I guess I did bad?

[Ladychaos]

Well yesterday was not a good day to be exploring the new city I am moving to! I currently live in stockton, CA and on the 18th of this month I will be moving a whole 15 minutes away to lodi, CA I am happy to be getting out of stockton. Anyway! Yesterday me and my boyfriend went to a bird shop in Lodi, CA. It is a really nice store. I have been to many many bird retail locations in California and all of them have different store policies. This one was a bit off. You walk into the store and there are a bunch of playstands with birds on them. There was a CAG, a GW macaw, a rose breasted cockatoo, and an amazon parrot (not sure which type). Before you walk in you must sanitize your hands and both me and my b/f did. So far so good right? Well the store has a sign stating basically if you get bit by a bird it is your own fault BUT! they do not have any signs indicating that you are not allowed to open their cages to pet the birds on the inside of the cages. They also do not have any locks on any of the cages. At all of the bird shops I have been to they have either locks on the cages or signs saying you cannot open the cages. Another type has playstands and no birds in cages and as long as you don't take the birds off the playstands without permission you can pet the birds. So there was no one on the sales floor and we assumed it was okay to open the cages. Silly me, a guy immediatly told us "Hey you can't do that!" he was rather rude about it but I can understand I apologized and explained to him I didn't know as it wasn't posted. So he immediatly became rude and goes "well its common sense..." umm... no.. it isn't. When I haven't been to a store that hasn't had locks, signs, or a set up like this store and I haven't been to that store before? I didn't know. I then asked if the CAG on the playstand was for sale he very rudley told me they were store pets. I said okay and smiled! Then I asked how much do they normally sale baby CAGs for and he rudly said "oh around 1200" which isn't bad it is cheaper than most places in CA. I then asked him about an indian ringneck that was flirting with me and he just was completely rude! I figured he was upset because I didn't ask about opening the cage, but I apologized and said I wouldn't do it again! and I even asked before touching the birds on the playstands! I am just apalled at this guy's attitude. This guy acted like he did not want my business and treated me and my boyfriend like common criminals. So instead of buying the bird treats for my budgie buddie I put them back and immediatly left. Do I have a right to be angry? I mean I made one stupid mistake and I know I was wrong and apologized and asked before touching any other birds. Does that still give him the right to treat me like crap? I really wanted to buy birdy supplies and such from them but if they have no manners is it really a good idea? They have the best toy selection and the best bird selection I have seen in my area so far. Me and john (b.f) were discussing purchasing a CAG in the future and are researching different ways of obtaining one. And if this guy treats customers like this I don't know if I want to buy a CAG from him. But it is so difficult tracking one down! I am just upset about what happened and don't know who was wrong in this situation. what do you guys think? I know I was wrong to open the cage but does that justify utter rudeness?

[Tiki]

OK, I would ask before opening a cage, most stores don't allow unless a clerk is present. There have been a lot of birds being stolen, sadly even babies who are still being handreared. Last month, one baby bird died because the thief didn't know how to feed him.

Still the clerk has a lot to learn about customer service. "Excuse me, ma'am, please don't open the cages" would be appropriate. Maybe a suggestion to the boss might help improve his CS skills?

[Ladychaos]

That's what I was thinking Tiki. I know I shouldn't have opened the cage and feel bad now which is why I apologized. But the way he said it was like wow am I your mortal enemy today? You would think they would have someone patrolling the sales floor... I am deffinatly not confrontational. But even John thought the guy was rude. I can understand being a little upset about opening the cage. But to be rude after I apologized didn't seem fair. And poor little baby bird :(

[felisdomesticus]

Maybe the guy was having a bad day. Maybe he's paid minimum wage and doesn't really care about the job.

[ThreeX]

Quite frankly and objective, in his place, I would have been p***d too.. I am not excusing the bad behaviour, but looking at myself i know from experience that calming anger is a bit like taking an over-boiling pot from the stove, it doesn´t settle down instantly :)
I think this is a classic case of getting off on the wrong foot, something i have also tried more than once, and also more than once, in time the relation has changed from bad to brilliant.
Don´t feel bad, you reached out a hand and apologized, that´s really all you could do. I wouldn´t be surprised if you get treated a lot better next time around.

[kateBird]

if you are willing to drive alittle closer to San Fran, there is a great bird store in Lafayette called Feathered Follies. I would call first before going if you are strictly looking for a CAG. they get CAGs and TAGs every once in a while.

GREAT bird store. I've bought all 3 of my birds from them. Knowledgeable staff (very nice), lots of toys, accessories, cages, play stands, birds. and yes, you should not open any cage there unless a sales person is present.

you did apologize to the person, but it sure sounds like he may have had a very rough day before you came in and you became the scapegoat. terrible...what happened to "customer is king/queen"?

good luck in finding that special CAG.

[CraftQueen]

So you made a mistake. Let the bitterness roll off your back. You may have been the 10th person of the day to make the very same mistake. Don't let it spoil your business because it sounds like you really like the store. This employee may not even work there by the time you get moved and visit this store again.

[Irish]

I think you were justified in being upset about this guy's attitude. Why not try on a different day and see if someone else is in? Perhaps if you can speak with an owner you can even discuss your last visit and the behavior of the employee. Whether you made a mistake or not, and whether or not the guy was having a bad day or just didn't care about his job, you should not have been treated like that. If he doesn't like his job, then he's in the wrong place. Far better to take orders at a fast food restaurant than alienate people who could be repeat customers in a store that probably doesn't have the "fast food" mentality of McDonalds....

[Ladychaos]

Thanks for all the replies guys

Maybe I did trigger something and he was having a bad day, maybe the hot weather made him hot headed. The lady I spoke to on the phone was very nice! So after I move I will probably go back in there and he will have hopefully forgot about me by then

Kate, I am not to far from the bay area I think Lodi is still considered bay area. I have been to one store in L.A. that had 3 playstands one with parrotlets, 1 with macaws, and another with a gorgeous cockatoo. I will check it out even if they don't have a CAG it might be a nice day trip!

Felis, that could be it. This place seems like a family owned business it didn't seem like they hired strangers off the street. *shrug*

I will go back in there if I don't go threw the 2 other breeders I found. They are charging $950 a bird which is a better deal and they are only an hour away. OR I will wait for the perfect grey to come into a rescue. either way ^.^

[Mlewis]

It was wrong of him for holding a grudge or being rude to customers, but then again it is common sense not to open the cage of a strange bird who may very well not take to that. They should have had something posted about that.