Pet Store Employee Berated for Giving Good Advice

[Uberhoust]

Just an observation:

I think it is important to realize that being the point of contact for customers at fish store is not always a pleasant task. A couple of days ago I was browsing the fish one of the big pet stores, I always do, when a customer asked the young man at the fish section about Oscars, the young man working asked about the tank situation the customer had because "Oscars have particular needs that not everyone can meet". The customer mentioned he had a 20 gallon tank with some guppies but wanted a big fish in his tank, to which the salesman mentioned that the tank is too small and the oscar would eat the guppies. The potential customer then lost it on the poor clerk asking why did they sell fish no one can keep, and if the tanks are too small why do they sell them, finally stating that if he wants an Oscar he will damn well buy one. I started to walk over to the customer when he just dropped everything and walked out the door with his family in tow.

I mention this because we often hear and write how staff in big box stores give bad advise to make a sale, but in this case we had a salesman doing his best to steer the customer away from a bad choice and suffered because of it. The customer was large and aggressive and noticeably intimidated the salesman greatly. I don't like to see people treating minimum wage staff, or any staff, with disrespect. In this case I wonder how many more times this salesperson will be willing to tell someone they shouldn't buy a fish because its needs will not be met.

 

[itiwhetu]

Just an observation:

I think it is important to realize that being the point of contact for customers at fish store is not always a pleasant task. A couple of days ago I was browsing the fish one of the big pet stores, I always do, when a customer asked the young man at the fish section about Oscars, the young man working asked about the tank situation the customer had because "Oscars have particular needs that not everyone can meet". The customer mentioned he had a 20 gallon tank with some guppies but wanted a big fish in his tank, to which the salesman mentioned that the tank is too small and the oscar would eat the guppies. The potential customer then lost it on the poor clerk asking why did they sell fish no one can keep, and if the tanks are too small why do they sell them, finally stating that if he wants an Oscar he will damn well buy one. I started to walk over to the customer when he just dropped everything and walked out the door with his family in tow.

I mention this because we often hear and write how staff in big box stores give bad advise to make a sale, but in this case we had a salesman doing his best to steer the customer away from a bad choice and suffered because of it. The customer was large and aggressive and noticeably intimidated the salesman greatly. I don't like to see people treating minimum wage staff, or any staff, with disrespect. In this case I wonder how many more times this salesperson will be willing to tell someone they shouldn't buy a fish because its needs will not be met.

Great story, I think this sort of thing happens more often than we realize.

 

[Colin_T]

Must be something about the USA because that has never happened to me, nor anyone I know. I did have a go at one of my co-workers because he was being a duckhead and stuck a heap of customer's fish in the shop display tanks, but I don't normally have a go at people doing nothing wrong.

I hope that incident doesn't put off the sale's guy, he sounded like he was doing the right thing and should be commended for it.

 

[Slaphppy7]

Just an observation:

I think it is important to realize that being the point of contact for customers at fish store is not always a pleasant task. A couple of days ago I was browsing the fish one of the big pet stores, I always do, when a customer asked the young man at the fish section about Oscars, the young man working asked about the tank situation the customer had because "Oscars have particular needs that not everyone can meet". The customer mentioned he had a 20 gallon tank with some guppies but wanted a big fish in his tank, to which the salesman mentioned that the tank is too small and the oscar would eat the guppies. The potential customer then lost it on the poor clerk asking why did they sell fish no one can keep, and if the tanks are too small why do they sell them, finally stating that if he wants an Oscar he will damn well buy one. I started to walk over to the customer when he just dropped everything and walked out the door with his family in tow.

I mention this because we often hear and write how staff in big box stores give bad advise to make a sale, but in this case we had a salesman doing his best to steer the customer away from a bad choice and suffered because of it. The customer was large and aggressive and noticeably intimidated the salesman greatly. I don't like to see people treating minimum wage staff, or any staff, with disrespect. In this case I wonder how many more times this salesperson will be willing to tell someone they shouldn't buy a fish because its needs will not be met.

