We lost the argument with the big orange borg employee

allen levine

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new york city burbs
Im not sure how stores like this remain in business.

(well, I know how, but thats not the point)

I missed my local hardware last night, he closed at 6, I had just left work, and didnt make him.
I wanted to pick up some Kilz for this morning, to block out some stained sections of my stairs, and paint it all white.
After dinner, my wife and I headed for the orange borg.
Its only 1.5 miles from my house, but I wanted to have it when I got up today so I could get going.
When we got to the cashier, I handed her the kilz and the 220 grit sandpaper I had.
She seemed to be having a problem with the scanner, with the kilz, so I asked her, "do you want me to get a different can, maybe the..." but she interrupted me and said, "sir, just be patient, Ill get it!"
She said it in a very condenscending way, snobbish to be accurate.
I looked at my wife, we shrugged it off, lets just get in and out of here.
Im holding a twenty in my hands, knowing the kilz is 14 and change, and the sandpaper is like 3 and change ,I believe. Wasnt sure with tax if a twenty would handle it.
So Im waiting for her to give me the price, she just looks at me, and my wife notices the credit card pad where the price shows, and my wife says,"excuse me, I think theres something wrong."
Now the cashier rolls her eyes, and says, "NO, Nothing is wrong, you will get 11.(whatever change she said) back from the twenty. You have 2 items, do you want me to explain it to you?"
My wife said, "No, thankyou very much, have a nice evening."

I also tried to ask about the change when she handed me 11 and change, since the kilz was almost 15 by itself.(the cashier shook her head, I did not see the receipt, without my glasses, I cant see the credit card pad)

She double rang the sand paper and we tried twice to tell her she was wrong, but she insisted we were just being inpatient.

amazing. simply amazing.
 
You tried Allen.:dunno: Must be that new math in school. You would think the cashiers would have some type of clue as to what things cost in the store they are working. My wife did when she was a cashier. Not the exact price but a good idea of what it costs.
 
You get what you pay for and that includes employees. You pay low wages, you generally get employees that are worth half what you're paying. You pay a decent wage and supply a decent work environment and you generally get better than your are paying for. Unfortunately, this logic does not only escape the big box stores ;-)
 
While there yesterday, I was handed something I was told was a standard disposable oxygen cylinder. However, I missed the small print that said "reverse threaded." Now, I suspect they won't let me return it, and certainly won't refund the $60 it's going to cost me to replace my (insert expletive here) torch.
 
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I hate to say it, but it could be a regional thing. Since moving to Nevada, I've found the help even at places like the Borg to be so much more friendly and helpful, I've been shocked...
 
I agree with Alan. You tried to do the right thing, but when refused, who are you to start an argument? :p

Most of the time when a cashier undercharges or overpays me, they are genuinely surprised and pleased that I speak up about it. But I've also had a few occasions like yours, Allen, where they were NOT going to be told they were wrong. Their loss, IMHO. :rolleyes:
 
Employee behavior at a big chain store is reflective of the local management. However, I'll make an exception to that statement for Home Depot. Their service seems to always consider the customer as the least important factor in the equation. Do some searches and you will find reasons why I no longer even go into a HD. Would rather drive many miles or do without.
And, I'm not alone feeling this way. Our local HD and Lowe's are near each other. The HD parking lot would be a safe place to play cannons. Lowe's is invariable packed.
 
It would be real interesting to have taken a case like this to the management and seen their reaction. My vote is with what Frank said. I bet the Manager is just the same.

It aint complicated customer service but it is something that you have to believe in.:)
 
the management in this store is something I wont comment on.
Ive often found employees at this store totally uncooperative, or just unwilling to do anything.
The few that know anything, are overwhelmed with requests from other customers.
The management is often nowhere to be found.
I do travel to other HD and lowes to avoid this store, but its just so convenient, especially at night when I dont want to drive.
Its most likely my fault, since I go usually on a weekend evening, when they probably have their most inexperienced staff working.
 
