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aerethan wrote:

Mr Mystery wrote:Has to be sealed, and although you don't need the receipt, you can ask for it.

So you admit that the manager is in the wrong?

I think he's trying to say that the manager didn't do anything illegal or against strict company written policy.

It's just against practice, that's all.

The fun thing is, the bloodletters are worth almost 3 bucks more than the scouts-its a trade down for the OP to exchange them down for the scouts. But a simple solution would have been for the manager to call corporate with the OP there and just double check. As manager, he should have realized that was an acceptable (and decent) decision to be made The email sent out was BEYOND wrong, and I would second the suggestion to call corporate. It really does sound like he just had it in for you, and GW never even asks where you got the product from-it's their product, they made their initial price, so they have no issue with correcting mistakes, no matter the source.

@Kanluwen, I just had to call GW about a box of Genestealers that I just opened from 94 (yes, wicked old, and bought second-hand but still in shrinkwrap) and the sprues were malformed-the guy said even though they didn't make them any more, he had no problem sending out a replacement, and if it is a model in plastic it isn't too much trouble to fix, but they won't replace OOP metal models that have been remade-this happened Thursday, so it's a pretty accurate timeframe of their replacement policy.

The current Amsterdam manager is okay, if suffering a bit from "stick up my butt". I do miss Swan, he ran the Amsterdam store for a long time and did a great job of keeping people happy.

Definatly call Corporate about the email without naming the store that told you about the email, also mention about not recommending visting that GW store to freinds.

timetowaste85 wrote:The fun thing is, the bloodletters are worth almost 3 bucks more than the scouts-its a trade down for the OP to exchange them down for the scouts. But a simple solution would have been for the manager to call corporate with the OP there and just double check. As manager, he should have realized that was an acceptable (and decent) decision to be made The email sent out was BEYOND wrong, and I would second the suggestion to call corporate. It really does sound like he just had it in for you, and GW never even asks where you got the product from-it's their product, they made their initial price, so they have no issue with correcting mistakes, no matter the source.

@Kanluwen, I just had to call GW about a box of Genestealers that I just opened from 94 (yes, wicked old, and bought second-hand but still in shrinkwrap) and the sprues were malformed-the guy said even though they didn't make them any more, he had no problem sending out a replacement, and if it is a model in plastic it isn't too much trouble to fix, but they won't replace OOP metal models that have been remade-this happened Thursday, so it's a pretty accurate timeframe of their replacement policy.

That's actually kind of amusing about the Genestealers I have to wonder if he only did it because there's an existing product that correlates with what you had issues with?

What were the metal models that you had problems with?

Kanluwen wrote:

timetowaste85 wrote:The fun thing is, the bloodletters are worth almost 3 bucks more than the scouts-its a trade down for the OP to exchange them down for the scouts. But a simple solution would have been for the manager to call corporate with the OP there and just double check. As manager, he should have realized that was an acceptable (and decent) decision to be made The email sent out was BEYOND wrong, and I would second the suggestion to call corporate. It really does sound like he just had it in for you, and GW never even asks where you got the product from-it's their product, they made their initial price, so they have no issue with correcting mistakes, no matter the source.

@Kanluwen, I just had to call GW about a box of Genestealers that I just opened from 94 (yes, wicked old, and bought second-hand but still in shrinkwrap) and the sprues were malformed-the guy said even though they didn't make them any more, he had no problem sending out a replacement, and if it is a model in plastic it isn't too much trouble to fix, but they won't replace OOP metal models that have been remade-this happened Thursday, so it's a pretty accurate timeframe of their replacement policy.

That's actually kind of amusing about the Genestealers I have to wonder if he only did it because there's an existing product that correlates with what you had issues with?

What were the metal models that you had problems with?

No problems with metal models: he just gave me a rundown about what they couldn't take back, in case I ever had a problem in the future with metal models-he wanted me to know way ahead of time. Awesome customer service. Should have new genestealer parts in the mail in the next few days-the arms had been missing the entire elbow area-split into two small arm sections and there were no fingers/claws-just didn't form in the mold. He just said he was going to send out stuff from the new genestealers to fix what was wrong-first he said a new box, then said sprue bitz of arms, so I have no idea what's coming-as long as it fixes the messed up models, I'm happy.

I would call customer services, asking if they called him. If they did, say he lied flat about it, and if they didn't ask hem to. Say he won't let you trade in stuff, and that he's told all LGSes to do the same.

