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Thread: FTD: When You Hate Your Customers

  1. #1
    Stegodon
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    Default FTD: When You Hate Your Customers

    Qadgop started an interesting thread about the ethical dilemma of being a prison physician (and haven't we all wondered how he manages to DO that?).

    But you know, when I worked for one of the Big Soft Drink Companies on the account team for a Big Fast Food Company, they had almost as much scorn for their customers. It was definitely a case of "Let them eat crap".

    I'm thinking this is one of the downsides of capitalism, the worship of the dollar that DOES make us infidels. In a sense.

    Do YOU have scorn for your customers, and does that attitude serve you well?

  2. #2
    Oliphaunt Rube E. Tewesday's avatar
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    Default Re: FTD: When You Hate Your Customers

    I firmly believe that if you have contempt for the people who provide your living, it's a pretty good sign that you have a problem, not them.

    Would you mind clarifying something about your OP -- did your team despise the fast food companies and the people who ate their food, or was it that the fast food companies held their customers in contempt?

  3. #3
    Stegodon
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    Default Re: FTD: When You Hate Your Customers

    They despised the food, and held anyone who ate it in contempt.

    And - they all drank water. None of them drank their own products. Except the bottled water.

    Some of the restaurants were good and the people who ran them did a good job. Small-time franchisers who were conscientious people.

    They didn't have any power, though, that was all held by the big franchisers.

    I just thought it was all so strange. My bosses were very well compensated, and bored stiff. I thought it was a high price to pay for wasting their lives. OTOH, it would be nice to own a Porsche.

  4. #4
    Elephant
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    Default Re: FTD: When You Hate Your Customers

    If you hate your employees, customers or clients...

    That's a great big CLUE that it's time for you to move on.

    That's a lesson I learned long ago and I wish more people would learn it before tormenting their staff or abusing their customers. The worst bosses I've ever had were the ones who held their employees in contempt, even if they themselves didn't recognize it or would ever admit it.


    To be sure, I hate, loath and hold in contempt a small but significant percentage of the people who I have to deal with in tech support, but I have three main categories of "I hate dealing with these people" people;

    1> I'mtoobusytalkinganddoingsomethingcompletelydiffer entfromwhatyouwantmetodo
    andI'mgettingmadatyoubecauseit'snotworking.

    Seriously, if you can't be bothered to listen and do what I need you to do to diagnose the problem, then call back when you CAN do that.

    2> Me: Push "continue"
    Them: You want me to press "continue"?
    Me: Yes.
    Them: Ok, so I should press continue?
    Me: Yes, push the continue button.
    (long silence)
    Me: Ok, what do you see on the screen?
    Them: (describe screen they should have left by pressing 'continue')
    Me: Did you press Continue?
    Them: Oh, did you want me to press continue?
    Me: Yes, PLEASE.
    Them: Ok, so I should press continue.
    Me (silently): YES, FOR THE LAST TIME, PUSH THE FUCKING BUTTON ALREADY!!

    These people turn 10 minute calls into 40 minute calls by being physically incapable of following instructions without asking a minimum of three times if they should do what you just told them to do.

    3> Me: Select option A.
    Them: I'm selecting option B.
    Me: Are you trying to do A or B? You told me you wanted to do A.
    Them: whatever works.
    Me: Do you want to do A or B?
    Them: (three screens into doing B) I want to do A.
    Me: Then why are you selecting B?
    Them: Because I want to get it working.
    Me: (Help them do B).
    Them: (now angry) I thought you were going to help me do A.
    Me: So did I, but you insisted on doing B. Thanks for calling.

    Hell, I've only been doing this for three months and I already dread dealing with these people on a regular basis. I can see where, if I were stuck in this job for 20 years over some misplaced loyalty or ideal, I would become dead inside and unable to deal with anyone in a respectful manner.
    I reserve the right to be bothered by things that don't faze you,
    and to cheerfully ignore things that bug the shit out of you.
    I am not you.

  5. #5
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    Default Re: FTD: When You Hate Your Customers

    Quote Originally posted by fessie
    None of them drank their own products. Except the bottled water.
    Which happens to be one of the stupidest things they produce. In most places, the water is at least drinkable if not palatable, and a filter can make it palatable in most of the places where it is not. There is no excuse for bottled water in most cases.

