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I'm always interested in these "secrets," either what not to do at certain places, how to get a good deal, etc.
1) I work for a commercial bank. If you overdraft less than once every year we will probably reverse it, just give us a reason to. Once a customer came in with 4 OD charges and asked me to reverse them. I asked if there was a reason, she no, I just don't think it's right that my bank charges me to spend money. I reversed 1, and let the other 3 stand. Later on (maybe that week) a young customer came in and had 3 charges, they immediately transferred funds to cover it, but was too late. I told them that if they'd apply for OD protection I would reverse them all.
If you go in and take ownership for your own mistake your banker will let you away with alot. Just don't abuse.
2) Banks are there to make money. Threatening to take a $300 account elsewhere won't make anyone blink or beg for your business, especially if you are deep in debt with us (If you owe $50,000 on your credit card, $70,000 on your line of credit, and have a $300,000 mortgage you won't be going anywhere soon). Threatening to leave will most often be greeted with, "Where would you like us to mail the check?" However, if you have money, or are a direct relative of someone with money (son, father, etc) you can make that threat.
3) Asking for a better rate is a good idea. Persisting when we say that we can't do more is useless. We have rates, and can generally make 25 basis points exceptions, but pointing out that some online only banks can offer more than us won't help - no bank can match that. I already know that our rate is the highest of any brick and mortar bank in my city for CDs and savings, and I know other rates of major banks. But you need to ask for a higher rate, because I'll default to the lowest rate, that earns me the highest commission.
I think that's it. Now how can get a discount on my hotel, get better service at a restaurant, and make the hairdresser stop scowling at me until I tip her?
I used to work in the restaurant business 10+ years ago and can tell you how it was in the restaurants I worked in then.
If you were provided great service but tipped poorly and had no reason for it outside of being cheap, your future service would definitely suffer because of it. For example, if you ordered delivery and when the driver got there they saw kid stuff all over the yard, a small tip or nothing at all was ok, provided you were nice during the encounter. However, if you stiffed the driver despite living in a nice house with 2 SUV's in the driveway, or were an ass otherwise, your order got bumped to the bottom of the list next time. And until something changed, that's the way it was gonna be, because drivers talked. And if you were especially nasty to 1, we'd try to dissuade you from ever ordering delivery again, either by continually delivering your food cold by taking it out of the heating bag and driving around a while, or putting it on the bottom of a stack and letting it get crushed, or forgetting items, etc.
If a restaurant is closing at 9 pm, and you're thinking about ordering at 8:45 pm, depending on who is there at the time your order may get tampered with.
And this was a biggie, of course I recognize it for what it is now and would never do it, but being young and in a low paying job some don't care: if you're going to stiff the delivery driver / waitress / whoever that relies on tips, and you're paying with a card, fill out the whole receipt, otherwise the worker may write in their own tip. I'm not saying anything outrageous, maybe $5-10, but it may be enough to overdraft an account.
In conclusion, to get along with your neighborhood restaurant staff, tip decent for good service (or be nice when not tipping), don't order too close to closing time, and you can expect the staff to be responsive to your needs but don't expect them to truly care, because they don't.
Don't keep ANYTHING valuable in gate checked luggage.
When ATC shuts an airport or arrival or departure gate down we can't do anything about it. It sucks, 9/10 times it happens on our last day/last leg and we want to go home too.
Don't keep ANYTHING valuable in gate checked luggage.
When ATC shuts an airport or arrival or departure gate down we can't do anything about it. It sucks, 9/10 times it happens on our last day/last leg and we want to go home too.
I throw bags for the Air Force whenever on active duty, and I agree with that and will add a couple things.
Don't get "VIP" or anything like that put on your bag, it will actually get treated worse.
Finally do NOT pack your bag with like 50+ lbs to wear the gate agent can barely lift it. This bag will be thrown around like it's no one's business, and anything remotely valuable in there will be broken.
If you want better service in hospital remember to treat the staff well ....not just the physicians.
