Let me start off by saying that I hardly ever post, but I really need to vent.
I work at a medium scale pet store. My co-workers and myself are knowledgeable about the reptiles we sell. If we have something new that is ordered. We spend time to look up care sheets, and everything that comes with it. Our store is great to work for, we have a lot of control over our departments, even to the point where we can, (and have) refused to sell animals when we deemed they were not going to a proper home. If the customer is hard to get along with, not willing to purchase the proper nessesities (not nessessarly from us ofcourse) these are all reasons to refuse sale.
When people have questions about geckos, (especially Cresties, and Leopards) The customers are sent to me. Most of the conversations are about care, what's good fo their children, ease etc. I do love talking about gecko's to everyone, but the lack of willingness to learn about the reptiles amazes me.
One customer that is pretty hard to get along with came in yesturday and asked for some crickets. I apologised and said they would be here tommorow at suppertime. The customer sighed and and walked off. A couple moments later the same customer came back and asked how long his leopard gecko could go without crickets as he hates travelling (a prior conversation I learned he lives 15 mins. away) I told him if the gecko has a nice fat tail he should be ok for about a week in emergency situations, but should never allow that to happen if it can be helped ( I always recomend daily feeds or every two - three days for healthy adults).
The customer became angry and said that he has been feeding his gecko apple sauce for two weeks and he's fine, that I'm only trying to get his money by pushing crickets/mealworms on him.
I stood in shock at what he just told me, and flew into reasons why this is a bad and even dangerous idea, pleading with information and being as calm and kind as I could. I was so angry I was shaking. The customer ignored me and said someone said he can do that and it's easier so he will continue to do so.
I quickly printed off caresheets and facts and passed it to him just before he left the store, only to find all of the papers I gave him on a shelf later.
I could go on and on about terrible customers, it's hard to look past them even when I have so many great regulars and those who are "new to geckos".
I'm speechless.
I work at a medium scale pet store. My co-workers and myself are knowledgeable about the reptiles we sell. If we have something new that is ordered. We spend time to look up care sheets, and everything that comes with it. Our store is great to work for, we have a lot of control over our departments, even to the point where we can, (and have) refused to sell animals when we deemed they were not going to a proper home. If the customer is hard to get along with, not willing to purchase the proper nessesities (not nessessarly from us ofcourse) these are all reasons to refuse sale.
When people have questions about geckos, (especially Cresties, and Leopards) The customers are sent to me. Most of the conversations are about care, what's good fo their children, ease etc. I do love talking about gecko's to everyone, but the lack of willingness to learn about the reptiles amazes me.
One customer that is pretty hard to get along with came in yesturday and asked for some crickets. I apologised and said they would be here tommorow at suppertime. The customer sighed and and walked off. A couple moments later the same customer came back and asked how long his leopard gecko could go without crickets as he hates travelling (a prior conversation I learned he lives 15 mins. away) I told him if the gecko has a nice fat tail he should be ok for about a week in emergency situations, but should never allow that to happen if it can be helped ( I always recomend daily feeds or every two - three days for healthy adults).
The customer became angry and said that he has been feeding his gecko apple sauce for two weeks and he's fine, that I'm only trying to get his money by pushing crickets/mealworms on him.
I stood in shock at what he just told me, and flew into reasons why this is a bad and even dangerous idea, pleading with information and being as calm and kind as I could. I was so angry I was shaking. The customer ignored me and said someone said he can do that and it's easier so he will continue to do so.
I quickly printed off caresheets and facts and passed it to him just before he left the store, only to find all of the papers I gave him on a shelf later.
I could go on and on about terrible customers, it's hard to look past them even when I have so many great regulars and those who are "new to geckos".
I'm speechless.
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