Up Next: The Last Straw

Okay. I've come to terms that I work in a Chinese garment sweatshop. Except that I'm American, and my sweatshop is in America, and instead of cheap Wal-Mart t-shirts, we churn out PCs.

I about lost my shit entirely today, though. I had a customer who had called because the coupon code he was trying to apply to his online purchase was not working, so he thought he'd try his luck with me, on the phone. I check the coupon, it is valid, but not on the system he's chosen. Fine -- I configure a system almost exactly like the one he had configured which would have been eligible for the coupon he wanted to use (25% off this particular model, where the system price was $999 or more). The coupon would still not apply. I put the man on hold, called our "help" desk. Oh, they say, since there's already $100 off the system (and that's the way the system is offered right now), that the coupon can't be combined with that deal. So, I ask the boss, he says to call the help desk again, and ask them to remove the $100 instant-off. Did that. Coupon still not working. Boss says to call the help desk again. Again, they can do nothing. Customer is pissed, and wants to complain about false advertising, etc., so I transfer him to customer service.

A sure-fire sale -- one that would have made more than half my margin quota for the day -- shot down in flames because no one outside the sales reps are accountable for jack shit. And the motherfucker of it is -- that call counted AGAINST me since no sale was made! Goddamnit! I hate this bullshit!
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