A Blockbuster manager responded to reader Sarah’s refusal to sign up for Blockbuster’s rewards program by declaring: “Fucking customers, I’m tired of everyone not listening when they don’t even know what they’re talking about.” Sarah had politely declined to enroll in the program several times before the outburst.
She writes:
My boyfriend and I entered the store on 1848 Airport Rd., Suite K in Chapel Hill, NC at 9:30 PM on Saturday, August 25, to rent two movies. As I am a previous Online customer, but have never held a Blockbuster in-store rental account, I signed up at the customer service desk before checking out with a very polite woman. She started to explain the Rewards program, but upon my polite expression of disinterest, she offered me a brochure and said I could read it over and decide later if I’d like to enroll.After receiving my card, I went over to the rental desk and waited in line. An employee at the rental desk asked if we were ready, so we proceeded to check out. He asked if we had just registered, and we told him we had. He then began to tell us about the Rewards program, and I showed him the brochure we’d just been given and said we weren’t interested at the moment. He continued to tell us about it, and I told him expressly I was definitely not interested. He continued describing it, and I said, “No, really, it’s okay. I’m not interested. Thanks though.” He started to get visibly frustrated with us, and said that we didn’t understand, and then asked if we’d be renting another movie from Blockbuster in the next year, and how we could get a free movie every month, and I said one more time that I was really not interested. My boyfriend at this point felt like I was not being respected (which I wasn’t), and said, “I think she knows what she’s saying, she’s not interested.” At this point the employee said, “NO, you aren’t listening, why don’t you tell me what I’ve been talking about?” I was incredibly offended at this point, as I feel that the customer is entirely entitled to refuse voluntary programs. At this point, I asked to speak to a manager, and the man held up his employee ID badge to identify himself as the manager. I was amazed that any company would place such a rude individual into such a position, and asked him if he was seriously the manager. Finally, he muttered, “Fucking customers, I’m tired of everyone not listening when they don’t even know what they’re talking about.” This was absolutely absurd, as there were children in the store, directly behind us in line — not to mention that he had just cursed at a customer. He began to argue with my boyfriend, at which point I just asked for our merchandise so we could leave. He slammed the DVDs down on the counter, told us they were due Saturday, and was very visibly on edge.
This encounter has completely turned me off of all Blockbusters at this point, and I’m actually dreading even returning the DVDs I rented tonight. I seriously hope Blockbuster doesn’t intend this to be the normal experience for its customers, and I suggest you seriously consider this e-mail as fair warning of an out-of-control situation. I have heard of absolutely horrible customer service experiences at Blockbuster stores in the past, but I never really believed them until tonight.
I am so horrified by this experience, I am considering filing a complaint with the Better Business Bureau. Again, I’ve dealt with a lot of rude employees at various institutions, but I have never felt so disrespected and so upset as I am tonight.
Reasonable upsells are tolerable when delivered by polite employees, but no customer should be subjected to aggressive outbursts, especially not from managers. Beyond complaining to the Better Business Bureau, contact Blockbuster corporate at (214) 854-3000 and let them know their manager’s outrageous behavior cost them a customer.
(Photo: RocketRaccoon)
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When I worked in retail, I got short with a (somewhat rude) customer once, and he stormed out of the store and cost me a sale.
I deserved it, and I still regret it to this day, even though I’m long done with retail. Sure, I was having a bad day and the guy provoked me, but it was me who lost control of the situation.
In the case of this manager, it sounds like he’s under pressure to upsell. His job could even be tied to it (it often is in low-performing stores). He’s been brainwashed to believe that the program is something every customer needs, and he’s hoping that by putting the pressure on, he’ll see results. And, truth be told, he probably is, because a lot of people will say, “OK, sign me up” and avoid a confrontation rather than question whether or not it’s a good program.
But, no matter how desperate he is to make a sale for the program, he’s got to realize that the best customers are earned. He would be far better off to politely smile and say, “I think it’s a really good program — next time you’re in, I hope you sign up!” than to get angry at the customer when his pushy selling skills aren’t effective.
What the customer witnessed is becoming very common in retail environments where young people are increasingly taking over management positions because there are too many jobs in the service sector and not enough qualified, experienced people. Blockbuster’s management clearly needs to ease off on the program and focus more on the customers; that misplacement is what caused this horrifying situation to occur.
My sympathies to the customer – her experience will probably not be uncommon as the service sector continues to grow.