Why didn't you just call customer service in front of him and then had the representitive talk to the manager?

Taoofss wrote:Why didn't you just call customer service in front of him and then had the representitive talk to the manager?

I guess I didn't want to be that big a dick.... or maybe it's because I didn't want to stand there on hold glaring awkwardly at him.

Pen≥Sword wrote:

Taoofss wrote:Why didn't you just call customer service in front of him and then had the representitive talk to the manager?

I guess I didn't want to be that big a dick.... or maybe it's because I didn't want to stand there on hold glaring awkwardly at him.

So flamming him anonymously on a forum where he can't defend himself and where we would only get one side of the story is being less of a dick?

All you had to do was take out your cell phone, call customer service, you didn't have to "glare" at him, give him the cell phone when you had the issue resolved. Like you previously stated, he is new, so he may not be familiar with all of the policies.

Taoofss wrote:

Pen≥Sword wrote:

Taoofss wrote:Why didn't you just call customer service in front of him and then had the representitive talk to the manager?

I guess I didn't want to be that big a dick.... or maybe it's because I didn't want to stand there on hold glaring awkwardly at him.

So flamming him anonymously on a forum where he can't defend himself and where we would only get one side of the story is being less of a dick?

All you had to do was take out your cell phone, call customer service, you didn't have to "glare" at him, give him the cell phone when you had the issue resolved. Like you previously stated, he is new, so he may not be familiar with all of the policies.

Rather than making a public scene of it? Yes, I would say a thread on an internet forum is much more appropriate.

And like I've said. I didn't get really angry until he flammed me without letting me give my side of the story to other GW managers.

Pen≥Sword wrote:

Taoofss wrote:

Pen≥Sword wrote:

Taoofss wrote:Why didn't you just call customer service in front of him and then had the representitive talk to the manager?

I guess I didn't want to be that big a dick.... or maybe it's because I didn't want to stand there on hold glaring awkwardly at him.

So flamming him anonymously on a forum where he can't defend himself and where we would only get one side of the story is being less of a dick?

All you had to do was take out your cell phone, call customer service, you didn't have to "glare" at him, give him the cell phone when you had the issue resolved. Like you previously stated, he is new, so he may not be familiar with all of the policies.

Rather than making a public scene of it? Yes, I would say a thread on an internet forum is much more appropriate.

And like I've said. I didn't get really angry until he flammed me without letting me give my side of the story to other GW managers.

A public scene? How much of a public scene would it have been to say, "hold on a sec," walk outside or to the side of the store, call customer service and after asking about the policy, hand your phone to the GW guy? No scene at all.

He didn't flame you. He wrote an email telling the other GW stores in the area about what happened. He didn't say "shady customer," he said "disgruntled" which was in response to your attitude. Also, you do have an opportunity to defend yourself because if you go into another GW and they asked you about what happened, you can explain what happened. You ARE flaming him by calling him "worst manager of all time." Why you choose to belittle him for having limited gaming experience is beyond me.

Your friend who told you about the contents of the email is the one who deserves to lose his job. The in-company emails are private. He crossed a line when he share its contents with you. Not only was that incredibly unprofessional, he also broke company policy.

Taoofss wrote:

Pen≥Sword wrote:

Taoofss wrote:

Pen≥Sword wrote:

Taoofss wrote:Why didn't you just call customer service in front of him and then had the representitive talk to the manager?

I guess I didn't want to be that big a dick.... or maybe it's because I didn't want to stand there on hold glaring awkwardly at him.

So flamming him anonymously on a forum where he can't defend himself and where we would only get one side of the story is being less of a dick?

All you had to do was take out your cell phone, call customer service, you didn't have to "glare" at him, give him the cell phone when you had the issue resolved. Like you previously stated, he is new, so he may not be familiar with all of the policies.

Rather than making a public scene of it? Yes, I would say a thread on an internet forum is much more appropriate.

And like I've said. I didn't get really angry until he flammed me without letting me give my side of the story to other GW managers.

A public scene? How much of a public scene would it have been to say, "hold on a sec," walk outside or to the side of the store, call customer service and after asking about the policy, hand your phone to the GW guy? No scene at all.

He didn't flame you. He wrote an email telling the other GW stores in the area about what happened. He didn't say "shady customer," he said "disgruntled" which was in response to your attitude. Also, you do have an opportunity to defend yourself because if you go into another GW and they asked you about what happened, you can explain what happened. You ARE flaming him by calling him "worst manager of all time." Why you choose to belittle him for having limited gaming experience is beyond me.

