A-Plus gets minus for Propane service

I recently had a bad customer service experience at the A-Plus (Sunoco @ Waxpool and Turo Parish). My propane grill ran out of gas while grilling so I went to the closest (hopefully fastest) place to get a propane tank exchange. I waited patiently in line (I was 2 of 5) and then asked for a propane tank exchange when it was my turn. The store attendant said he would help me after he helped the rest of the customers. In an argumentative tone he said he was alone and that I'd have to wait till there were no other customers. I felt that that was not fair considering I was in just as much a hurry as any of the other customers. I asked if he wanted my business ($24 propane exchange vs. $5-10 soda & snacks from other customers) and he mumbled something loudly in his native tongue. He then ignored me and proceeded to help the next customer in line. At that point I left in a huff. I went to Harris Teeter whose staff quickly rang up my propane exchange (for less) and even put the new tank in my car!

I was mostly offended by the dismissive manner my request for service was handled by the staff @ APlus. I was treated as if my request to be served in turn was unusual. The store attendant made no attempt neither to appease me nor apologize for his rude behavior. Was I wrong to assume the point of going to a "convenience store” is to get quick service? While APlus used to be the only convenience/gas station in southern Broadlands, there others now. They cannot be so callous with their customers now that there is competition. Needless to say I will not be an APlus patron anymore.

 

hubby (The Man) was there and saw it- they will lose our biz too- INEXCUSABLE way to treat a customer- especially as patient and easy going as the Man said you were about the whole thing! the same man was VERY rude to my mother in law and we greatly decreased our biz there then- we used to get gas regularly, then they became pretty much our last resort if we needed something and were right there, but not gas. but now- we're DONE. i'll drive a little further rather than be the next person dismissed and disrespected by that guy.

 

This guy obviously does not know how to run a business and soon will be out of business if this is how he treats his customers. I also will not be going back there again.

By the way, on a side note, I find it very worth while to always have a spare propane tank ready to go when one empties out. Then you never have to worry about how much propane you have left and no quick trips to the store. When I replace my tank with my spare, I just take my time getting the old tank replenished (usually wait for coupon from Propane Taxi). Cheers and happy grilling! (chicken with Wegman's Mojo marinade is on the menu for tonight)

 

Wasn't there, but I will say this as someone who has worked in a convenience store and had to do propane exchanges, I don't think the request for you to wait for 3 customers was outrageous. He may not have wanted to leave customers alone in his store while he went outside. There is way too much theft to leave a store unattended even if it is to step outside. When I worked the overnight shift, I would lock the store just to use the bathroom rather than leave it unattended for a minute.

 

What time is dinner?!

Meant to write this before. I witnessed something very impressive at the Safeway gas station last week--a woman was irate with the attendant because the Safeway discount was not applied at the pump. She was livid, but instead of getting defensive, he smiled and nodded...and when she was done with her rant, he calmly applied the discount for her inside. She walked out rather embarrassed and the attendant seemed unfazed. He gets my Calm Coach award of the week!

Will not be using the Sunoco anymore, either.

 

I have a spare propane tank for the exactly the reason you described. It got used up when I lent it for a neighbors fire pit my kids were attending one night. You are right though, I should have a ready spare since you can never really tell when you'll run out.

Single attendant stores should not try to sell anything that may require the attendant to leave the register well, unattended. Sometimes stores over extend themselves by offering product or services they lack the staff to sell effectively. Part of the reason I was able to get such good service from Harris Teeter on my propane exchange was that they had adequate staff. Had APlus simply put up a small sign on the counter that read "Short staffed, no propane exchanges at this time, sorry" Then I would have simply left without waisting my time. Not unlike "Back in 10 minutes or @ 1PM".

I may have to look into that Propane Taxi, since I love to grill and dislike hauling a greasy bomb in my car.

As the Human Torch sez: "Flame on!"

 

it would be reasonable to POLITELY explain this and the outcome would be much different than being rude and dismissive to your customer. my bet is a customer treated right in this situation would browse isles and likely buy something ELSE instead of taking business elsewhere.

the ATTITUDE of this employee is the problem, not the actual inability to leave the register itself, know whaddimean?

