Rude Customers

[tkd lisa]

I definitely agree that there are some extremely rude people out there.

A week ago, I had my DD with me, and we went to the grocery store after church on Sunday. Our pastor had just preached about how we can hurt people with our tongues. His visual image was two photos. One was a rain forest, all lush and green. The other was the same forest after a fire. Great visual, huh?

Anyway, DD came in while I shopped, and we went up to the cash register. There were a couple of guys in line before me, but I didn't think anything about it. I was loading my stuff on the belt when I realized that the guys were really cussing each other out. Now DD is 14, so she's heard the occasional swear word, but this was pretty rough. And it was escalating to the point where I thought they were going to physically fight.

Once they were finally out of there, the cashier (probably 18 years old) was absolutely in tears. I told her "Just take a deep breath. I'm in no hurry." Apparently the fight was because something in the first guys stuff wasn't ringing up right. It took her a couple of tries to fix it. The first guy started cussing the cashier out, and the second guy cussed out the first guy for cussing out the cashier. And it just went on from there!

When DD and I left the store, I told her that she had just seen a real life example of how that man's tongue set two people on fire. I truly do not understand what drives a supposedly rational adult to act that way to other people.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

Thank you for your post. It makes me glad not to be in customer service anymore.

I used to be a bank teller and have no end of annoying customer service stories. #1 being JUST SHOW US YOUR ID!!! I don't care if you've had an account for 90 years and come to the bank every day, if someone doesn't know you they don't know you!!! Don't say "So and so knows me" and point to another teller. That is not legal documentation. I had this happen about 20-30 times per day. And then had each one argue with me that "No one ever asks for their ID" or "I only have this problem with you". It's for your protection not for our joy of looking at your ID.

Also, I've been called "a racist b****" for not sending lollipops through the drive thru box as soon as the car full of kids pulled up.

And let me tell you I wanted to burn that box of lollipops every night. If I had to listen to one more person sucking loudly on them as they tried to tell me what they wanted and then leave a handful of trash on the counter or "tell" me to throw it away for them I was going to scream. I think I became bitter after being a teller for 5 years.

Ok, thanks, I needed that.

 

[Fire14]

I used to be a bank teller and have no end of annoying customer service stories. #1 being JUST SHOW US YOUR ID!!! I don't care if you've had an account for 90 years and come to the bank every day, if someone doesn't know you they don't know you!!! Don't say "So and so knows me" and point to another teller. That is not legal documentation. I had this happen about 20-30 times per day. And then had each one argue with me that "No one ever asks for their ID" or "I only have this problem with you". It's for your protection not for our joy of looking at your ID.

Ok, thanks, I needed that.

The one that always got me was when I'm trying to DEPOSIT a check into my acct. have deposit slip and everything and they want to know if I have acct with them!!!!! HELLO my name is preprinted on slip along with bank name, you have my id and my paycheck.

 

[BeNJeNWaFFLe]

Oh, I would never mock the cashier, but I'm just amazed sometimes at the "OMG, what do I do now look????" from cashiers when they are handed change.

I agree with both you and KaterKat. I have had times when after I finished the order and the draw opens, a customer hands me some random amount of change. Like if their total was $19.53, they give me $20, so I key that in and open the draw. Then they would give me $0.75, so it would take a minute for my brain to compute the new change.
But I have seen a lot of the girls I worked with just about lose all brain power when they are handed change after the sale. I mean I've had them leave the register, come over to me, and ask me what to do. Pretty sad. Thats when I had to give them lessons on how to use the calculator which was sitting right next to them.


A story here reminded me of something that happened at my old job once. As I was walking into the store for my shift this one man walked out. When I got back to the front to start he was outside screaming and yelling at people to not shop in the store. Apparently he tried to return something without a receipt or whatever, was denied, and he stormed off. We waited a little while for him to leave on his own, because, well, it was amusing to watch. He did finally leave, I think because he saw everyone that he was yelling at walking out with full shopping bags.

 

[NeverlandClub23]

The one that always got me was when I'm trying to DEPOSIT a check into my acct. have deposit slip and everything and they want to know if I have acct with them!!!!! HELLO my name is preprinted on slip along with bank name, you have my id and my paycheck.

I worked with a teller who was so scatterbrained she would always do this. She would stare vacantly at the person and say "Do you have an account here?" and they would say "Um, yeah, that's why I gave you my account card".

