to trade every console in with one.”
Customer: “But I had to buy a HDMI cable separately when I bought the console!”
Me: “Yes, but the AV cable should have come with it. You can either find it at home or buy one from us and take the value off your trade-in.”
Customer: “That’s absolutely disgraceful! Just take the console without the damn AV cable.”
Customer’s Wife: “I had the exact same problem when I came to trade in [Child]’s [Console #2]! This is not acceptable.”
Me: “A [Console #2] is different as it is a handheld console. Every non-handheld console is sold with a connecting cable to connect it to a TV. You can buy one today or I cannot trade in your console.”
Customer: “In that case I’ll take my business elsewhere!”
(The couple stormed out with their console and headed to a rival store. About 30 minutes later I saw them walk past our store, Console #1 and all.)
Question of the Week
Have you ever served a bad customer who got what they deserved?