tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post4962439892980833492..comments2023-10-30T08:58:17.723+00:00Comments on Simplicity: Crazy!Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger34125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-36942748779883679432008-10-08T21:39:00.000+01:002008-10-08T21:39:00.000+01:00Thanks Marilyn- that is a fantastic summary – why ...Thanks Marilyn- that is a fantastic summary – why didn’t I think of that??!! :-) <BR/><BR/>If they had given me the copies or even sold them at a much reduced price I would have been more than happy to have put on each of the 150 the copies words to the effect ‘Kindly Provided by …….’ This would have given the shop free advertising to a large local audience of potential customers. <BR/><BR/>Actually the documents are not specific to a particular workshop and they are not dated so they can be used at any workshop. Even more reason why it would have been great publicity of the shop!<BR/><BR/>I think your comment sums up exceptionally well the loss of goodwill and free advertising. <BR/><BR/>To me it also sums up the difference between simple common sense leading to great customer care … and ‘blindness of customer care’ leading to missed opportunities.Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-65240709391464944022008-10-08T21:17:00.000+01:002008-10-08T21:17:00.000+01:00Hi Trevor,Hmmm...let's see. I did the math. There ...Hi Trevor,<BR/>Hmmm...let's see. I did the math. There were 150 'extra' copies of the workbook. If you ran 5 more workshops, 30 people per workshop, and used those workbooks, even if they were titled and dated wrong.....<BR/><BR/>You would have gladly and glowingly promoted that print shop by name, five times, to 150 people.<BR/><BR/>You saved at least part of a tree by re-using paper.<BR/><BR/>You have a great customer care story that you tell to many more people.<BR/><BR/>You look great, the shop looks great. <BR/><BR/>What a lost opportunity for that print shop manager.Marilyn Jesshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04043225892512813654noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-91596464939144925652008-10-06T20:01:00.000+01:002008-10-06T20:01:00.000+01:00Hi MarkSorry if you think I’m ducking issues – her...Hi Mark<BR/><BR/>Sorry if you think I’m ducking issues – here is my friendly take on it:<BR/><BR/>I would do the same as you in the case of 180 seminars and I suspect that 99.9% of customers would understand the mistake was a crazy oversight on my part and, like you, I would offer a discount on the correct full price for 30 seminars<BR/><BR/>If we come back to the actual case and I put myself in the position of the shop manager I would definitely have given the customer the 150 copies without any hesitation rather than metaphorically burn then in front of his/her eyes for no other reason than ‘I have a policy to follow.’ <BR/><BR/>I do see things very simply but that does not mean black and white. I also see almost everything as multi coloured. <BR/><BR/>I hope you agree that crazy rules are recognised in any language or colour.Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-4329865348226992752008-10-06T09:12:00.000+01:002008-10-06T09:12:00.000+01:00Trevor - I'm not comparing apples and pears at all...Trevor - I'm not comparing apples and pears at all but you're clearly ducking the issue. I'm asking you whether if you made a big mistake, you'd stand by it or if you'd look for a compromise (if you and the other person were able or willing to do think on your feet about it: it's always much easier in theory than in the heat of a meeting) or if you'd actually walk away from it. The question, and your possible responses, challenge the idea of the customer always being right and would then lead on to a question of whether this is the sort of customer you want to deal with.<BR/><BR/>Personally, I'd explain my mistake and ask for the customer's forebearance in submitting a revised price, which I'd discount a bit for the hassle. If he was stroppy about it or tried to get me to do 180 seminars for the price of 30, I'd have no hesitation in walking away from it. And I'd have no hesitation, in the latter case, in regarding him as a customer I am happy for the competition to have to work with.<BR/><BR/>You say in your original post, "...I always do see things far too simply." I live in a world where there are multiple colours and many shades of grey in betwixt black and white.