Sometimes I am both dismayed and dumbfounded by the caliber of people in some of the local chain stores... I worked for a short time in a Lowe's near me.. (only about 40 miles away)... I was actually reprimanded by the sales manager/customer service manager for "spending too much time with customers"... go figure... I've worked in customer service longer than he's lived in the world.. my career was over 40 years in international shipping, which is essentially a pure customer service job...
 
must be a new york thing, never had a problem here...:D

A few years back, I moved from California to Ohio. I was amazed at the different customer service attitude between the two places. The SoCal attitude was generally "Yeah, Dude, whattaya bothering me for." The Ohio borg employees are, almost without exception, friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. I prefer Ohio! :D
 
Many years ago when we bought our first house I bought a bunch of stuff from the local hardware store. I used a credit card, signed the slip and put it in my wallet not giving it much thought. The end of the month came and my wife was going over the bills she asked me about a credit of some $50+ dollars to our account. It seems the clerk had used a refund slip rather then a credit card slip so instead of charging me she actually gave me the materials and credited my account for the amount. I dug out the slip and went back to the hardware store to correct their problem. You should have seen the look on the manager/owners face when I showed him what happened. He was dumb founded that I actually after several weeks wanted to make things right.
 
A few years back, I moved from California to Ohio. I was amazed at the different customer service attitude between the two places. The SoCal attitude was generally "Yeah, Dude, whattaya bothering me for." The Ohio borg employees are, almost without exception, friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. I prefer Ohio! :D

sorry. You can go to any store at any given time, especially the big chains, and find idiot employees. I dont care where you are, or what chain youre in.
I can travel 30 more minutes to a hd and find the same age employee who is sweet as sugar and cant do enough to help me.
crap employees are crap employees.
Management is careless, its their job to weed out the bad ones, and keep things running smooth.
 
They probably won't even figure this error out unless someone in that store [who cares] reads this thread. The cashier's register will balance - she rang you out for 2 sandpapers and charged you properly for 2 sandpapers. One each sand paper and gallon of paint is likely immaterial to even just that store, so it is unlikely that a physical inventory will indicate this as an error, even if noticed. Even if it is noted as an error, there's almost no way to track it to the cashier for this particular transaction.
 
Some are an agrovation... Tonight I wanted some fitting for so large tubing for the Pool. They sell the tubing but not the fittings. Geeze what good is it. "I bought it a couple years ago from xyz store, (didn't want to drive an extra 15 miles round trip at $3 gal.) (thing is... xyz store is little over half the size of the new local store, yet they have more product. ) managerment problem. Already complained once about the lack of service from "Associates" reponse was "Special needs employees"

BTW my grandson is a BORG "Associate" at the xyz store when he is not in school. (A UK Engineering student) Such a difference between the two stores. I blame it on management, as tonight I had to beg to find an associate to help find the part went to service desk and was greeted by blank faces who hadn't a clue... Is it any wounder why the Mom & Pop Hardware store less than 1/2 mile away is flurishing even after the "Walmart" of hardware supply moved in... Good service and knowledge of products makes a difference. Will be there (Mom & Pop) in the AM to get my parts. Sorry I waited till they closed to remember I needed the parts.
 
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Some are an agrovation... Tonight I wanted some fitting for so large tubing for the Pool. They sell the tubing but not the fittings. Geeze what good is it. "I bought it a couple years ago from xyz store, (didn't want to drive an extra 15 miles round trip at $3 gal.) (thing is... xyz store is little over half the size of the new local store, yet they have more product. ) managerment problem. Already complained once about the lack of service from "Associates" reponse was "Special needs employees"

BTW my grandson is a BORG "Associate" at the xyz store when he is not in school. (A UK Engineering student) Such a difference between the two stores. I blame it on management, as tonight I had to beg to find an associate to help find the part went to service desk and was greeted by blank faces who hadn't a clue... Is it any wounder why the Mom & Pop Hardware store less than 1/2 mile away is flurishing even after the "Walmart" of hardware supply moved in... Good service and knowledge of products makes a difference. Will be there (Mom & Pop) in the AM to get my parts. Sorry I waited till they closed to remember I needed the parts.
Bill, you can say the name of the store, no need for heiroglyphics..:D
 
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The Lowes and Home Depot near me are staffed by very courteous and helpful people but most of them lack real knowledge. If I don't know exactly what I'm looking for to fix something I go to the local hardware store where most of the people who work there have been working there for years and know exactly what I need and where it is.

On a side note. A few years ago I got my credit card bill and I had a negative balance of $5000. They had credited my $500 payment as $5500 :eek:. I called them to make them aware of the problem and was told on 3 occasions that they don't make mistakes like this and it has to be my error. I sent them 2 letters and never received a response. I cut up the card and have not used it again. I still get a monthly statement showing the negative balance :dunno:
 
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