the customer is NOT always right: part trois

This is an old story I found in one of my journals the other day and it was just TOO good to not share with you.

Exactly a year ago we had our vivanno nourishing blend promotion. While I am adamant about Starbucks Coffee Company being a COFFEE company, I was all for the platform because the drinks were healthy, and a meal in and of itself.

Side-note: the graphic designer for that promotional design must have been on acid as s/he designed this campaign. It was so ridiculous… we had window clings and they looked like my drawings from the fourth grade. In fact one of the window clings, a man doing a karate kick was to be removed because it was deemed “inappropriate.”

That was just a side note. In addition to the design sucking, corporate decided to give registered starbucks card members a free vivanno as a promotional treat. And that was cool. Only, it would have been nice if they send us the memo first before the registered members came in demanding free vivannos because they said they got an email about it.

Well that was all news to me. Two days later corporate decided to pass on the message to us. Thank you corporate. But it is your fault I had to deal with this crazy… well I wont call him a complete crazy, he was at the time. But a week later he actually came back and apologized to me, which was sweet.

So this is the back story: GI Joe (im sorry I have to call him that because he looked like the figurine) came in on Wednesday and ordered three vivannos thinking he would get them all for free because he is a registered starbucks card holder and the vague email said something to that effect I guess. Although I was not there on Wednesday he gave me the story of what happened, the register partner refused to give him the free drinks and thus he had to pay for the three vivannos, he was also five minutes late to his business meeting (the cherry on top of his story I guess).

SO this is what went down Saturday afternoon, when I get in I check the portal memo about the miscommunication… and I was totally apprehensive that some crazy was going to yell about this because WE SHOULD HAVE KNOWN even though there was no way for us to know. And knowing my luck it would be on my shift.

***

B= register partner, ive been calling her bean lately because she has not given me another alias for her.
GIJ= very annoyed GI Joe
V= valerie, interrupted while on a cleaning spree

***

B = (interrupts me while scrubbing the bathroom) Val, there is some angry guy out front demanding to be refunded for three drinks and also he wants a free drink made from him now, and he is scaring me.

V = (since ‘scary’ people are a common occurance at my store I run into the back room to grab my cell phone because the police are on speed dial and they know me very very well before I start my encounter with this man). Hi sir how may I help you today?

GIJ = you have to refund me for these drinks and I want a free vivanno right now.

V = ok sir can I see your receipt please? And can you tell me why you need to be refunded, were you dissatisfied with the way the beverages tasted?

GIJ = No I was not *dissatisfied* (he mocked my very polite voice, way to piss off the lady you are trying to get free shit from). I was ANGRY that NO ONE WOULD GIVE ME MY DRINKS FOR FREE WHEN STARBUCKS SAID I COULD HAVE THEM FREE BECAUSE I AM A REGISTERED STARBUCKS CARD HOLDER (shows off his starbucks card like I have never seen one before).

V = (im still being polite and friendly even though this guy is an obvious ass) Ohhhh ok sir I understand, there was this big miscommunication, yourself and other card holders received this email but starbucks never let us know that we were supposed to do this, even my manager didnt know….

GIJ = (cuts me off as im speaking and about to refund him for one drink) I DONT CARE WHAT MISCOMMUNICATION HAPPENED I WAS CHARGED AND I WAS LATE FOR MY MEETING I WANT MY MONEY AND A FREE DRINK NOW.

V = ok sir, there is no need to get angry, im going to refund you for one of your beverages as that is what the email you received specified.

GIJ = AND I WANT A FREE DRINK NOW

V = sir I can refund you and you can buy yourself a drink with that money or I can make you a drink and not refund you. Im willing to give you the one beverage you were supposed to get for free.

GIJ = JUST GIVE ME MY FUCKING MONEY AND FREE BEVERAGE

V = (at this point I had had it). You know sir. Enough with the cursing. I will not be refunding you today and you will not be getting a free beverage. You can come back tomorrow when my manager is here, but while I am here running this store you are going to have to leave because I do not appreciate how you are talking to me and I am starting to feel threatened.

GIJ = I CAN FUCKING TALK TO YOU HOWEVER I WANT

V = (gets out cell phone) are you going to leave or do I have to call the cops?

GIJ = (leaves)

***

About a week later he comes back and when I see him I go do a lobby slide because I refuse to make this man a drink after the way I was treated so I let B handle him on her own. I know he never called my manager to complain, which shocked me, but what shocked me next was he came over to me as I was cleaning up spilled sugar and said…

GIJ = Miss… I am so sorry I treated you like that the other day… My son had just got in a car accident and was in the hospital… I would never talk to a lady like that and I am just so sorry…

V = apology accepted, I understand we all have bad days, and you know you are the first person that has ever apologized… so thank you because you made my day.

***

As he leaves and I go back behind the counter I notice a 20 in the tip jar. I ask B where that came from and she said that crazy man. I let her know, he was crazy that time, but he said sorry. And in my book.. Yes ill be your verbal punching bag for a day because we all have bad days…. But that man set a precedent.

YOU HAVE TO SAY SORRY AFTER.
AND MEAN IT!!!


Xoxo
Valerie