Rude Customers

[Joanna71985]

I worked in merchandise last year at Disney. You wouldn't believe how many people got annoyed when I asked them for IDs if their credit card wasn't signed. Also, they got mad about the Disney ears needing proper names sewn on them. Shesh people. We are just trying to do our jobs. Oh, I just remembered one. I always hated stocking Fantasy Faire, because of the plush wall. The plush were always on the floor, or people put them halfway across the store. Is it that hard to return it to the correct shelf?

 

[Kteacher]

I had another customer get mad at me last week when I asked her for an id as her credit card wasn't signed. She looked at me and said a "really not very nice word ", threw her stuff at me , and then walked away . Don't people realize the stores have this policy to prevent thieves from using stolen credit cards

 

[diznygirl]

I worked in merchandise last year at Disney. You wouldn't believe how many people got annoyed when I asked them for IDs if their credit card wasn't signed. Also, they got mad about the Disney ears needing proper names sewn on them. Shesh people. We are just trying to do our jobs. Oh, I just remembered one. I always hated stocking Fantasy Faire, because of the plush wall. The plush were always on the floor, or people put them halfway across the store. Is it that hard to return it to the correct shelf?

Oh plush!! I worked at a toy store and came down the aisle to find ALL the plush on the bottom shelf on the floor with a baby playing in them. And the mom and a friend were sitting there on the shelf drinking sodas.

They looked at me (I must have had looked just like this ) and actually said, "Is this bad?" I said, "Yes, VERY bad!!!" They picked up the baby and left.

What kind of morons actually thought that was a good thing to do?

 

[maxiesmom]

It was crazy busy last week with everyone back to school shopping. One of my co-workers told me about this "wonderful" parent. She had sent her 2 kids to play on the escalators so that she wouldn't be bothered by them while she was shopping. They were running up and down them, knocking into other customers. My co-worker asked the mother to have her children stop this, and the woman became very offended. She said that she had told them to play on the escalators, and that they were her children and she would decide what they could and couldn't do. When my co-worker explained that they could injure themselves or other people she replied that it would be the store's fault and that we would be responsible. My co-worker told her that as she had been asked to stop her children's dangerous behavior that it was now her responsibility as she had refused to stop them.

What is with people? Why have kids if you can't be bothered to keep an eye on them? And to let them run wild and possibly hurt someone so that you can shop in peace? Some people you really just want to smack.

 

[Joanna71985]

Oh plush!! I worked at a toy store and came down the aisle to find ALL the plush on the bottom shelf on the floor with a baby playing in them. And the mom and a friend were sitting there on the shelf drinking sodas.

They looked at me (I must have had looked just like this ) and actually said, "Is this bad?" I said, "Yes, VERY bad!!!" They picked up the baby and left.

What kind of morons actually thought that was a good thing to do?

I have no idea. I am so glad I don't work with money anymore. Although, I had a guest try to bribe my captain to let his family see Pooh (although the line had been closed for more then 10 minutes).

 

[apirateslifeforme]

I have two that stand out in my mind from when I worked in the children's department at Penneys years ago. One was the lady who, in the middle of the busy back-to-school season, decided to buy a baby gift for someone while she was at it. She also bought the special packaged gift wrap and ribbon that we sold, and asked for a box. So I rang everything up and put it all in a bag and handed it to her, saying "Thank you." She gave me a blank look, snatched the bag, and dumped everything out on the counter, saying "I guess you didn't get it. Wrap it." Uh, now, we weren't allowed to do that. We didn't have scissors or tape at the cash register. Not to mention that there was a line behind her, stretching out to the aisle. Anyway, she got huffy and proceeded to try to wrap her gift right then and there, refusing to move out of the way of the person behind her who was trying to squeeze in to be waited on. When she ripped the gift wrap, she demanded her money back! Thankfully, my manager came out to help, since my coworker decided at that moment to take her break and left me alone to cover 3 departments. I don't remember exactly what happened, but she finally left.

Then there was the night that someone called in a bomb threat. Security came through and told everyone in person that they had to leave the store IMMEDIATELY, no ifs, ands, or buts. Well, of course I started to leave, as did the customer that I'd been waiting on, but the next woman in line literally grabbed my arm and said, "I'm not going anywhere without my order. Ring me up," and she shoved me back behind the register. Security told her to release me and to leave the store. She shoved HIM and proceeded to swear at him that she'd been in the store for over an hour and she wasn't going to leave without her stuff. She was escorted out by 3 security officers and told never to return.

 

[LilyWDW]

I have worked retail for nearly 10 years now (god, I need new jobs! lol). First at a Saddle Shop, second at a "trendy" clothing store at the mall, and lastly at the University Bookstore...