Your friend who told you about the contents of the email is the one who deserves to lose his job. The in-company emails are private. He crossed a line when he share its contents with you. Not only was that incredibly unprofessional, he also broke company policy.

Claiming I acquired it through illicit means without any proof (and also untrue) isn't flaming?
Maybe that's how it would have went down with you, but after going through it with him twice and getting the snarky 'screw you' attitude I just didn't want to be in that store anymore.
I'm not belittling him for lacking gaming experience, I'm belittling him for refusing to practice standard GW procedure. BNesides that point not having gaming experience with any of the GW when you're managing the store doesn't seem like it scores him any points regardless. Hire a coach that's never played or coached baseball in his life, the fans will definitely love you for it.
I don't think he crossed the line at all. You just said yourself I could defend myself if it came up, yet if he tells me about it he crosses the line?

The only direct quote from the email you gave us was: "disgruntled customer trying to exchange bloodletters." I was not aware he said anything other then that. That being said, he sent the email out in private and not with the intention of belittling. He was protecting the interest of the store he works in. If he had posted a description of you on the outside of his store windows, then I could understand why you would be up in arms.

For you to get upset about an email you should have never seen and then openly flaming this person on a public forum is very petty.

As for your friend, he crossed a huge line. If GW knew who he was, I can assure you at the very least, he would be firmly reprimanded and possibly even fired depending on his standing with GW.

Taoofss wrote:[So flamming him anonymously on a forum where he can't defend himself and where we would only get one side of the story

while I agree that you should call customer services and give him the phone, technically, in that email the manager sent, the manager was only giving one side of the story where the guy couldn't defend himself.

Taoofss wrote:The only direct quote from the email you gave us was: "disgruntled customer trying to exchange bloodletters." I was not aware he said anything other then that. That being said, he sent the email out in private and not with the intention of belittling. He was protecting the interest of the store he works in. If he had posted a description of you on the outside of his store windows, then I could understand why you would be up in arms.

For you to get upset about an email you should have never seen and then openly flaming this person on a public forum is very petty.

As for your friend, he crossed a huge line. If GW knew who he was, I can assure you at the very least, he would be firmly reprimanded and possibly even fired depending on his standing with GW.

Well, going a little through the thread I give a little bit more about it. And quite honestly I don't think he was doing it to "protect the interest of the store". For him to tell othe GW to watch out for me and treating a regular customer like some kind of heeby jeeby boogeyman isn't exactly a professional quality.

Mhm, it is petty. But you can honestly say I shouldn't be upset in the least? It should just roll over me and I should just act like nothing happened? I'd rather vent my frustration and get a good debate out of someone and cool off that way rather than escalate things more.

Thread at Dakka about bad GW stores? Check.

Customer who feels wronged by GW? Check.

The Kan breathlessly fighting to defend GW's honour regardless of reason or logic? Check.

MeanGreenStompa ridiculing the Kan for his antics? Check.

Said ridicule passing right over the Kan's head? Check.

The Kan's inevitable reply where he attempts to mimic this post in a horrifically failed attempt at biting wit? Soon to be check.



It's just another day at Dakka!

*cue Dakka Dakka High theme music*

Oh HBMC, why aren't you Prime Minister or something????

Taoofss wrote:The only direct quote from the email you gave us was: "disgruntled customer trying to exchange bloodletters." I was not aware he said anything other then that. That being said, he sent the email out in private and not with the intention of belittling. He was protecting the interest of the store he works in.

Do you know this? Or are you simply trying to pass supposition off as fact?

And reading intent is hard, especially when there are multiple reasons for any given act. A manager can deny a refund based on a violation of policy that's rarely enforced, and claim it's due to the policy, when it's really for a personal or petty reason.

For you to get upset about an email you should have never seen and then openly flaming this person on a public forum is very petty.

This reminds me of the classic story of the woman who read her husbands email and found proof that he had been cheating on her. When she confronted him, his response was "why were you going through my email?"

As for your friend, he crossed a huge line. If GW knew who he was, I can assure you at the very least, he would be firmly reprimanded and possibly even fired depending on his standing with GW.

Well, except for the fact that the reason he'd be fired would be less due to sharing priviliegef information, but sharing information that makes GW look bad. It doesn't change the fact that the email in question probably shouldn't have been sent.

