Rude and /or Malicious consumers

[saucywench20]

I worked in a very small grocery store for 4 years as my high school job. I hated it. A huge chunk of my faith in humanity grew violently ill, suffered, then finally died (and is still rotting) at the registers there.

The elderly (who I thought I got away after quitting there only to run into again at my newest job) were probably among the biggest offenders when it came to bad customers. These weren't people who were confused about an ad or misread something. No.

These were downright obnoxious people who spat in my face, swore at me, harassed me and would try to bully me into giving them deals. They weren't beyond throwing stuff onto the counters if they didn't get their way and storming off.

For example, when the store would have a particular item on sale Buy One Get One Free, the store would have the items' original price cut in half. So if an item originally cost 5 dollars, it would cost 2.50. It's just splitting the cost between the two products.

This was so that customers who did not want/need to buy two items, could buy one and still enjoy the deal, unlike most stores who made customers buy two products to get the deal (the first product would ring up full price and the 2nd would ring up free on the slip).

People did not like that and did not like that the 2nd item had a price and insisted on getting it for free, EVEN AFTER A VERY SIMPLE EXPLANATION and math lesson and store policy.

People still threw a royal fit over it. They did not like getting charged for the 2nd grocery. Needless to say I had a lot of Breyer's Icecream hawked at me.

That reminds me of something that happened to a friend of mine. Her faith and love in humanity was snuffed into nothingness during her duration in the world of retail. She worked at the customer service window at Circuit City which is where everything from online orders to returns are handled.

Well one day I went to pick her up and I saw that she handling an irate customer (actually, I was able to hear it perfectly given how loudly the guy was bellowing at her) who was trying to barter a better price for a printer that he saw on sale.

When she told him that the price was final, get this he THREW the printer at her!!!

Thankfully she ducked and wasn't hurt, but that scummy bastard left before anyone could regain their wits and detain his ugly ass for the cops to deal with.

She quit that day after the store manager had the balls to ask her what SHE did to make the customer react like that.

That's just really the tip of the iceburg as to hell that she had to catch because "the customer is always right" crap that the managers spew out, although I can't say that my experiences in the wonderful world of retail are any better (I've had clothing and purses thrown at me; I used to work at JC Penny.) I can count on one hand all the nice customers I've -ever- had.

From these experiences come the saying and experience: "Customers ruin retail."

[Guest sylvir]

If I hear the phrase "the customer is always right" I will puke. They are not always right hell most of the time they are never right.

I used to be a bagger at Safeway and the customers thought I was some slave the management pulled out of a closet to serve them personally.

When ever a product was popular we ran out of it quickly and customers would constently ask if we had any in the back. As if we were stock piling the item and hiding it away. Most of the time I would walk through the back rooms without even looking for it and tell the custormer we were out.

It amazes me how some people who function normally in real life come into a store and suddenly can't count or read or communicate with another human. They would misread a tag and expect us to give them the item at the discount because they were too stupid to read or pay attention.

At this point all I want in life is a job where I don't have to communicate with actual people anymore. If I want human contact I'll spend time with my friends and family

[bookworm51485]

When ever a product was popular we ran out of it quickly and customers would constently ask if we had any in the back. As if we were stock piling the item and hiding it away. Most of the time I would walk through the back rooms without even looking for it and tell the custormer we were out.

Personally I don't find this unreasonable because often there is some in the back. Whether it had just come in delivery and hadn't been stocked yet or the shelf couldn't only hold so much and they had more in the back after the shelf got cleared, most of the time when I ask, which I will admit is rarely, the person going usually comes out with more. I don't think that makes a person a back customer to ask, to be honest, I think it makes you a little inconsiderate to those that did ask, since it's really not unreasonable to do so.