I also have had a bad expierence with blockbuster
( notice I didn’t even bother to capitalize ).
There are other video rental stores.
@allthatsevil: “That being said, I’m totally confused as to why he would be so passionate about it in the first place. It’s not like BB employees get any kind of commission off something like that.”
They have some kind of quota or bonus system. My Blockbuster has the chart with all employee names on it and the # of rewards signups they’ve gotten right behind the registers. Also the sheet of instructions about how to upsell customers. It makes me feel sort-of bad for refusing since I know they’ve got to hit a minimum. (But they’re really polite and never hassle me.)
@ThinkAboutItPlease: Exactly. At the office store I work at, we have to offer the rewards program to every customer. It’s free, we get no incentive, and we get yelled at by our superiors if we don’t sign up enough customer’s per day.
I don’t quite understand why people get so bent out of shape about something so small. Let the guy have his bad day. How does it hurt you?
Don’t forget to bitch though. A couple of weeks ago I was at Wally World on a Sunday morning with no checkers in sight. I complained to the manager about the 15 minutes spent in the only open line. The manager blew me off “can’t get people in on Sunday Morning they all are in church.” I told her to hire some atheists then went home looked up the corporate listings and emailed the home office. Last week I got a 20 dollar gift certificate for my trouble and 5 minutes work. More than fair trade.
Cart
I’m going to put you in the crazy manager’s shoes for a minute, because this all sounds familiar.
Generally, this person has training on sales technique. There are probably training scripts that go something like:
Blockbuster: You know, since you rent with us, there’s a chance you’d enjoy our Rewards Program.
Customer: Oh really? That sounds interesting.
B: Yes, the Rewards can really add up. With all of the benefits in mind, would you like me to sign you up? It only takes a moment.
C: Wow, that sounds like exciting savings for me! Sure, thanks a million!
They may have some “overcoming objections” training as well:
B: Well, the rewards can be redeemed for discounts on swedish fish and pop rocks!
C: That sounds awesome, Blockbuster dude, but I wonder, what if I leave my rewards card at home?
B: Sure, customer, I know how that is. I hate getting to a store only to realize that my rewards card is at home. We keep your records on computer, so we can always just look you up. With that convenience in mind, can I sign you up for this great offer?
C: Well, hell’s bells! I’d be crazy not to try that!
Of course, none of this is reality. What the Blockbuster flunky gets is:
B: You know ma’am, our rewards–
C: I’m not interested.
B: I’m sorry?
C: Your reward thingy, I don’t want it.
B: It’s a rewards program. It provides–
C: Yeah, whatever. When are these due back?
B: Tuesday. But what I’m trying to tell you is that you could save money.
C: Look, I don’t want it. What, are you retarded?
There are two ways it can go from here. Either the Blockbuster flunky skips the script and either ignores it or skips it completely:
B: You want the rewards program?
C: No.
B: Okay, thanks, come again.
Or, the Blockbuster flunky decides that he or she is tired of being cut off. Continued from above:
B: I’m not retarded, but you’d have to be to miss out on this deal!
C: Listen, just rent me my movies.
B: I am. We’re at the part in the rental process where we talk about the Rewards Program. Now, what was it that gives you pause? Were you concerned about the price?
Generally, the customer storms out without renting, which, if tracked on signup ratios is good for the Blockbuster flunky. The customer might persist until the Blockbuster flunky is out of stall tactics or objection counters, which is worst case for the flunky – it prepares customers waiting in line, increases risk that a superior will bear witness, and reduces signup ratios (though it is a good time). Every once in a while, the customer will be persuaded, and then, it’s a freakin signup.
The truth about add-ons is that while employers teach employees that overcoming objections is key, most of the time, the inital reaction of the customer is the one they’ll stick with, even if they’re making a choice based on a mistaken impression of the add-on. Usually, the way you ask is the only thing that makes a difference.
“Would you like it if this rental was free?”
might work better for some, while
“If you’ve got a second, I can get you set up for free rentals.”
But after that line, if you don’t have a bite, you’re looking at under a one percent chance if you continue.
Not surprised at what she experienced. I worked for Blockbuster for 6 months. It was one of the most stressful jobs that I’ve ever had, I used to work at one in Phoenix, and the pay was below $7/hour that I finally quit by doing a no call and no show. What compelled me to quit like that is the poor training, the getting called in all the time, the rude customers in our area, an employee can only take so much. Thankfully I’m back in college as a journalism major so I won’t have to take jobs like that for the rest of my life. Ever since then I’ve switched to Hollywood Video, Netflix and P2P. No more Blockbuster for me.
