Modern Managing

If a problematic customer cannot be calmed or deterred by some variation of the remedies from the Budtenders Blueprint, it is up to management (when given authority) to properly shut it down. Some of the locations I have worked for used the three-strike approach, some wanted the decision to go through the higher-ups, and others just left these decisions to the floor manager.

I have always tried to give these types of people multiple opportunities to keep themselves off of the banned list. I’ve made notes in patient files to ensure that maybe a specific budtender should not be assisting a specific customer. I have stuck my nose in conversations that smell of conflict to try to neutralize the situation, and I have even asked, “You like coming here, don’t you? You would like to continue to, wouldn’t you?” If these didn’t work and the customer was still aggressive, I would make sure that they understood what the consequences would be.

I was plugging away at my managerial mountain of emails in my office when Penny knocked on my door to tell me that she was fed up with the customer she was trying to help. She explained that the guy kept taking age related jabs at her and was combative to the point of taking products out of his basket and tossing them back behind the counter like he was sifting through a recycling bin. She finally told him that she had to run in the back to do a price check just to regain her patience and let me know what was up. Penny was a solid employee who could always handle whatever situation arose. So, the fact that she was in my doorway and at a loss with this guy spoke volumes.

Setting my correspondence aside, I followed her back out onto the floor to assess the situation for myself by straightening a shelf within earshot. She had barely bellied back up to her station when the guy said, “Needed someone to do the math for you, didn’t you? I’m not surprised. None of you kids know how to count without your fingers.” Penny coolly responded with, “Not at all. I was checking to see if yesterday’s flower discount still applied. It doesn’t.” This guy took this as free passage to continue to berate my budtender. “Why would you try to sell me any then? You’re a special kind of stupid, aren’t you?” That was all I needed to hear.

I walked up next to Penny, took this guy’s basket filled with his selections, and put it under the counter. “You’re done. We are not here for you to beat up just because you are having a bad day and need someone to take it out on. We are only here to help. I will not have anyone treating my employees the way I heard you just treating Penny here.” With eyes as wide as saucers, he began to sputter and whine that she wasn’t doing this, and she wasn’t doing that. Grabbing his name with a glance at the screen, I continued with, “Mr. Otto you are no longer welcome here. You are banned. There’s the door. Use it.”

Like an overgrown spoiled brat in the grocery store, he began to yell, “This place sucks! Everything here is trash! You all are just so … so … useless!” as he stormed out the door. I told Penny to put detailed notes in his profile about the interaction and add “banned” in red capital letters at the top with my initials for authorization.

Some days later, Penny gave me the nod toward the lobby as Mr. Otto was trying to check in. This ought to be good, I thought as I headed for the door. I directed the guy into the corner of the lobby just in case he wanted to cause a scene again. “What part of banned didn’t you understand? Are you going to start ranting and raving again at our customers Mr. Otto? Because if you are, I have no problem calling the police,” I said, crossing my arms over my chest. Mr. Otto put his hands up in a defensive position as he explained that he was in fact having a bad day the last time. And that he was so very sorry, and if I could give him another chance, he’d never do it again. I wasn’t completely convinced that this guy even realized what he had done wrong to earn himself the banishment in the first place.

So, I thought to get creative. “I tell you what. The budtender that you used as a verbal punching bag the last time just happens to be working today. I will leave this decision up to her. I’ll let her know that you would like to speak with her. She may come out, she may not. You can plead your case with her and if she is in a forgiving mood, I will lift the ban. If she isn’t, and I wouldn’t blame her, the ban stays.”

So that is exactly what I did. I gave Penny the lowdown on how I wanted to handle this situation and that I was good with whatever she decided. I also recommended that she made the guy sweat it out for at least 20 minutes if she did decide to hear him out. No point in giving priority to people like that, I thought as I returned to my desk. I never saw how much time Penny spent in the lobby, but I did check Mr. Otto’s profile at the end of the day which read “ban lifted” in green with the date and my initials.