(been working in retail and customer service for 10 years)

Realize you’re NOT talking to a manager. If we’re talking about remote customer service, be it call center or chat on a website, 99% of the time it will be just another same-level coworker just pretending. You’re going to have the most inattentive person on the other side, who’s sole job will be to let you vent out and repeat whatever the previous rep told you.

And even in stores, you’re likely to encounter a “daily shift manager”, who may not have any customer knowledge at all. You may speak to someone working in logistics, who just happens to be unlucky on this day.

Writing a paper letter to company headquarters? Good luck with that, your letter will bounce back to the regular customer support agent.

Oh, and I didn’t even mention all the outsourced agents, most outsourced calls are the “get me a manager” ones.

It’s all a scam, just don’t be a dickhead, and you’ll get a good customer experience the first time.

The only exception is, as mentioned before, any illegal stuff, aggressive behavior from the rep, in general stuff that would get the company in trouble anyway when reported to the market regulator or put in court. And even then, don’t ask for a manager, find the board member responsible for the operations area on LinkedIn and message directly.

When the sign says all hand soaps are 6 for $25 and the cashier tries to ring you up for $28.xx and refuses to budge when you point out the inconsistency

When your problem isn’t the responsibility of the person in front of you, but it is the manager’s responsibility.

I wouldn’t ask that exactly but “who can help?”

Sometimes employees aren’t empowered to do whatever it is you need done, but it is possible and allowed. That is when it’s better to ask for someone who can.

When the business owes you something the person in front of you isn’t acknowledging or able to provide you.