Calgary Customer Service....what happened?

[MacDougalbry]

OT, but the last Earls I went to, the Chicken Breast entree was like $18.95. Yikes.

[Nicole]

The last time I ate at Earl's (a couple months ago) I had this mediterranean chicken pasta and although I thought it tasted good ( a little too much olive oil though), I ended up getting sooooo sick that night from it .. very obvious case of food poisoning and I will never go back.

[ken0042]

Originally Posted by Nicole

I ended up getting sooooo sick that night from it .. very obvious case of food poisoning.

Just to make you aware; most cases of food poisoning take at least 24 hours for you to show symptoms. The fastest it can happen is 4 hours later, but that is extremely rare. Seldom does it happen quicker that 12 hours.

[Nicole]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Just to make you aware; most cases of food poisoning take at least 24 hours for you to show symptoms. The fastest it can happen is 4 hours later, but that is extremely rare. Seldom does it happen quicker that 12 hours.

Yes, I do know that but from my understanding it depends on the organism causing the food poisoning and some people actually develop symptoms within a few hours of eating contaminated food. Considering my sister ate the exact same thing and had the exact same reaction, I am thinking it had to be food poisoning. Also, I had a similar experience with the exact same symptoms another time when my friend and I each had one Malibu w/ pineapple juice at this particular bar a year ago and we both ended up sick that night with the exact same symptoms, only about 2 hours later ... and it wasn't from being drunk b/c we only had ONE drink. Obviously there was something wrong with that pineapple juice

Anyway, totally OT .. sorry.

[showtime]

You customers can be just as bad. haha, today i had some 50ish guy come in on his cell phone to pick up his pizza. He walks in looks at me says pickup,continues to talk on his phone. I asked him under what name Fred or Patrick, he says Pat(3 other people waiting for pizza said they heard the same). I grab the pizza for Patrick ask him to pay. He sees it's only one pizza and goes off about how is he going feed is family with that. He goes on his phone and clearly says hang on a second im dealing with an idiot. He then grabs his pizza walks through another waiting customer who just walked in leaves shaking his head.

Well the next person in line is Patrick. Another older guy, who is pleasent as can be, i explain the mistake and run the first guy down. Who then calls me an idiot again, comes back grabs his food, i say hang on one second so i can ring the difference you owe through. To which he says Fata that and leaves.

Im pretty angry at this point, but thinking at least im done dealing with that guy. Well he phones back to continue to complain, about the mix up and about how the pizza was cold. He claims he'll use his clout to get me fired, and i will get whats coming to me, and i'm lucky he didnt kick my ass. To which i replied well if you change your mind you know where to find me *click*.


So cut these people some slack every once and awhile they have to deal with idiots too.

[JohnnyFlame]

Ok let's mention a place that actually has good service and that is Chesney's Home Hardware. One of the few places I've gone for supplies and had a knowledgeable person give excellent help. And I didnt have to roam around looking for an employee.

[SpitFire40]

I agree, customers need to use their freaking brains too.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by showtime

You customers can be just as bad. haha, today i had some 50ish guy come in on his cell phone to pick up his pizza. He walks in looks at me says pickup,continues to talk on his phone. I asked him under what name Fred or Patrick, he says Pat(3 other people waiting for pizza said they heard the same). I grab the pizza for Patrick ask him to pay. He sees it's only one pizza and goes off about how is he going feed is family with that. He goes on his phone and clearly says hang on a second im dealing with an idiot. He then grabs his pizza walks through another waiting customer who just walked in leaves shaking his head.

Well the next person in line is Patrick. Another older guy, who is pleasent as can be, i explain the mistake and run the first guy down. Who then calls me an idiot again, comes back grabs his food, i say hang on one second so i can ring the difference you owe through. To which he says Fata that and leaves.

Im pretty angry at this point, but thinking at least im done dealing with that guy. Well he phones back to continue to complain, about the mix up and about how the pizza was cold. He claims he'll use his clout to get me fired, and i will get whats coming to me, and i'm lucky he didnt kick my ass. To which i replied well if you change your mind you know where to find me *click*.


So cut these people some slack every once and awhile they have to deal with idiots too.

Ha ha. What a dick. He's threatening to use his "clout" to get a guy at a pizza joint fired? That's pretty impressive. He sounds like a regular Al Capone.

If he does have any sort of influence with your boss and the issue comes up, tell him you want a raise or you are walking out the door right now.

[jroc]

Yea working in retail I can definately say that there are some customers that are complete dicks... nothing is worse than someone who talks down to you and shows you no respect..

[FireFly]

I like being treated like I'm not human because I'm on the other end of the phone... It's okay, you don't have to be polite to me jackass. I'm not really human, I'm just an extension of that automated system you couldn't find your way out of. Idiot. No need to wish me a good day or thank me for helping you. Feel free to hang up when you get the answer. Don't forget to swear at me first because it wasn't the one you wanted!

[SpitFire40]

Originally Posted by FireFly

I like being treated like I'm not human because I'm on the other end of the phone... It's okay, you don't have to be polite to me jackass. I'm not really human, I'm just an extension of that automated system you couldn't find your way out of. Idiot. No need to wish me a good day or thank me for helping you. Feel free to hang up when you get the answer. Don't forget to swear at me first because it wasn't the one you wanted!

Telus's automated system does suck ass though... and why don't they have reference numbers so when you call next time you don't have to go through the same spiel?

[FireFly]

Originally Posted by SpitFire40

Telus's automated system does suck ass though... and why don't they have reference numbers so when you call next time you don't have to go through the sam spiel?

Are you talking landline or wireless?

I should post this somewhere. If you want to get through to landline you say:

Agent. Either Billing or Repair. Home or Business. It will then ask you for your phone number. You tell it your number and then wait.

