Jerk NB Employee

[Sammy86]

Rant, as I said everyone needs to have a thicker skin. The employee basically said that Witbiers are no good. Nothing other than the fact that the OP was buying one was a connection.

I work in retail and will say that CUSTOMERS ARE NOT always right.. That is an insult to the retail employee. They must be reasonably courteous but IMO if the customer goes too far he/she deserves to get what comes less anything abusive. I agree that the idiot customer will then tell everyone what lousy service they got, but you can't help that. It doesn't apply in this case, but, should the retail employee be subjected to abuse because of the almighty "customer"? I think not.

End rant.

I worked retail for 11 years, 8 of which as a manager. I agree the customer is not always right...and trust me there were plenty of times that as a manager I had to shut my mouth and give the customer what they want. What I said does apply...did the customer not post on social media where his experience could gain attention?

Did people chirp in...yes they did. Did NB become aware of the situation and remedy it? You betcha, because they understand what it means to run a business and give great customer service.

Do I agree that retail employees are the most abused workers in the US, you know it...but when a customer is legitimately wronged because you're having a bad day or you were sarcastic and someone took it the wrong way and you don't expect someone to say something to you or your manager then maybe you need to find a new job. As a manager I did my best to protect my employees but a lot of times managers won't because they want to make the sale, to hit the numbers to make the budget.

Business is simple...provide a product or service, have great customer service and fix it when someone messes up. As Craig Carton says, PERIOD.STOP

 

[GHBWNY]

Obviously, someone who doesn't realize that your "poor taste" is what is paying his bills every week.

 

[schematix]

The guy was 100% spot on, but he should have kept his thoughts to himself.

 

[kh54s10]

I worked retail for 11 years, 8 of which as a manager. I agree the customer is not always right...and trust me there were plenty of times that as a manager I had to shut my mouth and give the customer what they want. What I said does apply...did the customer not post on social media where his experience could gain attention?

Did people chirp in...yes they did. Did NB become aware of the situation and remedy it? You betcha, because they understand what it means to run a business and give great customer service.

Do I agree that retail employees are the most abused workers in the US, you know it...but when a customer is legitimately wronged because you're having a bad day or you were sarcastic and someone took it the wrong way and you don't expect someone to say something to you or your manager then maybe you need to find a new job. As a manager I did my best to protect my employees but a lot of times managers won't because they want to make the sale, to hit the numbers to make the budget.

Business is simple...provide a product or service, have great customer service and fix it when someone messes up. As Craig Carton says, PERIOD.STOP

Again, these days everyone seems to be OFFENDED by something.

I am presently a retail associate, If I was in retail management, I would try to appease the customer, within reason, but would not even bring it up with the employee with something as trivial as presented in this thread.

Again, people these days need to have thicker skins........

 

[govner1]

Again, these days everyone seems to be OFFENDED by something.

I am presently a retail associate, If I was in retail management, I would try to appease the customer, within reason, but would not even bring it up with the employee with something as trivial as presented in this thread.

Again, people these days need to have thicker skins........

So much for customer service & retention!
Good luck as a retail "associate"!

 

[kh54s10]

So much for customer service & retention!
Good luck as a retail "associate"!

Govner1 are you one of those that demand that retail associates cow tow to your demands regardless??????

Remember they are just like you, just in a different occupation.....

I have had a successful period as a retail "associate" several times in my lifetime.... but will not ever go with the adage that the "customer is always right" that is just stupid....

 

[hunter_le five]

So much for customer service & retention!
Good luck as a retail "associate"!

Retaining customers is important. It's how any business survives long term.
But some customers are quite literally not worth retaining.


Not directed at the OP of course. After reading the NB responses, it appears to just be a stupid unfortunate misunderstanding.

 

[kh54s10]

Retaining customers is important. It's how any business survives long term.
But some customers are quite literally not worth retaining.


Not directed at the OP of course. After reading the NB responses, it appears to just be a stupid unfortunate misunderstanding.

This is describes exactly what I was trying to express....

 

[chisena]

Yeah I've never had a good Wit either...

 

[DurtyChemist]

Should have left the kit on the counter and walked out-

This. I would have found his boss and said "I just wanted you to know as I'm buying a kit this guy laughed and said he has never had a good one. I won't be shopping here as long as he is working here" or said you'd shop set another shop that charges more but hires better people.