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-6993393378886254142008-10-04T20:20:00.000+01:002008-10-04T20:20:00.000+01:00Brilliant though sad story Lois – thanks very much...Brilliant though sad story Lois – thanks very much for sharing that. <BR/><BR/>In the words of the immortal Pete Seeger song “When will they ever learn, When will they ever learn”<BR/><BR/>So ‘caring’ for customers in that hotel is to humiliate them in public?! – Amazing how stupid some company policies can be don’t you think Lois?<BR/><BR/>I love your words – ‘demean our repeat customers in public for the price of a muffin and coffee.’Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-2523595841224465342008-10-04T20:10:00.000+01:002008-10-04T20:10:00.000+01:00I sat in a hotel lobby one morning last week while...I sat in a hotel lobby one morning last week while the desk clerk explained clearly over and over again to a couple that they weren't entitled to the complementary breakfast this time as they were paying a discount rate on their room rather than a package deal last visit, that by the way, had entitled them to the comp brekkie for only the first day of their previous stay.<BR/><BR/>Over and over again. In a clear voice that carried across the lobby. <BR/><BR/>I have a complete understanding of the hotel's breakfast policy now- we will demean our repeat customers in public for the price of a muffin and coffee. Ouch!<BR/><BR/>Lois GoryAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-16524499762803213772008-10-04T15:11:00.000+01:002008-10-04T15:11:00.000+01:00Great question Mark. I hear what you say Firstly i...Great question Mark. I hear what you say <BR/><BR/>Firstly it would have to be a bit more more than an ‘off day’ for me to give someone a price for 180 seminars versus 30 – if we assume £1000 per seminar a difference of £150,000 is something I’m pretty sure I would notice before I signed my letter or gave the promise verbally! – With respect you are comparing apples and pears<BR/><BR/>In the case you describe I’ve not already COMMITTED AND WASTED expenditure other than a bit of my time in giving the client a price. In the copying case the mistake that was made resulted in actually producing 150 unnecessary tangible products that were of no use whatsoever to the shop and were going to be thrown away. <BR/><BR/>I have done a number of free seminars/workshops as loss leaders to drum up business and establish a reputation. It sometimes works and it sometimes doesn’t work. If a client asks me to do something and I give the client a price then that is what I charge – the scenario you quote is not believable really.Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-49918146888467712262008-10-04T14:55:00.000+01:002008-10-04T14:55:00.000+01:00Trevor - let's turn your story around. Let's assum...Trevor - let's turn your story around. Let's assume you go to visit a prospective client and - per his request - submit a price for running 30 seminars. It then turns out that you've made a colossal error and the guy was talking about 180 seminars. Don't lets get into an, "I'd always ensure I understand the brief, put it in writing" etc etc riff; let's just make an assumption that you've had an off day and you've misunderstood the whole thing.<BR/><BR/>Let's also assume neither of you can spot the compromise and the client insists you stand by your offer. After all, he's the customer so he has to be 100% right and you must do what the customer wants.<BR/><BR/>Would you say, "My fault, don't worry, I stand by my price and I'll run 180 seminars for the price of 30."<BR/><BR/>Or would you walk away from the whole deal?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-17917133706902862702008-10-04T13:18:00.000+01:002008-10-04T13:18:00.000+01:00A RESULT! Thanks David - I have a proposal ...Can ...A RESULT! <BR/><BR/>Thanks David - I have a proposal ...<BR/><BR/>Can you get the newspaper shop person to run the photocopy shop and we will all be happy. This newspaper shop person ‘gets it’ as far as customer care is concerned!!<BR/><BR/>He or she wins my prize for simplicity, common sense and genuine customer care!!<BR/><BR/>THANK YOU GOD!!!<BR/><BR/>I rest my case!!Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-2753112720867111012008-10-04T12:54:00.000+01:002008-10-04T12:54:00.000+01:00Of course we’re winding you up Trevor, it’s far mo...Of course we’re winding you up Trevor, it’s far more fun than agreeing with you all of the time! It’s very difficult to know the rights and wrongs, the missed opportunities or the reason for the other guy’s attitude. On the face of it he may have been a complete ******** but maybe the situation wasn’t 100% black and white.