Today's Customers from Hell [View All]

One was mine, one was in the decor department and the decor associate told me about her.

Mine first. Two guys came up looking for a power attic vent we don't carry--one with both a thermostat and a humidistat. "We bought them in this store twelve years ago, why don't you have them now?"

'Well, sir..."

"You shouldn't have discontinued them. Lots of people bought them."

'Yes, but...'

"Can I get my money back on this gift card I bought thinking you'd have the fan I wanted?"

'Go see Special Services.'

Now, if I'd have been able to get a word in edgewise, perhaps I'd have pointed out that manufacturers do change their models somewhat, and though Leslie Locke may have made power attic vents with humidistats (it measures humidity) twelve years ago, they certainly don't now. I may have also been able to point out that my store wasn't even HERE twelve years ago, or anywhere else in town for that matter--we celebrate our tenth anniversary in Fayetteville in April.

The decor department CFH was worse. Some woman approached our decor associate and told her to call Lowe's right now. "Yes, ma'am, I will call them for you as soon as I finish with this customer (she was cutting a lot of blinds at the time), or you can use our phone. Just dial 9 to get out, and the number is (gives her Lowe's number)."

'You a piece of shit! You ain't shit to me! Dammit, I told you to call Lowe's for me. Now I'm gonna get you fired for abusing a customer!"

Fortunately for the blinds associate, at Home Depot we don't run on a strict "the customer is always right" policy; sometimes the customer is very wrong. Like today. There was a thorough investigation, in which the poor woman getting the blinds cut was asked what happened. Comments from customers like "I'm surprised Cindy (once again, all names changed to protect the guilty) didn't punch that woman in the mouth, she sure needed it and I wouldn't have seen a thing" is not helpful to your case.

We still have the blinds associate. We threw the pissed-off customer out of the building.