 

[Scriv]

People and their feelings. Who gives a crap what some homebrew shop employee thinks?

 

[GHBWNY]

Govner1 are you one of those that demand that retail associates cow tow to your demands regardless??????

Remember they are just like you, just in a different occupation.....

I have had a successful period as a retail "associate" several times in my lifetime.... but will not ever go with the adage that the "customer is always right" that is just stupid....

Maybe the customer is not always right, but it is the obligation of the person taking his money to treat him as if he is, regardless of personal perspective, opinion, judgment, etc.. That's the REAL test of having "thick skin".

 

[Homercidal]

Seems like a lot of confusion could have been avoided if the OP had simply talked to the associates about not having a good Witbier, or if upset, simply asking for the manager and taking up his complaint.

People miscommunicate all the time.

 

[gratus fermentatio]

So the Mgr apologized, the employee apologized, is @Nikkuchan now a satisfied customer?
Regards, GF.

 

[soccerdad]

I am glad that there was space (here) for the exchange to take place and that there was an opportunity to reconcile. Yet another plus for HBT.

 

[TheCADJockey]

Agreed. His experience didn't sway my opinion on NB at all, I understand everyone has a bad day. However, NB employees taking the time to create accounts here and respond to clear things up was quite surprising.

 

[ArcLight]

Seems like a lot of confusion could have been avoided if the OP had simply talked to the associates about not having a good Witbier, or if upset, simply asking for the manager and taking up his complaint.

People miscommunicate all the time.

Now that's over the top! Talking to someone? That's crazy talk.
What do you think guns are for man!



BTW - the Caribou Slobber they sell is pretty good.

http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/caribou-slobber-extract-kit

 

[kombat]

South Park recently had a very timely episode related to this topic. They satirized how every ******* with a smartphone thinks they're a professional food critic, and how they would manipulate restaurant owners and wait staff by informing them that they were Yelp reviewers, and being overly demanding.


*** SPOILERS ***


The restaurant owners got fed up, but couldn't turn away all those customers, so instead they quietly contaminated their food with boogers and "special sauce" and cheerily served the "critics" their meals.

 

[govner1]

Govner1 are you one of those that demand that retail associates cow tow to your demands regardless??????

Remember they are just like you, just in a different occupation.....

I have had a successful period as a retail "associate" several times in my lifetime.... but will not ever go with the adage that the "customer is always right" that is just stupid....

No I would never advocate that the customer is always right. However, the customer does always deserve respect and courtesy. An abusive customer should be dealt with by the manager/owner not the salesperson.

I have worked in many retail sales positions while in high school through college. Later in life, I have owned two successful retail operations for over 35 years. Remember, the OP's original comment referred to disrespectful, even (snarky) attitudes by sales clerks. This kind of behavior should not be tolerated under any circumstances. If, this had occurred in one of my businesses the employee would've been summarily dismissed.

Keep in mind, this customer was buying a product he or she had chosen. The profit from this purchase would have contributed not only to the bottom line of the business but to the paycheck of the salesperson.

You should never look down on or snub a customer no matter the circumstances. You never know when that potential buyer turns into your biggest sale of the day.

 

[Peruvian802]

So the Mgr apologized, the employee apologized, is @Nikkuchan now a satisfied customer?
Regards, GF.

This thread does go to show how even a 'satisfied' customer may never make a comment to clarify this.

The reason the 'customer is always right' is that people are quick to complain when things go wrong but are very slow to share when they have had a positive experience. It's a difficult game for companies, stores, etc. to play, but they must understand the rules seldom change.

 

[Sammy86]

No I would never advocate that the customer is always right. However, the customer does always deserve respect and courtesy. An abusive customer should be dealt with by the manager/owner not the salesperson.

I have worked in many retail sales positions while in high school through college. Later in life, I have owned two successful retail operations for over 35 years. Remember, the OP's original comment referred to disrespectful, even (snarky) attitudes by sales clerks. This kind of behavior should not be tolerated under any circumstances. If, this had occurred in one of my businesses the employee would've been summarily dismissed.

Keep in mind, this customer was buying a product he or she had chosen. The profit from this purchase would have contributed not only to the bottom line of the business but to the paycheck of the salesperson.

