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Monday, September 9, 2013

Do you care for the balance amount?

Like most people, I have also come across store keepers and sales persons acting like they actually own the store and that people who walk  in are actually beggars in disguise.Hence I do not seek help finding anything in any shop. I prefer malls to shop with the sole intention of avoiding these ego heads in uniforms. However, I recently had a very different kind of experience.

I walked into a mothercare store to get a spare part for my son’s Avent bottle. I picked a set and went to the billing section. This item was priced at 2.9 rials and I gave the cashier 3 rials. He then packed it and handed over the item to me in a mothercare signature cover. I waited. The cashier looked at me and at the customer behind giving me a cue that I should move out of the queue. Had he forgotten basic mathematics, or basic rules of a cashier is not known so I continued, ‘Balance?’ And he gave me a look. A look that said ‘How cheap can you be to be waiting for a 100 baiza balance!” and hesitantly handed me the 100 baiza note with a smirk.

Obviously the other celebrity customers at mothercare do not care about 100 baizas. But how can this birdbrain think that ALL customers fall into that category? Please, 100 baizas are important to me! If it was a hotel and he did some kind of service, fine, we have a very humane concept called a tip. But definitely not in a regular retail store. It was enough that this was a branded store and each and every single piece of thread was overpriced here. And what was that look that this guy gave me? I mean, does he deserve to give me that look? Does he? If he did, would he be trying to ROB a customer for a mere 100 baizas? And for your information, 100 baizas in Oman is a good 16 Rupees in India! I walked out of that store, fuming. I just wanted to take one of those potty chairs at mothercare and slam it on his head. I wish there was some used potty chair for that. Or one which was in use.

The incident reminded me of a bus ride in Bangalore when I handed over a twenty rupee note for a 2 rupee ticket and the conductor told me that he will give me the balance ‘later’ and when the LATER came, he refused to have any eye contact with me or anybody. When my destination stop came I asked him the balance and he refused to give it to me. This was one sick moron. People like this are everywhere. And the mark of these morons is that, they are completely shameless.  

Another disgusting thing about these sales persons is ignorance about the product or service that pays them. At apparel stores, whenever I approached the sales person for another size or color of a dress I liked, they always sluggishly said ‘Ma’am this is the last piece’ and I always end up finding the second last and the third last pieces. Lazy donkeys. I believe that the line ‘May I help you’ sarcastically written across their shirts is as good as writing ‘Maintain Silence Please’ inside a pub. Oh how cute are the street vendors who go ‘madam madam…. Look at this dress… it will suit you so well…madam 100 rs less just for you..’ even if they don’t mean it. 

I know I have already written about the same subject recently but sorry L I had to mention this mothercare incident.

And in other news, popular(!) Bollywood actress Kangana Renaut launched a website to connect with her fans. The good news is, she will also be sharing style tips! Check out her ultimate fashion sense from a birthday bash that happened last week.


Apparently, eyebrows are out of fashion. Too bad, I just got them shaped last week. 


P.S: Getting style tips from Kangana is completely the reader’s choice. 
I will not be responsible for any damage to eyebrows, eyesight, etc.

29 comments:

  1. I call it robbery! How dare they give us that look just because we rightly want our change back :O sometimes they ask for exact change with an intention that we would let it go :|

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    1. Yaa that was daylight robbery !! And so true. .. that's why they ask for exact change!

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  2. Well, this is nothing. On our recent trip to America, we were told to tip everyone. And that too 15-20% of the bill amount! Once we miscalculated and forgot to tip a taxi driver. That ^%%^$^@ screamed and said - Thankyou for a 50 cent tip and drove away without letting us pay him. It was really mean. Spoiled my day :(
    Really, who gives them the right to demand what we are not obligated to pay?

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    1. Unfortunately they think we are obligated to pay them! This is sad!

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    2. http://www.bhagwad.com/blog/2009/philosophy/5-reasons-why-i-wont-tip-you-if-youre-a-waiter.html/


      What do you think?

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  3. I like this blog. But you didn't approve my previous comment in this blog. Why I don't know.
    Anyway, Thanks...

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  4. Slam him, Slam his head with the potty chair, you should have :D
    Enjoyed reading this!

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  5. Problem is people take us for granted. . Once I went to check a camera with my father and the owner only came to show us the models. In the end he convinced us to buy one specific model. In the end my father was like we'll take money and come tomorrow. Then the owner was like "I didn't ask for money then what is the problem? " We were completely bowled over with his salesmanship and ended up taking the camera and paying him the next day only. . I still admire his style. . Luckily for us we don't have many people like that or else we end up buying so many things.

