Open Letter To An Obnoxious Customer

Subnuts · 04-20-10, 05:59 PM

Mind if I vent a little?

To the rude customer at ShopRite who asked me "what are you, weak?" this Tuesday, I reply: No, sir, I am not weak. As a matter of fact, I have never seen you shoving 14 shopping carts across the parking lot in the middle of July, empty overloaded garbage cans, dispose of rotten diary products, replenish the milk shelves, or bag a $500 grocery order. The only thing I HAVE ever seen you do is behave in an utterly condescending manner towards total strangers who perform menial tasks on your behalf and receive no respect in return.

My parents taught me to say "please" and "thank you" when required and as often as possible, to never point in people's faces and demand immediate assistance, to help those in need, and to respect anyone who provides any assistance for me. If I, as an employee, treated you as I you treated me this afternoon, I would have been fired long ago. If you feel like you have the right to treat supermarket employees as second-class citizens, don't be surprised if your next victim doesn't just walk off in the middle of bagging your order.

Oberon · 04-20-10, 06:07 PM

CaptainHaplo · 04-20-10, 06:12 PM

Some people are arses - don't let it get to ya man!

I respect you - want to know why? In a society where there is a safety net that many times makes it more profitable to sit on your a$$ - you go to work every day doing a job that usually pays crappy, makes you deal with sorry excuses for people, and works you hard. Instead of sitting around waiting on a welfare check - your busting your hump.

If that kind of character isn't worth respect - then what is?

Salute!

Jimbuna · 04-21-10, 04:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

Some people are arses - don't let it get to ya man!

I respect you - want to know why? In a society where there is a safety net that many times makes it more profitable to sit on your a$$ - you go to work every day doing a job that usually pays crappy, makes you deal with sorry excuses for people, and works you hard. Instead of sitting around waiting on a welfare check - your busting your hump.

If that kind of character isn't worth respect - then what is?

Salute!

DITTO

Egan · 04-21-10, 08:51 AM

Well, I feel everyones pain here. It only takes about 30 seconds working with the public before you realise why revolutions happen. I work in an art gallery and, let me tell you, art is what a number of our patrons have instead of a crumb of humanity.

Already today I've been shouted at by some gonk because it never occured to them that their guide book - a 1997 edition - migh actually go out of date at some point in the following 13 years. Apparently I should personally hae spent every minute of that time providing every guide book publisher on earth with a daily list of what paintings and exhibitions are going to be on because it's too much hassle for some people to phone up or look on the Internet.

I was going to write a series of articles about working in an art gallery for a friend's magazine once but we dumped the idea when it became clear people would just think I was making it all up.

Onkel Neal · 04-21-10, 02:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaptainHaplo

Some people are arses -

Most people are arses. Just pop into the SH5 forum for a reminder.

AVGWarhawk · 04-21-10, 03:00 PM

Quote:

His response was that his #1 priority was not excellent customer service, but excellent treatment of his employees, since in his experience "happy, satisfied staff" = "happy, satisfied customers" 99.9% of the time.

I would agree with this logic.

Sailor Steve · 04-21-10, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Most people are arses. Just pop into the SH5 forum for a reminder.

HEY! I resemble that remark!

Jimbuna · 04-21-10, 03:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Most people are arses. Just pop into the SH5 forum for a reminder.

LMA (no pun intended) O

Bubblehead Nuke · 04-21-10, 10:13 PM

Retail can be SOOO much fun. I *LOVE* to take a pissed off customer and kill them with kindness. Of course, if that does not work sometime befuddling them works just as well.

Once, when I was the manager of a well known automove repair establishment, I had a gentleman TEAR into me that we were ripping him off because he was a black man. I looked at him square in the eye and asked if he was. Dumbfounded. he looked at me, held out a hand and said "Can't you SEE". I just answered him deadpan with 'I'm sorry sir, I am black/white colorblind. I did not know you were black".

All of the sudden he was EMBARRASSED. He apologized for his actions and we went on to resolve the issue to his (and my) satisfaction.

The LOOKS I had from the other customers and my employees. I remember them to this day. I still wonder if they were amazed I tried it, or that I pulled it off. Nobody called bull or anything. They just sat/stood there and watched in silence.

I had some very good teachers.

ZombieKillerPeter · 04-22-10, 12:22 AM

I work retail as well (movie rental store

), and I sympathize with your plight, brother.

TLAM Strike · 04-21-10, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neal Stevens

Most people are arses. Just pop into the SH5 forum for a reminder.

"How many @$$holes we got on this ship anyhow?"

>YO!

"I knew it! I'm surrounded by @$$holes... keep firing @$$holes!!"

Zachstar · 04-20-10, 11:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oberon

Battle of Yonkers, Great Panic of World War Z

Feuer Frei! · 04-20-10, 11:29 PM

I manage restaurants, have done so for many years, and i've had it happen where customers have been rude to my staff, in various forms, from downright rude and obnoxious to the disgusting sexual remarks...
My staff are always aware that i will support them 100% and that if they feel uncomfortable around a customer to let me know, and for me to have a little chat with customer.
I have in the past kicked customers out for abusing my staff.
I won't tolerate it.
I think some people think that if you are in the service industry, you have a big sign on your forehead, saying: Abuse me as you like.
Not on my watch!

