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Cellular forums Home > Archive > Cingular cell phone service > September 2006 > Whatever Happened to "First Come, First Served?"
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Whatever Happened to "First Come, First Served?"
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| Scott en Aztlán 2006-09-03, 10:33 pm |
| I stopped by a Cingular company-owned store this afternoon. When we
arrived, all of the clerks were busy assisting other customers. There
was no roll of paper number tickets for us to take, nor was there any
obvious queue in which to stand, so we stood next to the customer
service desk and waited. Finally, when one of the clerks finished with
his customer, what do you suppose happened? That's right, he IGNORED
my wife and I who had been standing there waiting patiently for 10
minutes, and he instead asked some guy who had literally just walked
in the door "can I help you?"
Strangely enough, the very design of the store makes it nearly
impossible for any employee without eidetic memory to serve customers
fairly. The counter is round, with POS terminals scattered around it,
so there is no one single point where a queue can naturally form. It's
as if Cingular WANTS to piss customers off - but why?? Does it really
help their bottom line when customers like my wife and I walk out of
their stores?
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| Ron Hinds 2006-09-03, 10:33 pm |
| "Scott en Aztlán" <scottenaztlan@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5kemf2tfm6nmgij
3r94jom69utiuhftevq@
4ax.com...
>I stopped by a Cingular company-owned store this afternoon. When we
> arrived, all of the clerks were busy assisting other customers. There
> was no roll of paper number tickets for us to take, nor was there any
> obvious queue in which to stand, so we stood next to the customer
> service desk and waited. Finally, when one of the clerks finished with
> his customer, what do you suppose happened? That's right, he IGNORED
> my wife and I who had been standing there waiting patiently for 10
> minutes, and he instead asked some guy who had literally just walked
> in the door "can I help you?"
>
> Strangely enough, the very design of the store makes it nearly
> impossible for any employee without eidetic memory to serve customers
> fairly. The counter is round, with POS terminals scattered around it,
> so there is no one single point where a queue can naturally form. It's
> as if Cingular WANTS to piss customers off - but why?? Does it really
> help their bottom line when customers like my wife and I walk out of
> their stores?
No doubt the layout was designed by some vastly overpaid New Age
"consultant" to be Feng Shui or some such ridiculous nonsense. Forgetting
that the reason for the existence of the store was not to enhance our Chi,
but to sell and service phones!
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| Scott en Aztl=E1n wrote:
> I stopped by a Cingular company-owned store this afternoon. When we
> arrived, all of the clerks were busy assisting other customers. There
> was no roll of paper number tickets for us to take, nor was there any
> obvious queue in which to stand, so we stood next to the customer
> service desk and waited. Finally, when one of the clerks finished with
> his customer, what do you suppose happened? That's right, he IGNORED
> my wife and I who had been standing there waiting patiently for 10
> minutes, and he instead asked some guy who had literally just walked
> in the door "can I help you?"=20
>=20
> Strangely enough, the very design of the store makes it nearly
> impossible for any employee without eidetic memory to serve customers
> fairly. The counter is round, with POS terminals scattered around it,
> so there is no one single point where a queue can naturally form. It's
> as if Cingular WANTS to piss customers off - but why?? Does it really
> help their bottom line when customers like my wife and I walk out of
> their stores?=20
The Cingular stores I've visited don't use a number ticket - they
have a queue list at a kiosk that customers waiting are
requested to scribble a name (whatever they want to be called by).
There's even a nearby sign stipulating to this issue. Sales staff will
check this list for the next to be served. Once a queued customer has
been helped, their entry on the queue list is lined through, and
they call the next name down on the list that isn't scratched through.
Perhaps you missed it.
--=20
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'
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| Scott en Aztlán 2006-09-04, 10:33 am |
| On Sun, 03 Sep 2006 23:12:23 -0500, Jer <gdunn@airmail.ten> wrote:
>The Cingular stores I've visited don't use a number ticket - they
>have a queue list at a kiosk that customers waiting are
>requested to scribble a name (whatever they want to be called by).
>There's even a nearby sign stipulating to this issue. Sales staff will
>check this list for the next to be served.
The clerk in question never checked any list before ofering to assist
the man who had just walked into the store.
>Perhaps you missed it.
If I missed it, then the clerk did, too.
| |
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| Scott en Aztl=E1n wrote:
> On Sun, 03 Sep 2006 23:12:23 -0500, Jer <gdunn@airmail.ten> wrote:
>=20
l[color=darkred]
>=20
> The clerk in question never checked any list before ofering to assist
> the man who had just walked into the store.
>=20
>=20
> If I missed it, then the clerk did, too.=20
Perhaps the clerk checked the list when you weren't looking, and not=20
seeing any new entries, the clerk figured the guy walking in the door=20
was the next. Or I could be completely wrong about all of this. I'm=20
just saying I've seen a list used, and if someone isn't on the list,=20
they're welcome to meander about the store all they want without=20
constantly be interrupted. Personally, I like the 'list' regimen - I'm=20
left alone if I'm not on the list.
