Is Everybody Incompetent?!?! - Page 2

GHS · #16 10-06-2015, 05:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chicago Sandy

It’s not just fast-food joints. Gibson’s, one of Chicago’s best-known steakhouses, ALWAYS screws up steak orders for large tables. And just today, my Peapod grocery delivery included a bag of Milk-Bone dog biscuits...and I don’t have a dog. Didn’t order it, wasn’t charged for it. Phoned the company but they said it’d be too much of an accounting hassle to have the driver come pick it up. So I gave it to our next-door neighbors for their pooch. However, I ordered one order of acorn squash--as a package of two for $2.29. Got two squash, was listed on the receipt exactly as it was on the site....but they charged me for two orders. Guess that’s why they threw in the dog biscuits....

Gibsons huh? You've heard of Peter Lugers in NYC right? Along with Delmonico's one of the best known steak houses in NYC. The rudest, most arrogant wait staff ever. My buddy ordered his steak well done, comes out rare. He says please put it back on the fire, waiters says "Thats the way steak should be and thats how we serve it here" Total you-know- whats.

Gasworker · #17 10-06-2015, 05:19 AM

On the flip side of customer service complaints are customer entitlement issues. We have all seen it and lots of us are the culprits. Who hasn't waited behind the superior consumer in the checkout line while they belittle the clerk for some minor reason. Or the haggler (liar) while they try and negotiate or claim a cheaper advertised price. A lot of the time a call centre service person works from a script and has no authority to actually service while angry consumers passively and aggressively tear them apart. I suggest writing letters to CEO's who create these issues and demand they fix your problem.

RedJoker · #18 10-06-2015, 05:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GHS

Gibsons huh? You've heard of Peter Lugers in NYC right? Along with Delmonico's one of the best known steak houses in NYC. The rudest, most arrogant wait staff ever. My buddy ordered his steak well done, comes out rare. He says please put it back on the fire, waiters says "Thats the way steak should be and thats how we serve it here" Total you-know- whats.

To be fair, the waiter is not wrong. That is the way steak should be.

#19 10-06-2015, 05:48 AM

OP -- I'm living your exact life. All the same things are happening to me.

GHS · #20 10-06-2015, 05:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RedJoker

To be fair, the waiter is not wrong. That is the way steak should be.

Not at 55 dollars per steak. What ever happened to " The customer is always right"? They may not be, but if you want to stay in business and get repeats you had better make things the way it was ordered. If you had a custom build and wanted Engleman over Rosewood and they gave you cedar over mahogany because, in their opinion "Thats the way it should be" I could hear the keyboard now pounding out a rant on the AGF over that, right?

ewalling · #21 10-06-2015, 05:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GHS

Not at 55 dollars per steak. What ever happened to " The customer is always right"? They may not be, but if you want to stay in business and get repeats you had better make things the way it was ordered. If you had a custom build and wanted Engleman over Rosewood and they gave you cedar over mahogany because, in their opinion "Thats the way it should be" I could hear the keyboard now pounding out a rant on the AGF over that, right?

The soup nazi thinks otherwise ...

BrunoBlack · #22 10-06-2015, 06:19 AM

I have had similar experiences with just about every situation mentioned. And while it doesn't absolve the terrible behavior, I've attributed much of it to the informal way we do business theses days. I've (almost) never had this type of problem when I've done business with the local lumber yard, appliance dealer, diner or music store, etc. And some large online vendors like Amazon, Patagonia and LL Bean are examples of companies that provide great no-fuss service. But companies like big banks, Verizon, Comcast etc., write the rules and don't seem to care what they hand out. I love it when you spend an hour with customer service, get nothing at all, and they have the audacity to say --- Is there anything else I can help you with today?

BananasCentral · #23 10-06-2015, 06:22 AM

Order steak well done on a slow night.
Well done ties up grill space and some nights are so busy that it'll get "bumped" off the grill.
Rude of him to demand more grill time and delay YOUR order.

chitz · #24 10-06-2015, 07:34 AM

But the good news is... Corporate profits are up.

fazool · #25 10-06-2015, 07:47 AM

I can tolerate humans making honest mistakes. That's understandable.

They happen so often, and in many contexts, have become the norm - where mistakes are more common than not.

So, getting your order wrong is the new normal.

And the part that really aggravates me is the indignation of the worker. Instead of apologizing and doing what they can to make things right, they act indignant that you complained or asked them for a correction.

That last bit is very troubling for society on so many levels and it is a serious symptom of a very bad problem to come.

GHS · #26 10-06-2015, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BananasCentral

Order steak well done on a slow night.
Well done ties up grill space and some nights are so busy that it'll get "bumped" off the grill.
Rude of him to demand more grill time and delay YOUR order.

Yeah, I know. I hate going into the city. Only go for special occasions with friends. Most places are over rated and living on past laurels.

BananasCentral · #27 10-06-2015, 08:04 AM

Just apply the "If you want something done right"
You could buy a whole sirloin for $55 where I shop.

It certainly is easier to go somewhere than spending an entire day on prep sheesh.

Now I'm going to drop a bomb here, though I'm not pointing specifically at OP or this thread.
I'm talking about EXACTLY the same dynamic but turning it around.
The customer is NOT always right. I've worked for so many people who couldn't find their BLANK with 10 well lubed fingers. BUT THEY MADE ALL SORTS OF DEMANDS AND ASSUMED IT WAS ABOUT MONEY OR MY ABILITY.

I'd submit Disney as a great example. Their engineers are called "Imagineers" and that is no joke.
Frequently (again not pointed at OP) frequently the incompetent customer combines with incompetent service in some perfect storm.

So YES everyone is incompetent

Herb Hunter · #28 10-06-2015, 08:12 AM

After a string of vexations what keeps me sane is reflecting on all the times things went as they should have.

Incidentally, my wife occasionally goes to lunch with someone who has difficulty walking and must rely on a cane. The maitre d’ invariably leads them to a rather distant table and my wife must request a closer table which adds a measure of awkwardness. One would think that the maitre d’ would notice the cane plus labored gait and select a table close to the entrance. My wife shouldn’t have to request a more considerate location.

architype · #29 10-06-2015, 08:13 AM

I can't stand when waiters and waitresses will not write down your order. I'm not impressed. I don't care if you think you can get 4 or more orders correct, which I've only experienced maybe a couple times. I just want what I ordered to be delivered correctly.

Is there some rule in wait staff land that if you have to write down an order that you are a wuss? Are the other waiters going to laugh and call you names and not let you play in any waitress games?

#30 10-06-2015, 08:23 AM

It only irritates me if (1) it's something major or (2) it's not major, but a habitual error that the person/company does not seem to be bothered by.

On the other hand, I can't stand people who have such short fuses and large egos that you can get it right 99/100, but the 1 time you mess up, they freak out.