A Funny Thing happened to me the other day...Go to Top
A funny thing happened to me in everyone's favorite store (Walmart) the other day. I ran in to what I thought would be a quick visit, needed to pick up a couple of things, and be out of there in a few minutes.
Usually I am able to do that, hunt for my items, pay for them at the "do it yourself" cashiers... you must have seen these in most of the stores now. I absolutely love these "do it yourself" check-outs... in Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, Supermarkets, if the store has this option to check out, I am there.
I don't have to attempt idle banter with a cashier who could'nt care less or some knuckle head who packs the bread on the bottom of the OJ. Well, you know, we've all had that happen...
Anyway, to my story... I run my items through the check out station, the bill was $24.00 and change... I put a fresh brand new crisp twenty into the payment slot and then follow it up with a five.
Well, the five was calculated, but the twenty never was... well, not that big of a deal I thought, I'll just have to call over the minimum wage genius that oversees this whole operation. Now, please don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with the minimum wage workers out there, at least they have some work ethic and are being productive but...
Lateisha comes on over and presses the "Refund" button and only the five comes out. Hmmm, she opens the machine and the next bill in order is a crumpled up old five...
She says, theres no twenty in here... I say there has to be a twenty in there, how about the 2nd bill, I put in a brand new crisp twenty... she looked, yes, there it was, my brand new twenty. So this genius slams the door where the money is stored, and says, that twenty was behind the five so that could not be your twenty.
Ok, then the automatic cashier machine made a mistake... the gentle genius says, and this is a gem, "These machines don't make no mistakes"!
Did she just call me a liar I thought... damn! she just insinuated I was lying... MANAGER! go get the manager I said...
The manager came over, I told her what happened, and that if the machine never makes a mistake, then you are saying I am a liar and I am scamming you for twenty bucks?
She says... NO, No but I have never seen these machines make a mistake...
Ok, in an attempt to make this already long story shorter, I asked if they could count the money against the receipts and I am sure they will see a plus twenty dollars... Manager said, No we can't do that now, but if you pay again, we could refund your money tomorrow... now, normally, by this time I may have taken her up on this, but, I am at an out of town Walmart, and had no interest of driving 2+ hours tomorrow to collect my twenty...
So I say, lets go to the "Film"... you have enough cameras around these auto cashiers stations to protect Ft.Knox... Ok, here's the million dollar answer to my request... Ready? she says, "Our loss prevention lady goes home at 5 o'clock"!
Now, I am not the brightest guy in the world, but I am certainly not the dumbest... I ask, "How does a store as large as this one that is open 24 hours, only have 1 loss prevention person, and she goes home at 5 o'clock... does all shoplifting cease at the 5 o'clock in this town?"
At this point I am already late, I am p***ed, and I say I am not paying for my items twice, since you say these machines never make a mistake, I need the manufacturer's name, your first and last name and I will be in touch. At this point, she says she is going to do a "Courtesy" for me and let me leave with my merchadise and not have to pay them again.
Thank you! Thank you!, but that is not enough, at my insistance, I gave her my license and phone number and requested that I receive a call tomorrow after they realize that the machine did indeed make an error and I want an apology... I know what some of you are thinking... just leave... but it really bothered me that I was completely innocent and honest here but was made to feel like I did something wrong... like I was trying to scam them.
Next day comes and no call... so I call... Manager I spoke to originnally was out to lunch... gave her a couple of hours...no call from her so I call again. She is still unavailable... so I ask for a different manager who eventually gets on the phone with me... I explain the whole situation to her and I said I felt like I was beig called a liar because your worker said that "These machines never make a mistake"...
Ok this is even a bigger gem... this is what she said: "Oh, those automatic cashiers make mistakes all the time sir... but I'll leave a message that you called."
Unbelievable! Well... as you may have already figured out, never got the apology... guess I never will.
Just wondering, has anything like this ever happened to anyone else?