Taoofss wrote:Not only was that incredibly unprofessional, he also broke company policy.

Aren't you supposed to be arguing here that breaking company policy is a good thing? Because the first manager did it.

Pen≥Sword wrote:Recently my local GW store had a change in managerial staff. I wasn't going to hold any grudges against this new guy, it wasn't like it was his fault our old manager got fired. The old manager was let go for various GW reasons; having events, giving customers "real" hobbying advice (like how to build tables and terrain from non-overpriced-GW-product) and where to get such materials... y'know a real ass .

So the new manager shows up and the first thing he does is cover one of our three gaming tables with a "hobby intro table", the kind of table where the three starter sets are built and painted for a 4+ rolling adventure for the new, interested hobbyist (or that random schmuck who wandered in from Taco Bell). After getting to know about him I found out he had been in the hobby for a staggering 6 months and doesn't own a single army (although I guess he started Skaven just for the occasion). Another cute and very corporate thing of him to say to a younger hobbyist, who at the time was sitting in one of the chairs there, "This is Games Workshop. If you aren't gaming, working or shopping, then get out."

Now all of these complaints so far seem pretty petty but it gets a wee bit better.

A few months back I bought a box of Bloodletters for a friend of mine. He is starting an all 'Zerkers army and I figured I'd get him a cheap scoring unit for not that much money out of my wallet. Months go by and he never really builds them and I start getting interested in Black Templars. Since he plays Grey Knight he got all excited about it and wanted me to build my army up nice and fast. So when we were trying to come up with way for some easy scratch he suggested we exchange the Bloodletters for a box of Neophytes or something. So I go to the store to make an exchange. The new manager told me I'd need a receipt or the record of my purchase in the system. So he can't find it and tells me I'm outta luck. I thought this was strange, becauce normally you don't need either to make an exchange. A day later I called customer service, wondering if they chaged the exchange policy. I was told they hadn't and they'd call the new manager to straighten things out.

Okay cool.

So I go in a couple days later, bringing the box up to him asking if I can exchange it now. He gives me a weird look and starts talking to me with this frustrated tone of voice, talling me he can't do it, we've already been through this... blah blah blah. I tell him I called customer service and they said they'd straighten it all out and give him a call. He shakes his head. "Nope, never got a call."
At this point I'm getting noticeably peeved. I turn and leave telling him I guess I'l just exchange it somewhere else and give customer service another call.

Just last night I get a call from a friend of mine (a manager in the same region) and he tells me he got an email that was sent out from the new manager to all the other GW mangers in the region telling them to be on the look out for a "disgruntled customer trying to exchange bloodletters". Apparently, he thingk I got them from some illicit means and now I'm trying to get something free out of it.

Now I just want to punch the in the face. I'm never going back to that store and at this point refuse to buy anything directly from GW. All because I wanted a box of Neophytes.
/rant

Anyone else have any problems like this?

You have to use thier own powers against them, and turn to the tools of the infernal corperation.
IE the consumer service line- 1- 800- 394- 4263, who will then direct you to the correct department, or help you themselves.

Your issue is that you've generally just got yourself a NEWB manager with a overinflated sense of self.

A number of your issues can be chalked up to genuine misunderstandings, and the others can be solved by just going up and talking to the guy. Seriously, this is an ingroqwn issue with new guy managerial types, who want to put on a tough guy front, but hoinestly are in the position for a whopping three to five minutes. In laymens terms, we call that the napoleon complex. It comes about with guys fron fast food joints, stores, newly aquired positions of authority.
He's probibly not really a jackass, he's more then likely more then a little overwhelmed with his position, and is trying to fill someone else who was better at it's shoes. It isn't personal, and to deal with it, you can't make it personal.