The Bookstore has been the WORSE experience of my life!!! I mean, I have had rude customers everywhere, but for some reason it is just BAD there.

So I decided to give you all some stories... some just observations, some funny, some flat out rude, and some that could have ended with people in the hospital...

1)Plain observation... why do you think I should give you a refund on a $150 textbook that came with one time use software that has been opened AND no reciept? By opening it, we have no idea if you have used that software or the one time use password within and we have no idea if you actually bought it from us since the tags are gone... oh and you are beyond our return date anyway, which I would point out on your reciept but oh yea you lost it! Even though all cashiers are required to say you would need it for returns, we have signs up in the store including the registers, and... well... DUH!

2) We do buybacks at the bookstore at the ned of the semester. It works like this; we buy back your book at about 50% of your purchase price as long as the book is being used the following semester by this University. If it is not being used here, there is a scale amount depending on who else needs it. If it is an old edition then you can not get money on it as it is no longer being used. However, don't yell at me when you come in to sell the book back that is damaged by coffee stains or the rain and I can't buy it back. I mean, would you buy that book to use if the text was smeared and pages ripped because it had been out in the rain? No, we don't do full refunds and you won't get the new price back because it is now used since you used it all dang semester!

3) A scary story for those involved. It was buyback season and things were actually going well. Then this really BIG guy comes in to sell his book back. Okay no problem, get his ID, scan the book... oops old edition/out of print so no money back. I swear he turned RED and the veins in his neck were popping out. So the cashier (it was a friend of mine, not me thank god) starts to back up... I mean, the guy was scary looking at this point. So he takes the book and THROWS it at her head. It wasn't some paperback, but a REAL textbook, like Biology or Chem sized. Luckily, since she had backed up, she had time to duck and it hit the wall behind her with a thud. Campus security was called (she still had his ID LMAO) and many, many people stayed to tell them what happened as witnesses. The guy was kicked out of that school.

4) We have multiple deaf students at our school and I am the only cashier that can sign. Now I am not great and end up having to spell stuff out quite often, but the customers really appreciate having SOMEONE who is there. So I was ringing one of them out, signing away with her, telling her the total... not really having a "conversation" but doing normal buisness. The guy behind her slams his stuff on the counter (before her transaction is completed I may add) and says "Do you HAVE to do that with her? Can't you just point and get on with it?" Now, the girl can read lips well enough to tell what he said (but is better at signing, so I do it to make it easier on her) and looks embarassed. I look at him and say "Sir, that is totally uncalled for", look back at the girl and finish the transaction. So for him, I ring him up, only talk to him to get his id for the check, and hand him the bag...

5) Call Holds on credit cards are scary people... that is all I really wish to say on that matter!

6) We have a card where you spend $150 on it, you get $5 back on the card for a future purchase. A guy came up to another cashier and stated really tearing into her about how it worked. Seems since the current purchase would put him over $150, then he should get the $5 off it right then and there... uh... no. I know how it was explained to you and the fine print with the form you filled out stated it clearly. Not her fault you don't read. So she's trying to expain it to him and he goes "Is there someone else I can talk to?", so I turn around and say "You can talk to me." and fold my arms over my chest. Now, the other cashier has tried about 5 times to explain it to him. I say the exact same thing as her, only I don't try to be super nice and I talk a bit louder lol, and when I finish he's like, "oh okay." and leaves. She and I just had to laugh and she called me the "scary one" for the rest of the day.

6) I have been made speachless more then once on this job, but I really think this takes the cake. I was ringing this guy up. He's really kinda nasty, smells bad, always looks at you like you are a piece of meat of you are female... you know the type. Anywho, I ask "Is there anything else I can help you with?" and he comes back with "You could come home with me and help me out." and winks. My manager is standing beside me and starts to open her mouth, but i beat her to it. "I'm sorry, but I do NOT think so." The manager had to bite her lip and told the guy never to come in the store again. The guy had turned bright red and I literally started laughing while handing him his bag. I couldn't help it!

The current management has pretty much told us that we do not have to deal with it anymore. There is no excuse for a customer to be rude and disrespectful. If we feel they are out of line, we can refuse service and call public safety if needed.

I would have to say my best manager moment though was at the saddle shop. I saw posts on here where people said their managers would not back them. We got a phone call about 5:50, we closed at 6. Manager answers. The people calling say they will be there in about 30 mins and if we could stay open for them. My manager told them no, but if they got here before 6 we would be happy to assist them (we close and lock at 6, one person at the doors to let people out as they finish, but no one comes in). The people on the phone started yelling at her saying they drove 3 hours to get there and is that how you treat customers. MY manager told them, if you drove 3 hours, they should have left earlier as we opened at 8:30am and this have been open for 9.5 hours and that she had employees who wanted to go home.... oh I was so happy that day lol.