Used to rent from that same Blockbuster weekly until I moved from Chapel Hill a few years back. Never had bad service, but that is the roll-over nature of retail to recieve it suddenly.
Speaking as a retail employee, associates are under immense pressure to sign customers up for whatever the in-store membership is, whether it be an rewards program, or in my case, a credit card which I have trouble promoting in good conscience. Of course, this does not excuse one bit the behavior of this employee, who likely has a quota to meet, and has been drilled on the supposed merits of this rewards program with what I suppose to be exercises involving acting out scenarios of customer refusals. Retail corporations, suffering the blow of Internet competition, are evermore desperate to instill brand loyalty in their customer base. What you experienced was probably the combination of that, and a plain old jerk.
More incentive to use the internet for your movie needs, I would say.
As a current manager at a BB, I understand the whole debate and I side with Sarah all the way. And I have even brought this up because my store manager has been really aggressive to customers but never to the point of cursing. Personally, if it happened to me I would have snapped at him back or just walked about and gone to another BB. I know thats not always in option in some locations but its the clearist sign to show them their attitude is not right.
I must admit I myself get frustrated with customers, but 1) I never do what that guy did 2) its usually for more reasonable things aka customer doesnt know alphabet (im sorry we all went through elementary school for a reason) 3) some customers are jerks. I have my share of experiences with racists, inconsiderate, and condescending customers. Usually we just take it like a punching bag, thats why im surprised that guy acted like that. But honestly they dont pay us enough to take abuse from customers, but what that guy did was beyond being polite.
The problem mainly lies with BB, I have worked with BB a while and their problem is they are always trying to sell something. And what they dont get is people are tired of people selling them stuff. Its kind of the way you avoid a cell phone booth at a mall because they try talking to you and getting you to come over. Plus the people blockbuster employee, no offense to myself, arent exactly trained to sell properly. You are suppose to pick and choose based on what a customer buys.
I honestly only attempt to sell them to one person and thats someone who brings up two “non-new release movies,” anything usually in the middle of the store. Because at my store it costs $9.68 to rent them by themselves, but if they get the rewards they can get both of them free and all they have to pay for is the rewards which is like $10.72. So its pay $9.68 for just the rentals or pay $10.72 for the two rentals and get the Rewards benefit for the year. So its like a dollar more and you get the benefits of the rewards for the whole year. Thats my only reason for selling it. And I usually get people to get it because, and i emphasize this, if they rent a lot of OLDER movies it is worth it. Because it does pay for itself because you get a free coupon for an old movie each month. But I have had a lot of people just pay $9.68 all the time, and I get the feeling they just do so because they think it might be a scheme. Which I totally understand, I would think so too. Plus instinctively know not to trust us because we are always trying to sell something.
I think you did the right thing, though I wouldnt make a generalization like that to all store managers. It is an individual thing, but if a manager treats you like that report their ass. As a BB manager myself and as a customer, no one deserves that. And if it had been me in your shoes, I would have been in his face about it. And I have done that before to other places trying to sell me stuff just look at them with a dead eye and say “look buddy I dont want your stupid program, and unless you want to lose a customer right now check out my damn movies”. You did nothing wrong, and as I find myself doing a lot while working for BB, Im sorry you ran into a dork like him. But do report him because he is a jerk.
In light of that serious comment here is some comic relief related to the issue. When we credit accounts for refunds and stuff like that we have to leave comments, this is a comment I read off one morning while checking them, left by my store manager (aggressive guy) on someones account.
“customer wanted rewards then got angry over something changed his mind and then called me stupid”
Heh I have to admit I laughed at that
While I can certainly understand that the manager may have been pressured from higher up the corporate ladder, or that he may have been upset about something else and he let it blow up on the wrong person, he was still in the wrong.
I work management in retail (albeit for a different company) and one of the most important things to remember is to not lose your cool. People that work in these positions are usually under a lot more stress than most probably realize. And while I am by no means defending his actions, I would be willing to entertain the idea that the manager of that store is either sick, or has something significant on his mind that caused him to lose his cool. Regardless, he did lose his cool and the result affected a customer in a very negative way.
