customer (dis)satisfaction

**hadassahchana**[$] · #1 09-30-2002, 03:11 PM

Or, "Don't call me honey!"

I spent part of last week looking for a wheel barrow. This, of course, means that I had to hang out at various hardware stores trying to find just the right one. Because I want to take it along on landscaping jobs, I am looking for a large, heavy-duty barrow.

The first store I went to was a large chain store. The man in the garden dept. offered me a Rubbermaid plastic lawn cart. This, even after I explained that I wanted a heavy-duty one. As they were out of the real wheelbarrows, I went to a different store.

The next store was a smaller store, still part of a chain. The man in the garden dept. again offered me a lawn cart. "Oh, no," he said. " That would be overkill."

I asked why, totally confused.

"Here, you can carry your trowel, some seeds , and since the handles are nice and flat, you can balance a flat of pretty flowers on top. That's what you want. One of those big numbers is going to be too heavy, and you really don't want all that room inside."

I explained, slowly, and with little words, exactly what kinds of jobs I'd do with my 'real' wheelbarrow. I even asked him if the little plastic lawn cart could carry 100 kilos of cow manure.

"No, so you just ask your husband real nice if he'll carry your cow manure for you, and I'm sure he will. Now look at this little cart - it even comes in pink or lavender!"

Ok, so looking at these experiences positively, I now have eliminated two stores from the long list of possibilities for when I need to buy the rest of my tools. But for heaven's sakes - if I owned the stores, I'd have high blood pressure. I wanted to drop $150 last week, and still have assorted tools to purchase in the next couple of years or so. They've lost a fair amount of my money.

I explained what I wanted, and why I wanted it. Heck - I was even wearing my steel-toed work boots!

( I really am becoming Imelda Marcos.)

Is it even worth my trouble to write a letter to the store manager pointing out that by making stupid and sexist assumptions, they've lost money? OR should I just ignore those stores and use these as yet two more amusing anecdotes?

Cindy

**theworm**[$] · #2 09-30-2002, 03:14 PM

Don't waste your time complaining. Just enjoy the fact that you have 2 more very funny stories.

quasar · #3 09-30-2002, 03:15 PM

Oh write the mails. If for no other reason than the satisfaction, honey

Janice

**mjfrombuffalo**[$] · #4 09-30-2002, 03:17 PM

I would write. Hey, they might give you a discount or something. You get to 1) vent; 2) attempt to enlighten some people; and 3) maybe get a gift certificate or percentage-off coupon for your trouble.

Or they might ignore your letter, but maybe when I go in there looking for a cordless drill, they'll be interested in helping me instead of showing me the cute, little pink toolbox.

mj
who wants steel-toed boots now

**hadassahchana**[$] · #5 09-30-2002, 03:21 PM

I wish the steel-toed boots store sold wheel barrows! The man who waited on me was absolutely brilliant - he listened very carefully to everything I wanted. He asked what kind of job I needed the boots for, then took away the ungodly expensive pair I had been looking at and found a much cheaper pair. He even managed to fit my hard-to-fit foot, and didn't even bat an eye, despite the fact that I was the only woman in the store.

Cindy

theeye · #6 09-30-2002, 03:30 PM

I have been known to redefine the word 'ladylike' in situations like this.

Ask my accountant. He'd been doing the books for my company for years and my own personal taxes as well. The first year after I got married, I sent back his giant questionaire with our joint tax information, listing me as 'Taxpayer' and hubby as 'Spouse', with our (different) last names and our respective social security numbers. I was the one who dealt with the accountant, after all, and who had, in fact, earned the bulk of our taxable income.

When my completed tax forms came back, there were a few problems. Among them, my last name had been changed to match my husband's and he had been promoted to Taxpayer, while I was now Spouse (as far as I'm concerned, we should both be considered taxpayers, but the IRS doesn't allow that).

I called him up and gave him my list of problems. His response to the switch of Taxpayer and Spouse was: Yes, I fixed that for you to conform you to the way all my other clients do that.

I suspect he hadn't realized that I knew the kind of language he then heard from me. He doesn't 'conform' me any more and he thanked me for 'teaching him a lesson' in client relations. He now understands that my husband doesn't even remember his name and if he wants to do business with us and with my company, he'll remember who his client is.