 

[lovesmurfs]

I used to work at Taco Bell, which at the time had a corporate policy that if you did XX amount of business in the last half hour, you had to stay open XX minutes longer. It was such a bummer deal -- you think you're closing at 2:00 a.m., then the bars close and a bunch of drunken frat guys decide they want tacos, and you're working until 4:00 a.m. Not sure they still do that, and even then (15 years ago) the shift managers didn't always enforce it.

 

[pezheadmeg]

I would have to say my best manager moment though was at the saddle shop. I saw posts on here where people said their managers would not back them. We got a phone call about 5:50, we closed at 6. Manager answers. The people calling say they will be there in about 30 mins and if we could stay open for them. My manager told them no, but if they got here before 6 we would be happy to assist them (we close and lock at 6, one person at the doors to let people out as they finish, but no one comes in). The people on the phone started yelling at her saying they drove 3 hours to get there and is that how you treat customers. MY manager told them, if you drove 3 hours, they should have left earlier as we opened at 8:30am and this have been open for 9.5 hours and that she had employees who wanted to go home.... oh I was so happy that day lol.

The store closes at 7 on Sunday, it has closed for 7 on Sunday for 3 name changes for years. Without fail, every Sunday there is an annoyed guest because they want to shop at 7:30 as the staff is leaving.

Then there are the people who assume that the store opens at 8 am most weekdays. I'm on the floor moving racks and unloading boxes, don't knock on the door seeing if I can let you in, there are basically no cars in the mall parking lot and the door says the store opens at 10.

 

[DaisyLynn]

Oh wow...I just read the first 5 pages or so, and the last one...you all understand me! And you don't even know me!

I've worked retail for 10 years, the last 8 as a manager. First and foremost, I've always been a fair boss. Policies and rules are there for a reason, and we don't back down from them. All employees know what they can and can't do for a customer, to alleviate the need for "getting a manager". I work for a large company, huge brand, managing a store that does 3 million a year. Now, I love 99.9% of our customers. All of those on staff do. We are excellent with our customers. We pride ourselves in providing quality customer service. However, we do get our "lovelies" from time to time. That's what I call the undesirable customers.

If we greet you when you enter the store, please just say hello back. Don't bark back "I don't need any help." It's rude. I'm not going in for the hard sell, I just was saying hello.

If, when you do a return with no reciept, we ask you to provide your phone number, don't think I'm going to call you. I'm not. As a matter of fact, that same slip will sit in a file for 6 months and then get shredded. We are making sure that fraudulant returns are not being made, if you must know...providing this small bit of information will help us keep our prices low for valued customer like yourself.

If you are returning a pair of jeans that you paid 19.99 for (per the reciept) but the ticket price says 29.99, you will be refunded 19.99, as that is what your RECIEPT says that you actually paid for that item.

Please, don't sit in a room and smoke two and a half packs of cigarettes with $300 dollars worth of merchandise that you plan on returning this afternoon. That's merchandise that we can not put on the sales floor because it smells so bad. No one would ever buy it.

Also, PLEASE...don't pee in our fitting room. Especially on a pair of pants that you will then return to the rack where you found it, so another customer can find it and bring it to my attention. It's embarrassing for us, the staff that is there to help you, and costly. As we had to damage out all of the pants surrounding because they came in contact with your pee.

Don't pop your pimples in our mirrors, either. You know what happens. It's gross to clean up.

Don't allow your children to have bouncy balls in my store. Because it could (and probably will) hit another customer and they will complain to me for not saying something to the child about balls in the store.

Also, don't allow your children to hide under my clothing racks. The racks were meant for displaying shirts, not for use as forts. They WILL tip over and your child COULD get hurt. It's just not worth it.

Don't ask for discounts on an item because there is makeup on it. I can get the makeup off for you. Same with deodorant marks. I can get that off, as well. Some customers used to wipe their face on merchandise to get 10% off at the register. We've caught on and we're not doing it anymore.

Just because you paid $100 for a pair of sunglasses 11 years ago and they JUST NOW broke, doesn't mean that you'll get a new pair. They lived a nice full life. That doesn't mean that you can throw them at me either when I tell you this news. That will get your butt kicked out FAST.

If your card is declined, it is declined. There is nothing I can do to change that. I don't need to hear about your $1200 deposit yesterday. That's not going to change the fact that you're going to have to come up with another payment option. You're probably embarrassed, I have been there and have been embarrassed too. Don't worry...the cashier is never going to think any less of you.

