The fabled "longtime customer"

I work for a service that answeres for multiple companies, mostly HVAC or Plumbing..with a mix of other trades and business. Today, I had the fabled long time customer. You know the type.. the one who has been a customer since the stone age, even though the company has only been in business for a decade or so..

Anyhow. He wanted heating oil delivered on a Sunday night. I get it…there is a snow storm supposedly coming. For their area, they would be lucky to get a half inch..but I digress. This man had no service contract, which meant, he had to pay a $150 delivery charge plus a 200 gallon minimum.

Call went something like this..

Me: Ok Sir, since you are not on our autofill program, the delivery charge is $150 and there is a 200 gallon minimum

LTC (long time customer): Well, my tank only holds 100 gallons and I refuse to pay for anything more than that

Me: I understand sir, but the terms for after hours emergency services are that you have to agree to pay the delivery charge of $150 plus the 200 gallon minimum, even if the tank cannot take it all.

LTC: I don’t care! I have been using this company since 1975 to get my oil and I will not pay for 100 gallons of oil that I cannot use! ARE YOU GOING TO SEND HIM OR NOT!?

Me: I can most certainly send your request out to the oil delivery driver Sir, but you will still have to pay for the 200 gallons and the delivery fee.

LTC: What are the prices of your competitors, can you give me that? What if I go there, HUH?

Me: I am sorry, Sir, I cannot give you the prices of our competitors because I do not know their prices. I also cannot give you the names or numbers of other companies as its against our terms the answering service.

LTC: I am a long time customer and I just cannot believe this! This is the worst customer service I have ever gotten!

Me: I am sorry to hear that sir, but I have no control over their rules or policies. Have a nice day!

That is when I hung up. Funny thing is, this guy sounded like he was maybe, oh.. 25 years old? He had the shittiest tone of voice.. was snapish and rude prior to this and the worst part, was that he kept sighing and grunting like a valley girl throwing a fit.

I hate people sometimes..