I’ve read many of the comments here and did not see anything on how to make the situation right for both parties. Be the better person and call the manager and tell him how his outburst made you feel. Do it calmly and politely. Explain to him that his actions resulted in you feeling stressed and frustrated and angry. Also explain that as a result you will not be shopping at his store (or BBV for that matter) again. But also try and accept his apology if he decides to give it to you.
The last thing this world needs is more fighting and arguing when there is almost always a calm and simple solution. Explain how you feel and speak with your business.
@legerdemain: “Usually, the way you ask is the only thing that makes a difference…”
Exactly, when a pitch sounds like a pitch, the most customers automatically tune out. The keys are to:
1. Not make it sound like a pitch, and
2. Lay the benefits out in real dollar terms
Basically, don’t talk about how great it is, talk about what it does.
To reference the mail order reseller where I worked again, the prompt to offer the rewards program also came with the dollar amount they’d save if they signed up. I found that if I said something to the extent of, “Oh, by the way, I see that you’re not a XYZ Club member, but I can sign you up and save $X on this order…”, chances were, they signed up.
But we never pressured the customer. The catalog served a big spending, tight knit community, so repeat customers and word-of-mouth were crucial. The last thing they wanted to do was to alienate anyone.
I work at a Blockbuster store in the midwest. At my $6.50/hour wage, it’s all I can do to politely ask customers if they’re interested in the Rewards program, soda/candy/popcorn, or Total Access (online program). The more of these items that we sell, the better chance we have at getting a small bonus at the end of every quarter.
What the manager did was downright rude, but I know for a fact that District Managers (and Corporate) put so much pressure on Store Managers about selling “More, More, MORE!” that these managers are ready to explode at any given point.
We hate asking customers to purchase these extra items as much as they hate being asked. On behalf of all those who work in retail, I’d like to apologize to all you customers out there. Please realize that a healthy portion of us are just trying to make our way through college and pay for rent. We little pee-ons don’t make the rules– we are just forced to follow them.
@spinachdip: True. The best add-on retailer I’ve ever visited has to be Books-A-Million. They’d tell you “You know, our discount club is $5 a year, but you’d save $10 on what you’re buying today. Why don’t I sign you up – you’ll be $5 ahead, even if you never use the card again.”
I manage my own business, which sort of is in retail. But since it is a small business, we don’t have corporate crap. I don’t need your phone number, address, some club member crap, or even your name, though it is good to know for familiarity reasons.
That’s why I love small businesses, whenever you deal with an attendant, it usually is either the owner/co-owner or related to the owner so you’re assured good service. The only customers I’ve ever turned away (without being rude) are customers that were really rude or the kind that want the most service/attention and spend the least amount of money (though these were usually the rudest.)
My business is a mix of service and retail but some people are just impossible to deal with. I tell them the cost in advance of their service and then they act shocked when I charge them. I run a cybercafe with computer repair and it’s $2/half hour. Some people use 40 minutes and whine and cry when I charge $4. That pisses me off. Now, I do treat them with respect and explain the situation, I’ve never screamed nor would I ever disrespect a customer, I just calmly explain the situation. In my time running the business (15 months,) I’ve only had 2 people I’ve had to basically kick out and ban for rudeness. One was a crazy lady who claimed to have the birds coming to protect her (yeah, she was off her rocker) and wanted her computer completely wiped of viruses and spyware in less than 30 minutes for $40. Yeah, right. I just told her, very calmly, to go elsewhere for service because her demands are excessive.
I hate big chain stores because they want to know everything about you whereas in a small business, it’s more anonymous and even a certain client-business relationship is formed that is more personal. I have my regulars whom I regularly treat rather well and if they go over by 2 minutes or 3, I give them a discount because they’re regulars. Point is, always treat your customers with respect and if you don’t like them or want them, kindly and politely ban them or if you really hate them and know they’re a nuisance, point them to your competition and say they’re better and cheaper anyway. Let your competition have the headache. I did that to one particular client who stunk up my office, even other customers left when he was there due to the smell. I knew he wasn’t worth it to me so I sent the smell to my competition.
Why complain to the better business bureau? This seems like an isolated incident. Complain through blockbuster so they can allieviate the problem. Just send an e-mail to them.
I go to my Blockbuster almost 3 times a week and have never felt anything but comfortable and welcome there. From the lowest employees to the highest manager there. Isolated Incident.
@vonskippy:
You don’t make any sense. The All Access gives you as big a selection as Netflix and plus you can return the envelopes for the newest releases… allowing you to have the rarer movies come via mail.