<BR/><BR/>Let me give you a positive story of exceptional customer care. This morning I walked to the newsagent’s to buy a Saturday paper. They had sold out of the one I wanted. The owner apologised and said that he would get one from elsewhere and deliver it to my house. I only buy a paper on a Saturday and only occasionally buy other things from the shop. The cost of the paper is £1.60 or around US$3. In no way can I be considered a valuable customer but clearly my custom is valued.David Wikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10971753336104484341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-25927990574081422822008-10-04T12:18:00.000+01:002008-10-04T12:18:00.000+01:00Thanks again Tomjam – as you know Richard Branson ...Thanks again Tomjam – as you know Richard Branson is one of my heroes and a shining example of what you say. He is also dyslexic of course. Another unhelpful label.<BR/><BR/>I remember Tom Peters once saying words to the effect there is nothing more charming, honest, creative, and innocent than a three year old. We send them to school and it’s down hill from then onwards. I’ll second that. <BR/><BR/>Victor Palmieri said – ‘Strategies are Okayed in Boardrooms that even a child knows are domed to fail. The problem is there’s never a child in the board room.’<BR/><BR/>Can you remember the Tom Hanks movie called ‘Big’ – that film sums up Palmieri’s quote perfectly?Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-61106225714028678602008-10-04T11:59:00.000+01:002008-10-04T11:59:00.000+01:00Hi Tevor, the Shaw quote is very apposite and make...Hi Tevor, the Shaw quote is very apposite and makes me think of one of my 'hobby horses' which is that I think our education system teaches us from a young age that respect for rules, conformity and 'good behaviour' are to be rewarded and intitiative, creativity and asking awkward questions are to be punished. I'm not advocating anarchy or anti-social behaviour at all. On the contrary, I think decency and compassion are the number one 'rule' we should be taught, and also we should be helped to become confident at 'improvising' in social and work situations. In other words rules and regulations are useful as guidelines, but in the real world to be effective I believe we need to have the freedom to bend rules in situations where a relationship with a customer or colleague points to doing a things a different way. Many of us, I think, reach adulthood not trusting our values and our intuition over the 'rules' and ultimately the result is often less satisfactory on both sides, as was clearly the case with your print shop experience.<BR/><BR/>Going back to my point about education it is not a criticism of teachers, many of whom do wonders in stressful circumatances but more a comment on an outmoded command and control system that was set up several hundred years ago-and is still replicated in many workplaces. <BR/><BR/>My last observation would be that there are many who struggle in the education system who thrive once they've left it-Richard Branson?-because they refuse to just fit in and follow the rules. Sorry for the essay Trevor, I did say it was a hobby horse!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-64378149722331371902008-10-04T11:21:00.000+01:002008-10-04T11:21:00.000+01:00Great to hear from you again Tomjam – I hope you a...Great to hear from you again Tomjam – I hope you are keeping well.<BR/><BR/>It is great that we see different opinions in this discussion and I thank you for your opinion. I keep asking myself have I missed something really obvious but I keep coming back to your excellent point:<BR/><BR/>“If it’s a choice of shredding great quantities of documents or giving them to someone who can make use of them, then to me it’s a no-brainer.” <BR/><BR/>Like you I hope the man may have learned from the experience – I certainly learned. That is perhaps the important bit about this whole discussion – what did we learn? <BR/><BR/>I genuinely hope the man will have reflected a bit …. Though I just have this feeling he is one of those types - you must know them - who ‘had a policy and a procedure to adhere to’ ….. ‘I was just carrying out orders’ .. That sort of attitude … but there I go again being judgmental :- ) <BR/><BR/>I am clearly seen as being unreasonable by some and that’s ok then I remember the great GBS!