Re: A Funny Thing happened to me the other day...Go to Top
I am absolutley convinced that, while not all, the majority of people who work at Walmart either lack motivation (the big majority) or intelligence. I am part owner in a business that fixes problems created in one of the Walmart departments (think cars). It is usually difficult to speak to anyone who seems to know what is going on. The exceptions are older individuals for whom it is a second career, a part job, or a fall back job after losing a job. Also occasionally there will be a bright newcomer but they don't last very long because they are promoted.
This is a true story. We did work on this department manager's auto and when his vehicle was 100 miles away he discovered a hole in the gas tank. He believed we were responsible for a hole in his gas tank and we may have been. This car was about 15 years old and I made arrangements to get a used gas tank it installed at no cost to him at a shop where the auto was. He couldn't decide if he wanted to install a used gas tank (I wasn't going to buy new). This conversation went on for about 4 weeks. Finally, all I know he was no longer working at this Walmart and I never heard from him again.
How would you like to have a department manager like that? He passed up a completely free repair with out ever seeking or receiving any other compensation.
Re: A Funny Thing happened to me the other day...Go to Top
Originally Posted by xrac
This is a true story. We did work on this department manager's auto and when his vehicle was 100 miles away he discovered a whole in the gas tank. He believed we were responsible for a whole in his gas tank and we may have been. This car was about 15 years old and I made arrangements
A whole what? Is that a kind of an animal?
Perhaps you mean a HOLE. (Couldn't resist).
Rick
------------------------------------ ILIAA
Training, Community, Support, and Success Independent Life Insurance Agents Assn rick@iliaa.org
Re: A Funny Thing happened to me the other day...Go to Top
Well, I have had an experience that is somewhat similar, Last fall I went to a Shell station and at $2.85 a gallon I put $18 and change in my13 gallon gas tank. I used my check card (Visa/debit) to charge the purchase. It spewed out a receipt after I replaced the hose. A few days later I checked my charges to my checking account and ther was a mysterious charge for $58 and change on there. I went to the nearest branch of Wachovia Bank and requested a printout of recent debits and credits to my checking account. Lo and behold, on the same day there appeared the $18 charge and a the $58 charge from the same vendor----the Shell station. I was told to call the bank HQ in Charlotte, NC, to complain about an unathorized charge. The CSR at Wachovia HQ told me to take it up with the vendor. When I went to the station (which is self-service) and complained to the young attendant, he stated that this not the first time they have had a complaint such as this and I should contact Shell HQ. He went on to say that apparently there is a malfunction on one of the pumps. The CSR at Shell stated there is nothing they can do about it since it was not a charge to a Shell Oil Company credit card. He told me to contact my bank again.
I subsequently wrote several letters to Wachovia. Each time I clearly stated the circumstances and each time they responded with a letter requesting additional information and a more detailed explanation. I becam exasperated because I explaind that there is no way in world that I could have purchased that much gasoline at one time for my vehicle unless I filled up the trunk and perhaps the rear passenger compartment. I also added a threat to report them to the Comptrioller of the Currency and the Federal Reserve System. I finally received a response recently that they had reversed the credit of $58 that was "temporarily" made to my account because the $58 had been paid out to the vendor (the Shell station). I could not really argue with their position because the Shell station was paid the $58 and it was through no fault of the bank. So now I am pursuing the reimbursement from the Shell station owner. My contention is that if the station owner knew there was a problem with the pump that did not cancel when the transaction was complete, he should have removed that pump from service until repaired. I imagine that someone came by after me and filled up an SUV for the $58. And the fight goes on....
Last edited by arnguy : 06-08-2008 at 03:43 PM.
Reason: typing errors
Re: A Funny Thing happened to me the other day...Go to Top
I think that the modern way of dealing with that type of thing is to return to the store with an AK-47 and clean the place out. Ask Lucritia or whatever her name is if store security has ever had that happen before they go home at 5.
Just a thought.
Winter
Originally Posted by Alsky
A funny thing happened to me in everyone's favorite store (Walmart) the other day. I ran in to what I thought would be a quick visit, needed to pick up a couple of things, and be out of there in a few minutes.
