(no subject)
I had a sort of verbal altercation with a customer today. When he first called, he did not acknowledge me at all on the phone. He stated his order, and despite my attempts to talk to him he promptly hung up once he was finished telling me what he wanted to say. Problem is, he asked for a 12" thin crust, and we only have thin crusts in 14" size. All I could do was give him the 14" and hope it would be acceptable. After all, he wouldn't exactly clarify his wishes over the phone.
So I made the pizza and finally an old man came in to claim it. I gave him the pizza, took his credit card and proceeded as normal. He decided to take a look at the price and he was shocked and appalled. According to this gentleman, he had received "some paper" from us in the mail that told him he could get a 12" thin crust for a very low price. Clearly this was not the case, and the misinterpretation of his junk mail was an indication of his senility beginning to sink in. Of course over the phone I would have quoted him the price and he could have taken issue with it before it was made. I attempted to explain to him that there is no such thing as a 12" thin crust. I wasn't quite sure if he had heard me shouting it over the phone while he was busy blathering on. Still, he seemed to not register the slightest hint of understanding, further proof that he should be in a nursing home under constant supervision. Also he deemed it necessary to interrupt me constantly to explain once again that he had received "some paper" from us that promised a magical non-existent pizza.
Eventually I was getting very upset with him, although I held my tongue as far as saying anything insulting. I told him that I was the manager in charge even though I wasn't technically at that time because I thought he was being really rude and I wanted to deal with him myself. That was my mistake, that's where I should have walked away. He even called me a crappy manager, and I really had a hard time holding back. That's when my boss walked over and gave him the pizza for free. Even though I knew why my boss was doing it, it really ticked me off that this guy got a free pizza out of being a douchebag who couldn't clear the cobwebs from his mind for a few moments. Also I felt kind of undermined since I had assumed the role of manager in charge. I felt a twinge of cowardice that almost convinced me to just walk away into the back room, but instead I stood there and took it.
It's a good learning experience though. I learned that I have kind of a short fuse when people won't listen to me. I guess that explains why I was so violent as a kid. So I need to work on taking a step back when someone is being stubborn instead of trying to stand up and butt heads with them. That sort of thing usually gets nowhere.
So I made the pizza and finally an old man came in to claim it. I gave him the pizza, took his credit card and proceeded as normal. He decided to take a look at the price and he was shocked and appalled. According to this gentleman, he had received "some paper" from us in the mail that told him he could get a 12" thin crust for a very low price. Clearly this was not the case, and the misinterpretation of his junk mail was an indication of his senility beginning to sink in. Of course over the phone I would have quoted him the price and he could have taken issue with it before it was made. I attempted to explain to him that there is no such thing as a 12" thin crust. I wasn't quite sure if he had heard me shouting it over the phone while he was busy blathering on. Still, he seemed to not register the slightest hint of understanding, further proof that he should be in a nursing home under constant supervision. Also he deemed it necessary to interrupt me constantly to explain once again that he had received "some paper" from us that promised a magical non-existent pizza.
Eventually I was getting very upset with him, although I held my tongue as far as saying anything insulting. I told him that I was the manager in charge even though I wasn't technically at that time because I thought he was being really rude and I wanted to deal with him myself. That was my mistake, that's where I should have walked away. He even called me a crappy manager, and I really had a hard time holding back. That's when my boss walked over and gave him the pizza for free. Even though I knew why my boss was doing it, it really ticked me off that this guy got a free pizza out of being a douchebag who couldn't clear the cobwebs from his mind for a few moments. Also I felt kind of undermined since I had assumed the role of manager in charge. I felt a twinge of cowardice that almost convinced me to just walk away into the back room, but instead I stood there and took it.
It's a good learning experience though. I learned that I have kind of a short fuse when people won't listen to me. I guess that explains why I was so violent as a kid. So I need to work on taking a step back when someone is being stubborn instead of trying to stand up and butt heads with them. That sort of thing usually gets nowhere.