"So the new manager shows up and the first thing he does is cover one of our three gaming tables with a "hobby intro table", the kind of table where the three starter sets are built and painted for a 4+ rolling adventure for the new, interested hobbyist (or that random schmuck who wandered in from Taco Bell). After getting to know about him I found out he had been in the hobby for a staggering 6 months and doesn't own a single army (although I guess he started Skaven just for the occasion). Another cute and very corporate thing of him to say to a younger hobbyist, who at the time was sitting in one of the chairs there, "This is Games Workshop. If you aren't gaming, working or shopping, then get out."
This sort of an issue is petty. Sure, it might look serious, but when you pull out your wallet, and then just without a word start counting your money right there in front of him, or you call him out on it, you won't have too much more of an issue the next time you come in.
Don't be confrontational, don't say anything to provoke him, or give him a reason to continue the pogue count. Just count your money and ignore him. He will very well likely want to push the issue, and then thats where you will have him.
If he goes on any more then a minute or so, I'd be very ssuprised. Then you are going to go over look him in the face, and then ask who is in charge of the store, you want to talk to the management.
( Don't add anything in there, just say what I told you to, because YOU will be expasperating the issue, instead of being a consumer, trying to deal with an unplesent situation in a company store.)

After the rigum in roll, write up the incident, and then contact GW, USA. who deals with the US stores. They should be contacted, given a rundown of the situation, and then you explain your dissatisfaction for being treated in such a disrespectful manner, don't add anything in there, or lie. Just tell them the situation, tell them that they have a guy in there that needs to have someone calm him the heck down, or that you won't go back there. The genuine issue that you have is that the so called manager disrespected customers. ( A defiante No No by the big red book) and that you were made to feel insulted by the staff of the GW store in question. When you convey that to the main office, they're going to take notice, and make a little mark in the naughty book. After a few calls and reports of this type, they will send in the secret shoppers, and see the acivity for themselves.

"So I go in a couple days later, bringing the box up to him asking if I can exchange it now. He gives me a weird look and starts talking to me with this frustrated tone of voice, talling me he can't do it, we've already been through this... blah blah blah. I tell him I called customer service and they said they'd straighten it all out and give him a call. He shakes his head. "Nope, never got a call."
At this point I'm getting noticeably peeved. I turn and leave telling him I guess I'l just exchange it somewhere else and give customer service another call.

Just last night I get a call from a friend of mine (a manager in the same region) and he tells me he got an email that was sent out from the new manager to all the other GW mangers in the region telling them to be on the look out for a "disgruntled customer trying to exchange bloodletters". Apparently, he thingk I got them from some illicit means and now I'm trying to get something free out of it. "

This one is a little more , how should we say, delicate.

This guy is a typical TFG, pure and simple. You obviously arn't going to get your guys back, but on the same token, he went out there and shot that TFG E-mail out about the issue. You can easily go one of two ways, one- You can ignore it and let it ride, seeing as it happened a minute or two ago, and you can probibly get over it and bouce back, but keep it as a chalk up, when he does something like this again.

The second thing to do is to confront him about it and outright ask him WTF? If you get a copy of the E mail, that is an added bonus, especially when you start calling him on it, and threaten to sue his ass for calling you a shill and a thief, and that he's got no backbone for spreading your issue out to the world, and that you will be expecting a written apology, or you call up the head office, a second or third time on the guy and explain THIS issue to them. Demand a written policy letter on refunds, and then keep it along with the E mail copy for later use. ( Muh ha ha ha)

This cat arbitrarily called you a thief, and a liar. Obviouslty he thinks he's in a position of authority, so the best way to handle it is to go over his head to his boss and call him on his attitude, and his actions, when all you were trying to do was to refund and exchange a boxed set for something of similer or equal value. Iceing on the cake would be to get a copy of the E mail, but the phone call should do, especially if it is because of the same store.

You draw a line in the sand at that point and outright call him on it, tell him the next time he calls you a thief, he'd better have some proof, all you wanted to do was exchange something, and he wanted to take it to DEFCON 4.
You throw the BS flag at that point, and direct this issue to his bosses in the regeonal level.

. Any other issues of this sort, I would be going to your local Chamber of Commerce, and filing a complaint, or calling your Better Buisness Beureu and filing one there, as well. It'snot even a question of telling all of your pals to avoide the place like the plague, and to continue to call in with legitimate complaints when they continue to arise. ( With a tool like that, you won't even need to make them up, seriously.)

The cat obviously want's attention, so give him what he wants.

Do you know this? Or are you simply trying to pass supposition off as fact?

As opposed to the alternative? Which would be what? The GW manager is a complete prick and just did it to screw with the OP?

And reading intent is hard, especially when there are multiple reasons for any given act. A manager can deny a refund based on a violation of policy that's rarely enforced, and claim it's due to the policy, when it's really for a personal or petty reason.

Like the OP said, the manager was new, he was just following store procedures. How would you know it as due to petty reasons? The OP never said as much.