A less common than more situation, but I like your point.

 

[Rocky998]

One time I had a very nice conversation with a LPS employee... I lightly mentioned how I wish some shops would tell people about cycling and other requirements and he said that he used to tell people but everytime he did people always got in a rage and left so now he just tells them to at least have the tank sit for a few days... Its sad, its like workers are being held hostage from saying whats right.

 

[SomethingsFishy24]

In regards to any animal, some people only hear what they want to hear, then when met with opposing information they become combative. We see it a lot in Vet Med and I can only imagine it is worse for people working in animal retail. I feel for this employee, it can be difficult to come by an informed and knowledgeable staff, and for someone to needlessly go off on him for providing correct guidance is disheartening.

 

[Uberhoust]

Must be something about the USA

Hey Colin. I live in Canada we are supposed to be nice, say "eh", and always apologize. To quote some stereotypes...

 

[Uberhoust]

I wasn't expecting as many replies, but thanks all. It is a subject I am a little sensitive about having had some experiences myself at being on the wrong side of a customer. I don't take a lot of gruff anymore but that has come only from years of working.

 

[outofwater]

The "customer is always right", and chasing every possible sale; have unfortunate consequences for all involved. Hope that guy keeps doing what's right and doesn't get jaded from too many interactionslike that one. Customer-facing jobs are tough, that's what made me a "non-people" person years ago. You're trying to help them, but their ego and "I want it" get in the way

 

[Lynnzer]

It's people like them that go straight home and put a damning review on FaceBook telling the world what an awful experience they just had.
I know. My wife has a shop and gets an occasional slagging off on FB from someone who was being given the best advice/service. They take the huff for nothiing.
For instance, the fashions she sells are for the mother of the bride and groom and range in price anywhere from £150 to over £1000. A good starting point with a new shop visitor is to ask what sort of price range have they got in mind. I can't begin to tell you how many people walk out and tell FB that they were asked such a personal question as if they were being considered to be "unwealthy" enough to be in the shop.
The problem then is that the post is on FB forever and no amount of explanation is going to reduce the effect.

 

[Rocky998]

It's people like them that go straight home and put a damning review on FaceBook telling the world what an awful experience they just had.
I know. My wife has a shop and gets an occasional slagging off on FB from someone who was being given the best advice/service. They take the huff for nothiing.
For instance, the fashions she sells are for the mother of the bride and groom and range in price anywhere from £150 to over £1000. A good starting point with a new shop visitor is to ask what sort of price range have they got in mind. I can't begin to tell you how many people walk out and tell FB that they were asked such a personal question as if they were being considered to be "unwealthy" enough to be in the shop.
The problem then is that the post is on FB forever and no amount of explanation is going to reduce the effect.

That's so upsetting! People will find anything to gripe about...

 

[Lynnzer]

That's so upsetting! People will find anything to gripe about...

Isn't it just? She's retiring this year though.
Anyone know who wants to buy a shop?

 

[Rocky998]

Isn't it just? She's retiring this year though.
Anyone know who wants to buy a shop?

I hope for the best with you guys!

 

[Colin_T]

Hey Colin. I live in Canada we are supposed to be nice, say "eh", and always apologize. To quote some stereotypes...

My apologies, I didn't mean to call Canadians, Americans. Like calling someone a human, biggest insult you can get in my book



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The customer is never right, even when they think they are.

In all the years I worked in the pet industry, I can only think of 2 customers that complained about the service in the shop.

The first one bought 2 clown loaches and took them home. She came back a few days later saying they died. I asked her to bring the bodies in and a separate sample of tank water. She came back the next day with a sample of water that was perfect (0 ammonia, 0 nitrite, 0 nitrate). She had a few plants but not many and the tank was over 6 months old. She had some excuse about how the bodies had been thrown out by her hubby.