Wow...so ok. I feel better now! After 10 years, I'm thinking of throwing in the towel to go back to school. I'll end up coming out making about the same money I'm making now, but money is not my motivation. I need a more family-friendly kind of schedule. One where weekends and holidays are not required. I haven't had Christmas Eve off since I was 15 years old. Haven't had a 4th of July off, either. I dream of sleeping in on a Saturday!

 

[DaisyLynn]

Forgot one...

Don't think that all I have to do all day is fold clothes. Every single person that works in our store has much more in their job description than that. It offends me when you say to your daughter who is trying to put a sweater back where she found it, "don't bother putting it back..the only thing these girls have to do is fold clothes." I WISH that were the case sometimes!

 

[Nana Annie]

 

[Serena]

And what is it with these women that expect you to hold thier purses and the things they are thinking about, while walking with them. One woman even asked me to put some things on since she thought her daughter was my size.
And I will, I really will tell your child to behave if you don't. Throwing balls up to the ceiling, knocking racks over, etc, are not acceptable. I will say something. I will be as nice as I can possibly be, but I will say something. It won't bother me at all if you get huffy about either.

LOL, ok, I feel better.

 

[maxiesmom]

DaisyLynn--I could have written your post word for word. Even the part about feeling that it is time to find a new way to make a living. I am getting fried! I am trying to figure out what my bliss job would be. But I haven't come up with it yet.

The people who comment about it being our jobs to clean up after them are the worst! The company I work for is known for having its associates do much more than clean up. Try filling, waiting on customers, taking markdowns, ringing at the registers, working new freight, and more. Anyone who thinks that all retail people do is fold all day long needs to work in our shoes for a day!

 

[MrsPete]

From the customer standpoint, I wish I could find more cashiers, etc. who actually care about their job and treat the customers with respect. I agree, there are jerks who probably don't deserve your respect, but nothing irritates me more than a cashier who doesn't acknowledge the customer - either because they just really don't want to be there or because they are too busy talking to their friends - sometimes even on the phone. That's just plain rude and I'm not likely to keep shopping there if your phone conversation is more important than my purchase.

I have to agree -- the rude thing often applies to cashiers too. Since the OP wrote up a list of "requests" for customers, how about this list for cashiers:

1. When I come to the register, please ring up my merchandise. I really don't care if you make nice conversation with me or not -- a smile and a "good afternoon" are nice but not necessary. I care most about efficiency. However, if you don't want to talk to me, please do not carry on a conversation with your co-worker about how the bagboy stood you up for your date last night, or how right she was to dump her ex-boyfriend, or how so-and-so was doing such-and-such with so-and-so in the stockroom. (This seems to be worst at the grocery stores.) It's unprofessional and gives me a very bad impression of both you and the store.

2. If you do want to talk to me during the transaction, please do not tell me how much you hate your job. (Again, this is something I see most at the grocery stores.) I am not particularly concerned about the fact that you've closed three nights in a row. I work hard too -- everyone does. If the cash register thing is too much for you to handle, quit and find something less taxing. Or go talk to your manager about the problem, but don't share your unhappiness with the customers!

3. I almost always pay with cash or a credit card. You do not need my phone number. Privacy is a big issue these days, and if you ask me for it, I'm going to respond, "No thank you." Don't push it -- I know you don't really have to have it. On the subject of privacy, please check my ID. It's the only way you have of knowing that I'm really me. I've written on the back of my card "PLEASE ASK FOR ID" for my safety.

4. I know your employer makes you push the store's credit card; however, once I say,"No thank you", let it go. I'm never going to say, "Well, since you asked a third time and were really pushy, okay -- sign me up".

5. If I ask you a question, please answer it without acting like I'm an idiot for asking. You're in the store for hours a day -- you know where the bathroom is, you know whether your store gives gift wrap boxes, and you know the procedure for returns. I come into your store maybe a couple times a year. My not knowing the location of the dressing room is not a reason to roll your eyes and adopt a "what a moron" attitude.

6. Please bag my things nicely. I don't want to buy an expensive blouse and have it crammed into a bag so that it's wrinkly before I get it home. At the grocery store, I don't want my bread under the canned goods.

7. I understand that your line will close down at some point. If you're about to close it, TELL ME before I stand there 2-3 minutes and take half my groceries out of the cart. Or better yet, turn off your light or put up that "line closed" thing behind the last customer.

I have worked in retail while I was in high school and college. I know it's not always pleasant -- no job is -- but there's no excuse for being rude to the customers. Without them, you'd have no job.