 

[mrsdon]

I work at a fast food place and usually work the Drive-thru. either the window or taking the ordes.
Ive had people ask me to hold while they finish their cell phone conversations!!!!
Once when a lady got to the window, she told me to shut up. because she was writing down direections... HELOO!!!You came to my house.
I dont think they would appreciate it, if I came to theri businees and treid to work with them while on the phone.
Please if your conversation is that important, finish it BEFORE you get in line to order.
Or, put the person on hole while we wait on you.
The people behind you are in a hurry also.
One more thing, when you order from the counter, please have the courtsey to hand me the money instead of dropping it on the counter.
You expect me to hand you your change, give me the same respect.
Boy I feel better now.

 

[maxiesmom]

This happened to me today--

I was working Customer Service, not my home area, but one that I am trained in. I had a customer without a receipt demand that I give her 24.99 back for an item that, without a receipt, the return register was listing as 12.49. I cannot change the prices in the return register. I cannot give you what today's selling price is. I have no control over return price, no button I can push to magically change it to what you think you paid. And no ma'am, going to a different register will not change anything! Telling me that it is stupid and standing there glaring at me does not help either! Without a receipt we give in-store credit. After telling her that it was like cash and not replaceable if lost, she told me that was stupid too.

Then I had the lady who didn't understand that as she had paid part of her purchase with a visa card, and part with a store certificate, that that is exactly what she would get back. Part on her visa, part on a in-store credit. I had to call a manager because she claimed she never shops at our store (well, you are here, are you not?) and she proceeds to tell the manager how unfair it all was. The only other thing the manager can do that I cannot is offer to have a check mailed to her. After the manager sets that up, she then complains because they will only mail you the full amount, not just the in-store part. So then we had to get another manager up front to void out the check, and the customer ended up with what I offered her, part visa, part in-store credit. After all that fuss.

People, please learn a store's return policies before you try to make a return. Or better yet, before you make a purchase!!!

Thanks, I feel much better!!

 

[Serena]

Oh man, a hug for all of you dealing with rude customers or cashiers. Being out in public sure has opened my eyes. Today was a good day thank heavens.

And a great big thank you for all you customers who are nice and patient and polite. I really appreciate it.

 

[Meezers]

"One more thing, when you order from the counter, please have the courtsey to hand me the money instead of dropping it on the counter."

I am SO glad I am not the only one who thinks this is rude!

Thank goodness we at the police department have been allowed to post a sign (small town...we still have a walk up window in the lobby) that asks people to complete their phone calls.

Oh...yes....please don't stare at me while I am eating....I can't leave...I am your lifeline....I don't have a choice to eat someplace else...please....just take a seat and wait for the officer to arrive....

 

[babiesX2]

When I was working ER and it would be my turn to triage I would get so frustrated with cell phones! People would actually want me to stop my assessment of why they were at the EMERGENCY ROOM so they could answer their cell phone! And the folks who would be on their cell phone (even though there are signs up on all 4 walls saying "NO CELL PHONE USE") and ask the Dr. to wait till they finished their call.

 

[Shagley]

I have to agree with everything! I work retail, in a toy department, and I hate it when parents dump their children to play in the toy department while they shop in the rest of the store. The other day I had to stop a full contact basketball game of 4 brothers because they almost knocked over a shelf. Also, the kids that are left alone will find a toy that they like, rip it out of the package, and proceed to do that to multiple toys until their parents come to get them an hour later. I HATE that. If they are going to rip the toys out of the packages, they might as well just steal them. The store will never be able to sell those toys at full price now that the package is ripped up. I wish people would realize that pulling items out of their original packaging is just another form of theft. I bet the store loses just as much money because of rude people opening packages than from shoplifting. It won't be long before I am labeled as the "mean toy lady", because I am fed up and I have no problem scolding kids and telling them to go find their parents. My latest is saying "This is not a playground, it is a retail store".

My other pet peeve is that we have the large ride on toys on display. They are up on a shelf that is about 4 feet up, and there are signs in front of each display that says "PARENTS - FOR YOUR CHILDREN'S SAFETY, PLEASE DO NOT LET YOUR CHILDREN PLAY ON DISPLAYED MERCHANDISE". But yet, every time I work, there is at least one parent who will lift these items down to the floor and let their little brats ride all over the store.

I probably should request to be moved to housewares

 

[Feralpeg]

I feel so sorry for WDW CMs in the stores. They have to put up with a lot.