<BR/><BR/>"The reasonable man adapts himself to the world; the unreasonable one persists in trying to adapt the world to himself. Therefore all progress depends on the unreasonable man." - <I>George Bernard Shaw</I>Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-28442043112882105442008-10-04T11:08:00.000+01:002008-10-04T11:08:00.000+01:00Dave – simple common sense as always. Somebody onc...Dave – simple common sense as always. <BR/><BR/>Somebody once told me it may take 20 years to build a reputation but only 30 seconds to lose it through one bad customer experience. <BR/><BR/>In a nutshell customers vote with their feet and unless suppliers and providers grasp that concept (not really a difficult concept is it?) the company leaders and jobsworths can have as many academic discussion about how awful these inconvenient customers as they like but in the meantime profits dip and eventually the business goes to the wall. ‘Nero fiddling while Rome is burning comes to mind.’<BR/><BR/>Dave - In the world of the blind the one eyed man (or woman) is king.Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-9026362008576461302008-10-04T10:57:00.000+01:002008-10-04T10:57:00.000+01:00Hi Richard – I have no problem whatsoever understa...Hi Richard – I have no problem whatsoever understanding the relationship is two way. I assure you I am a very, very easy customer to please. I am not particularly demanding – I just don’t like to witness stupidity. <BR/><BR/>My style as a customer is ALWAYS to look for win-win situations. <BR/><BR/>You Dave and Mark clearly feel the provider is ‘in charge’ of the relationship but I fundamentally disagree with that. If anyone is in charge it is the customer and he/she will always be in charge. He/she has the money that pays the wages of the provider staff!!<BR/><BR/>This is a no brainer – the customer is king or queen full stop. <BR/><BR/>To me this guy might as well have burned the papers in front of me just to rub in the fact that he was ‘the boss’ in our ‘relationship’ – I can only think you David and Mark are probably trying very hard to wind me up - and that’s great banter. <BR/><BR/>I love the fact my Blog creates discussion and as I said a few weeks ago when reviewing my own ‘customer feedback’ I like the fact people challenge me and disagree with me. <BR/><BR/>One of the great joys of life is celebrating ‘difference’ – this particular discussion is not about ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ but about different perceptions – LIFE IS GOOD my friend!Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-78308070566940596052008-10-04T08:17:00.000+01:002008-10-04T08:17:00.000+01:00I have to say I'm with you all the way on this one...I have to say I'm with you all the way on this one Trevor. Firstly, the manager made the mistake of not being attentive in the first place to what you had asked for and therefore messed up your order. Secondly, if its a choice of shredding great quantities of ducuments or giving them to someone who can make use of them, then to me its a no-brainer. As you rightly say, this was a lost opportunity on his part to nurture a customer relationship, and enhance his shop's reputation in the process. You never know, he may also look back at this incident and wish he had handled it differently!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-13177645894593937142008-10-04T01:24:00.000+01:002008-10-04T01:24:00.000+01:00This particular shop's profitability is not neces...This particular shop's profitability is not necessarily increased by getting a paid a reduced amount for the excess copies. He's out the materials , time and labor either way. I've talked to folks I would rather have spontaneously combusted sitting in my chair than credit a nickel to but you have to because it's the best business decision due to a variety of reasons such as long tenure or average revenue. If it's about "relationships"...and if nothing is done you lose the costs of the mistake anyway...give him the copies. A happy customer with a blog is more likely to be better for you and your business than a dis-satisfied customer with one!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-2065296031777034732008-10-04T01:08:00.000+01:002008-10-04T01:08:00.000+01:00Trevor.... I agree with Mark and David... When I f...Trevor.... I agree with Mark and David... <BR/><BR/>When I first read this blog I thought what was "crazy" was that you did not do what you said you should have done....<BR/><BR/>You said "(w)ith hindsight I could have made an offer to pay a reduced amount for the workbooks". <BR/><BR/>Surely if you had done that you would have offered the shopkeeper a golden opportunity to say "no just take them, we are only going to pulp them anyway so you may as well use them. Sorry about my mistake - is there anything else I can do for you right now?" <BR/><BR/>Customer service always has two ends - the customer and the service provider ends - and so the better the rapport between these two ends the better the outcomes for both. <BR/><BR/>Simplicity in action in customer service to me might go something like this - think of the other person in the transaction first and foremost rather than yourself. <BR/><BR/>I believe that if you are "generous" not "mean" with your perspective of any customer service situation then you will rarely, if ever, have "dud" outcomes.Richard Lipscombehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12234241236732488698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-73363566943329927312008-10-04T00:07:00.000+01:002008-10-04T00:07:00.000+01:00‘Dreadful, cynical, near-libellous assumptions’ – ...