Cut 'Em Out!

The lack of common sense, and lack of loyalty of some of our customers continues to astound me. Apparently some of them think my husband is their Yankee whipping boy and mistake his kindness for stupidity. Those same customers are lucky I'm not at the shop, or answering the phone, when they pull their crap. I tell my husband to "Cut 'em out!" and although he has replied in the past, "If I cut everyone out that you wanted me to too, we'd have no customers left" he's finally realizing I may be right...once again.

What has me riled up this morning is a call my husband received yesterday from a "customer." This woman called to tell him she needed to bring her car in today...to be vacuumed. Vacuumed? Yes, vacuumed. Ummm, my husband doesn't even vacuum my car so I asked him what she was talking about. Apparently, as a service to her because she's "elderly," the last two times my husband changed her oil (which with the prices we have to pay are a lose-lose situation for us so if it was up to me we wouldn't even offer oil changes any more) she asked him to vacuum out her car. He did. I told him that was a mistake because I've found if you give an inch, too many people want a foot. Well, the "damage" was done so he asked what time she would be arriving for an oil change. This was her response..."Oh I don't need my oil changed, I got that done at Speedee. I just need you to vacuum out my car." Excuse me??? Ummmm, did I mention we're not a car detailing shop, or a car wash? Ummmm, did I mention that this "elderly" woman, like most of our customers, would never even consider tipping my husband a lousy buck?

My husband was stunned yet said she should call him tomorrow. I was furious and wanted him to call her back and tell her not to bother to call, ever again. We left the shop for a little while and when we came back there was this message on the machine from her...."I want to come at 3:30. I'm sick as a dog. This flu is killing me so I want to get home quickly so leave 3:30 open so you could vacuum my car right away."

Ok, now I am livid! Not only does she expect my husband to drop everything to vacuum her car, for free, but she wants him to get into the flu-infested vehicle to do it while she sits in our waiting room hacking her germs all over the place. Yeah, just what my immune-comprised system needs. "Call her back and tell her not to come!" She must have been out spreading her germs on the handles of shopping carts or something because she wasn't home so he left a message telling her, not to come and to call after she gets well. He's too kind.

How much do you want to bet this inconsiderate, clueless woman still comes to the shop today. I hope I'm there when she arrives...