@JohnMc:
“Provided this is true, this is worse than the TigerDirect fiasco”
In what way??? They were not forcibly detained etc. It was one comment that was out of line.
@legerdemain: so true, so true. the retailer i used to work for had the worst training videos. they used to be a good laugh though. wish i could rent those.
TLA video ftw!
@e-gadgetjunkie:
Let the guy have his bad day. How does it hurt you?
Are you kidding me? If I go into a place to spend my money, I don’t expect to (a) be subjected to a persistent hard sell (a real turnoff IMO) and/or (b) be treated rudely.
@artki: I’m guessing they paid before the manager went into his tirade. I wouldn’t trust someone who’d just flown off the handle like that to give me my money back.
@adrenaline:
Hmm… So you get a bonus for signing up folks for Total Access? So the stores, or at least the employees, are still making something worthwhile to them to have the customers sign up to trade movies rather than directly rent them. Sounds unbusinesslike, but I’m not complaining. (Just surprised.)
This specifically is why I don’t use blockbuster anymore.
Calling the BBB won’t accomplish anything, but sending an email of 2 to corporate will.
I opened my own account back when I was still living at my parents house (I was 22, now I’m 32). I regularly rented films and always returned them on time (well, not always, but usually a day or two late and I always paid my fees the next time I rented).
One day, I went in and tried to rent a movie. The rep told me that I owed $80+ in fees. For what, I asked.
They told me that a movie I (never) rented wasn’t returned.
I explained that I never rented that movie. I told him that I was sure of this (it was some anime stuff – a genre I find irritating on a personal level).
He insisted that I did and owed the money.
I asked specifically if he had the name of the person that rented it, and he gave me my mom’s name.
I asked how it is that my mom, who has her own account, was renting movies on my account, which I specifically opened seperately (my family returns movies late and I always got socked with their fines – which is why i opened my own damn account). He told me that though my account number is different, they linked the accounts for convenience.
I asked them to unlink it, for convenience, as we are seperate entities with different habits, income levels, etc. He refused. And then told me that he wouldn’t rent me a movie unless I paid the fine for something my little brother actually rented. I told him that he could lose the attitude and understand that I wouldn’t be paying the fines for everyone with the same last name as I have – I didn’t rent the film.
He refused to allow me to rent the movie I had come in for. So I asked him if he had a pair of scissors so I could cut up my card. He wouldn’t provide them, so I walked out, went to the walgreens in the strip mall, bought scissors, came back and cut the card up.
Netflix is way better. Their service is better, their systems are better, and I have never had an issue with them.
Blockbuster is dying because they killed the video store and made it corporate. Then they jacked up prices and fees, then got beat by a better company that they couldn’t kill.
Screw them, walk away.
Oh, I can give you a fair bet what made this situation occur, and while the manager behaved completely inappropriately, the root cause is probably at corporate.
I’ve never worked at Blockbuster, but I’ve worked at several stores that had “voluntary” rewards programs, and at every single one of them the corporate office used percentages and numbers of rewards programs sold to judge the store and employees. If they aren’t up to an arbitrary number that the corporate office has decided, then they can suffer any number of consequences. First and foremost, I’ve seen stores where the manager will not receive a bonus or a raise unless their store meets these percentages.
More than likely his store’s numbers were down and he was getting yelled at by his district or regional manager, getting compared to other stores, and being fussed at repeatedly. This is what leads to situations like people being too pushy with voluntary programs, because corporate forces them to reach unattainable goals instead of just rewarding top performers.
I can’t even tell you the number of times I’ve seen people do things to customers I consider inappropriate to boost their own numbers. Or the number of times I’ve been “talked to” because I refused to do them.
@e-gadgetjunkie:
First of all, these ‘programs’ are not the customers problem.
Most of us go to stores to get what we want, then leave.
We aren’t interested in a conversation about some program that may or may not benefit us.
Most importantly, we want to be treated with respect.
There is no sense in spending money at any place where they abuse you verbally.
Period.
If I say I am not interested, then let it be. Once I make up my mind and say ‘no thanks’, you just aren’t going to close me. Period. I’ll laugh in your face and get you worked up because I get a kick out of it, but only if you refuse to stop.
So what’s the big deal?