I will say though, I actually did run into a case where a store was stock piling and hiding things away in the back. It was when my brothers and me decided to get my mom a laptop, we went to the store close by and they didn't have any, they checked on the computer and it said that the Hialeah store had like 30, so they called and confirmed. Drove up there and they lied and said they didn't have any. My brother got pissed, because Hialeah is REEEALLY far from where we live, and called the Best Buy 800 number and they checked in their records and saw that they did have some in stock. They called the store themselves and they again confirmed that they had laptops in store. Drove ALLLL the way back to Hialeah, a second time, and they again lied and said they didn't have any in stock. Wasn't until my brother got pissed and started cussing that they finally went in the back and brought one out. So yeah, stores do do that sometimes. You never know

[Guest sylvir]

I don't think everyone asking to see if we have something in the back are mean customers. Most of the time I liked hunting down stock piled items because it got me off the sales floor. When off the sales floor I could wipe the fake smile off because I knew I wouldn't run into the secret shopper.

What made me mad were the people looking for the popular items that were on sale, uncommon items, or wanted something in the middle of the night that they thought were hidden in the back.

Durring the summer we had huge soda sales and bought more of the popular flavors and less of the other stuff. At the end of the day there would be tons of Pepsi and Coke Cola but I always got stuck running after diet caffeen-free cherry vanilla Dr. Pepper. When thats gone its gone because they probably only purchased 20 cases to start with.

Now I worked at a small food store that didn't have a big back room.

I did run in to stock piling when I worked at a library and a clerk got fired for taking really popular books and hidding them so they could check them out. Books got lost all the time so when the catologe says it is in but we can't find the book it doesn't always mean foul play, except this time it did.

[JadeRyuu]

Okay, I just couldn't resist this! I've been in several different places of retail in my time as a sales representative and Assistant Manager. Retail is EVIL.

People are so used to instant gratification in this age that they expect it in everything. Unfortunately, we're not super-humans (if we were I'd churn out books as fast as people waiting in line get attitudes!) and as such we've got limits to how fast we can move and get things done. I am not taking speed or forming any kind of drug habit that supposedly will make my reaction times better, sorry.

We are people too, and we're just doing our jobs. While we know that people have bad days, and can sympathize, this doesn't mean that you should take it out on us. We want your experience at our place of business to be a good one and we value your business. But damn, cut us a break. We're human and last time we checked, so were you. If your service really is bad, and not just because you're not getting your way when its against our policies, then by all means you should be upset. All we ask is that you actually make sure its a fault on our part and not yours, before filing a complaint. Really, filing a complaint is a lot better than making a scene, because in the end, you look like an ass, not us.

I've actually had a lot of issues with customers, several of which have been because of my age, in the position of Assistant Manager. I guess they're afraid that the 'young ones' are coming for them? (I'm not that threatening, and damn it all, I'm polite...even if my smile is starting to quiver and my eyes shine with the light of death - erm, uh, yeah; polite.)

I worked at United Dairy Farmers - better known as UDF; a ice-cream/convenience store where they hand dip malts, shakes, etc - as assistant manager and I tell you, it's brutal when you're not only a sales representative but a server to top it off! We were also a gas station and sold cigarettes and such. Does anyone else have customers who flip the fuck out when they have to show their ID?

I've had an employee ask for an ID and the man stormed out, called the store - joy of joys, I got to take that call - and threaten to sue us. Policy states - and we had a sign up too, on both registers - that you must have ID for the sale of tobacco and alcohol. Imagine that, its a law. I'm going to have my employees break the law, just for you, because you called and cursed at me for fifteen minutes and insulted me by asking if a male manager was there. Really, I will. As soon as hell freezes over and I get to take a whip to you. <3

One night when I was working with the first assistant manager, two guys came in together, got alcohol and carried it to the register together - after knocking over a chip display, chortling about it and waving to us two girls who were cleaning. They got mad when I asked for both of their IDs (store policy, and they looked 19 years old at best), cursed me out, and stormed out. We had to call the cops, make a report, all that jazz. People and throwing things; that needs to stop. I do not appreciate cases of beer or glass bottles being tossed at me. So help me god if someone dares to pour their giant shake out because it didn't have enough strawberries in it, I will loose it. People like this make me want to go on sprees of random violence. Grr.