Usually I am able to do that, hunt for my items, pay for them at the "do it yourself" cashiers... you must have seen these in most of the stores now. I absolutely love these "do it yourself" check-outs... in Lowes, Home Depot, Walmart, Supermarkets, if the store has this option to check out, I am there.
I don't have to attempt idle banter with a cashier who could'nt care less or some knuckle head who packs the bread on the bottom of the OJ. Well, you know, we've all had that happen...
Anyway, to my story... I run my items through the check out station, the bill was $24.00 and change... I put a fresh brand new crisp twenty into the payment slot and then follow it up with a five.
Well, the five was calculated, but the twenty never was... well, not that big of a deal I thought, I'll just have to call over the minimum wage genius that oversees this whole operation. Now, please don't get me wrong, I don't have a problem with the minimum wage workers out there, at least they have some work ethic and are being productive but...
Lateisha comes on over and presses the "Refund" button and only the five comes out. Hmmm, she opens the machine and the next bill in order is a crumpled up old five...
She says, theres no twenty in here... I say there has to be a twenty in there, how about the 2nd bill, I put in a brand new crisp twenty... she looked, yes, there it was, my brand new twenty. So this genius slams the door where the money is stored, and says, that twenty was behind the five so that could not be your twenty.
Ok, then the automatic cashier machine made a mistake... the gentle genius says, and this is a gem, "These machines don't make no mistakes"!
Did she just call me a liar I thought... damn! she just insinuated I was lying... MANAGER! go get the manager I said...
The manager came over, I told her what happened, and that if the machine never makes a mistake, then you are saying I am a liar and I am scamming you for twenty bucks?
She says... NO, No but I have never seen these machines make a mistake...
Ok, in an attempt to make this already long story shorter, I asked if they could count the money against the receipts and I am sure they will see a plus twenty dollars... Manager said, No we can't do that now, but if you pay again, we could refund your money tomorrow... now, normally, by this time I may have taken her up on this, but, I am at an out of town Walmart, and had no interest of driving 2+ hours tomorrow to collect my twenty...
So I say, lets go to the "Film"... you have enough cameras around these auto cashiers stations to protect Ft.Knox... Ok, here's the million dollar answer to my request... Ready? she says, "Our loss prevention lady goes home at 5 o'clock"!
Now, I am not the brightest guy in the world, but I am certainly not the dumbest... I ask, "How does a store as large as this one that is open 24 hours, only have 1 loss prevention person, and she goes home at 5 o'clock... does all shoplifting cease at the 5 o'clock in this town?"
At this point I am already late, I am p***ed, and I say I am not paying for my items twice, since you say these machines never make a mistake, I need the manufacturer's name, your first and last name and I will be in touch. At this point, she says she is going to do a "Courtesy" for me and let me leave with my merchadise and not have to pay them again.
Thank you! Thank you!, but that is not enough, at my insistance, I gave her my license and phone number and requested that I receive a call tomorrow after they realize that the machine did indeed make an error and I want an apology... I know what some of you are thinking... just leave... but it really bothered me that I was completely innocent and honest here but was made to feel like I did something wrong... like I was trying to scam them.
Next day comes and no call... so I call... Manager I spoke to originnally was out to lunch... gave her a couple of hours...no call from her so I call again. She is still unavailable... so I ask for a different manager who eventually gets on the phone with me... I explain the whole situation to her and I said I felt like I was beig called a liar because your worker said that "These machines never make a mistake"...
Ok this is even a bigger gem... this is what she said: "Oh, those automatic cashiers make mistakes all the time sir... but I'll leave a message that you called."
Unbelievable! Well... as you may have already figured out, never got the apology... guess I never will.
Just wondering, has anything like this ever happened to anyone else?
------------------------------------ The Bolsheviks are dining in the capital.
Re: A Funny Thing happened to me the other day...Go to Top
I've got you beat...by a long shot.
This story involved the Department of Motor Vehicles in the state of Georgia.
A little background: for a short period of time, Kroger grocery stores would have part of their stores dedicated to those who want to go in and get a new drivers license from the GA DMV, so you wouldn't have to go to the other side of town to get service. I don't know if this was Kroger's doing, or the State of Ga.