We have a paper here called ‘Red Eye’, it is a dummy paper (what I call a ‘toilet reader’) that can be read cover to cover in under 10 minutes. Before they started giving it away for free everywhere, they were trying to recruit customers. I got stopped by one on the street.
Redeye – Are you interested in receiving a hot new, trendy newspaper custom made for people just like you?
me- Nah. Thanks, I already subscribe to their parent paper (the Tribune).
RE- Are you sure? This is a big deal!
me- Yup. I’m good.
RE- but you’ll miss all the great articles and features!
me- Yeah, I get that. Thanks.
RE- But what if I told you that the rate was just 25 cents a day?
me- I’d tell you that doesn’t matter and I don’t want it.
RE- But…
Me- listen. I appreciate you are doing your job here, but enough. I don’t care.
RE- Thanks, I still think you are perfect for a subscription.
Me- Here’s the deal, dude. The product you are trying to sell is written for dummies. It is USA Today lite. I DON’T WANT IT.
RE- but…
me- Dude. Walk away. NO. Do you hear me? NO. Am I being clear? NO.
RE – You don’t have to be a jerk about it.
ME – Yeah, well. You don’t have to refuse to take no for an answer.
Just because Blockbuster tells their employees to push this nonsense doesn’t mean customers are going to want it.
If you still gave them your business after that, you got the service you deserve and made it worse for everyone else.
I’d say thanks, but i haven’t been in a blockbuster in years.
I had a BB manager refuse to sell me (sell, not rent) a DVD unless I signed up with them. When informed I had no intention of signing up with BB, but just wanted to buy because I happened to be next door and needed a particular movie, he said, “Sorry, you sign up or you don’t get to buy it.”
This was before there were a lot of options to BB, and so on a whim I went into that store a couple of years later and asked the same manager if I could buy a movie without signing up. Hey, no problemo!… What a douche.
I left BB behind years ago. I had an account while I was at Tulane, sadly having left my local store behind. Every time I went in to the store, I had to give them my address again. I soon learned that this was because someone else with my incredibly common name was also using my same account, which was linked to my debit card. The only reason that I found out was they tried to charge me late fees for “sorority boys”, def a movie I have never rented and wouldn’t consider renting. I had to have them put a flag on my account saying that my middle name was also needed to make it stop. When even that didn’t work, I just stopped renting movies on my names.
@killavanilla: You stop on the street and carry a complete conversation with someone about something you don’t want?
You sound like my mother, I don’t let her wander around the city alone.
I worked at a local Bon-ton department store for 2 years while in college. All employees were expected to upsell the store credit card for cash bonuses. I believe I may have signed up 20 people total in 2 years, because I just didn’t feel like pressuring people and also because I didn’t give a shit about my job.
On a side note, to entertain myself I tried to piss off customers as much as possible while being polite. This game provided me a bunch of funny stories.
The guy makes his living as a BB manager, I would be
sexually frustrated too.
Oh and you think if they walked out without the 2 videos it would put a dent in their yearly earnings??
@Rover232: That doesn’t excuse swearing in public at a stranger when you are paid to do your job in a courteous and polite fashion.
Hey, Sarah- If you paid with a credit or debit card, be sure you watch your card for a bit for unauthorized charges from that store. If the manager was really that frustrated, he might well sign you up or charge you for something without authorization.
Competition with Netflix surely makes Blockbuster a better company.
You know if I was ever in the position of asking people to sign up for a rewards program I’d probably offer it as a form of employee tip.
“I hope you enjoyed shopping here today, and if you want to express your thanks we have a rewards program for customers which benefits store employees. You’re not under any obligation to stay with it and we base all of our promotions and raises on who gets the most signups.”
I can’t stand the local Blockbuster…it’s no surprise to me that the’ve been closing stores left and right.
Good grief.
How dare you not listen to the man? I can’t imagine your hubris — not simply buying whatever upsell is pushed under your nose.
Look, in future, don’t get an attitude, just do what they tell you and pay for what they point at.
@mac-phisto: One of my earliest jobs at the ad agency was writing training videos (known in the “biz” as Industrial Video) – be aware that I was 19 when I was given these to write. That’s how much stock firms put in making these videos.
@spinachdip: Chapel Hill does have independent video stores, but they’re nowhere near this BB. And god forbid you have to drive across town and park at them, thanks to the town council. You can smoke anywhere you want but there’s nowhere to park.