I noticed in an earlier post how someone hates it when the clerks are gossiping or on their cell phone texting - ye, gods I agree with you. Drives me up the wall. As a manager I don't tolerate that, I don't know how their superiors can allow it. If you've got time to lean against a counter and text, you've got time to clean and organize, or assist customers. No one at the counter just means you've got more time to get stuff done.

Has anyone ever had a problem while working with people your own age, or older even, when you're in a higher position? Like either since you were their age they shouldn't have to listen to you? Or that you're younger so you shouldn't have more power than they do, and they don't have to listen to you? Drove me crazy!

Oh, and on my last note in this long and winded post, that went a wee off topic...

"The customer is always right." Management needs to stop singing that tune and grow a backbone - I'm not afraid to tell the customer they're wrong, or to stand up for my employees.

So, fuck you, whoever first came up with that. The customer is nearly always wrong. We in retail make it our business to know our policies, our sales, our prices, and how to do our jobs. Customers: grow up, loose your attitude, control the children you have spawned, and we'll be happy to serve you - until then, bugger off!

[CrazyPedantic]

I worked in retail for 15 years. That's half my life. (God what a depressing thought.) I ended up having a mental breakdown, which was so not fun.

In my 15 years I have been verbally, physically and psychologically abused. I've had managers and supervisors that were bullies and made my life hell. I've had customers from hell who will yell at you for no reason.

I've had a child's bike thrown at my head, because the idiot who wanted to return it had come to Layby rather than Refunds/Exchanges. I wasn't even rude, merely said sorry sir, the returns counter is at the front of the store, you have to make returns there. It was just lucky that I ducked because the bike went over my head and smashed a glass display panel.

At another job I had teenagers (under 16) trying to buy cigarettes and stealing. When I'd ask them to leave they'd abuse me. First off I was a fat ugly slut, then a fat ugly mole and then a fat ugly whore. (I wish, I haven't gotten laid in years!) Then they stood in the doorway and threw stuff at me. I had to chop my hair off, they spat gum in it.

I was doing a favour one saturday by working a checkout, something I didn't do often. The checkout supervisor had me in tears because I couldn't remember how to do a particular type of transaction. She was yelling at me and the customer was yelling at me. Yeah I don't like being called stupid.

When I worked in a fast food place, I'd have people yelling about everything. People would want things that were sold at other places and expect you to know what they were. SIGH so very annoying.

Needless to say, I hate retail and will never work in it again. (Once I'm well enough to work)

Overall I'm pretty pleasant to staff. I say please, thankyou, if they can't answer my enquiry I ask if there's someone who can and if not I thank them anyway. I also apologise if my disorganisation holds them up.

What I have no tolerance for is the silly idiots who stand there gossiping with their friends and messing with their phones. This one time I waited in a food hall at a chicken place for 10 minutes while the teenager at teh counter giggled and gossiped with her friend. Having reached the limit of my patience I politely interrupted her and requested to speak with the manager. She rolled her eyes and made a big production of going out into the kitchen and brought the manager out. Then she went back to speaking to her friend.

If you can believe it the manager was even worse. They didn't think it was worth their attention that the store had no customers because the frontline staff member was too busy gossiping. Needless to say within 3 months that particular store was gone....can't imagine why.

Okay my 2cents well and truly expended.

[Shunskitten]

I've taken stuff off the shelf, but i usually stay right where i grabbed it, and then i put it back in the same spot. the only store i dont, is in mardens, because usually where i find it, i put it back, and mardens where i live is half impossible to find anything, unless your just looking around and happend to find what your looking for.

[WillowDarkling]

I've worked in supermarkets, but thankfully never had experiences quite as bad as you guys. Although the customers can be rude and obnoxious and pay large sums with coins, I've never had anything thrown at me, or had people spit at me or worse. I've had my share of the lousy "if it's got no tag it's free jokes" but that's about the extent of my abusive customers.