Several times, I've seen people want to pay with someone elses credit card. The CMs are not allowed to take it. The person say that it is their husband's card or wife's card. It doesn't matter. If it doesn't have their name on it, the CMs can't take it.

If a person tries to use an American Express that isn't signed, the CMs cannot take it. They can't even take it with other id. It is American Express's policy.

CMs are not allowed to personalize items with phrases or team names. The can do proper names. No slang. Also, the CMs cannot help it if your personalization cannot be done while you wait. The artists do the orders as they were received.

I've seen way to many temper tantrums by guests when they don't like what the CM tells them.

 

[simba928]

Sorry, no ice cream descriptions in this post. LOL.

The whole cell phone thing reminded me of another story. People talk on their cell phones all the time while trying to order. Most people tell the person their talking to to hang on while they order, but others continue talking and expect me to wait while there is a huge rush. One guy came up, ordered his ice cream and right as I asked if he wanted it in a cup or cone, his phone rang. Instead of answering me and then answering the phone, he answered the phone and told me to wait! I stood there for a couple seconds expecting him to say hi and then ask them to hang on a second so he could finish his order, but no, he went into this long detailed conversation. Then I walked away to do something else (I'm not going to stand there for 10 minutes while you chit chat on the phone when I could be cleaning the counters or something). He finished his phone call, no lie, about 10 minutes after he answered and then got mad because I wasn't there to take his order the exact second he hung up.

And then I love the people that come up to me and ask for a glass of water without ordering anything. Worse yet is those people that don't buy anything, but ask for a glass of water and then walk away without so much as a thank you.

 

[OK!]

Worse than the kids merely tearing up packaging is the moms of teething babies who let their kids drool all over something (we're talking dripping wet here) and then hand it to me, saying, "Oh, can I just give you this?" I mean, I completely understand that you'll do anything to try to comfort a teething baby, but just buy the sopping wet package of Silly Putty, for Pete's sake! It's like $1.57!

[rant]Right now, I'm working part-time while going to school; I'm at a hobby store that, unfortunately, is technologically on a par with the general store from Little House on the Prairie. We've got no UPC scanners, no automation, no nothin'. All of the prices have to be hand-keyed into the register when you check out, and when you get your receipt, there's no detailed info about what you've purchased (because of nothing being scanned in w/ a UPC code), which makes returns an interesting process. So as a CSM, all I ask is a teeny bit of patience when you approach me with $100+ worth of returns on 7 different receipts (seriously--it happened today), because it'll probably take me a sec to match up every individual stem and 50-cent spool of ribbon to its specific receipt and document everything. Sighing huffily and rattling your keys, sadly, probably won't expedite the process any, much as you and I both want it to. [/rant]


That said, I have to say that 99% of the customers I deal with when I'm out on the floor are delightful and I truly do enjoy talking to them and helping them (I work with jewelry, beading, etc., and most of the people who come into my department are beginners and need a lot of help getting started); it just seems that everything falls apart once people get up to the registers. I'd be ecstatic if I never had to set foot behind the register again.

Wow. This turned out about 12 times longer than I'd intended.

 

[Nancy]

I just have to add that after 15 years of grocery store employment I have seen my share of rudeness and have tons of interesting and funny stories, BUT I also have memories of very nice customers too. We have lots of regulars that are the best customers ever. When I did overnights I saw a lot of the same people and some I became very friendly with, I even got Christmas gifts from some of them. Luckily for every 1 rude customer there is 50 nice ones.

 

[piglet too]

Yes, close to 99.9% are wonderful!

I will never forget the year that a customer brought me a snowglobe (from Penney's I think) that was a special "Black Friday" door buster promo. Her and her DD were in TRU the night before Thanksgiving and we got to talking. I mentioned how I wish I could get the snowglobe for my DD, but I was going to opening TRU that day. About two hours after we opened, I felt a tap on my shoulder and there they were with snowglobe in hand. I gave her a big hug and almost cried for her genorosity. My DD loved it BTW, which made it all the more special.

