1587: Using You

[Keith]

"Can you shut up? I'm trying to do my act."


Ray Devito

[starscream]

Despite the fact that the actual words change, the "oh we're on" bit is repeating a joke.

[Keith]

It was a good run.

[WSEIII]

I know he's not an actor but I think Joey Butafuco would make a good John Gotti. He is a thug like person.

[Bucho]

Originally Posted by starscream

Despite the fact that the actual words change, the "oh we're on" bit is repeating a joke.

Fuckin' robots.

This is why we can't have nice things.

[BlackhatGuy]

My solution for fixing customer service problem: walk around with a clipboard.

Make up a fake evaluation sheet with check boxes and comment fields. When you go inside to ask for help make a check in one the boxes every time the service person does anything.
And if they don't pick up on it, bend down to tie your shoe and ask for them to hold your clipboard, so they will for sure see what's on there. Just make sure your evaluation sheet looks genuine.

[invader]

I remember Keith talking about when he first try to do stand-up at Surf Reality, and how he got on stage on a weekly basis to try out material. I think next time anyone has an issue with how he does stand up he should bring this up to them. It would be interesting to see how other stand-ups respond.

Customer Service is a tricky thing. I've been on both sides, and realized it boils down to the old saying; "if you want something done right..." So when it comes to anything from buying a laptop, finding the right gym or even trying a new meal, I usually spend a few hours on an off day becoming an arm chair expert on the topic. That way when I go into any store I know exactly what I want and how much I should expect to pay. Now this doesn't work for everything but it does work for most. I know it sucks but its the best solution that I could come up with in these situations.

[Enunciated Piffle]

Remember when Doug Stanhope felt he had to 'explain' that he wasn't a Christian, after reciting the KatG prayer intro? Hilarious. I miss that old prayer intro.

[stulagu]

I used to work for Home Depot as a flooring specialist. They taught us how to lay all kinds of floors, how to refer people to the right departments, how if you don't know the answer, you go find the person that will and you walk your customer to the spot where the item is. They also teach you that some customers need you to read the label of the item to them to make sure they get the right one.

However...I think I'm the only one in that class that actually listened. And I was certainly the only one that ever gave a shit about my job.

When you can make more money flipping burgers than working at Home Depot, guess how much you care about your job? The upper management were all jerks, driving nice cars, getting bonuses, and their job was to stretch us as thin as possible and have someone to yell at when something went wrong.

Home Depot used to be filled with retired construction guys working part time and really informing customers. Now it is filled with people who don't care and don't know anything. Home Depot, Wallmart, all these big box companies (except Target) run this way and Keith and Chemda are totally right, it is a fairly recent turn of events that customer service has become non exsistant with no consequences.

I got in trouble working at JCPenney portrait studio because I allowed a mom to breastfeed a screaming child to calm her down so we could do pictures. What I was SUPPOSED to do was photograph the screaming child. Awesome.

I got in trouble at a temp agency because I got my work done too quickly.

I got in trouble at Michaels because I referred a customer to a different product that fit her needs better and saved her money. I was SUPPOSED to let her buy the more expensive thing, even if she returned it later, it helped their numbers that day and that is all they care about.

It really can wear down on you quickly if you actually care about your customers, so the good employees move on.

[Blitzgal]

I always thought it must have something to do with being in such a huge city, because I've never had the problems that Keith and Chemda have described from customer service people. But I remember being shocked way back when they said that there's glass between them and the post office workers (that was this show, right?). I think everyone in Wisconsin is just too repressed (or drunk) to be overtly mean to each other.