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    1. Yes, Rohan, like everywhere else, there are gems in this front as well. Like the guy you encountered, although it was a risky, career ending move that he took. My Mom gets her saris and salwars stitched at a shop she visits regularly and the lady she met there is like her sister now. She understands customers, their likes, and lets them talk. She LISTENS. This makes her a favorite among most aunties and she is their fashion GURU. End of it all, she is only doing her job, but enjoys doing it sincerely.

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  6. Being at a sales/Customer facing job must be really tough. Especially for people who cannot afford one single thing in the swanky shops. And some people are inherently jealous of those who do and try to show their discontent in many different ways. Then when they get the chance , they show meanness to people who they can.. (I mean they can't be mean to the best customers,so they are to smaller ones)...

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    1. For any business to run the basic rule is to treat the customer like a King. And in that light there is ni such thing as a best customer or a small customer - you called me small now just because I expected what he owes me as per law and according to the rule of trade. If everyone starts to show their discontent on their jobs I cant imagine what the world will come to. It is very bold of you to defend the corrupt sales guy and call me small !

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  7. A whopping 16 Rupee? Indian politicians are of the opinion that one can have a full mean for Rs 12, even that too leaves 4 Rupees. Darn these rascals.
    Gladly, I haven't met such conductors, partly because I seldom travel in buses outside my state (Himachal is heaven in many respects) and the second reason could be that only a few can be so shameless. I've seen conductors let go of the Rs 2 when the person offers them anything more than Rs. 20.

    Blasphemous Aesthete

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    1. Thanks BA. Yes sixteen rupees is whopping for anyone who knows the value of hard earned money. Chaps like this sales guy doesn't seem to.

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  8. Now any Trivandrum shop also basically treats customers like dirt, though they are not cheap as not returning change. I really hate when I shop in Trivandrum and get treated like this when I am handing over my hard earned money. That way malls are better here. If not anything, I can give my credit card!

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  9. This always happens in India. Marketers smartly price their product in 99's category - 99/-, 199/-, 299/- and so on. If we pay 400 for a 399/- product, we may not expect Rs. 1 in return but its the duty of the uniform guys to pay the balance. They also assume we dont need it and move on to the next customer.

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    Replies
    1. I have a problem with the part where they assume that we dont need the balance !

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  10. In Australia it is the opposite. Often I've walked out without waiting if the change was as little as 5 cents and I've been called back and handed over the change

    It's your money and it's you who decides whether the cashier deserves a tip.

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    1. That is how it should be. The sales guy should not decide what the customer should or should not do...most importantly, he should not take anyone for granted !

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  11. Hehe...atleast ur balance was a good 16 rupees. When I went to India this time I picked up a salwar top for Rs.1008 and handed over Rs.1010 and waited patiently. The cashier gave me the bill and looked at me blankly when I still stood there. There is a rs2 balance right I asked puzzled. Immediately she opened the cashbox and gave it to me. Later on I was a bit ashamed of my actions...I mean it was only 2 rupees right;-(. In Dubai we always get our change back & 50% of the time I get more fils back than I'm supposed to get bcoz they dont have exact change;-P.

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    1. So in Oman ur change is called baiza eh...here in UAE its called fils:-)

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    2. Nono no need to feel ashamed ... it is 2 rupees but it is YOUR 2 rupees! You still get a cup of good street side tea!

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    3. Ya I know...when someone says Fils I am reminded of my friend whose surname is Philips ;-)

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  12. The shopkeepers think that we are asking for a favor when we ask for the change. Its our right after all to get back the change. They never charge us less, then why give them more???

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    1. Exactly. That should be the motto of all customers who value their hard earned money.

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    2. Please view this video (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WETzIoSHuxc) of Nana Patekar to see how he had handled a similar situation. Of course, he is a celebrity and well-known in Mumbai and other 'lowly' beings may not get let off so easily; but this is really superb.

      About the potty, whenever you are good and ready to do it the next time, it would be nice and proper to select one a size smaller than the guy's head, so that you have enough time for a safe getaway!

      Invisible eyebrows may be in vogue but they tend to de-humanise (de-feminise, in this case!) and robotify the subject; but then of course, each to his (her) own taste!

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    3. haha That was an excellent video :D
      Celebrities can get away with invisible eyebrows and other things on the ramp ! Would they choose to dress up like that if they were not on the limelight? I dont think so :D

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