This reminds me of the classic story of the woman who read her husbands email and found proof that he had been cheating on her. When she confronted him, his response was "why were you going through my email?"

This statement is moronic. Take a step back and look at what you just compared. Are you serious? A classic story? I literally loled for 5 minutes after reading that.

Well, except for the fact that the reason he'd be fired would be less due to sharing priviliegef information, but sharing information that makes GW look bad. It doesn't change the fact that the email in question probably shouldn't have been sent.

It was your opinion base off of only one side of the fact that the email shouldn't have been sent. Also, it's your assumption on why his friend would be fired. Prior to working for any company, you have to sign a policy that outlines what could and could not be shared. If you break said policy, you have grounds for dismissal. It doesn't matter what kind of information is shared.

How does sharing that email make GW look bad? Ask anyone whose worked at a chain-retail store. Those emails are pretty common practice. When I worked at radioshack in college, we were instructed to file a report of any minor incidences and sent them to the DM. The DM would then post those in the store to store email system. I would receive about five or six such reports every week.

Where is the quote from the OP that the manager of GW said anything about him being a liar or a thief? The only quote anyone got was the bit about "disgruntled." All we got was third hand information about that email.

All far as a retail perspective, that manager did nothing wrong.

Taoofss wrote:

All far as a retail perspective, that manager did nothing wrong.

Because leaving a repeat customer feeling disgruntled is clearly the right way to approach business. No doubt for his amazing examples, he'll shortly be heading up the US division of GW.

Ketara wrote:

Taoofss wrote:

All far as a retail perspective, that manager did nothing wrong.

Because leaving a repeat customer feeling disgruntled is clearly the right way to approach business. No doubt for his amazing examples, he'll shortly be heading up the US division of GW.

And once again:
New manager who had never dealt with the customer before, outside of the customer coming in with no receipt and wanting an exchange for a product they'd had for months.

Not saying it's 100% the most sensible thing, but the guy was likely doing what he felt was best.

Taoofss wrote:

Do you know this? Or are you simply trying to pass supposition off as fact?

As opposed to the alternative? Which would be what? The GW manager is a complete prick and just did it to screw with the OP?

Well, you could not speak authoritativley. You can offer all the supposition you'd like, and not make it sound like fact. And yeah, one good alternative is that the super serious professional that GW hired out of nowhere may have made a business decision based on personal vendetta. It happens all the time, to the extent that few if any retail managers don't do it from time to time.

And reading intent is hard, especially when there are multiple reasons for any given act. A manager can deny a refund based on a violation of policy that's rarely enforced, and claim it's due to the policy, when it's really for a personal or petty reason.

Like the OP said, the manager was new, he was just following store procedures. How would you know it as due to petty reasons? The OP never said as much.

I don't know it's for any reason. I do know that people can follow procedure for petty reasons. If you've never done anything correct for terrible reasons, you're missing out on a good time.

This reminds me of the classic story of the woman who read her husbands email and found proof that he had been cheating on her. When she confronted him, his response was "why were you going through my email?"

This statement is moronic. Take a step back and look at what you just compared. Are you serious? A classic story? I literally loled for 5 minutes after reading that.

Well, if you laughed, than it accomplished more than you did in your statement.

Well, except for the fact that the reason he'd be fired would be less due to sharing priviliegef information, but sharing information that makes GW look bad. It doesn't change the fact that the email in question probably shouldn't have been sent.

It was your opinion base off of only one side of the fact that the email shouldn't have been sent. Also, it's your assumption on why his friend would be fired. Prior to working for any company, you have to sign a policy that outlines what could and could not be shared. If you break said policy, you have grounds for dismissal. It doesn't matter what kind of information is shared.

Fair enough. Not all companies have such policies. Hell, I work with medical records all day and I've never signed one. Of course, I'm more worried about losing my license than my job. I guess that's a good point, but I think it's still worht noting that neither of us know if anybody really violated policy.

How does sharing that email make GW look bad? Ask anyone whose worked at a chain-retail store. Those emails are pretty common practice. When I worked at radioshack in college, we were instructed to file a report of any minor incidences and sent them to the DM. The DM would then post those in the store to store email system. I would receive about five or six such reports every week.

Laying off employess is also common, but it makes companies look bad. I think you're viewing this with the knowledge that customers really do cheat and lie all the time, and holding that job is thankless and crappy. But most people don't, and instead of seeing relatively common practice, see somebody spreading rumors. I think enough people here think less of the guy that my point holds.

