First off, I was going to name this one "Inconsiderate Information Inquiry," but I figured that would be a smidgen too long. *Sad face.* Anyhoo, today's troublesome tale features yet another jerk with the innate ability to get under my skin. Working as a customer service rep, I've come to accept the fact that my counter for exchanges and returns also doubles as an information booth for our store's patrons. Having worked up there for quite a while now, a majority of the time, if I don't know the answer to a customer's question, I know who does. It just so happened that, on this particular day, my answers to a specific customer's questions were really just not good enough.
~~~
~ As I was working with a customer on their return, a grumpy gentleman approached the counted wanting to speak with a supervisor. Because I'd needed one's assistance not but a few moments prior, it just-so happened that she was still standing right next to me. So, I eagerly directed his attention to her, and turned my attention back to the customer I was with.
Whew.
Crisis averted
Crisis averted
...or so I thought.
Mr. Grumpy had a prepaid Visa card that was apparently giving him some trouble. He'd tried to make a purchase with the card, but it was declined. This bothered him because he stated that there should have been more than enough money on the card to have completed the transaction. Because of this, he wanted to just withdraw all of the rest of his money off the card. Unfortunately, that's now how these convenient, yet sometimes very inconvenient, pieces of plastic work.
My super was doing her best to try to answer his agitated inquiries, but it was pretty obvious that she wasn't well-versed enough with the type of card that Mr. Grumpy had to provide the information he was looking for. By that time, I'd finished with the customer I was working on and, against my better judgment, decided to step back into the line of fire. I still recall our conversation pretty clearly, but I don't carry a tape recorder in my pocket, so I can't provide you with exact quotes. The following is (in as best an order and detail as I can remember) the customer's questions followed by the answers I provided him with:
Q. I don't want to just withdraw my money $20 at a time from this thing with cash back. I want every last cent back off of it. That cashier doesn't know, so who and where am I supposed to do that with?
A. I'm sorry, but those types of cards don't work that way. Cash back is the only means of withdrawal off the card once the money is put onto it.
Q. Its my money, and I want it off the card. Why can't you just do it?
A. Our registers don't even have a command to do that for you. All I can suggest is to withdraw as much as you can or want in cash-back amounts.
Q. I don't want to do that! I want to withdraw all of it. Your store sells this card. Shouldn't you be able to give the money back?!
A. I understand what you mean, but really the only affiliation our store has with those cards is the fact that you can purchase them here. All of the rest of it is handled through the company shown on the back of the card. Their Customer Service number is on the back, as well, in the upper right, if you want to speak with them about it.
Q. I don't want to call them. I want someone here to give me the information. Can you at least tell me why your registers declined my card?
A. I'm sorry, but the only people who would be able to look into that for you is through the 1-800 number on the back of the card.
Q. I just told you I don't want to speak with them! How can your store honestly sell a card and not know a thing about it!?
A. I know quite a bit about those cards, but I can't possibly know everything because they're not run by our store. In this case, I do know where you can get the information, though. If you just call that Customer Service line on the back of the card, they'll be able to tell you what you're looking for.
Q. Look, I'm not trying to be an ass, but stores should be run better than this. Are you telling me that there isn't a single person in this store who can tell my why this card was declined?
A. I understand its frustrating, but yes. That 1-800 number is the only place where they'll be able to provide you with that kind of information. I'm sorry.
Mr. Grumpy was done with me at this point, moved off to the side, pulled out his cell phone, and finally dialed the accursed Service line. He still seemed skeptical that he wasn't going to find out what he wanted to know and hung around a bit in our customer service area while he spoke with them. I can only assume that he did get the answers to the questions he had regarding the prepaid card because he eventually wandered away without throwing anymore 'who', 'what', 'when', 'where,' 'why' or 'how's at me. In the end, my super didn't mind my cutting in on the conversation at all. She didn't come right out and say it, but I'm pretty sure she appreciated it, too. I couldn't help but be kinda proud at how easily and calmly I responded to each increasingly agitated demand for information.
~And by the by, if you ever feel the need to use the line, "I don't mean to be an ass, but..." you're already being an ass. Thank you for confirming anyone's suspicion on the matter.
Mr. Grumpy had a prepaid Visa card that was apparently giving him some trouble. He'd tried to make a purchase with the card, but it was declined. This bothered him because he stated that there should have been more than enough money on the card to have completed the transaction. Because of this, he wanted to just withdraw all of the rest of his money off the card. Unfortunately, that's now how these convenient, yet sometimes very inconvenient, pieces of plastic work.
My super was doing her best to try to answer his agitated inquiries, but it was pretty obvious that she wasn't well-versed enough with the type of card that Mr. Grumpy had to provide the information he was looking for. By that time, I'd finished with the customer I was working on and, against my better judgment, decided to step back into the line of fire. I still recall our conversation pretty clearly, but I don't carry a tape recorder in my pocket, so I can't provide you with exact quotes. The following is (in as best an order and detail as I can remember) the customer's questions followed by the answers I provided him with:
Q. I don't want to just withdraw my money $20 at a time from this thing with cash back. I want every last cent back off of it. That cashier doesn't know, so who and where am I supposed to do that with?
A. I'm sorry, but those types of cards don't work that way. Cash back is the only means of withdrawal off the card once the money is put onto it.
Q. Its my money, and I want it off the card. Why can't you just do it?
A. Our registers don't even have a command to do that for you. All I can suggest is to withdraw as much as you can or want in cash-back amounts.
Q. I don't want to do that! I want to withdraw all of it. Your store sells this card. Shouldn't you be able to give the money back?!
A. I understand what you mean, but really the only affiliation our store has with those cards is the fact that you can purchase them here. All of the rest of it is handled through the company shown on the back of the card. Their Customer Service number is on the back, as well, in the upper right, if you want to speak with them about it.
Q. I don't want to call them. I want someone here to give me the information. Can you at least tell me why your registers declined my card?
A. I'm sorry, but the only people who would be able to look into that for you is through the 1-800 number on the back of the card.
Q. I just told you I don't want to speak with them! How can your store honestly sell a card and not know a thing about it!?
A. I know quite a bit about those cards, but I can't possibly know everything because they're not run by our store. In this case, I do know where you can get the information, though. If you just call that Customer Service line on the back of the card, they'll be able to tell you what you're looking for.
Q. Look, I'm not trying to be an ass, but stores should be run better than this. Are you telling me that there isn't a single person in this store who can tell my why this card was declined?
A. I understand its frustrating, but yes. That 1-800 number is the only place where they'll be able to provide you with that kind of information. I'm sorry.
Mr. Grumpy was done with me at this point, moved off to the side, pulled out his cell phone, and finally dialed the accursed Service line. He still seemed skeptical that he wasn't going to find out what he wanted to know and hung around a bit in our customer service area while he spoke with them. I can only assume that he did get the answers to the questions he had regarding the prepaid card because he eventually wandered away without throwing anymore 'who', 'what', 'when', 'where,' 'why' or 'how's at me. In the end, my super didn't mind my cutting in on the conversation at all. She didn't come right out and say it, but I'm pretty sure she appreciated it, too. I couldn't help but be kinda proud at how easily and calmly I responded to each increasingly agitated demand for information.
~And by the by, if you ever feel the need to use the line, "I don't mean to be an ass, but..." you're already being an ass. Thank you for confirming anyone's suspicion on the matter.
