author_by_night (author_by_night) wrote in bad_service,
author_by_night
author_by_night
bad_service

Old Waldenbooks Bad Service

Up until about a year or two ago, our mall had a Waldenbooks. (It went out of business, and the scenario I am about to give you may help explain why.) The cashiers were usually obnoxious teenagers or college kids. They'd block bookcases for no reason, stopping to talk  (loudly) about a movie they'd just seen or a concert they wanted to go to, little things like that. But what really got me was how annoying they'd be if you happened to have a question.

Me: Hi, I had a question. I heard Blah Blah Blah by Yak Yak was out  - is it in your store, and I'm just missing it, or do you not have it?

Cashier: *Blank stare*

Me: ... :) ?

Cashier: Do you need something?

Me: I wanted to know if -

Cashier: *Impatient sigh*

Me:... you guys have a book called Blah Blah Blah by an author named Yak Yak?

Cashier: I dunno.

Me: You haven't heard when or if Yak Yak's new book is going to be at your store?

Cashier: Like, I dunno.  *Rolls eyes, ignoring computer clearly meant for book searching* 

Every other time I asked about a book, they acted like that. I mean, I can understand if I was asking them where the mystery novels were or something, (in other words, not even looking in the appropriate sections), but is it that hard to be polite when it's a reasonable question? It was very obvious they hated their jobs... and I get that. But don't treat your customers like they're being annoying because of it. I'm sure not everyone at the other bookstore in town wants to be there either, but they never give me "GTFO" vibes when I walk in or have a question.

I'm sorry they went out of business, but I do have to wonder why the management hired people who treated the customers that way.
Tags: bad training
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