‘Dreadful, cynical, near-libellous assumptions’ – Mmmmm …. Actually it seems what you are saying about me Mark – but no problem I have a thick skin! <BR/><BR/>You are right - you do only have my side of the story - and I assure you I was not ‘belligerent’ nor was I trying to ‘blatantly profit’. I do not lie.<BR/><BR/>I’m sorry to say you continue to miss my point about customer care. <BR/><BR/>Have you ever actually had direct face to face contact with customers Mark or are your beliefs about customers informed from an office far removed from direct contact with the paying customer? <BR/><BR/>Your tone suggests customers are nothing more than an inconvenience, an interruption to the smooth running of the business. ‘The company is always right and the customer must fit in’ seems to be your motto. <BR/><BR/>I know we will never agree on this one but thank you for the frank and up-front exchange. At least we are dealing with it in an adult and I hope constructive way. <BR/><BR/>It is not compulsory to agree and I just hope we can both see some aspects of each others point that we can learn from. I can say I have learned from your words.<BR/><BR/>This posting is a rant about what I perceive as poor customer care. I would love to have posted that I had a fantastic experience where a shop manager was a marvellous example of all that is brilliant about really caring for customers and showing terrific initiative. That he was a shining example that I can proudly boast about as a role model for Britain … Instead of that all I did Mark was to say it as I experienced it and offered my opinion of the customer care shown. <BR/><BR/>I have, in my almost four years of writing Simplicity Blog, written about some great examples of customer care when it has worked well and I will do some more in the future I’m sure and if I experience poor customer care, that I think is worthy of writing about, I will also do that.<BR/><BR/>Have a great weekend and if Man United win tomorrow I will get you a ‘virtual’ drink!Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-46746592524052041012008-10-03T22:25:00.000+01:002008-10-03T22:25:00.000+01:00Trevor - you can defend yourself against the sugge...Trevor - you can defend yourself against the suggestion of belligerence; the shop manager can't. We only have your side of the story.<BR/><BR/>You can make terribly unfair statements like, "the manager I met in this shop would probably have taken my cup away and poured half of it down the sink!" How do you know? What a dreadful, cynical, near-libellous assumption.<BR/><BR/>"I was not trying to ‘blatantly profit’ from his mistake." Yes you were. It's self-evident that it had cost a fair bit to produce them; it's self evident that having no-cost handouts would improve your profit margins - unless you're telling us you'd have given your next customer a rebate to the value of the hand-outs. <BR/><BR/>You can rail about it as much as you like but in my view, neither of you comes out of it well. I'd have been far more impressed with this posting if it had been less of a rant and more of a, "I really missed an opportunity to turn around a mistake and preserve someone else's dignity" story.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-80961125365824834982008-10-03T17:11:00.000+01:002008-10-03T17:11:00.000+01:00Hi David“And if it isn’t profitable, you are certa...Hi David<BR/><BR/>“And if it isn’t profitable, you are certainly better without it.”<BR/><BR/>I disagree with that too. <BR/><BR/>Some customers may well NOT be” profitable” (whatever that means) in the short term. You may in fact make a LOSS in dealing with them. But if you respect your customer and you are loyal to your customer, they may, in the long term, become your greatest and most profitable customer. <BR/><BR/>It is clear that what is meant by customer ‘care’ is in the eye of the beholder.<BR/><BR/>I know what good and crap customer care is as far as I am concerned. You and Mark have a different view of course and that is great – that is how it will always be in such discussions. We don’t have to agree.