    That's just an interesting example of cognitive dissonance at work.

  6. #6
    Stegodon
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    Default Re: FTD: When You Hate Your Customers

    I dunno. The difference between bottled water and the local water passed through a Brita filter--I've had occasion to drink them back-to-back several times--is freakin' huge. You need a thorough, expensive reverse osmosis system to emulate the taste and quality of bottled water here.

    Granted, we have an odd situation, what with being on the Mexican border and all. Pollution regulations are just not the same down there, and they wouldn't be followed even if they were, so our water ends up being just as dirty.
    Every dialect is a language, but not every language is a dialect. - Einar Haugen

  7. #7
    Stegodon
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    Default Re: FTD: When You Hate Your Customers

    That FTD thing in my thread title is really stupid, but it's cracking me up - anybody else remember the old floral ad, "When you care enough to send the very best".

  8. #8
    Citizen
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    Default Re: FTD: When You Hate Your Customers

    This gives me something to think about. I think I have a bit of scorn for my clients about 25% of the time. Sometimes they want to do something stupid and they want my OK. Or worse, they've done something stupid and want me to fix it cheaply and quickly after they've gotten in trouble. I don't say anything directly but I tell them the truth about things.

  9. #9
    Banned
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    Default Re: FTD: When You Hate Your Customers

    Quote Originally posted by Derleth
    Quote Originally posted by fessie
    None of them drank their own products. Except the bottled water.
    Which happens to be one of the stupidest things they produce. In most places, the water is at least drinkable if not palatable, and a filter can make it palatable in most of the places where it is not. There is no excuse for bottled water in most cases.

    That's just an interesting example of cognitive dissonance at work.
    I question the assumption that people only buy bottled water because they're under the misapprehension that it is somehow magically healthier than tap water. I buy bottled water (albeit rarely) because I'm out and about and don't happen to have my reusable water bottle with me. I'm sure a lot of bottled water purchases happen because people forgot or can't be bothered to carry around a sturdy water bottle.

    Besides, water is at least not actively pathogenic, like soda.

  10. #10
    Stegodon
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    Default Re: FTD: When You Hate Your Customers

    At my old job I used to take the view that any of my coworkers that had come to the point of "oh god, another order?!?" was sorely in need of a break. After all - it may be silly but the adage "if you don't take care of your customers someone else will" is repeated for a reason. I include myself in that group - I had several days when I thought "if this phone rings and someone wants something special one more fucking time..." but I knew that was my cue to exit ASAP and take a long lunch or chill out or veg or something to come back with a better attitude.

    I find their attitudes towards the people that buy their product reprehensible. I've always said that if you can make the money then make it and be proud of it, but I would also (personally) want to take some pride in what I am producing.

    Now, having said all that and made myself feel rosy and shit, I'll say this: since I went back to school and started bartending I have learned to loathe the actions of some customers. I still like the people and they are very entertaining, but now I know just how badly they abuse their bodies and what they put into them and how out of control some of them are (regulars that drink more than one person should almost 5 nights a week). It makes me disgusted sometimes and makes me consume less of my own product. But that's not because I have disdain for the product or quality, it's because I've been watching what overuse will do to a person.

    Bottled water - I am in the same boat as Exy. I often just want water and although I am sure tap water is fine, it's a bit difficult to carry around in my hands...
    Something witty and just obscure enough to make you think I'm cool.

  11. #11
    Banned
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    Default Re: FTD: When You Hate Your Customers

    Quote Originally posted by ShelliBean
    Now, having said all that and made myself feel rosy and shit, I'll say this: since I went back to school and started bartending I have learned to loathe the actions of some customers. I still like the people and they are very entertaining, but now I know just how badly they abuse their bodies and what they put into them and how out of control some of them are (regulars that drink more than one person should almost 5 nights a week). It makes me disgusted sometimes and makes me consume less of my own product. But that's not because I have disdain for the product or quality, it's because I've been watching what overuse will do to a person.
    That's got to be an interesting but sad perspective to have . . . you should start an ask the bartender thread, or start threads with any comical or tragic stories you have, because I bet there's some interesting stuff.

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