I told her in future, if she loses a fish, she has to bring the body in for us to examine, and a separate container of tank water. I replaced the 2 loaches and she left.

A couple of days later and she was back claiming they had died. I asked her for the bodies and a sample of tank water and she went home and came back the following day with a sample of water and no bodies. The water was perfect (0, 0, 0) but no bodies. I asked her where the bodies were and she said they had been thrown in the bin. I told her to go home and get them out of the bin and bring them here so I could examine them. She went home and came back a few hours later saying the bin had just been emptied.

She kicked up a stink and wanted the fish replaced. I told her I would replace them one more time and not again. If she lost these two, tough she wasn't getting more because she hadn't brought any bodies back. She takes 2 replacement fish and heads off.

A couple of days later she is back but she goes straight to another staff member and tells him she got the fish yesterday and they died. She has a water sample but no bodies. She got the staff member to replace the fish and I happened to be at the counter when he was bagging them up. I asked what was going on. She said the fish died. I asked for the bodies. She said her kids buried them. I told her tough she wasn't getting anymore fish because this has gone on long enough and she hadn't brought one body back. As far as I knew she had 6 fish swimming around her tank. I said I told you the other day when you came in you wouldn't be getting more and you acknowledged that.

She kicked up a stink and the boss came out. I told him what happened. She is staring at my co-worker saying he said he would replace them. I am saying you aren't getting anymore because you haven't brought any bodies back.

I looked at the boss and said she shouldn't get them. I said we haven't lost any of ours and we have a tank full of them. They were in great condition and no other customers had lost any that they had bought. The boss said it's up to me. I said not having them and walked out the back to turn off a hose. She talked the boss and co-worker into giving them to her and she left. She never came back after that. As far as I know she has 8 clown loaches in her tank.


---------

The other one was a young lady that apparently bought a male Betta splendens (Siamese fighting fish) from us. She took it home and it died a week after she got it. She didn't come back into the shop to complain. Instead she contacted Consumer Protection and lodged a formal complaint with them. A month later we got this letter of demand from them saying we owe her a fish. I'm going wtf is this all about, this is the first anyone in the shop had heard of it.

We called her up and asked what was going on. She said she bought a fish from one of the staff, put it in a newly set up unheated bowl in her room. It was summer so didn't need a heater in Perth. She fed it each day and it died a week later. I asked if she got a care pamphlet with the bowl, because we gave out fact sheets and pamphlets for new fish keepers so they knew about filters, cycling, water changes, etc. She said she never got anything. I asked if she was sure that she got the fish from us because all new tanks and bowls automatically came with the care pamphlets. She did her nut and accused me of calling her an idiot and all sorts of things. I said no such thing. I asked her to come into the shop and we would replace her fish. She came in and I gave her the pamphlets we normally hand out, and told her about water quality, etc. She wasn't interested in listening and just pointed to a fish and said that one. I bagged it up and she grabs the bag and storms out of the shop. We had a laugh about it after because she had a few screws loose, if you get my drift

 

[Lynnzer]

Way too many screws loose.
My wife gets an occasional customer returning an outfit saying it's got a fault. That's after a good length of time trying it on with friends, husband, daughter etc on hand and in front of huge mirrors. She used to give an immediate refund despite the fact that a pair of scissors had been put to work. And that's after the wedding event too, so it had been worn already.
I clamped down on it. There are occasional faults though and the difference between a badly sewn seam is huge compared to an obviously made pulled seam to split the stitches.
We do get someone calling to say they have changed their mind, again after the same attention to ft, suitability in front of friends, daughter etc and quite often even with the dressmaker on hand to pin it for alterations. They think that they have a right to change it just because someone else who wasn't with them when it was bought, comments unfavourably on the colour/style/length etc.
We did get chargeback claims from some of these people too and my wife just used to let them go through. I put a stop to that as well and not one of these supposed dissatisfied customers were able to substantiate their claim.