You should try signing up for Earthlink Dialup. I had to sign up for Earthlink for a customer of mine. First the web form was broken, and only went as far as to say that the username I wanted was reserved, but wouldn’t take me any further, so I used the “Live Help” button. Everything went fairly normal until the end. They offered me about 8 services for a “low price.” It tacked on about another half hour to the job just saying “No thanks, just want the dialup,” over and over and over again.
@imxres: That’s because they are run by Scientologists, who operate their businesses on the assumption that productivity can go up forever, and if it doesn’t, the workers may be punished (I wish I was kidding).
I had Earthlink years ago when they were a local Atlanta ISP. They were terrific then. I wish I could go back in time, clone them, and use the clone as my ISP now.
@spinachdip: Well that may not work so well if one believes the acting like a jerk hypothesis
“Reasonable upsells are tolerable when delivered by polite employees, but no customer should be subjected to aggressive outbursts, especially not from managers.”
Agreed. And trust me, as an employee, Movie Gallery isn’t much better than what I’m hearing here. They’re relatively clear with what we do, but otherwise the same BS is there in the same scales, and it DOES effect our paychecks and continued employment; if you don’t get enough sales on certain things, you can actually be fired there. This leads to a LOT of slipping things in if you want to keep your job. (At least our rates are per-customer, not per-hour, but it’s still retarded and probably contributes to Movie Gallery’s current death spiral.)
Sad thing is, in Anchorage, I’m pretty sure we’re STILL the cheapest place in town outside of Netflix, and STILL have the overall best customer service (or at least fewest complaints), becuase these ‘cheats’ are either barely noticible (25c per item) or actually save the customer money (“This is $27. A $25 for $30 Discount Rental Card saves you $2 now and $3 later.” “K.”)
@FairsFair: Best solution to retarded customer service systems I have ever seen. I need to see if any of my service providers offer that… Pass the telemarketers to other Telemarketers, perhaps?
@Sushiwriter: Last training video I watched, midway through I looked at my boss and said “Really, I could make a better video with a half hour, two friends, five bucks, and a bag of potato chips.”
And I meant it.
Though to be honest, the chips were just because I was hungry.
“Beyond complaining to the Better Business Bureau, contact Blockbuster corporate at (214) 854-3000 and let them know their manager’s outrageous behavior cost them a customer.”
Guess it’s Netflix time.
All hail Redbox!
[www.redbox.com]
@adrenaline: Everyone should read this (Adrenaline’s) comment. If employees hate it, if customers hate it, something is wrong. Could it be, perhaps, that upper management has not done enough thinking about their business practices, and business model? Adrenaline, if you have a Trader Joe’s in your city, try working there, you will be vastly happier, and interact with happy customers.
Upselling is an evil practice — quick-buck BS — that I hope goes the way of 8-track tapes. It’s just a lousy way for human beings to interact with, or treat, other human beings. Try increasing your revenue by pleasing and delighting customers (as opposed to irritating them).
This exact situation happened to my girlfriend and me, as well, at the same Chapel Hill location (Airport Road), over the same program, presumably by the same employee. We rented a movie around midnight during the middle of May and the guy at the checkout offered the Rewards program to my girlfriend as she was paying. She politely declined but the employee pressed further. After several adamant refusals, she finally asked if he received some sort of a commission for every customer he signed up. He said no, “You just need to realize you are making a bad financial decision.” She again said no, thanks. and he said “FINE, but just so you know, this is a BAD decision.” I had to keep my mouth shut as to not get into a situation I knew I would regret. As we drove away, she was going to call the BBB in the morning, but we realized we never caught the employee’s name. It’s really sad that this wasn’t a one time, “bad night” kind of thing for this employee, but apparent store policy.
My guess is that corporate was pushing upsells and a local area was doing some sort of an incentive. When I worked a national Christian bookstore, our corporate pushed upselling their card. Although we didn’t make money from corporate on it, we had a huge competition in my store with a nice gift card or cash for the winner.
That still doesn’t excuse this moron for being so rude to a customer, just pointing out a good chance of why he’s pushing it
related to what someone else said about add-ons…
i don’t know how many times i’ve heard “customers deserve respect!” in cases like this. but you know what? it goes both ways. add-ons are a part of retail…always. so give us 2 seconds to tell you the deal, and then you can politely decline. interrupting and being rude about us just doing our jobs does not make us want to treat you any nicer…even though we always have to.
*being very clear that i think this guy has way more issues that a few rude customers and that Sarah was very wonderful and polite about declining.