At the BORG - What Would You Do?

[Jerry - OHIO]

Didn't the alarm at the exit go off cause the items weren't scanned,or did you just steal those items? YOUR GOING TO HELL for stealing.... Judge Jerry

[Dave in Houston]

"Robatoy" wrote in message news: [e-mail]...

In a similar vein, I was on my way back from Rochester NY to Toronto, when just outside of Rochester I saw a burger joint and I decided I'd best feed myself before the 5 hour drive home. Little did I know that I was far enough away from the border that the girl at the counter gave me a look when I presented her with a 20-dollar Canadian bill. She hollered for the manager, who was a whole lot friendlier that the girl who, by now, was rocking on her heels, hand on her hip, chewing gum and radiating bad attitude. The manager told her the exchange was 35% and walked away. The girl stood there confused and annoyed and when I tried to do the exchange for her, she rejected my help with a snap of her gum and a loud sigh. She got a piece of paper and a calculator and decided that I was 'really' giving her $ 27.00. I tried to protest that the exchange went the other way, but she would have none of it... just more attitude. Finally I gave up. So.. She gave me 27 dollars, deducted the 3.50 ± for the food and paid me $ 23.50 in US cash change. I let it go. Didn't even feel bad. I was happy with the knowledge that I really tried hard to help her. Sooo, for 20 Canadian, I got 30 Canadian equiv. AND a free burger. Now THAT is change I can believe in..

They walk among us!

Dave in Houston

[Puckdropper]

"Perry Aynum" wrote in news:VyEpl.3811$ [e-mail]:

If you're wondering what to do, trade roles. If the store charged you twice for the other stuff, would you pay the extra without complaint, even if you didn't notice until you got out the door?

Or... if you're selling something and you don't notice the items they have, would you want them to come back and correct the mistake?

Puckdropper

[Rick Samuel]

The older I get, the more I believe this

[01Sporty]

I'm a weekend warrior, so when it comes to rec.woodworking, I'm just a lurker. I can't add much to woodworking... unless you need more sawdust. But I've learned a lot from you folks - Thanks

Ahh your dilemna sounds all too familiar... Years ago, I'd have high-tailed back to the store, to be honest and pay the correct amount.

A few years ago I was given too much change at a burger place. The gal refused to listen "Sir I know how to count". I told her "Yes, but I gave you a ten dollar bill, you gave me change for a 20". She started with the bad attitude routine. I noticed she kept looking over her shoulder. I tried again, her reply was "Look, you trying to get me fired? I have other customers waiting behind you OK"? She was more worried about looking bad, then her till being off, I dropped it.

At the local borg a few years ago, I had special ordered new construction windows for my house, I was remodeling. When they came in, one had damage on the integral "moulding". I knew I could "fix" the damage, I'd waited long enough for them to come in and I wanted to get the window installed, cold weather was getting close. I suggested to the manager "Give me 25% off, I'll sign a waiver on the damage and we'll be done". I have no idea why, but that seemed to be a real hurdle for them. They wanted to negotiate the percentage off. I just bought $2,500 worth of windows, damn-it, $100.00 didn't seem worth the effort. I settled for $85 just to get the heck out of there. I hadn't been back there since.

Last week I needed to get replacement extension springs for a garage door repair job I was in the middle of. The borg I normally go to was out of stock, so I had to try the other one. I swore I'd never do business with them again, but they had them, I was stuck. I went through the check-out, paid with my credit card and went on my way. Admittedly, I didnt even pay attention to the "cost". When I got home and filed the receipt, I noticed they charged me for one spring, not both... I got my $15 plus a couple extra back (interest). I don't feel bad, even if I should.

Be Safe

[HeyBub]

I always lift my bag above my head as I pass through the detectors... not that anyone has ever shown any interest in my antics.

[Mike Marlow]

On Fri, 27 Feb 2009 06:25:12 -0600, HeyBub cast forth these pearls of wisdom...:

Seems like an odd behavior.

[phorbin]

I'd have taken it as a suggestion that something was wrong with the printer and suggested getting another one off the shelf. Unless there was some serious, known issue within the product line, I'd wonder if you were buying a return.

The times I've ignored serious point of purchase problems have been the times when I've taken home a lemon.

[Leon]

You can only lead a horse to water.

