Idiocracy in America

[Rollerderby]

So I stop at the full service gas station in my town, and give the guy my debit card asking him to give me 20 bucks worth of the regular. This should not fill my tank, but will at least make it pretty close to full, so I can get to where I need to go.

I notice the pump stops at 19.89, and he is off yaking on the phone and talking to other customers. He brings my receipt for me to sign and it says 20 bucks. I point out that the meter stopped at 19.89 and I would like to be charged for what I got. So can he either give me 11 cents or cancel the transaction and re-ring it for what it got.

He says he cannot do either. What?

He doesn't know how to cancel a transaction, nor is he willing to just open the till and give me 11 cents because, and I quote "one time I gave a women cash back on her debit card, and my boss yelled at me, so I don't do that no more."

It's 11 ****ing cents. I'd walk away were it not for the principal. I can find more change in my sofa.

So he calls his supervisor, and asks me to wait, because he is on his way...

Um.... I have to be somewhere, can you just give me 11 cents so I can go? or like, fill my tank with 11 cents worth? I mean, it's a freaking dime and a penny, you're supervisor I think would be more pissed to come all the way out here for 11 ****ing cents.

So he writes me an IOU and asks me to come back for it later. WHAT THE BLOODY ****?

I have to go out of my way for your mistake? I'm the customer, you deal with this now, you ****ed up, fix it. I would have stayed and bitched his manager out, but I was on a schedule and had to run.

I had to come back today and he STILL took his sweet time. I gave him a dollar and asked him to fill me up with 1.11 worth.

Sweet Jesus, you think this supervisor could train him a little bit better with the card machine. Seriously, 11 cents? You don't think your acting like an idiot who can't just pull 11 cents out of the till? You think your boss will care about a number like that? I can imagine if it were like over a dollar, but really?


Unbelievable...

[lovesjoyajm]

I've had to get myself completely out of the "customer is always right" mentality since leaving America.

My British flatmate, who speaks excellent German, went to the bank to ask them to fix a mistake on his bank account - he was charged twice for a 100 euro purchase - and the service person was completely rude to him. When he asked to speak to a manager (who would be able to fix the problem), she said, "No." After some more arguing, she told him to "come back with someone who speaks German."

I think in America you'd get in serious trouble for treating a customer that way.

[lesa]

I give cash at a full service station and then tip them.

I use my debit card and pump it myself.

I have lost way more money then the 0.11 cents you fuss about.

[Rollerderby]

I give cash at a full service station and then tip them.

I use my debit card and pump it myself.

I have lost way more money then the 0.11 cents you fuss about.

Well, I've learned my lesson and I've given cash before at pumps to the clerks who tell me I gave them a different amount, and probably kept the change.

I just think the whole situation that he didn't know how to fix it, or wouldn't just give me 11 cents is ludicrous.

[Junket]

I've had to get myself completely out of the "customer is always right" mentality since leaving America.

My British flatmate, who speaks excellent German, went to the bank to ask them to fix a mistake on his bank account - he was charged twice for a 100 euro purchase - and the service person was completely rude to him. When he asked to speak to a manager (who would be able to fix the problem), she said, "No." After some more arguing, she told him to "come back with someone who speaks German."

I think in America you'd get in serious trouble for treating a customer that way.

Not necessarily.

Depends on the business.

The area.

The culture.

The person working behind the counter.

The customer, etc.

Having been a keyholder at GameStop, I have some stories for you.

Lets put it this way.

We had customers that loved our store, and customers that hated my store and vowed (with expletives) they would never come back or shop at another Gamestop again thanks to the kind of example I helped set there.

Actually it's not that far off how I help manage this forum.

Now, if our district manager had found out?

I woulda been fired long before I had quit.

[doppelgaenger]

It's just 11 cents... just like you said. Get over it.

[lesa]

Well, I've learned my lesson and I've given cash before at pumps to the clerks who tell me I gave them a different amount, and probably kept the change.

I just think the whole situation that he didn't know how to fix it, or wouldn't just give me 11 cents is ludicrous.

Yeah his response was bogus. A few days ago I had a similar experience at a fast food restaurant. I was making a fuss over $3.89 but they tried to charge me twice and I waited over 45 minutes for my order while everyone else were leaving. I got manager and all. If I had not paid by debit card the problem would not be solved. They eventually canceled my transaction.

It's difficult to pump exactly using a debit card. However, if it was programmed from inside, there should not be a problem unless that was all the tank could fill. Some people should not go into any service field.

[Rollerderby]

It's difficult to pump exactly using a debit card. However, if it was programmed from inside, there should not be a problem unless that was all the tank could fill. Some people should not go into any service field.

Yeah, I've never been a gas attendant server, but he just left it running while he went off to use the phone and the pump stopped on its own. He was more concerned with ringing in the gas than actually making sure that the gas nozzle was pumping correctly. And my tank was not full when I pulled away. It was still a quarter empty.

[Illusional]

i would've told him to keep the 11 cents... it's a waste of time to return the next day for more gas.

raverboy

[tooxshort]

I understand the principle, but I don't think it was worth getting to the point of speaking with a supervisor ...

You can just make him feel like an idiot every time you go there ... a little "get the count right" or "don't forget to check the meter" should suffice in pissing him off AND he still has to fill up your tank.

[Rollerderby]

i would've told him to keep the 11 cents... it's a waste of time to return the next day for more gas.

raverboy

Believe me I told him that. I was there for 15 minutes trying to tell him how ridculous it was for me to come back. But because he refused to do it, I went back out of spite.

[Mish]

And on that note

You should watch this movie

[Rollerderby]

haha I've seen it! It's great. Drink gatorade not water. water is poisonous.

[Mish]

IPPA Computer: Welcome to the Identity Processsing Program of Uhmerica! Please insert your forearm into the forearm receptacle!
[Joe inserts his arm]
IPPA Computer: Thank you! Please speak your name as it appears on your current federal identity card, document G24L8!
Pvt. Joe Bowers: I'm not sure if...
IPPA Computer: You have entered the name "Not Sure." Is this correct, Not Sure?
Pvt. Joe Bowers: No, it's not correct...
IPPA Computer: Thank you! "Not" is correct. Is "Sure" correct?
Pvt. Joe Bowers: No, it's not, my name is Joe...
IPPA Computer: You have already confirmed your first name is "Not." Please confirm your last name, "Sure."
Pvt. Joe Bowers: My last name is not "Sure!"
IPPA Computer: Thank you, Not Sure!
Pvt. Joe Bowers: No, what I mean is my name is Joe...
IPPA Computer: Confirmation is complete. Please wait while I tattoo your new identity on your arm!

[Rollerderby]

I understand the principle, but I don't think it was worth getting to the point of speaking with a supervisor ...

You can just make him feel like an idiot every time you go there ... a little "get the count right" or "don't forget to check the meter" should suffice in pissing him off AND he still has to fill up your tank.

I'm going to show up and start paying in pennies.


"excuse me, can I please have 86 cents worth of gas?"