From the moment you arrive in the ED don't forget your manners.....being pushy and rude doesn't work....might just get put at the back of the line (if not that sick)....and wait five hours
Location: The Chatterdome in La La Land, CaliFUNia
39,031 posts, read 23,020,628 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by vabbrian
If a restaurant is closing at 9 pm, and you're thinking about ordering at 8:45 pm, depending on who is there at the time your order may get tampered with.
This one kinda irked me. Unless a restaurant has a sign that states the closing time of the kitchen, there should be no issues with customers ordering up until closing as I was under the assumption that new customers cannot be served after the closing time but existing customers are at least allowed to finish their meal. You cannot fault a customer for ordering 15 minutes prior to closing unless it is clearly communicated that the kitchen hours close earlier.
It is clear that the person didn't work for a very professional or ethical venue.
If I saw wait staff treating anyone poorly I would not spend any more money there. I don't care the reason why. You do not retaliate against customers.
Sometimes people are poor tippers because they don't have money to spend. It's unfortunate, perhaps insensitive, but it isn't personal.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Chatteress
This one kinda irked me. Unless a restaurant has a sign that states the closing time of the kitchen, there should be no issues with customers ordering up until closing as I was under the assumption that new customers cannot be served after the closing time but existing customers are at least allowed to finish their meal. You cannot fault a customer for ordering 15 minutes prior to closing unless it is clearly communicated that the kitchen hours close earlier.
This one kinda irked me. Unless a restaurant has a sign that states the closing time of the kitchen, there should be no issues with customers ordering up until closing as I was under the assumption that new customers cannot be served after the closing time but existing customers are at least allowed to finish their meal. You cannot fault a customer for ordering 15 minutes prior to closing unless it is clearly communicated that the kitchen hours close earlier.
I was thinking the same thing. Business hours are business hours. Restaurant workers should have no more expectation of not having to do work in the last fifteen or thirty minutes of their workday than any other worker in any other type of business.
I think it goes without saying that in any kind of business if you want good service, you need to treat the people providing the service well. That isn't really a secret.
1) Cashiers have no control over the registers, the stock on the shelf, the prices, the smell, the parking lot, the store hours, or the people in line. Getting mad at them for any of the above is counter intuitive.
2) If you need help, don't be afraid to ask since many cashiers would love to run around the store trying to help you out (not joking).
3) Don't bother going to the front supervisor for something relatively minor. If the cashier is otherwise in good with the higher up, the cashier won't get written up and most likely you'll be talked about in the break room.
4) If you really want to get someone in trouble, skip the supervisor and their assistant, spend five minutes looking around the store for the name of the store manager and speak directly to them and mention the offending cashier by name. Management doesn't like to be bugged and will tell the supervisors to do their job, who will in turn figure out whose ass to kick.
5) Don't try to pull a fast one with coupons. If you have an otherwise legitimate stack and 2 or 3 that you haven't fulfilled the requirement for, most lazy cashiers will let it go anyway. If you have a stack filled with invalid expired coupons, each and everyone will get scrutinized.
6) If you have some sort of government benefit or food stamps, don't be shy; hand it over like cash and don't give it a second thought. If the cashier gives any looks ( ), go directly to step 4.
I don't go to a restaurant about to close... If I can't be out by the closing time, I'm not going in. People have lives past me. I have gone in to a restaurant about 30 minutes before closing, but I always ask the host and the waitress if it's ok, and I tell them I'll tip well at the end, and I do.
As for tips, I do 20% unless the service is really bad. Some people say you need to do more, I don't care. But I know that waitresses get paid very badly, and often have an even lower minimum wage, and it's tough work. I'll at least try not to make their work any worse by being a jerk, or leaving a terrible tip.
And I've known a few people who worked at restaurants, and yes, management wants to get home too, and they will turn their head to the kitchen if someone walks in and guarantees them an extra hour at the restaurant.
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), go directly to step 4.