[sweet sawdust]

This brings up some interesting situtions. I try to check totals at the register but don't always do so and find mistakes at a later time. When I go back to correct the mistake I am often told that if I didn't catch it at the register at the time of purchase it was to late to do anything about it. Since the majority of these problems are in my favor not the stores I have always found it an odd policy. I find most of the cashiers who follow this policy are young highschool aged types and don't seem interested in my business anyway. I have never had a problem at a store that deals with the building trades correcting a problem even after a few days delay no matter whose favor it is in. Chain resturants seem to have the biggest problem with correcting this type of problem in my area.

[Larry C]

Although maybe not the proper answer I could see why someone may say screw 'em and keep the stuff.

Last fall on a Saturday night at about 7PM I went to the BORG to purchase a PC compressor nail gun package. I go through self check out because they have one cashier working and the line is about 15 people long. As I am doing my transaction my daughters are in the beginning of a fight over whatever electronic game they had with them that day. I swipe my credit card and hit a bunch of ok's and sign the pad. As I am waiting for the slip the battle of daughters begins to erupt to I say to myself I signed the screen it must have gone through I will not worry about the slip I have my card statement if something goes wrong.

A few days later I am doing my PC banking stuff and the charge is not there. I begin to wonder did I get a free $300 set. I think about it for more time than a person raised by church going parents should and I went back to the store. I ask for the manager and I tell him the story. He checks the system and says the transaction messed up and it didn't go through. He then proceeds to get a cashier to run the transaction and walks away. No "thank you for being honest", "how about a free orange apron", etc. He just walked away.

I sign the slip and I say to myself "the next time I buy a nail gun compressor setup and the transaction messes up I will donate the 300 bucks to charity before I come back here." BTW the guys picture is no longer in the person in charge spot on the wall of the that BORG.

Larry C

[spaco]

Yes, I go back. The problem is that you are NOT going back to help the clerk at the checkout, because they simply feel that they have been "caught" doing something wrong. And, if you go back later, and "rat on them" at the customer service booth, somebody is probably going to get a "talking to" about the situation. You have to go back simply because the extra money doesn't belong to you. Don't do it expecting "thanks", It's just so you sleep better.

Pete Stanaitis

--------------------------

Perry Aynum wrote:

[Ed Edelenbos]

I never go back to get someone in trouble or get a thank you. I go back because I have something that isn't mine until I have paid for it.

Ed

[-MIKE-]

Please don't take this as a insult to you, Larry. It's more a commentary on the direction our society in general seems to be heading.

This is a symptom of a growing problem that seems to get worse with every generation. Most guys in here seem to be the 40 and over crowd. The latter half of the generation X seems to be the last generation that doesn't feel slighted if we're not praised for simply doing the right thing.

Anyone younger was brought up having their egos coddled like a bottle of nitroglycerin. No one could be told they were "wrong." Everyone got a trophy just for participating. Now adults in the workplace, they have to be praised and rewarded just for showing up to work. An average job is now considered excellent. The internal satisfaction of finishing an assignment isn't enough to satisfied the ego of one who's self-esteem is a house of straw, built by years of superficial, unearned praise. They must now receive awards for simply finishing an assignment, regardless of the quality of work. The bare minimum is seen as the goal, instead of the starting point.

So now, we feel insulted if no one makes a big deal out of the fact that we were simply honest. What used to be the baseline from which we'd assess one another's character, has now become something we expect to be exalted as extraordinary.

[Doug Miller]

And that, my friends, is the essence of the matter in two simple sentences.

Well said, Ed.

[Larry C]

You have the generational thing wrong with me, I am 45. I totally agree with you about people can't handle being told they are wrong. I deal with it in my professional life all the time.

I didn't go back with the idea that I would get something in return. I went back because it was the right thing to do. It was just a little disheartening that the manager didn't even acknowledge the fact that I did come back. My comment was more of a point how someone could become fed up or jaded, not that I was hoping for something in return for doing something honest and correct.

Larry C

[scritch]

Well, that's the problem with Wall Street now, isn't it? "Gee, they gave me some bailout money, but they didn't tell me I HAD to spend it on fixing the company. I think I'll give myself a little bonus, and buy a couple of my competitors while I'm at it!"

[CC]

The older generation and the one that I brought up was taught to say please and thank you along with being expected to do the right thing. That manager should have had the common decency to have said thank you, You don't necessarily expect some sort of reward for doing what is right, but you do expect someone to acknowledge that you did, I was also taught to say yes sir or ma'am and that is how I taught mine. I feel some things are the right thing to do, Now days, seems people have forgotten what to teach their kids CC

[Swingman]

"-MIKE-" wrote

Very well said ... and from a drummer at that! :)

[mtjones]

It's technically theft if you don't

MJ