Customer service, anyone?

Jerah's been involved in 4-H photography this semester which requires that we develop at least one roll of film prior to each Wednesday meeting. So, in our customary fashion, we were at Wal-Mart this morning to develop her film in the One-Hour Photo there.

We dropped off the film this morning at 10:30, and were given the receipt that said the photos would be ready at 11:30. Then we did some grocery shopping. By the time we checked out, with lots of frozen food in our cart, it was 11:20, so I sent Jaden over to the One-Hour Photo counter to see if our photos were ready.

They weren't.

So we parked our cart by the front doors, sat on the uncomfortable wooden benches, and waited patiently.

At 11:25 I sent Jaden again. And the photos were still not ready.

With our frozen food gradually thawing in the cart, I sent him again at 11:29. But this time he returned to inform me that the "lady" told him she was having computer problems and would I please come talk to her.

So we pushed our 300 pound cart (at least it seemed like 300 pounds) back to the One-Hour Photo. The "lady" clerk was there at the counter, along with her assistant manager, Cletus (Yes, I said Cletus. He was a huge, stocky black man and looked like anything except a Cletus). She explained the situation, apologized, and let me know that the photos were still not done because here computer was experiencing problems. Cletus interrupted to say that they believed the problem had been fixed, but it would still be a little while before the photos were done.

Well, my frozen food by this time was approaching bacterial growth temperatures I was sure, so I told Cletus that I was not able to wait, and that I would be forced to drive back into town later that afternoon to pick up the photos, although it would be VERY out of my way. The female technician then asked Cletus if they could give me a discount since the photos weren't done on time.

Cletus started to hem and haw, but I quickly added my two cents and said, "Yeah, maybe something like 50% off the processing charge since I have to make another trip to pick it up?"

He quickly shook his head, "Oh, no, we couldn't do that. The best we can do would be 25%."

"The best you can do is 25%? You're kidding right? That wouldn't even cover the cost of the gas I'd use driving back here," I rebutted.

"Yes, ma'am, that's the best we can do."

Yeah, right! Mega-corporation Wal-Mart can only afford a $.90 discount on a $6 processing fee when they don't meet their one-hour deadline?

Needless to say, I was a little put off. I was not happy with the idea that we'd have to drive 10 miles out of our way to pick up the photos, and we'd likely be late to photography class because of it. So I let Cletus know that I was not pleased as a customer, and that I wouldn't be having my photos processed with them anymore.

He just nodded and smiled.

So we went home, unloaded the groceries from the car, and returned to Wal-Mart later that afternoon "on the way" to photography class.

When I approached the One-Hour Photo counter, I noticed the clerk I had dealt with earlier in the day was not there. So I asked for my photos, and was quickly handed the packet—with 15% discount marked with a bold, black pen on the price tag.

What? Does Cletus think I'm an idiot?

I quickly explained the situation to the clerk behind the counter, letting her know that Cletus, the assistant manager, had told me earlier that he was going to be giving me a 25% discount, not a 15% discount (although I had originally asked for a 50% discount).

The clerk, thankfully, was very understanding, and said she'd go ahead and give me the 25% discount I had been promised, and that she'd add the 15% on top of that too, making it a 40% discount.

The clerk left the counter to figure the new total, and Jerah, who was standing next to me, asked me what the clerk was doing. I explained to her (loud enough that the clerk could hear me) that the clerk was offering us real customer service, unlike what we received earlier from Cletus.

Apparently, the clerk heard what I had said, because when she came back to ring us up, she went ahead and gave me a full 50% discount!

I pointed toward the clerk, and told Jerah, "See Jerah, that's what I call customer service." And then I pointed at the packet of photos where 15% discount was still written and said, "And that's what I call insulting."

We paid, thanked the clerk, and left for photography class.

Maybe we will go back to Wal-Mart's One-Hour Photo after all.