He still thinks I'm odd, but he makes allowances for it.

(Nearly all of our conversations include the phrase, 'well, I'd advise most of my clients such and such, but I know you like to do things differently' -- differently usually entailing being somewhat more scrupulous about following rules and more solicitous of my employees than he thinks is strictly necessary. He probably thinks it's 'a woman thing'

)

theeye · #7 09-30-2002, 03:33 PM

Years ago, btw, my parents were having a house built. My mother went to take a look after the stove was installed and noticed a problem.

It was an old style gas stove, with a stovetop that lifted up for cleaning and knobs on the front edge.

The problem was that it was mounted such that the knobs slightly overlapped with the edge of the stove top, so that you couldn't lift up the top without removing all of the knobs. It was obviously misaligned.

My mother pointed this out the builder, who told her: Oh, that's a safety feature, dear. They do it that way so that you won't try to lift up the top by yourself: you'll wait until your husband comes home to help you.

The builder lived to regret that mistake.

(My mother claims that one day she's going to write a book entitled Stories Builders Tell You.)

**drmomentum**[$] · #8 09-30-2002, 04:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by theeye
I called him up and gave him my list of problems. His response to the switch of Taxpayer and Spouse was: Yes, I fixed that for you to conform you to the way all my other clients do that.

I suspect he hadn't realized that I knew the kind of language he then heard from me.

Oh, to be a fly on the wall! Tell your Mom I would buy her book in a heartbeat.

Cindy: Please tell me this didn't really happen. Please?

Also, I noticed a typo in your post. You used the word "man" in the 4th paragraph. Obviously, the correct word is "throwback." An easy mistake to make, as the keys are very close on the keyboard.

-JP

sylvanb · #9 09-30-2002, 04:24 PM

Well, you know, it's tricky to type while your nail polish is drying.

**conradd** · #10 09-30-2002, 05:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hadassahchana
Is it even worth my trouble to write a letter to the store manager pointing out that by making stupid and sexist assumptions, they've lost money? OR should I just ignore those stores and use these as yet two more amusing anecdotes?

These choices aren't mutually exclusive, sweetie. (Ouch!) Go ahead and write the letters, post them here, and then post the replies you receive. You can leverage those two anecdotes into at least six.

I once went ballistic in the aisle of Supply One when the male throwback who insisted on helping me select the correct valve seat told her that the reason he was only giving me one at a time (necessitating trip after trip to the store when the valves didn't fit) was because he didn't want me to be confused when I got home. I had every sales clerk plus the store manager in that aisle by the time I got through. And, I insisted on talking to the only woman employed by the store, even though she was assigned to the garden section. When the manager pointed out that she knew less about plumbing than I did, my response was very short. "Train her.

Deb
who was very happy when Home Depot opened a store here

Deb

murasaki · #11 09-30-2002, 06:22 PM

I'm with Deb--write the letters. If you do not make these people aware of the sexist way in which they are treating their customers, they will keep doing it to other women. They should at least know why they're losing your business and quite possibly the business of other people. If they take steps to correct the situation, great. If they don't, then at least they can't claim ignorance.

--naomi
who's stopping before she gets really fired up

theeye · #12 09-30-2002, 06:49 PM

I got so worked up giving my own examples that I forgot to say: Hell, yes -- write the letters.

I've written plenty of letters in my day explaining to companies that I wasn't giving them my business out of respect for their clearly stated disinterest in it.

**hadassahchana**[$] · #13 09-30-2002, 07:03 PM

Ok, letters will be written. I'll be sure to post replies.

I keep being surprised by this kind of thing, because I know so many real men (thanks, JP) . When we were shopping for a second car, it was going to be mine. So, I did the research, read Consumer Reports as well as the LemonAid Guide, and narrowed it down to three choices. When the salesman at the Ford dealership would look at me in a bemused manner and then direct his answers to Kevin instead of me, I became more and more impatient. Finally, I pointed out (read: 'screamed at the top of my ever-so-refined lungs') that I was the one buying the car, I was the one asking the questions, so could he please talk to me? He replied,"Oh, it comes in a nice plum. You're gonna love it!"

I drove the nice blue Toyota Camry for years, and adored it - and the salesman who actually talked to me when I asked him questions. I may become shrill, but my money can talk quite loudly.