 

I love the service and always use a coupon which brings the price to maybe within a buck or two of Home Depot. It's totally worth it! You order online and then you get an e-mail telling you exactly when they'll be in your neighborhood to do the exchange (within a few days) You just leave your empty tank out on your front porch the night before in case they come by really early.

 

That's why i didn't say anything about his attitude. Wasn't there. and I know waddumean

 

They may not have been short staffed or overextending themselves. If you had been the only customer there, (I'm willing to bet) he would have helped you without issue. From what you described, he did want your business, he just wanted you to wait until he had taken of everyone else. Once again, I'm guessing so that he wouldn't leave the store unattended with customers in it.

As I mentioned in my last post to Redon, I'm not going to comment on his attitude. All I'm saying is that it was not unreasonable to ask you to wait.

 

for the record- (I know he will speak for himself) he DID wait for a reasonable amount of time- for what the guy asked him to wait for- the next customer. acc. to my husband he waited even longer than what he was ASKED to, and that's when the rudeness ensued.

 

I boycott all services/businesses that rely on road spam as a significant form of advertising. Propane Taxi is a MAJOR abuser. Therefore, no bones from me to them.

 

Like I said, I wasn't there, don't have all the details. Just going off the original post. Kholbert said that it was not fair to be asked to wait. I say it was. After that though, I've got nothing to add.

 

If you think about it, the whole setup with small convenience stores selling propane is a little strange. Even if someone *did* wait until there were no customers in the store at the time (which could be a while, depending) what happens when a customer comes into the store while the clerk is outside? If the store is small enough to warrant just one clerk than it probably should limit its offerings to what can be handled from inside.

I have had to wait to have someone get the propane for me but I don't remember if it was a one clerk operation. They didn't load it for me, though, I know that.

When I worked retail leaving the store unattended for whatever reason would be an obvious no-no.

 

It's a service they provide and they need someone to provide it to the customers. If they can't do it then they should offer the service.

Having not enough employees is not a good excuse to push off a customer.

I'm not going to dilly dally until there are no customers. I'll get in line like everyone else and get service when it's my turn...like everyone else.

 

bingo!

 

Just wanted to add my two cents about that place. Almost two years ago I was in line for a car wash there. When the car in front of me entered the wash, I pulled up and entered my code. Halfway thru its cycle the wash broke down. The car in front of me pulled out, covered in soap. I waited while the attendant came out and fiddled with the wash a bit, then waved me thru saying the wash was closed. A minute later I went in to ask for a credit. When I gave the same guy my receipt, he punched in the code and sternly told me my code was USED and that he wasn't going to give me anything. I tried explaining as reasonably as I could that the wash had broken after I'd entered the code and he had just waved me thru, but he became quite irate, as if he was SURE I was trying to rip him off. I tried showing him the timestamp on my receipt. He wouldn't even look at it, just moved on to other customers without even looking at me again. I haven't been back there since then and don't ever plan to. I'd bet your story with the propane tank involves the same guy, and I'd bet there are many more incidents of this kind of 'A-Plus' customer service.

 

i hope someone who knows who the owner is or has his contact info lets them know about this thread..

that guy should be stocking the shelves not dealing with customers and chasing away business.

 

I'm still fairly bitter towards the place for their resolve of the flag situation earlier this year. For those that don't remember, they were flying an extremely worn and barely recognizable weathered US flag (picture in below thread). Rather than replace the flag, their resolve was to remove the pole completely.

http://www.broadlandshoa.org/hoaforum/showthread.php?t=7046

 

drive an extra mile and there are plenty of other gas stations, "on the go" at Exxon near Panera and Tropical Smoothie has coffee, snacks., and I would guess- PROPANE- just like this store.

when they start losing biz b/c of poor cust service and lack of coffee cup cozies- so they try to charge you for an extra cup- i bet things change. it has to hit em in the pocket b4 they do anything about it...