Submission: So today, being my 2nd open to close day of the week, I was worn out and tired just wanting to go home. I had been in the studio since 9:30am and it was now 4pm when the rudest customer of the day walked in the door.
She walked in and slammed her $4.99 coupon down on my counter, looked at me and said "If there is a sitting fee I will NOT do this!" Really lady?! I have NO idea who she is or why--as soon as she walked in--she was being hostile. I looked at the coupon and told her that it did not state on the coupon that there would be no session fee, so she would have to pay it because we have to do what the coupons say. She began telling me how 10 months ago she had a horrible experience with us and this is exactly why she does not come to our studio and goes to Portrait Avenue (who charges $25 a sheet) and would never come back. She stormed out. Five minutes later our phone rings and she is calling for corporate's number (which we do NOT have....... ANYWHERE! because corp never thought we would need it I guess) so I gave her some random number I found on a paper, while she was telling me that she works in retail and I should have done what it took to keep her as a customer and blah blah blah. I don't make enough money to put up with this and its just going to get worse with Christmas since they recently sent out a whole new batch of $4.99 coupons
So now, for me doing what I am told to do by corporate: get rid of the $4.99 by "overcoming" it, I have an irate customer who is going to call them and get loads of free sheets [True: she'll probably get 3 free sheets, miniumum]all because she was too cheap to spend more than 5 bucks.
[Sidenote: there are studios only open until four? My open-to-close was always 9-8.]
As the busy season ramps up, I need your submissions so email them to me!
Posts
8 comments:
Nope, im sorry, i sent you that story. We are open until 8pm... that lady had just came in at 4pm. I didnt even get to leave until after 9pm that night. Same as today..... and same as tomorrow, im sure. Gotta Love it. I Just cant wait until my 10pm nights! **BLAH**
That 4.99 coupon is a load of crap! It was bad enough when they sent it to customers who hadn't been in the studio for a long time, now they send it to everyone...PLUS put it in the newspaper. There is no way to get people to buy anything else, sales/PRS is down...so what does corporate do? Send out a few million more 4.99 packages, then get mad at the studios for not upselling them out of the coupon (almost impossible). And naturally, the most annoying, rude customers have that coupon and feel like we should bend down and kiss there butts. These are the people who take up over an hour of your time, want to change outfits 3 or 4 times and are super picky to turn around and only spend $5 (but somehow end up having a complaint about the price) Or get pissed off because they can't combine 4.99 packages. Seriously do people even stop to realize this is a BUSINESS?! We can't just give away everything for free...even though it is pretty darn close!
Be warned...Walmart now offers a 3.95 package, it will only be a matter of months before SPS also has that offer...
Customers will say ANYTHING to get a bargain! How irritating. Kind of wish you could just say, "Sorry, lady--keep going to Picture AVenue. I'm not putting up with your attitude!" I don't know what they are thinking. Obviously they've been bullys in the past and it has worked somewhere.
I would have red flagged that customer as soon as they left. Sounds like she was just wanting something for free. People are crazy! Why would you complain about a sitting you had a year ago? I would have done the same thing you did. I wouldnt waive a session fee if youre only spending 5 dollars!
Another thing I hate is when the customer gets mad at you for the additional sheets being 20 dollars.
Oh - and a few days ago I had a customer come in saying that customer service gave her permission to do 2 packages on one session. She even had an authorization code, apparently. Now you tell me how I'm going to "overcome" that sell.
How do u red flag someone? I told my Manager, and i am the Asst. Manager. yea, and thu also have the all so wonderful 800 # teling them they can use as many as they want in one day. Ugh, i hate the freaking 1-800#,,,,,,,,,,,, they shouldnt even exist. its just another example of cheap jobs over seas, screwing Americans over in more way than one!!
So, she wasn't willing to spend the 4.99 plus the 9.99 sit fit, but she'll pay $25 a SHEET?!?!
She's such a liar liar pants on fire.
I thought they truly hated us when it was a $9.99 coupon, but lately I've been thrilled to spot those. The $4.99 coupons are killing the studio I'm at. The best part is when the customers want you to discount it. I offered a woman a 20% discount (without requiring a coupon) because she committed to buying multiple framed fine art portraits, plus holiday cards and even a few sheets; having overheard the transaction, the woman spending $5 and using the free 10x13 coupon expects me to offer the her the same discount. I guess she thinks her pictures should be free because she's so special.
to red flag a customer, you have to email tech support with the customers name, number, session number and what happened. Usually if it is something crazy, they will back you up.
Post a Comment