 

[Kteacher]

This may not be considered rude, more like inconsiderate. I work p/t for a national Dept. store chain. When I'm working in the Women's/Junior's dept. I have started to dread cleaning the fitting rooms because of what I find in there. The other night someone left their used bra on the floor, and it was so filthy I was glad we have a special grabbing tool to pick up things like this I also don't understand people who leave the clothes inside out in a pile on the floors of the fitting rooms . Last night I worked in the jewelry dept. 10 minutes before closing a man comes in with an obviosly worn pendant, no box , no tags, and a receipt from over 6 months ago with our return policy for fine jewelry ( returns within 60 days with receipt ) printed on it. He wants to return it because he " doesn't like it anymore ". I tell him I can't do the return and point out the return policy ( at this point I don't tell him that I've checked out the back of the pendant, and there are no markings on it for our fine jewelry suppliers or 14k /10k ) He then says, Well get a manager-and do it quickly because I'm in a hurry " I call a manager, who comes and basically repeats the same thing I've just said. So the guy looks at both of us and then says " well then , will either of you buy it from me ? "
As some have mentioned, the good customers far outnumber the rude ones. I've been in retail for close to 30 years now , and I've seen just about everything!

 

[cepmom]

I feel your pain!! I work at the service area at BRU and I have had it with rude customers this past weekend! I can't understand the entitlement mentality some of these people have! Just because you don't like the store policies, please don't be rude to me I don't make the rules, but I do have to follow them.

I had several doozies this weekend but these stick out to me....


very pregnant woman ~ can you call another store to see if they have the stroller I want and ship it to this store?

me ~ we don't ship store to store, but I'll call around for you. What stroller are you looking for?

vpw ~ I don't want to go to another store to pick it up. Can't you just have them ship it here?

me ~ I'm sorry, but we don't ship store to store. Have you checked on our website to see if you can order it online?

vpw ~ yeah, but them I'd have to pay a lot of money for shipping {said with disgusted tone of voice}

me ~ why don't I see if we can special order the stroller you are looking for right in to this store for you then?

vpw ~ How long is that going to take? I don't have a lot of time here you know {disgusted and pointing at her stomach}

me ~ I'm not sure as I'm not familiar with that department. Let me call over there and see if the baby gear associate can check with the warehouse etc, etc.

vpw ~ never mind...I'll just buy it some place else {disgusted and storming away}


Or if you don't get coupon flyers, please don't take it out on me. I don't personally mail them out......

rude woman ~ I never got a flyer in the mail with the coupons. I want a coupon today

me ~ I'm sorry, but we don't keep those flyers in the store. Many times other guests will leave their flyers behind. I can check to see if we have an extra car seat coupon for you.

rw ~ I don't understand why I didn't get a flyer with coupons. I am prepared to buy a car seat today and expect you to get me coupon. I want to know what you are going to do for me.

me ~ not everybody gets the flyers every time. It's all up to the marketing dept at corporate. But if you hold on, I'll try to find one for you.

rw ~ I don't really care what that all means....I just want a coupon. Call the manger if that's what it takes.

me ~ (not finding a car seat ocupon) I'm sorry, it appears we don't have any available for you.

rw ~ are you the manager?

me ~ no, I'm, not.

rw ~ then you can go ahead and get one for me can't you?



Now if I had been asked politely, I would have been glad to get a coupon out of another register for her, but I'm not going to go out of my way for rude customer!

 

[Conservative Hippie]

This may not be considered rude, more like inconsiderate. I work p/t for a national Dept. store chain. When I'm working in the Women's/Junior's dept. I have started to dread cleaning the fitting rooms because of what I find in there. The other night someone left their used bra on the floor, and it was so filthy I was glad we have a special grabbing tool to pick up things like this I also don't understand people who leave the clothes inside out in a pile on the floors of the fitting rooms . Last night I worked in the jewelry dept. 10 minutes before closing a man comes in with an obviosly worn pendant, no box , no tags, and a receipt from over 6 months ago with our return policy for fine jewelry ( returns within 60 days with receipt ) printed on it. He wants to return it because he " doesn't like it anymore ". I tell him I can't do the return and point out the return policy ( at this point I don't tell him that I've checked out the back of the pendant, and there are no markings on it for our fine jewelry suppliers or 14k /10k ) He then says, Well get a manager-and do it quickly because I'm in a hurry " I call a manager, who comes and basically repeats the same thing I've just said. So the guy looks at both of us and then says " well then , will either of you buy it from me ? "
As some have mentioned, the good customers far outnumber the rude ones. I've been in retail for close to 30 years now , and I've seen just about everything!

Don't get me started on returns!! I once had a lady spit on me because I would not give her cash back, only a gift card, because she did not have a receipt.

 

[Molly Meow]

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.