A Life Worth Living

A letter to the manager of Woolworths supermarket sent today:

Re: Unpleasant treatment by Woolworths employee

Dear Sir/Madam

This letter is to inform you of a highly unpleasant episode that my partner and I experienced with an employee while shopping at the Woolworths supermarket at Thornleigh.

On the evening of August 22, 2007 at about 7.30pm, we visited the branch to shop for groceries as we have been doing since it was opened. We were also there to collect and purchase some items that we had previously put on a raincheck.

We were referred to Lisa, the checkout supervisor, regarding the redemption of the raincheck. When we presented the raincheck voucher, it was established that there was a misunderstanding regarding our raincheck - as we were under the impression that we had made a raincheck for 20 tins of Sanitarium Nutolene, however, Lisa said it was only for one.

The reason why we had made a raincheck was because the store had run out of Nutolene at that time (three weeks ago), and there was a very good special going on. We had bought 20 tins of a different variety of Sanitarium products at the special price, and decided to get a raincheck for 20 tins of Sanitarium Nutolene as well.

From our point of view, we would not have bothered to get a raincheck if it were simply for just one tin.

Unfortunately, Lisa was certain our raincheck was only for one tin. The conversation that followed was one of the most unpleasant and humiliating one that I have experienced.

Although we tried to be polite and explained to Lisa our situation, she raised her voice and adamantly refused to listen to our side of the story. She repeatedly interrupted us and cut us off, and made us feel as if we were being extremely difficult even though all we were trying to do was understand and explain the situation.

She kept telling us, in a very aggravated manner that "I've been doing this for 6 years and I know what I'm doing and I was the one to write it out and I remember when it happened and that if it was for 20 that I would have written 20 - see it doesn't say twenty - so it's for one."

We were very calm and tried to explain ourselves. However, Lisa never tried to listen to us. Instead, she consistently reprimanded us in a very harsh and stern manner, in a loud voice. She also frequently in various ways told us that we had done the wrong thing and gave us the impression that we really should not be shopping at Woolworths at all.

After consultation with someone on the phone - presumably the store manager – Lisa did allow us to get the remaining nine tins of Sanitarium Nutolene from the shelf at the special price.

My partner and I understood that there was a misunderstanding regarding the quantity, but what we fail to understand is why we should be treated in such a rude, uncivil and hostile manner.

After her tirade regarding the raincheck that we did not feel like shopping any further - either on that night or into the foreseeable future. It was an extremely unpleasant situation that left a very bad taste in our mouth.

We would like to hear Woolworths’ side of the story and would certainly appreciate appropriate action.

Thank you for your time.

Melody Tan