--=20
jer
email reply - I am not a 'ten'
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| All of my local stores have sign in sheet ... it must be a regional thing.
"Scott en Aztlán" <scottenaztlan@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5kemf2tfm6nmgij
3r94jom69utiuhftevq@
4ax.com...
>I stopped by a Cingular company-owned store this afternoon. When we
> arrived, all of the clerks were busy assisting other customers. There
> was no roll of paper number tickets for us to take, nor was there any
> obvious queue in which to stand, so we stood next to the customer
> service desk and waited. Finally, when one of the clerks finished with
> his customer, what do you suppose happened? That's right, he IGNORED
> my wife and I who had been standing there waiting patiently for 10
> minutes, and he instead asked some guy who had literally just walked
> in the door "can I help you?"
>
> Strangely enough, the very design of the store makes it nearly
> impossible for any employee without eidetic memory to serve customers
> fairly. The counter is round, with POS terminals scattered around it,
> so there is no one single point where a queue can naturally form. It's
> as if Cingular WANTS to piss customers off - but why?? Does it really
> help their bottom line when customers like my wife and I walk out of
> their stores?
| |
| Scott en Aztlán 2006-09-05, 10:33 am |
| On Mon, 04 Sep 2006 16:17:15 -0500, Jer <gdunn@airmail.ten> wrote:
>
>Perhaps the clerk checked the list when you weren't looking
I had my eyes on him the entire time, as I saw he was winding up with
his current customer and was heading over towards him.
Cingular isn't the only store I've seen do this. I was in a patio
furniture store not too long ago that also lacked any sort of
mechanism to ensure that customers are waited on fairly. Come to think
of it, I've never seen a number roll or a sign-up sheet in a Radio
Shack store, either. It's almost as if someone told these guys that
it's somehow "better" to not have these "old-fashioned" things in
their stores. Or maybe it's a cost-cutting measure - perhaps those
rolls of paper number tickets cost too much to refill?
| |
| Jeremy.Deats@gmail.com 2006-09-06, 10:33 pm |
| About a month ago I visited three Cingular stores in the North Houston
(Texas) suburbs. They all had "sign in" list located somewhere in the
store. Only one employee at one of the locations pointed us to that
list.... the others just assumed it I knew where to find it.
To be fair I also visited two T-Mobile and one Verizon store during the
same period and experienced similar problems with service... Verizon
being the worst experience, at one of the T-Mobile locations I was
ignored and past by.... I even said "I just have a quick question", eye
contact was made and I was ignored. Employees were running around like
crazy...
One Cingular store I experienced employees doing nothing and ignoring
me for a while, but a quick look their way got attention...
So I would say you're experience is pretty common and mirrors a larger
scale corporate mindset by US cell providers in general, which seems to
be:
1=2E Provide nominal pre-sale support for service
2=2E Provide no post-sale support on handsets and contradicting support
on device
configuration.
2=2E Provide confusing service pricing models
2=2E Lock customers into long term contracts using the lure of free or
discounted handsets.
3=2E Lock customers into specific hardware/handsets which we (cell
providers) will control what content is loaded on the devices and lock
the devices to only work on our service.
This is what's going on... US customers are getting raped by cell
providers.... The way they operate is unethical, since there's only a
handful of providers and they all subscribe to these practices we have
gotten use to it.
I hope the etire systems cumbles.... Not likely to happen, but I can
hope.
Scott en Aztl=E1n wrote:
> I stopped by a Cingular company-owned store this afternoon. When we
> arrived, all of the clerks were busy assisting other customers. There
> was no roll of paper number tickets for us to take, nor was there any
> obvious queue in which to stand, so we stood next to the customer
> service desk and waited. Finally, when one of the clerks finished with
> his customer, what do you suppose happened? That's right, he IGNORED
> my wife and I who had been standing there waiting patiently for 10
> minutes, and he instead asked some guy who had literally just walked
> in the door "can I help you?"
>
> Strangely enough, the very design of the store makes it nearly
> impossible for any employee without eidetic memory to serve customers
> fairly. The counter is round, with POS terminals scattered around it,
> so there is no one single point where a queue can naturally form. It's
> as if Cingular WANTS to piss customers off - but why?? Does it really
> help their bottom line when customers like my wife and I walk out of
> their stores?
| |
| Elmo P. Shagnasty 2006-09-06, 10:33 pm |
| In article <1157578533.394773.119220@b28g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,
Jeremy.Deats@gmail.com wrote:
> So I would say you're experience is pretty common and mirrors a larger
> scale corporate mindset by US cell providers in general, which seems to
> be:
>
> 1. Provide nominal pre-sale support for service
> 2. Provide no post-sale support on handsets and contradicting support
> on device
> configuration.