You should never look down on or snub a customer no matter the circumstances. You never know when that potential buyer turns into your biggest sale of the day.

DING DING DING

Exactly my point and very, very well said!

 

[hunter_le five]

Remember, the OP's original comment referred to disrespectful, even (snarky) attitudes by sales clerks.

Except that it turned out not to be the case, but rather a misunderstanding of an out-of-context off-hand comment.

 

[Grannyknot]

relax don't worry have a witbier chief.

 

[Nummey]

Geeze, this entire miscommunication/misinterpretation could have been avoided by the OP saying to the associate, "What do you mean?"

Good on NB for opening an account here and giving an explanation.

 

[Homercidal]

NB is right, though. It's stout season!

 

[iijakii]

This. I would have found his boss and said "I just wanted you to know as I'm buying a kit this guy laughed and said he has never had a good one. I won't be shopping here as long as he is working here" or said you'd shop set another shop that charges more but hires better people.

That's all it takes for you? Yeesh. Cant imagine getting that upset over things. How's the blood pressure?

 

[hopbrad]

Thats pretty funny, I immediately thought about last season's Washington Redskin's episode. "finding new and creative ways to tell our customers to go F themselves"

South Park recently had a very timely episode related to this topic. They satirized how every ******* with a smartphone thinks they're a professional food critic, and how they would manipulate restaurant owners and wait staff by informing them that they were Yelp reviewers, and being overly demanding.


*** SPOILERS ***


The restaurant owners got fed up, but couldn't turn away all those customers, so instead they quietly contaminated their food with boogers and "special sauce" and cheerily served the "critics" their meals.

 

[Clonefan94]

Govner1 are you one of those that demand that retail associates cow tow to your demands regardless??????

Remember they are just like you, just in a different occupation.....

I have had a successful period as a retail "associate" several times in my lifetime.... but will not ever go with the adage that the "customer is always right" that is just stupid....

This isn't about the customer always being right. It's about a customer buying a product that the associates company sells, then the associate basically telling the customer that their selection sucks.

Is the customer always right, only if you want to make a sale to that customer. Obviously there are demands from customers that go above and beyond good customer service and a lot of things that just can't be met with any sort of reasonable conclusion. But, that's not what is being talked about here.

When you go in to spend money in an establishment, you shouldn't have to have a thick skin. You should only have to have the expectation of being treated with respect.

I never ask for anyone to kiss my butt as a customer, but if you are going to insult my taste as I'm buying from your store, I'll take my business elsewhere.

I certainly wouldn't fire and employee over a situation like this, but he'd definitely get a talking to and have to change his ways if he wanted to keep his job for long.

I know there are plenty of customers who aren't worth the time they take to keep happy. Doesn't sound like this was that case though.

 

[geoffm33]

This isn't about the customer always being right. It's about a customer buying a product that the associates company sells, then the associate basically telling the customer that their selection sucks.

Is the customer always right, only if you want to make a sale to that customer. Obviously there are demands from customers that go above and beyond good customer service and a lot of things that just can't be met with any sort of reasonable conclusion. But, that's not what is being talked about here.

When you go in to spend money in an establishment, you shouldn't have to have a thick skin. You should only have to have the expectation of being treated with respect.

I never ask for anyone to kiss my butt as a customer, but if you are going to insult my taste as I'm buying from your store, I'll take my business elsewhere.

I certainly wouldn't fire and employee over a situation like this, but he'd definitely get a talking to and have to change his ways if he wanted to keep his job for long.

I know there are plenty of customers who aren't worth the time they take to keep happy. Doesn't sound like this was that case though.

Well said.

Let's keep in mind what actually happened here:

* Employee made an innocuous inside joke about a product in the front of a customer buying that product.

* The joke could easily be interpreted as the employee badmouthing the product and/or the customers taste in beer.

* Customer came here to rant. However, the OP was chock full of opinion as to the employees in general being arrogant or knowing more than the customers, but the point about the checkout experience was spot on.

* Employee/Manager caught wind, explained the situation and apologized for the misunderstanding.

Any talk about needing thicker skin, the employee is/isn't always right, etc is way besides the point.

 

[slym2none]

Him: "Witbier, eh? I don't think I've ever had a good witbier."

Me: "Then you've obviously never had one of mine."

Laughter ensues...