Cindy

**mjfrombuffalo**[$] · #14 09-30-2002, 07:07 PM

The Saturn dealership was cool with me when Hubby and I went to buy a car. I'm the businessperson in the relationship, Phil was just there to make sure he could comfortably drive the thing without crashing into a tree. Oh yeah, and to sign the appropriate papers since we were getting the loan via his credit union, so his name had to be on stuff.

magenta321 · #15 09-30-2002, 07:48 PM

I know the feeling.

My car leaked oil. A tiny bit. I ended up paying for a new head gasket (un-needed). I drove out of the Honda dealership, and by the time I was home, my car was out of oil.

This went on for about a month. Each day I put a quart and a half of oil in, and it all leaked out, forcing me to go back to Honda every other day. I was considered a "complainer" (excuse me? I have a little oil leak, and you fix it to give huge oil leaks? I'm a complainer because I'm unsatisfied with this?)

I had the last straw when I went to a full service gas station. It was the night that there was a drive-by shooting on my road. Mind you, I live in the woods. Everyone in town was abuzz about this, including the station attendant who kindly put the oil in for me. The next day I took my car to Honda, after it stopped DEAD on I-84. It eventually re-started and I brought it to the Honda guys, rather than trying to get to work like I needed to do.

The service man took a look at my car, came back in and told me "Honey, I'm going to give you a lesson your dad or your boyfriend should've given you." He INSISTED I go outside and learn how to put oil in my car. The service attendant didn't put my dip-stick back in my car properly. I tried to explain. He wouldn't listen. I left there infuriated.

I won't go back to "Fair" Honda. I sold my car two days after that because I couldn't deal with it any more. I loved my Acura, but I wasn't going to buy another Honda or Acura, knowing that I'd have to go back to that dealership.

I wish I had more strength to stand up to the guy. I wish I could have had some support from my dad who did know how much oil I was putting into my car (those jackasses at Honda did too, I brought in cardboard soaked in oil to prove it, as well as saving my empty oil bottles... they just wouldn't admit they were idiots). I really wanted my dad to go in there and say "my daughter knows what she's talking about." But he wouldn't. And I didn't have the strength to stand up for myself.

Write the letters. Stand up for yourself.

I should take my own advice. I had another incident last week with a construction worker who was literally screaming in my face and pointing his finger in my face. He was angry because I parked in the wrong parking space. There were no signs. No cones. And his coworkers watched me park there and didn't say anything to me about moving my car. I don't know who to go to about that guy, but I really feel like car bombing him. I couldn't stand up for him. I hate to say it, but luckily another man came to my rescue. The guy who helped me called me "Honey". It was the first time I didn't mind the word.

I don't see any logos where the construction is taking place, and I don't know how I can find a supervisor to complain to. But, it's had me feeling like shit since Friday.

The oil incident still has me feeling bad as well, and that was back in 1999.

Don't stand for it. Be heard. Hopefully enough of these misogynistic men will get slaps on the wrist that they'll stop being such jackasses.

Margaret, who knows she has homework to do

**hymie**[$] · #16 10-01-2002, 07:16 PM

Quote:

and who had, in fact, earned the bulk of our taxable income.

I married rich

**conradd** · #17 10-01-2002, 07:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hymie
I married rich

You did? What insight can you give us into the whole lawn furniture thing?

Deb
who really wants to know (no pictures please)

theeye · #18 10-01-2002, 07:24 PM

Oh, good Lord!

I already knew that both Cindy and Bridgette were married to my husband. Now Rich, too?

It's getting awfully crowded. (Especially with all that lawn furniture he insisted on bringing along.)

**hadassahchana**[$] · #19 10-01-2002, 09:18 PM

Bridgette???

I thought I was her one and only!

Cindy

theeye · #20 10-01-2002, 09:25 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hadassahchana
Bridgette???

I thought I was her one and only!

Cindy

You'll always be my first, dear.

**hadassahchana**[$] · #21 10-01-2002, 09:54 PM

Thanks!

Do they have kosher gelato in NYC?

Cindy

theeye · #22 10-01-2002, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by hadassahchana

Thanks!

Do they have kosher gelato in NYC?

Cindy

We used to have a great place right by us, but it closed.

But I'm sure there's another place.