On the other hand I've heard that "the customer is always right" line enough to hate it, that is until someone told me what the next line of that phrase is... At least over here, that phrase goes something like this,

"The customer is always right, as long as he can provide adequate proof he is right." Simple right?

I'd suggest you guys dig up that consumer law thingy and read it. (at least the sparknotes version if you can't be bothered with the whole thing) and then you can point that out next time someone sings that song to you.

As for the text-messageing, gossiping teenage employees, here's my two scents. You can't really do anything about it when you're a customer, except complain to the manager and hope he cares.

When you're the boss...

One evening I was working with a girl that I had been told would not work, only text and take a smoke break every five minutes.

At the start of our shift, I just told her this, "NO cellphone at the register, if you must text do it when there isn't a person in the store, you can have a smoke during your 20 minute dinner break, and then another five minute smoke break an hour before closing. Those are the rules and no arguments."

Next day I came to work and my boss asked what I had done to the poor girl. When I told him he said the girl had praised me for being an awesome shift manager, and that she really liked working with me.... imagine that, all she wanted was some discipline.

As for the customer side of this argument.

I do my best to be polite and smile and be a good customer, although sometimes it does get frustrating when the teens behind the register behave like PMS-ing bitches (no matter the gender) Sometimes the older people working the register are worse than the teens, but still I always get surprised when I receive a genuine smile and a "good morning" from someone working a register.

My worst experience with retail is going shopping for clothes, though. I hate going into clothing stores and have the size 2 bitches look at me like they want to laugh in my face. (I'm about a British size 12/14, which is pretty average). I've even had an clerk help me, but with this look of pity on her face the entire time. I wanted to smack her upside the head.

So, I've stopped shopping at fashion stores and only shop at the stores equivalent to Sears or the like....

Ok, I'll stop this now.

[pittwitch]

I have worked in customer service in one way or another for over thirty years ... started as a busboy in my family's restaurant, and boy, have I met some obnoxious customers. I try very hard not to do the things that would brand be as difficult, but I have, when for example, buying the last dress, asked for a discount because a minor repair was necessary and I wanted the dress.

My all-time favorites:

Retail department store customer who demanded that I refund her cash for a credit card sale ... refused to take any reasonable explanation . Argued, ranted, screamed, yelled, demanded a manager (who are always so quick to respond to these people) I finally told her if I could figure out how to refund cash off a credit card sale I would be lounging on a private island somewhere ... on her dime. Manager walks in, bursts out laughing and walks back out. Chicken!

Gentleman consumes the ENTIRE seafood platter, mopping up the clarified butter with our fresh homemade bread, then claims it was bad. I don't think so! (Luckily, I was the ranking family member that night!

Customer who did not like that my boss, his salesperson, was not available to take his call and told me, "You need to be spanked."

Smart alec answers, "My daddy wasn't man enough to do it, and neither are you."

Sadly, I've never been fired for mouthing off at customers. When I worked at the department store, I was actually a "safe" employee who filled in at the customer service counter. The video surveillance there had audio. The security personnel would sit and listen to me and laugh their butts off while I fielded question after question!

[Kurahieiritr]

I've worked retail, and I've been a customer too. I've seen horrors on both sides of the aisle. I've apologized to clerks unfairly attacked by others, and tried to make their day bearable by doing so. As to the Customer is always right, well I can't say my retail career lasted very long because I hate liars, cheats, and thieves. I have a very strong belief in honesty, and doing the right thing. People wish to yell at me because they are lying pond scum thieves, I inevitably call it exactly as I see it. Tact is not my strong suit.

Humanity has no moral fiber any longer because of the customer is always right crapola drivel spouted by moronic managers among others. People are too narcissistic to give a damn about fellow human beings because of the poor abused me must get even mentality. Worst of all, on both sides of the aisle, bad days equal vicious or negligent behavior heaped upon innocent bystanders. The clerk gets unfairly reamed, or the customer gets verbally hammered. It is a horrible human failing that goes both ways.