> 2. Provide confusing service pricing models
> 2. Lock customers into long term contracts using the lure of free or
> discounted handsets.
> 3. Lock customers into specific hardware/handsets which we (cell
> providers) will control what content is loaded on the devices and lock
> the devices to only work on our service.
>
> This is what's going on... US customers are getting raped by cell
> providers.... The way they operate is unethical, since there's only a
> handful of providers and they all subscribe to these practices we have
> gotten use to it.
In other words:
"give us your money and go away".
They act as if they have a RIGHT to our money, with no obligation to
EARN it.
And we, as suckers who "need" cell phones, respond positively to that
business model. And so the business model continues.
| |
|
| The SAME thing happened to me just 2 days ago.
Four CS reps - all busy. I was the only other one in the store (besides the
ones at the desks).
NO ONE said a word to me when I walked in. I looked around for about 5
minutes, no one still said anything.
Two teenagers walked in and within 2 seconds of them closing the door, one
CS rep said 'We'll be with you in a minute, OK?"
As soon as one of them was through with their customer, the CS person stood
up, walked over to the girls and said 'How can I help you today?"
Really ticked me off. So, I politely walked out of the store. They still
didn't say anything, knowing I was leaving. Won't go back in there. Will
take my business elsewhere.
Too bad...I was in the market to get two new phones. I think the
teeny-boppers only wanted to ask about downloading songs.
"Scott en Aztlán" <scottenaztlan@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:5kemf2tfm6nmgij
3r94jom69utiuhftevq@
4ax.com...
>I stopped by a Cingular company-owned store this afternoon. When we
> arrived, all of the clerks were busy assisting other customers. There
> was no roll of paper number tickets for us to take, nor was there any
> obvious queue in which to stand, so we stood next to the customer
> service desk and waited. Finally, when one of the clerks finished with
> his customer, what do you suppose happened? That's right, he IGNORED
> my wife and I who had been standing there waiting patiently for 10
> minutes, and he instead asked some guy who had literally just walked
> in the door "can I help you?"
>
> Strangely enough, the very design of the store makes it nearly
> impossible for any employee without eidetic memory to serve customers
> fairly. The counter is round, with POS terminals scattered around it,
> so there is no one single point where a queue can naturally form. It's
> as if Cingular WANTS to piss customers off - but why?? Does it really
> help their bottom line when customers like my wife and I walk out of
> their stores?
| |
| Thurman 2006-09-07, 7:33 am |
|
"LMW" <evry@bellsouthh.net> wrote in message
news:ffLLg.48477$e9.14312@bignews4.bellsouth.net...
> Really ticked me off. So, I politely walked out of the store. They still
> didn't say anything, knowing I was leaving. Won't go back in there. Will
> take my business elsewhere.
When that happened to me at a Blockbuster, I just took a picture of the
employees and their buddies that cut in line, then emailed it to corporate.
I don't know the outcome since I never went back.
| |
| Paul Hovnanian P.E. 2006-09-07, 3:33 pm |
| Retail design, as a branch of architecture, is not consistently
practiced. Some companies put quite a bit of effort into planning
customer flow through their stores while others don't seem to have a
clue.
Phone stores (and many others) profit from having waiting customers
wander around, looking at all the goodies on display. But as you have
noticed, some of them don't seem to handle the queues very well.
--
Paul Hovnanian mailto:Paul@Hovnania
n.com
------------------------------------------------------------------
Don't hate yourself in the morning -- sleep till noon.
| |
| Ron Hinds 2006-09-09, 12:33 pm |
| Not saying that there was anything OK about the way you people were treated,
but myself, I am a little more assertive. I would have said "Excuse me, but
I was here first." In this modern age of lack of courtesy or manners you
really have to insist on being treated fairly. Why let them get away with
it?
"LMW" <evry@bellsouthh.net> wrote in message
news:ffLLg.48477$e9.14312@bignews4.bellsouth.net...
> The SAME thing happened to me just 2 days ago.
>
> Four CS reps - all busy. I was the only other one in the store (besides
> the ones at the desks).
> NO ONE said a word to me when I walked in. I looked around for about 5
> minutes, no one still said anything.
>
> Two teenagers walked in and within 2 seconds of them closing the door, one
> CS rep said 'We'll be with you in a minute, OK?"
> As soon as one of them was through with their customer, the CS person
> stood up, walked over to the girls and said 'How can I help you today?"
>
> Really ticked me off. So, I politely walked out of the store. They still
> didn't say anything, knowing I was leaving. Won't go back in there. Will
> take my business elsewhere.
>
> Too bad...I was in the market to get two new phones. I think the
> teeny-boppers only wanted to ask about downloading songs.
>
>
>
> "Scott en Aztlán" <scottenaztlan@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:5kemf2tfm6nmgij
3r94jom69utiuhftevq@
4ax.com...
>
>
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