DUUUURRRRHHHHHHH!!!!!

[kimikat]

Okay, so I work at a certain big orange home improvement store right. Well I have recently moved up to work at the Special Service desk, not the job that I wanted...But I'm still bitter about that horse shit anyhow.

Anyhoooo...So I'm at the desk by myself the other day, and a woman comes up and wants to make a payment on her credit card...With one check and 4 Gift Cards...

When I tell her that I can't accept Gift Cards as payment on a Credit card she gets MAD, and says "Well, since when...I've done it before." and I reply..."No ma'am, you haven't, when the cashier chooses the 'make a payment' function on the computer it doesn't even give us the OPTION to use a gift card as a form of tender for a payment." and she asks me "Is that just this store, I want to speak to a manager, because I know I've done it before. If you can't use gift cards to pay on an account, then what do you use them for......." and I replied, "well Ma'am, I could call a manager for you, but they are just going to flip your gift cards over and show you that it clearly states, gift cards are not valid as payments on our credit card accounts." and she says " Well it says here that its redeemable for merchandize and services, a credit card is a service...I want to speak to a manager..." and I said, "Ma'am, a credit card is not a Service, A service as defined by our company is something such as an installation, or measure done by the company, yes, you can purchase installations/measurements all day with a gift card, but it you read a little further down on the gift card, you will see that it says very plainly that it is NOT valid for a payment on a credit card account." And she replies, "Well...I see, well I guess I won't be coming back here, I'm going to go to the other blue home improvement store in C-ville from now on." And I replied, "I'm sorry for the inconvience, but I can also tell you that they don't accept gift cards for payments there either." Then she refused to put her phone number on her check, which she had made out for the whole amount of the payment, and I still accepted the payment, because if the check bounces, then thats on her...and doesn't come back on the store.

Anyhoo...My favorite part is the..."If you can't use it to pay on an account what do you use it for...." DURRRRRRHHHHHH.....Look around.

[Jim]

sounds like a good day at the despot.....

[PapaVic]

Well ... I understand the lady's frustration there.

The person buying the gift card probably wasn't told ahead of time that there were limitations as to its use, right? HD accepted the cash up front for the gift card, right? They had no problem accepting cash currency I suppose.

The person buying the gift card could've applied the same amount of money toward a cash payment on the lady's credit line, right? HD would've accepted the cash as payment on the lady's credit line, right?

HD had the use of the money tendered for the gift card for the entire time between the purchase of the gift card until its redemption ... INTEREST FREE! HD had no problem using the money and enjoying the interest on the money did they?

The lady with the credit line obviously is paying a monthy service charge or interest on her credit account, right? HD has no problem collecting and enjoying that interest do they?

The sign above the desk says "SERVICE" right? A customer probably expects "service" when approaching the desk regardless of whether the customer has read the fine print on the back of a so-called "gift" card, which in this case wasn't really a "gift" in the traditional sense of "gift" but rather a marketing gimmick to get the customer to BUY MORE STUFF.

I'm glad I know all about Home Depot gift cards (and I assume the same applies to the other home improvement big box stores' "gift" cards) 'cause now I'll use that information to decide whether to give a HD or Lowe's "gift" card or cash. I wouldn't want the recipient of my "gift" to encounter any frustrating experiences on account of my "gift." So, thanks for the heads up.

Bill

[lavandulagirl]

While I do think it's dumb that giftcards/certificates can't be used to pay the credit bill, it does seem to me that somebody gave her the cards because the knew she shopped at Home Despot. (And, her HD credit balance goes to that fact as well.) Having worked in retail, I'm with Kim on this one - there are rules right on the card. The gifter can read the card, as well as the giftee. If they choose not to, that's on them. As a final, retail note... when a customer is rude, and then threatens to take their rude self to a different store, thereby providing respite to the clerk they were originally rude to, HOW is that a threat? She isn't spending money right now, and she has the credit card for HD, so she'll probably be back. By all means, take your idiot self elsewhere! Perhaps she can make a stop at Barnes and Noble, which I'm sure carries a book called "Reading Fine Print For Dummies".

[jason]

I used to work at the customer service desk of a big chain grocery store. Definitely a lot of interesting people with interesting requests, I never liked how jobs turn people into workers, bosses and customers. Never really sympathized with people because I had a different perspective, but they never sympathized either.. kinda crazy.

[cff]

In our little business world were taught to address the problem "not the person" the problem is the bill has come due, merchandise purchased on credit is very expensive. My guess is the lady now has cash flow problems.

Company policies are written for a lot of different reasons but some you can always count on are to increase sales and protect the company.

Kim can't change policy
The customer can't change policy.
Management isn't going to change policy.

After trying to convince her that credit was the real enemy I would have suggested she sell the gift cards in the parking lot for cash and avoid credit (the real enemy) as much as possible.

This sounds simplistic but it gives the customer someone beside Kim and the business to be angry with, Kim you made a good move when you explained the other store had the same policy so credit and cash flow would be a problem there too.

[flowerpower]

greengrass said:

I used to work at the customer service desk of a big chain grocery store. Definitely a lot of interesting people with interesting requests, I never liked how jobs turn people into workers, bosses and customers. Never really sympathized with people because I had a different perspective, but they never sympathized either.. kinda crazy.

I've worked for 2 lg supermarkets and a toy store- all in customer service. I do not miss all the aggravation. And I don't care what "they" say, the customer is not always right.

Kimi, just say "I'm sorry. We can't do anything here at the store level. But here is the address/# of our main office. Perhaps they can help you" Or let the store mgr deal with it- that's why they make the big bucks.