 

[MrsKreamer]

I work at Blockbuster, and luckily most of our customers are great. However, that being said:

1) No, I can't look up your account with your phone number. We've NEVER been able to. No, someone didn't do it for you last week. We don't have the capability. I need a card or ID. No, I can't bend the policy for you "just this once."

2) If you've had us add a "Check ID" warning to your account, don't swear at me when I ask you for ID. I don't appreciate it and WILL ask you to leave.

3) If you insist on writing a check for a $4.82 movie rental, don't get grumpy with me when I need your ID. And please, leave some room on your check. I have to write down your license number, phone number, account number, store number, and my initials. If it's over $25, my manager's got to fit their initials on there too. We don't have a check processor, we need a lot of info.

4) We don't do cash back. We run an antiquated system. Frankly, I'm amazed that we can take debit cards. We didn't give your wife cash back just yesterday, trust me.

There's many, many more. I've worked retail before, but I'm just amazed at some of the annoyances that come with working at a video store. Much worse than Wal-Mart and Kmart, hands down.

Oh yeah, here's a hint (not you guys, for the general public): Don't swear at the Blockbuster employees. We WILL throw you out.

I used to be a shift leader at BLOCKBUSTER and I am backing you up 110%!!!
How about the same customer that comes in EVERY week and wnats their late charges removed(I know no late charges anymore, this was a few years back).
Kids who would return games completely scratched and chipped. One woman actually admitted that it was under her son's bed for a month....ummm hello, do you really think we are going to be able to rent this to anyone?

Please don't drop your kids off to pick out a movie/game while you go next door, across the street, around town, or even just staying in the parking lot....the fine CSRs of Blockbuster were not trained in babysitting.

Please teach your kids that it is NOT OK to open all of the Yu-Gi-Oh! card packs to find the cards they are looking for, then hide the wrappers and other cards and lie to me saying they brought the cards in with them.

Please remember that you and the people you specify are the ONLY ones that have access to your account, so please don't give someone else your card, so they can rent.

Wow that feels better!

 

[MrsKreamer]

We have savings cards at our store, as most stores do. Some of the parents will let there babies / toddlers hold them - and stick them in their mouths, and then hand them to me covered in baby spit.

Ugh another pet peeve of mine too. People used to also pick their teeth with the card and then hand it to me....ewww!

I've also had people argue with me about sale prices. Once ice cream was buy one get one free, and a guy only got one, and it rang up at full price, $6. Well he was insisting it was $3, but I was saying, "no sir, it's buy one get one free." But he didn't want two, so he was being very rude, basically demanding that I only charge him half price since he only wanted one.

I also used to work at Baskin Robbins and whenever we had the 2 for $6 quart sale we always had this happen. People always wanted 1 for $3....well that's not the sale.
Once a woman wanted a flavor that was not a pre-packed quart. When we told her it was more to hand pack them, and that no it wasn't part of the 2 for $6 deal...she threw the quart(yes the girl had already packed it for her) at one of the people I worked with! We had it all on tape too.

 

[disneyfav4ever]

I'm not trying to flame your post or anything, but I've never done any of these.

1. When I come to the register, please ring up my merchandise. I really don't care if you make nice conversation with me or not -- a smile and a "good afternoon" are nice but not necessary. I care most about efficiency. However, if you don't want to talk to me, please do not carry on a conversation with your co-worker about how the bagboy stood you up for your date last night, or how right she was to dump her ex-boyfriend, or how so-and-so was doing such-and-such with so-and-so in the stockroom. (This seems to be worst at the grocery stores.) It's unprofessional and gives me a very bad impression of both you and the store.

Okay, I may speak to a bagger if I have one, but we always include the customer(s) in the conversation, and it's never about anything personal, usually about movies, tv shows, etc, and it's not constant, and not while we're busy, just enough to make an 8-hour shift go by a little bit faster.

3.I almost always pay with cash or a credit card. You do not need my phone number. Privacy is a big issue these days, and if you ask me for it, I'm going to respond, "No thank you." Don't push it -- I know you don't really have to have it. On the subject of privacy, please check my ID. It's the only way you have of knowing that I'm really me. I've written on the back of my card "PLEASE ASK FOR ID" for my safety.

We also need to look up savings card numbers with the phone numbers as well, and we do "need it," if you want the savings.

7. I understand that your line will close down at some point. If you're about to close it, TELL ME before I stand there 2-3 minutes and take half my groceries out of the cart. Or better yet, turn off your light or put up that "line closed" thing behind the last customer.

At our store it's policy to take anyone who was in the line up til the point we shut the light off. I just time it so that if I have three or four big orders I shut my light off when I still have ten minutes or so.