<BR/><BR/>I’ve always imagined having my own company with huge signs that scream out to customers – PLEASE COMPLAIN IF YOU ARE NOT COMPLETELY SATISFIED <BR/><BR/>Why don’t we see that?Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-53586337679981464592008-10-03T16:54:00.000+01:002008-10-03T16:54:00.000+01:00Mark I’m pleased to find that you have put the cou...Mark I’m pleased to find that you have put the counter view as you seem to be an ally in keeping Trevor on his toes, even if sometimes it is as devil’s advocate! <BR/><BR/>I say to people that the customer is not always right, but he/she is always the customer. I quite agree that there are some customers that you are better to do without – by the way, I’m not suggesting that Trevor is one of them! If you don’t enjoy working with a customer, then you are better off not to have their business. And if it isn’t profitable, you are certainly better without it.David Wikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10971753336104484341noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-78291321188512395832008-10-03T16:25:00.001+01:002008-10-03T16:25:00.001+01:00Andrew – I certainly wouldn’t want anyone getting ...Andrew – I certainly wouldn’t want anyone getting into trouble for breaking ‘company rules.’ My point is the ‘company rules’ are probably stupid and need to change allowing trust in front liners to make the right call. I am simply asking for front line folks to be trusted to use common sense and not to be ‘told off’ when they make a very sensible decision based on common sense. Too many companies don’t trust their front line employees to make the sort of simple judgement calls a 10 year old child could make. I agree that company policies are made to adhere to but they are also there to be stretched and challenged. <BR/>Sorry to hear about your experience over the 5 cents problem. Many times in my career as a front line worker dealing face to face with customers I’ve let people off paying a small amount and on occasions I have even given people money from my own pocket which is of course totally against company rules – but it was using common sense and seeing the bigger picture rather than being frustrated by some silly company rule – and more important I was thinking about customer loyalty.Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-2299021721861016252008-10-03T16:25:00.000+01:002008-10-03T16:25:00.000+01:00JK – I agree with you one million per cent!! - I t...JK – I agree with you one million per cent!! - I think you understand my point.Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9533912.post-16257739890860046582008-10-03T16:24:00.000+01:002008-10-03T16:24:00.000+01:00Mark – Always good to have disagreement. I respect...Mark – Always good to have disagreement. I respect your opinion - I just disagree with you completely.<BR/><BR/>• I was not ‘belligerent’ as a customer. I just asked a simple question in a very polite way as I always do. <BR/>• I already said in the posting and in the follow up comments that, with hindsight, I think making an offer to pay would have been a good approach. <BR/>• I was not trying to ‘blatantly profit’ from his mistake <BR/>• I was not trying to ‘take the micky.’ <BR/><BR/>You make it sound like I was enjoying his mistake – I never enjoy other people’s mistakes. I make lots of mistakes myself and it hurts if people enjoy my mistakes and remind me of them. So I certainly would not do that to others – that’s just not my style at all. <BR/><BR/>The simple point is he was going to shred papers that I could have used - so his company had already ‘lost’ the money!! I think anyone can see it is just plain stupid jobsworth behaviour. Anyone with a brain can understand he would have made a ‘friend of the company’ and a great 'advert' for his shop if he had shown some common sense. Instead he has made an enemy and I tell other people.<BR/><BR/>I’ve worked for probably 15 -20 years in direct customer facing jobs in my ‘spare time’ outside my main NHS job Mark in bar work, paper rounds and for the last four years an as independent consultant and trainer. I’ve often broken silly company rules by using common sense – that is my point – 99.9% of customers are not the belligerent, mickey taking people you suggest – 99.9% are normal well meaning honest people. You are describing the 0.1% and the rest don’t deserve to suffer for the bad attitude of the 0.1%.<BR/><BR/>I also think the coffee example is a perfectly appropriate comparison - the principle is identical.<BR/><BR/>Is that 15 all? :-)Trevor Gayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01148705981847576706noreply@blogger.com