I visited my local Walmart in Tarboro, NC tonight. This past weekend I bought a push lawn mower that would not work. I brought it back to the store today to exchange it and had the worst experience of customer service in my life. The manager who I know only as Savonia (though I asked her and several others and could only get her first name) treated me in a way I have never been treated in my life. Apparently it is a policy that a lawn mower cannot be returned when it has gas still in it. Fine, I can understand that. However, the manner in which this manager treated me I cannot understand. When I brought the lawn mower into customer service, I told the customer service associate that I wanted to exchange the mower because it would not run. The manager came over and asked what the problem was... Turning the mower upside down and inspecting it as if I did something to the mower. She then told me I could not return the mower if it had gas. Obviously, I had to put gas in the mower to try and get it to run. I did not know the gas needed to be removed. There was only a very small amount of gas in the bottom of a small tank. The manager was rude. She knew I was alone with a small child trying to handle this return. She did not offer to have someone help me reload the mower in my vehicle. She did not offer any assistance at all. She acted as if she could care less. I went to the parking lot and called my father who drove from his home to come help me. We looked at the mower and saw the small amount of gas in the tank, and he helped me pour it out. We then walked back in the store and I told the customer service associate I wanted to return the mower and the gas had been removed. The next thing I know the manager rushes out saying she has called the police because I have dumped gasoline in the parking lot. The gas that was poured out I could hold in one hand. And it had just rained. I did not realize I was committing a crime, I was simply trying to return merchandise. I have been a loyal customer of the Tarboro Walmart since it opened. And suddenly not only am I told I can't return defective merchandise, but the police is called on me. The police officer that was called told the manager that no crime had been committed and he would not write a citation. He said it was obvious I was just trying to return merchandise. I have never been so embarrassed in my life. Is this customer service? I am a business professional, born and raised in Tarboro. My family is from Tarboro and I own a business in Tarboro. People who know me know that I am not the type of person to cause trouble. But tonignt I was treated like a criminal. After the police refused to write a citation, Savonia refused to allow me to return or exchange the mower. She would not give me my money back. Finally she accepted the return from my father, but would not deal with me. Is this Walmart's version of good customer service?
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