The place where I work for happens to provide free training for new customers. Meaning, if you purchase a computer, you will be given a voucher for you to attend a free introduction session. All you need to do is to send an email or call in for reservation at least 3 days before the scheduled session. To ensure all customers are given a comfortable environment for learning and interact with the instructor, we limit a reasonable number of customers to attend each session. If you call in but the session is full, we will advise you to attend the next session, normally in another one or two weeks time.
While I happen to be the one taking care of the organisation of trainings, this was what happened recently.
A colleague sent me an email, stating that there was a lady, let’s call her Y, called up and asked if she could attend the session with her family member with one voucher. To be fair to all customers, including those who had forked out the money to pay for extra seats, my colleague politely told her that it’s one seat per voucher. Without asking much, Y wanted the contact of her superior. My colleague, being an innocent girl, gave it to her.
Later in the afternoon, I went to the office earlier to prepare for the session. Customers started to come in about 30 minutes before the session. 20 minutes later, Y came together with her husband and daughter, and said they were coming for the session.
Here is the conversation:
Me: May I have your name please?
Y: Err… Y.
Me: Oh. My colleague sent me an email this morning. But she didn’t mention that you want to attend the session today…
Y: Then can I register now?
Me: I am sorry. But the session today is fully-booked.
Y: My daughter did call to reserve!
Me: (Looking at the daughter) Oh, may I know who did you talk to?
Daughter: It was a guy… Erm but I didn’t give him my name… I only asked if the session next week is the same, and he told me it’s different.
Me: Erm. I would like to have her in but today is really full. What I can help now is, if you could give me another 5 minutes, once I settled everyone, and if there are extra seats, like if some people don’t turn up, I will be happy to let her in.
(At this point, the husband started to get impatient.)
Husband: We are already here. Luckily we came up with her. Why can’t you just let her in?!
Me: Sir. As stated in the voucher, you’ll have to reserve at least 3 days before the session. And the session today is really full.
Y: (Looking at the daughter) Did you call?
Daughter: Yes, but…
Husband: Why can’t you give another girl in? She got call means it’s your mistake!
I almost laughed at this point. Somehow I find it quite funny. :D He continued insisted that it’s our fault, and that since it’s not a hands-on session I should just let her daughter in. With so many other customers around watching the show, I figured there is no way for me to give in.
Me: Sir, I don’t think it’s our fault. I am sorry if there was mis-communication between your daughter and our salesperson, but she didn’t make a reservation and her name is not in the list. We have another 2 customers in front of you who also didn’t make a reservation, and are waiting to see if we can slot them in. As I mentioned, If you can just give me another 5 minutes to settle the other customers who have reserved, I could probably help to let her in.
Husband: (Mumbling and yelling at the same time) This is ridiculous…
Y probably started to realise that there were many people around and behind them, all staring at them in a weird way…
Y: So you mean you just need another 5 minutes and you can let her in?
(I looked at my list for a while. More than 10 customers had yet to show up.)
Me: The session is going to start in another 5 minutes. If someone don’t turn up, I’ll let the other 2 customers who didn’t make the reservation, and your daughter in.
Y: Fine! We’ll wait for 5 minutes!
I started to attend to those who have been waiting there for a while. Ended up there were extra seats as coincidently 3 people didn’t turn up.
I have had experiences with customers who came without reservation. Whenever possible I’ll try to accommodate them into the session. While occasionally it happened because of mis-communication or wrong information given by salespersons, most of the time it’s due to personal negligence from the customers. I can say all of them knew that it’s their mistakes, and agreed to wait for their chance. Not this one though. :)
