Anyone want to play: Bad customer service vs customer responsibility?

[wagnfun]

Hmmm... maybe I'm reallllyy from a different planet BUT...

 

Is this bad customer service vs customer responsibility??

 

We have coupon books for B1G1F food at the local fast food joint. These were a baseball fundraiser as I normally don't buy these booklets.

 

I used 3 coupons at fast food place in one sitting. I did read the back stated "one per person per visit". I intended on having each person in our party pay for their own however, cashier had no problem ringing them up together. I noticed on the receipt, we did not get some of the items free as the coupon stated. The manager refunded my money for the food I wasnt suppose to be charged for and said this:

 

**If you want the entire discount next time you have to tell the cashier to ring them all up seperate.****

 

Hence my question.Bad customer service vs customer responsibility?

Shouldn't he train his employees on their coupons and not their customers on how the cashier rings up the order? Am I thinking this backwards?

[snickelfritz]

On the one hand, the customer shouldn't be responsible for knowing how their registers work.

 

On the other hand, it's easier if the customer can give the cashier instructions AND the cashier knows what's going on.

 

Ideally, he'll instruct his employees and they know every detail. Practically, there's always someone newer who doesn't know everything. By instructing cashiers AND customers, maybe someone will know what's going on.

 

 

For example, my dd has a very specific way she likes to order a taco. No meat. They don't have a button for that with the combo, sides, etc... that she wants. Ideally, I can say it simply and they will figure it out. Practically, I've figured out the best combo and exact wording to get what I want without 10 minutes of explaining.

 

I would really only care that he was polite. I can imagine it coming out rudely and I can imagine it coming out with the correct tone so that you will know what's going on in the future.

[Serendipity]

Well, the coupon states 'one per person, per visit'. I would have had each person pay seperately with their own coupon...period. The one and only time we did this, my daughter and I paid seperately and I still felt kind of uncomfortable using both coupons.

 

It sounds like the cashier should have honored what you asked for and charged (the previous word is my edit) each person's order seperately. I would have insisted.

 

I can kind of understand the manager being a little perturbed since, to me, using several coupons at once seems to blur the intent of the coupons which is to help the team and the business.

 

I would have told the manager that I planned to have each person order seperately, but that the cashier said it would be no problem to ring everything up in one order so the manager could address the cashier specifically...in my presence.

[TeacherZee]

Former retail manager here:

 

I would expect the staff to know what to do and how to do it. I don't think in this case it is the customers responsibility. I would have cheerfully refunded you the money and then after you had left talked it through with the staff in a non accusatory manner and decide if we would use several cupons if this situation happened again or if we should tell the staff that everyone has to pay separately.

Edited April 20, 2009 by TeacherZee
to add stuff

[Margaret in GA]

I think it was your responsibility. From the restaurant's perspective: they don't actually want you to use the coupon, it's just there to get you to come in (and also they were doing a good deed by supporting your local baseball (?) league. When you work the system and use more than one coupon per visit, you are cutting into their profit at an already tough time in the business. Frankly, if I were manager, I wouldn't have let you do it. my 2 cents.

 

Margaret

[Julie in CA]

I have a couple of thoughts about this...

 

I'm actually surprised they let you subvert the intent of the coupons at all, since clearly it's supposed to be one per party. Yes, I totally understand that technically it's logical that you can just have more than one order, and use more than one coupon, I'm just saying that ethically I think it's problematic in the first place. I probably wouldn't do it. As for the customer service aspect, I don't think it's really their responsibility to know the best way to help you get around their coupon's deal.

 

With all of that said though, I wouldn't expect great service from a fast food place to begin with, because of the fast turnover in employees. It's pretty difficult to adequately train employees that will probably only be there for weeks or months.

[Katrina]

Former retail manager here:

 

I would expect the staff to know what to do and how to do it. I don't think in this case it is the customers responsibility. I would have cheerfully refunded you the money and then after you had left talked it through with the staff in a non accusatory manner and decide if we would use several cupons if this situation happened again or if we should tell the staff that everyone has to pay separately.

 

I was a former retail (assistant) manager, movie theater mananger, and worked customer service at Sears (in the very early 90's when customer service was still it's own department), and I agree with TeacherZee. It's the responsibility of the business to understand the company policy and training it's employees how to conduct such transactions. Period. The manager should never have put the blame on the customer (you). In my opinion that's totally uncalled for.

[Ottakee]

Well, the coupons said 1 coupon per PERSON (not PARTY) on them so I think it was fine to use more than 1 coupon, if there were more people there.

 

I find that some stores will just let you use multiple coupons in 1 transaction as it saves them time but others have you each pay for your own order.

[wagnfun]

Well, the coupons said 1 coupon per PERSON (not PARTY) on them so I think it was fine to use more than 1 coupon, if there were more people there.

 

I find that some stores will just let you use multiple coupons in 1 transaction as it saves them time but others have you each pay for your own order.

 

WOW, Thanks for this. I'm surprised at the replies that said they wouldn't use more then one coupon at all. I went in with 8 people. The coupons were buy a hamburger & get a soda free, or buy an adult meal & get a kids meal at half price. I see NOTHING wrong w/ using one coupon per person if we ring up seperate (which I tried to do) as they state one per customer NOT PARTY.

[Julie in CA]

WOW, Thanks for this. I'm surprised at the replies that said they wouldn't use more then one coupon at all. I went in with 8 people. The coupons were buy a hamburger & get a soda free, or buy an adult meal & get a kids meal at half price. I see NOTHING wrong w/ using one coupon per person if we ring up seperate (which I tried to do) as they state one per customer NOT PARTY.

 

Sorry, I misunderstood what you said about the coupon.

In that case, of course they should be figuring out their policy themselves!

 

...but I still look at my family as a unit, and if I'm buying, I'm the customer. Therefore I'd use *one* coupon only. -Just me, I know....:blushing:

Edited April 20, 2009 by Julie in CA

[Crissy]

Sorry, I misunderstood what you said about the coupon.

In that case, of course they should be figuring out their policy themselves!

 

...but I still look at my family as a unit, and if I'm buying, I'm the customer. Therefore I'd use *one* coupon only. -Just me, I know....:blushing:

 

I'd do the same thing, Julie.

If I have a large group and want to use several coupons, though, I'd make sure we order and pay as individual customers, rather than asking a fast food clerk to translate a single order into several.