Anyway, it's June 19, 2000, and my license is up for renewal. I go to Krogers with my license, my power utility bill, my auto insurance card, and my $25 in cash. I get there early, because it's first come first serve, so I arrive at 4 a.m. with a book to read. I am the third person in line.
I get to the service counter, "Lateisha" takes my license, cuts it in half, throws it in a shredder, scratches her hair with a pencil, and asks me "may a heppa?"
I say, "I'd like to renew my license."
"Yo, Social Security Numba."
I give it to her.
She keys it in, and asks for proof of residence, proof of insurance, and, more importantly, the money. I hand her all three.
She says, while looking off into space, "I'm sorry, but we show that three years ago, there was a lapse in auto coverage, and we need verification before we can issue you a new license."
"But, I have current coverage now. Three years ago, my coverage lapsed for four days. I got it straightened out, and have had no lapses since. Here is my insurance card, my agent is in his office, can I call and have you verify that with him?"
"I sorry, sir, but this phone is only for DMV business use only, and that is personal. You gonna have a go and get something in writing from him to show us."
"But, I don't have my license."
"Do you want to report it stolen or lost?"
"You just took it from me and cut it up. Can I get the pieces back from you, so that I can legally drive out of here to the insurance office?"
"I sorry, sir. Once we done received yo license, it's property of DMV, and can't be returned."
"Ok. So, if I go and get the letter that the coverage, which is current now, was reinstated three years ago, and bring that to you, I can get my license renewed."
"Yes sir."
I go to the office, get the letter typed and signed by the agent, and go back to Kroger/DMV.
I explain my situation to the crowd, and am allowed to cut in line, at the front.
"May I heppa"
"Hi, I'm back, here is my proof letter you needed."
(Still not making eye contact with me)"May I have yo license, please.?"
"I don't have it"
"Would you like to repote it lost or stolen?"
"I want to report it STOLEN"
"Who stole it"
"YOU DID"
(NOW, she looks in my direction)
"Listen, I was here earlier, and you told me to go get a letter proving that three years ago, for a period of four days, my auto insurance was reinstated, and I'm doing so."
"Are you reporting the license stolen or lost."
"FOR THE SECOND TIME, STOLEN BY THE DMV of GA!"
"I need to see proof if ID."
I hand her the letter, my bill, my auto coverage, and she tells me, "I'm sorry sir, but for a stolen license, we need one from column A and one from column C." She is pointing down to a piece of paper, listing different documents needed to get a license.
"You mean what I have now won't do?"
"No sir, that's only if you are renewing. You just reported your license stolen."
"YOU HAVE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME. MY LICENSE IS IN THAT BIN NEXT TO YOU. I GAVE IT TO YOU TWO HOURS AGO."
"Sir, you just repoted you license stolen, and I will need to see proper documents. If you ain't gottem, I need to serve the next person in line." Hands on hip, pencil scratching scalp.
The only document I was able to produce immediately was my marriage certificate, which was hanging on a wall in our house. I got it, brought it back. Explained my situation to the crowd, was allowed to the front of the line, and spoke with "Latheisha" again.
Gave her all my documents. Was told it was $25 not $5, because I claimed my license was stolen. I put the money on the shelf in front of her, to which she responded to me:
"Put it in my hands."
"You can't take that money off the counter?"
"I said, put it in my hands, or you ain't gettin served."
Nine and a half hours later, I walk out with my license. They had to wait for the letter to get faxed to the office, processed and put on line - batched, before they could issue me my new license.
Re: A Funny Thing happened to me the other day...Go to Top
Originally Posted by moonlightandmargaritas
There's only one "protest" that's effective...
Don't spend your money at Wal*Mart. Simple!
I agree! When Walmart was the little underdog from Bentonville, AR, 30 years ago I thought they were wonderful. Now that they are the 400 pound gorilla that stomps everybody I can't stand them.
A Funny Thing happened to me the other day...
(Couldn't resist).
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