"Difficult Customer" business in Poland

I'm thinking of setting up a "Difficult Customer" business in Warsaw as I think it may be quite useful for companies to employ an independent firm to check on how their employees deal with customers. Does anyone know if such a business already exists here? Also any thoughts on this as an idea would be appreciated.

There is certainly a need for it. Especially after watching a check-out girl slap a male customer the other day.

seriously wroclaw hun she did that .. was she removed from her job as if that happened here they would be .. must have said something to p1ss her off

:)

My brother in law made gobs of money on just that, but in France. He worked solely with banks. Now retired at the tender age of 50.

This kind of business requires a lot of preparation. You need to do some serious research that might show measurable ($$$) consequences of NOT using the kind of services you offer. If I were into that idea I'd start with investigating whether there were lawsuits against stores, settlement cases, what were financial losses etc. If the research yields positive results then you have created some compelling marketing material.

The guy said something, she stood up and slapped him. Security were standing close by and nothing more happened. The young woman is still working in the shop.

It seemed to be one of those things that just happen. Just an exchange of innapropriate language maybe. It was over in seconds and the other customers seemed to think she was in the right.

To be honest I think it was the right outcome. No need for someone to lose a job because of some a$$hole's comment.

Interesting advice, thanks.
I have no idea about gathering that kind of info, isn't it closely guarded company secret stuff? Obviously nobody wants to advertise those kind of stats.

You're right though, it would be compelling material!

I've had numerous run ins with stores here over the past few years and am of the conclusion that in general the rules are:

1) The customer is always wrong
2) The customer is a potential criminal.
Last weeks trip to a large electronics store ended with me having to pass through the alarm system about 10 times, handing the security guy my phone, wallet, coat etc. It turned out that a scrap of foil chewing gum wrapper in my pocket was setting it off!!! The obligatory crowd of onlookers gathered and I felt utterly humiliated! Still can't understand why it didn't go off when I entered the store?

Franky, I have no idea how you would go about it in Poland either.
Many legal cases are public, and so is information about them. I imagine this may be not always true where out of court settlements have been reached. But even if you just get hold of info that such settlements occurred that too may be useful info.

Where to start?
Dunno. Maybe some legal firms, Polish legal magazines ("Prawo i Zycie" comes to mind), and perhaps the almighty google.

At any rate, lots of work.

Good luck.

i dont get it wroc - how can you condone physical assault on a customer - its outragous regardless of how much he might have deserved it

I've been through this. It would be nice if security could say in a loud voice... we apologize.


Normally I wouldn't, but in this case, from the reaction of others, it seemed correct.

I understand your sense of justice, but perhaps you might step back and look at the cashier's reaction again:

what if whatever the customer said was heard only by the cashier, while the customer being slapped was witnessed by others? If that's the case then both the girl and the store could be in legal trouble.

IMO, the correct reaction for the cashier would be to stop serving the customer and to call her supervisor/manager.

sounds supiciously like justification of mob rule to me

I don't disagree with anyone here. I just reported what happened.

I did say in my first post that ''Difficult Customer" business is needed.

Please, let's not drag this out in fin T's thread.

its entirely related to topic - it seems that some posters think that difficult customers deserve a slap whilst others dont...

there will always be difficult cutomers, its the nature of the game - how they are dealt with is an important concern for a country such as poland which is slowly becoming customer oriented and understanding the benefits of customer service for both parties

the OPs idea is a good one - as are courses in customer relations and related services... there is a need for them

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on a more personal note i think a lot of people deserve a slap... but that doesnt mean i go round slapping people...

bubbaWoo,

As I said. I don't disagree.

I have noticed over recent years that shop staff have become more polite. So there must be some sort of program in place to teach them. I don't know if it would be cost effective for some stores with a high turnover of floor staff to teach more about interpersonal skills.

I'm not sure if customers are really sure of their rights either.

you are right - i too have noticed an overall improvement in customer service since ten years ago but still get frustrated by the apparent lack of it at times, especially in sopot where there is such i high turnover of international visitors with higher expectations. during peak season this summer it was not unusual to be told in restaruants that the was a 45 minute waiting time for food... when the restaurant was far from full...

i also agree with your concern over cost effectiveness of training staff in some instances - but, again referring to restaurants, investing in customer service skills can have an near immeadiate economic return - both in tips for staff and repeat business for the restaurant owner

i think many consumers are unaware of their rights. when my partner an i have bought goods for our property renovation and they have turned out to be faulty, he has always been reluctant to go back and get a refund/exchange... but it wouldnt suprise me that as more poles return from the uk etc, and more international visitors come to poland, that things are going to have to change

In the United States several department stores utilize mystery shoppers. The intent is to analyze a firm, along with individual employees, in terms of level of skill and customer service they provide.

Yep B, that's what I mean by 'Difficult Customer'. I think that's what they call 'em in the UK


It's difficult with materials. We are currently in a dispute with Barlinek, the big Polish wood floor company. They sent us a load of mismatched floor panels. The differences in tone, colour and finish only became very clear after the floor was laid. The company and shop we ordered from do not accept responsibility and say we have no claim to make as we laid the floor. I on the other hand believe the company is at fault as quality control should have not allowed this quality of product out of the company warehouse.

Any advice?

W, that was magic....did you video phone it, oh sorry.....it was you she slapped.....:)..still smarting?

I find that very funny...........I am all up for employees slapping their boorish customers, sorta balances things up....:)

PS Hope she was promoted!!