Where is the quote from the OP that the manager of GW said anything about him being a liar or a thief? The only quote anyone got was the bit about "disgruntled." All we got was third hand information about that email.

All far as a retail perspective, that manager did nothing wrong.

Depends what you mean by wrong, I suppose. And that's assuming you take him at face value that he never got a call from customer service to accept the exchange.

I think his reactions were less than optimal.

Kanluwen wrote:

Ketara wrote:

Taoofss wrote:

All far as a retail perspective, that manager did nothing wrong.

Because leaving a repeat customer feeling disgruntled is clearly the right way to approach business. No doubt for his amazing examples, he'll shortly be heading up the US division of GW.

And once again:
New manager who had never dealt with the customer before, outside of the customer coming in with no receipt and wanting an exchange for a product they'd had for months.

Not saying it's 100% the most sensible thing, but the guy was likely doing what he felt was best.

So what you're saying is he's a bad manager? And therefore really shouldn't have the job?

Ketara wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:

Ketara wrote:

Taoofss wrote:

All far as a retail perspective, that manager did nothing wrong.

Because leaving a repeat customer feeling disgruntled is clearly the right way to approach business. No doubt for his amazing examples, he'll shortly be heading up the US division of GW.

And once again:
New manager who had never dealt with the customer before, outside of the customer coming in with no receipt and wanting an exchange for a product they'd had for months.

Not saying it's 100% the most sensible thing, but the guy was likely doing what he felt was best.

So what you're saying is he's a bad manager? And therefore really shouldn't have the job?

No, I'm saying that you need to go back and reread the thread, because you got a pretty key fact wrong.

Saying "leaving a repeat customer feeling disgruntled" assumes that the manager actually knows the OP is a repeat customer.

He doesn't know that, what with him being a new manager.

Quite frankly here's the series of things a normal manager should have done in this situation:

Politely tell the customer that they cannot have an exchange unless they had a record or a receipt.

Customer rebuttles, saying they were told by GW Customer Service and a phone call should have been made.

Manager tells him that he did not receive the phone call, but will check with his superiors about it as soon as he can, and while he doesnt need to apologise, he can always say he's sorry for the inconvenience, ask the customer to call again, and if the customer has proof or the phone call comes in, the manager will be glad to comply. Alternatively, he could have himself called up customer service on the spot (either asking the customer first and doing it discreetly if he was nice, or just doing it and making a scene if he was a douche) and gotten the word.

What the Manager shouldnt do is sent out a red flag email to everyone in the district.

Personally this guy had much more ways of handling it without provoking someone. Business management or not Company Policy comes first.

I don't understand why everyone is taking such offense at the email.

It was an internal company email sent to notify other stores about an unhappy customer. It's not even clear that the manager in question was trying to convince other managers not to exchange it for him. He was just saying "Hey, there's this upset customer, here's why."

Kanluwen wrote:

Ketara wrote:

Kanluwen wrote:

Ketara wrote:

Taoofss wrote:

All far as a retail perspective, that manager did nothing wrong.

Because leaving a repeat customer feeling disgruntled is clearly the right way to approach business. No doubt for his amazing examples, he'll shortly be heading up the US division of GW.

And once again:
New manager who had never dealt with the customer before, outside of the customer coming in with no receipt and wanting an exchange for a product they'd had for months.

Not saying it's 100% the most sensible thing, but the guy was likely doing what he felt was best.

So what you're saying is he's a bad manager? And therefore really shouldn't have the job?

No, I'm saying that you need to go back and reread the thread, because you got a pretty key fact wrong.

Saying "leaving a repeat customer feeling disgruntled" assumes that the manager actually knows the OP is a repeat customer.

He doesn't know that, what with him being a new manager.

What's him not knowing its a repeat customer got to do with the price of cheese?

He went against company policy on exchanges, which means he either didn't know it or didn't want to follow it(making him a bad manager). And he left a customer feeling disgruntled. Which, as pointed out, is so clearly the objective of a good manager, right?

See, most stores have these hi-tech apparatus these days called telly-phones. And what a good manager would do, upon hearing this chap had spoken to customer service, is if he's feeling doubtful, put through something called a telephone conversation to Customer Service, to clarify exactly what the policy entails, and whether it should be applicable in this case. Instead of leaving the customer feeling disgruntled.

Ergo, he is a bad manager.