Zachstar · 04-20-10, 11:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Feuer Frei!

I manage restaurants, have done so for many years, and i've had it happen where customers have been rude to my staff, in various forms, from downright rude and obnoxious to the disgusting sexual remarks...
My staff are always aware that i will support them 100% and that if they feel uncomfortable around a customer to let me know, and for me to have a little chat with customer.
I have in the past kicked customers out for abusing my staff.
I won't tolerate it.
I think some people think that if you are in the service industry, you have a big sign on your forehead, saying: Abuse me as you like.
Not on my watch!

Sadly for many people the sign is huge and backed up by insane policies such as "Any complaint of rudeness and you are fired"

Thank you for standing up for your staff. It makes a HUGE difference between working for a company that will stand up for common decency as opposed to a company that exploits workers for everything.

04-20-10, 06:12 PM	#3
CaptainHaplo Silent Hunter Join Date: Apr 2007 Posts: 4,404 Downloads: 29 Uploads: 0	Some people are arses - don't let it get to ya man! I respect you - want to know why? In a society where there is a safety net that many times makes it more profitable to sit on your a$$ - you go to work every day doing a job that usually pays crappy, makes you deal with sorry excuses for people, and works you hard. Instead of sitting around waiting on a welfare check - your busting your hump. If that kind of character isn't worth respect - then what is? Salute! __________________ Good Hunting! Captain Haplo

04-20-10, 11:29 PM	#14
Feuer Frei! Navy Seal Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Valhalla Posts: 5,295 Downloads: 141 Uploads: 17	I manage restaurants, have done so for many years, and i've had it happen where customers have been rude to my staff, in various forms, from downright rude and obnoxious to the disgusting sexual remarks... My staff are always aware that i will support them 100% and that if they feel uncomfortable around a customer to let me know, and for me to have a little chat with customer. I have in the past kicked customers out for abusing my staff. I won't tolerate it. I think some people think that if you are in the service industry, you have a big sign on your forehead, saying: Abuse me as you like. Not on my watch! __________________ "History is the lies that the victors agree on"- Napoleon LINK TO MY SH 3 MODS

04-20-10, 05:59 PM	#1
Subnuts The Old Man Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,658 Downloads: 14 Uploads: 0	Open Letter To An Obnoxious Customer Mind if I vent a little? To the rude customer at ShopRite who asked me "what are you, weak?" this Tuesday, I reply: No, sir, I am not weak. As a matter of fact, I have never seen you shoving 14 shopping carts across the parking lot in the middle of July, empty overloaded garbage cans, dispose of rotten diary products, replenish the milk shelves, or bag a $500 grocery order. The only thing I HAVE ever seen you do is behave in an utterly condescending manner towards total strangers who perform menial tasks on your behalf and receive no respect in return. My parents taught me to say "please" and "thank you" when required and as often as possible, to never point in people's faces and demand immediate assistance, to help those in need, and to respect anyone who provides any assistance for me. If I, as an employee, treated you as I you treated me this afternoon, I would have been fired long ago. If you feel like you have the right to treat supermarket employees as second-class citizens, don't be surprised if your next victim doesn't just walk off in the middle of bagging your order. __________________ My Amazon.com reviews

04-20-10, 06:07 PM	#2
Oberon Lucky Jack Join Date: Jul 2002 Posts: 25,976 Downloads: 61 Uploads: 20

04-21-10, 08:51 AM	#5
Egan Admiral Join Date: Sep 2001 Posts: 2,020 Downloads: 15 Uploads: 0	Well, I feel everyones pain here. It only takes about 30 seconds working with the public before you realise why revolutions happen. I work in an art gallery and, let me tell you, art is what a number of our patrons have instead of a crumb of humanity. Already today I've been shouted at by some gonk because it never occured to them that their guide book - a 1997 edition - migh actually go out of date at some point in the following 13 years. Apparently I should personally hae spent every minute of that time providing every guide book publisher on earth with a daily list of what paintings and exhibitions are going to be on because it's too much hassle for some people to phone up or look on the Internet. I was going to write a series of articles about working in an art gallery for a friend's magazine once but we dumped the idea when it became clear people would just think I was making it all up.

04-21-10, 10:13 PM	#10
Bubblehead Nuke XO Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 435 Downloads: 5 Uploads: 0	Retail can be SOOO much fun. I LOVE to take a pissed off customer and kill them with kindness. Of course, if that does not work sometime befuddling them works just as well. Once, when I was the manager of a well known automove repair establishment, I had a gentleman TEAR into me that we were ripping him off because he was a black man. I looked at him square in the eye and asked if he was. Dumbfounded. he looked at me, held out a hand and said "Can't you SEE". I just answered him deadpan with 'I'm sorry sir, I am black/white colorblind. I did not know you were black". All of the sudden he was EMBARRASSED. He apologized for his actions and we went on to resolve the issue to his (and my) satisfaction. The LOOKS I had from the other customers and my employees. I remember them to this day. I still wonder if they were amazed I tried it, or that I pulled it off. Nobody called bull or anything. They just sat/stood there and watched in silence. I had some very good teachers.

04-22-10, 12:22 AM	#11
ZombieKillerPeter Swabbie Join Date: Mar 2010 Posts: 14 Downloads: 1 Uploads: 0	I work retail as well (movie rental store ), and I sympathize with your plight, brother.