For wireless... I don't know because I never call myself! Ha!

Seriously though, same theory will apply. Say Agent. It'll ask you what type of agent you need. I never have issues getting through any automated system. It isn't rocket science, answer the nice lady's questions and you'll get where you need to go.

They don't give you numbers so that you don't decide for yourself where you need to go, you let the system decide for you. An additional 10% of calls get directed properly the first time with the system. Would you rather wait on hold for 10 minutes only to be told you got the wrong department and are going to have to wait for another 10 minutes?

[showtime]

Originally Posted by RougeUnderoos

Ha ha. What a dick. He's threatening to use his "clout" to get a guy at a pizza joint fired? That's pretty impressive. He sounds like a regular Al Capone.

If he does have any sort of influence with your boss and the issue comes up, tell him you want a raise or you are walking out the door right now.

Well I run the store so im not to worried about getting fired, i talked to the owner right after and he was like man what a tool. He's an amazing boss, I will never forget this time a lady came in with a measuring tape saying her pizza was only 9.5 inches and it's suppose to be 10'. He looked at her, stone faced, and replied, man i feel sorry for your husband, he keeps telling you its 7' and you keep bringing him down telling him its 5.5'. I laughed for about an hour straight.

[Mr.Coffee]

Originally Posted by showtime

Well I run the store so im not to worried about getting fired, i talked to the owner right after and he was like man what a tool. He's an amazing boss, I will never forget this time a lady came in with a measuring tape saying her pizza was only 9.5 inches and it's suppose to be 10'. He looked at her, stone faced, and replied, man i feel sorry for your husband, he keeps telling you its 7' and you keep bringing him down telling him its 5.5'. I laughed for about an hour straight.

Holy crap... what kind of circus pizza place do you work at? Who the **** takes a measuring tape to their pizza? I've worked at two pizza places... never had stories like THAT before...

customers are actually fairly hilarious when they start to treat you like that guy did in the first instance. The reason is because they just end up making themselves look like idiots when they think everybody is on their side.

When I did the door to door gig with Direct Energy... wow... do I have stories for you about how people can treat other people with the lowest amounts of respect. I realise having your door knocked is annoying... but there is NO amount of annoyances that justified some of that behaviour.

[SpitFire40]

Originally Posted by showtime

Well I run the store so im not to worried about getting fired, i talked to the owner right after and he was like man what a tool. He's an amazing boss, I will never forget this time a lady came in with a measuring tape saying her pizza was only 9.5 inches and it's suppose to be 10'. He looked at her, stone faced, and replied, man i feel sorry for your husband, he keeps telling you its 7' and you keep bringing him down telling him its 5.5'. I laughed for about an hour straight.

HAHAHA, nice

[Hack&Lube]

Hmm, I only ever eat at McDonalds downtown, I believe I saw Firefly there once talking on the phone about hockey pools. The place is horribly designed, mildly unclean, but the service there is great and fast and cheap with the amount of chaos that happens in that place.

Before you all rag on me for some Supersize me jokes, I only ever buy the stuff that McDonald's actually loses money on (The $1.39 menu). Can't beat a nice fruit & fibre bran muffin AND a small coffee with refills for only $1.39.

When it's that cheap and the place actually loses money on it, I really don't care about service. I watched them screw up like 5 orders in a row today...like some guy asked for a FRUIT & Yogurt Parfait and they gave him a large ROOT beer. Service is just something I wouldn't usually pay a premium for but then again, I'm not really one who would ever pay a premium for food unless the company was good.

As far as best service I've had in this city, Axe Music is simply amazing with it's totally helpful and friendly staff that do you favors or stay past their work hours to help you our or chat with you. Compared to other music stores where you are left in the cold and given the worst treatment, possible, that was totally different. And they actually try to help me save money.

[RougeUnderoos]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

When I did the door to door gig with Direct Energy... wow... do I have stories for you about how people can treat other people with the lowest amounts of respect. I realise having your door knocked is annoying... but there is NO amount of annoyances that justified some of that behaviour.

Did you ring the doorbell at 9 o'clock at night and lie to the person you were talking to and ask them where they were when you showed up earlier in the day?

Probably not, but a Direct Energy Dork came to the door and did that to me once.

[SpitFire40]

Door to door, or telemarketing isn't service. It's peddling and it's annoying as ****, and you deserve everything that comes to you for disturbing people.

[fredr123]

The other day I was asked, err, ordered to procure copious amounts of various wines for an office function downtown. I was given a list of about 6 or 7 different wines and told to go on my way. I went to the local liquor store just around the corner from the office. I told the clerk that I had a list of various wines and would like a box to pack them in and some help in finding them. He didn't take his eyes off the TV but told me whatever is on the shelves is what they have.

Needless to say that wasn't the response I was hoping for. I left and went to the liquor store near my house (by Huntington Hills). I asked for some assistance locating the wine and in about two minutes the manager was out there with another staff member finding everything I needed. They even took the time to look up some of the more obscure stuff in their computer and managed to find it all for me. On top of all that, they boxed it up for me, carried it out to my car and gave me a 10% discount. Total tab came out to just shy of $300 but all my business will go to them as a result.

Awesome service and, given the sentiment in this thread, experiences like this ought to be recognized.

[MacDougalbry]

Actually, real peddlers are the least annoying. There are so few of them these days and they are usually selling something quirky. (Only one guy last year, selling meat, only one this year, selling art.)

What is REALLY starting to burn me is charities coming door to door during the dinner hour (6 to 7PM.) In my book of etiquette, this is incredibly rude.... and especially annoying when you've got 2 fussy young kids at the dinner table, and they are trying to guilt you into contributing.