Record Store Customer Complained That A Specific Album Was Out Of Stock After A Major Sale, But There Was Nothing The Owner Could Do
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Sometimes, people just like to complain and feel like their complaint has been heard, even if nothing is done about it.
That seems to be the case in this story, where a customer called into a record store after a major sale to complain that the record he wanted wasn’t in stock.
The worker explained that he could get the record by ordering it online, but beyond that, there was nothing that could be done.
This is one of those weird stories where you just can’t figure out what the customer is complaining about.
Customer was correctly told an item wasn’t in stock, later receives an offer to order it, and so would like to complain.
I’ve been working in retail for over a decade now, and recently had one of my all-time strangest interactions with a customer.
Big sales bring in big crowds.
I work in a record store, and we’ve just had Record Store Day (if you’re not familiar, it’s a day where labels put out many special releases in limited numbers) on Saturday.
Incredibly, incredibly busy, borderline unmanageably so, but it makes the company a ton of money, so I guess we’ll be doing it forever. The tales I have of how grown adults behave towards staff on this day could be its own thread, but my tale is from a few days later.
Let’s see what happened here.
The phone rings, and it sounds like an older (though not elderly) gentleman.
He says “I visited your store on Saturday afternoon [an inauspicious start] and picked up a few Record Store Day titles. When I got to the counter, I asked about another title but the girl told me that none of your stores ever had it [not unusual; some titles are not released for every territory but can potentially be imported later]. Later, when I got home, I received a text from your shop [he means an email from the website] telling me that I could order it. Now, that’s not very good, is it?”.
He can’t expect the store to have every record in the world.
It had been a long few days, and I could sense that he was attempting to make a complaint about something that had happened but I wasn’t sure what, exactly.
I asked him if he could tell me again what his issue was. He recounts the same story, adding that he’s not happy he made a wasted journey to our store.
This worker is trying his best to help him.
Now, I know the textbook customer service thing is to give a professional, insincere little apology but I was just too perplexed. I repeated his story as I understood it, back to him. I’m thinking he’s perhaps confused about the email notification – maybe he thinks it means that the other item was in stock, after all.
I check the system during his soliloquy and confirm that no store ever received the release he wants. I reiterate this to him, as gently as I can, and suggest that if the email he received is inviting him to order the desired release, he should do that.
What did this guy expect?
His response is, “but what are you going to do about my wasted journey?”. Again, feeling like I’m in some sort of hostage negotiation, I very gently remind him that he did, in fact, buy 3 other things he seemingly wanted.
And that this other release was never here, but he’s welcome to order it on the website if the email he’s received invites him to. He says “well, I don’t think it’s very good service”.
Well, at least the guy is happy now.
I know I’m getting myself into dangerous territory as I respond “I think maybe it’s about a difference in temperament, because if I was a customer somewhere and I wanted something, but was told it wasn’t in stock, and then received an email saying I could order it, I’d be quite happy”.
Miraculously, I think I just about get through to him somewhat. He starts saying things like “I’m not trying to have a go, I love your store and just wanted to vent my frustration”.
The phone call eventually ends after 20 minutes (he speaks very slowly), and I seem to have left him happy.
Customers need to remember that the workers are people, too.
Now, I know he doesn’t know how insanely busy it’s been, how grown men have screamed in the faces of young women wearing lanyards because we sold out of a limited live Pink Floyd album, how the shop looks like a grenade exploded over the Pop section, how there’s discarded drink and food wrappers in record racks.
And I know that, to an extent, it’s my job to listen to venting customers. But it really did sap all my energy and patience and, I daresay, compassion for my fellow man.
Just for the rest of that day, I’m back now. Still not sure I understood his grievance, though. I may never know, and I’m okay with that.
This worker seems to have a great attitude about what happened, even if it was annoying.
Let’s see what the people in the comments have to say about this situation.
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Here is some good information.
This is a really good suggestion.
Here is a great way to handle upset callers.
He was clearly trying to complain.
If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who cleverly shuts down customer arguments about closing time.
I can see how this would be frustrating.
Some people just like to be heard, even if nothing is done. Honestly, it is a bit silly, but it is often the easiest way to get them to calm down.
This worker really seemed to handle the situation perfectly.
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