Customers suck...
- Thread starter TopCat
- Start date
Some are alright. Some are cunts. Like people, I suppose.
bi0boy
Power User
^^ Is this post why you got banned
He called Walt jnr from breaking bad a "spazzy kid" last week. If that wasn't the reason, I'm sure a second transgression would be more than enough.
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
No, see his outstanding views on those with mental health issues on the 'Asda mental case' thread in P&P.^^ Is this post why you got banned
Poot
My wife thinks I work too hard
I secretly think everyone should be forced to endure 6 months of working in retail so they have experience of what a bunch of complete shits make up the general public.
I also think everyone able bodied should be forced to use a bike on the roads before they are allowed to drive, but that's for a different thread.
I also think everyone able bodied should be forced to use a bike on the roads before they are allowed to drive, but that's for a different thread.
StoneRoad
heckling from the back!
Customers buying things pays the wages - that doesn't mean that the customer is always right.
Many years ago, I had a right obnoxious ***** as the shop boss, his management style was to use every opportunity to ridicule and bully staff.
On one occaision he used the same letter to "warn" at least three different members of staff. (it was on lilac paper and the subject was discussed amongst ourselves)
In contrast, we never got any praise passed on - that was tested by getting a friend to write a letter, describing her visit in glowing terms - I know it was delivered as it was in a green envelope.
Many years ago, I had a right obnoxious ***** as the shop boss, his management style was to use every opportunity to ridicule and bully staff.
On one occaision he used the same letter to "warn" at least three different members of staff. (it was on lilac paper and the subject was discussed amongst ourselves)
In contrast, we never got any praise passed on - that was tested by getting a friend to write a letter, describing her visit in glowing terms - I know it was delivered as it was in a green envelope.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
I spent a couple of years working in retail and found 99% of people that I encountered to be really nice, kind, grateful for my assistance. It's the tiny 1% that can completely wreck your day. In my experience, most customers don't suck, but the few that do seem to have turned it into something almost resembling an artform. A sadistic one at that.
Epona
Sonic: 1 Nov 2006 - 8 Jan 2022
One thing that will always stick in my mind from my time working in Debenhams in Guildford was Mrs Dunbar. She was absolutely lovely - a really polite old lady. She always asked for either me or my colleage Graham. She would spend a good couple of hours taking us round the department (I worked in menswear), asking advice about clothing for her husband and 3 strapping sons. I would happily spend a couple of hours with her of an afternoon, measuring shirts and trousers and advising on the latest trends in menswear. She'd always ask me to bag everything up and put it behind the till so she could come back and pay for it later. She never did actually buy anything. You know what, I was paid by the hour, and I got to spend a few hours every so often alleviating the loneliness of an old woman - still some of the happiest moments I've ever spent in employment, it wasn't just 'selling stuff', it was providing a service that was appreciated - I might not have sold anything, but the thought that I might have made an old lady happy for a couple of hours was a better reward by far. I appreciate that retail may not be my prime environment 
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barney_pig
Po-cha-na-quar-hip
The worst for me are the stinkers. This isn't just an issue of poor personal hygiene, everyone gets a bit sweaty after a busy day, it's the stench that preceeds particular customers, and then lingers for several minutes after they left.
As the one who does the end of day reductions, I have a special attraction for several of our small towns more oderific inhabitants, for the past 5 years I have endured this with good grace and a breath held grin (grimace).
I am two weeks into my notice period now, and ain't going to take it anymore.
Last night I was pursued all through the shop as the woman who reeks like a vat of butt ends soaked in rancid bilge water insisted I reduced the end of date bacon by another 10p.
THE SOAP IS IN AISLE 5!
As the one who does the end of day reductions, I have a special attraction for several of our small towns more oderific inhabitants, for the past 5 years I have endured this with good grace and a breath held grin (grimace).
I am two weeks into my notice period now, and ain't going to take it anymore.
Last night I was pursued all through the shop as the woman who reeks like a vat of butt ends soaked in rancid bilge water insisted I reduced the end of date bacon by another 10p.
THE SOAP IS IN AISLE 5!
equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
It amazed me how rude people could be, the assumptions that because you worked in retail you were nothing better than a serf and should be treated accordingly. People would conduct whole transactions without making eye contact or even acknowledging my presence. Coins would be thrown down on the counter as if putting them in my outstretched hand would mean they caught a contagious disease. 
weltweit
Well-Known Member
It amazed me how rude people could be, the assumptions that because you worked in retail you were nothing better than a serf and should be treated accordingly. People would conduct whole transactions without making eye contact or even acknowledging my presence. Coins would be thrown down on the counter as if putting them in my outstretched hand would mean they caught a contagious disease.
I think we confuse service with servile a bit in this country.
It is possible to serve someone without being servile to them.
It is possible to accept service from someone without them being servile to you.
People get confused sometimes.
weltweit
Well-Known Member
I once worked in a factory that closed at 13:00 on a Friday.
One of our customers, a right pain in the backside, did not and continued to send in their order at about 4pm on a Friday expecting immediate shipment. He used to raise a stink when it was not sent out.
It was great to close early as it extended the weekend, but this one guy had to try to spoil it.
One of our customers, a right pain in the backside, did not and continued to send in their order at about 4pm on a Friday expecting immediate shipment. He used to raise a stink when it was not sent out.
It was great to close early as it extended the weekend, but this one guy had to try to spoil it.
Thimble Queen
Called away to another place
I was in the at the checkout at the supermarket last sunday. The customer in front of my was an utter cunt to the woman on the check out. So much so that i wanted to intervene but she dealt with it really well very patient and not rising to it (prob didnt want to risk loosing her job 
)When it was my turn, I told her that I thought that she did really well in a difficult circumstance when the man was clearly being a prick - she smiled and laughed at that. After I was done I went and found the manager and passed on my feedback to him as well, I hope it was passed on. Some customers are cunts.
)When it was my turn, I told her that I thought that she did really well in a difficult circumstance when the man was clearly being a prick - she smiled and laughed at that. After I was done I went and found the manager and passed on my feedback to him as well, I hope it was passed on. Some customers are cunts.
dervish
if you flibble when you wibble, don't wobble
I spent three years working in a supermarket in a very posh village, some of the customers could be a complete pain in the arse, some (TBF not that many) could be lovely, most were neither, they just wanted their shopping with the minimum of contact with anyone. We had one person in particular, who I could have happily have strangled, she was the writer for a popular sitcom in the mid eighties and seemed to think that this celebratory status gave her carte blanche to be as demanding and awkward as possible. She would come in and demand to see the manager, then ask him why we didn't stock Soya milk. He would patiently explain that it was because no-one bought it, she would say she would if we just stocked it, he would ask me to put it on my next order, which I would do for it to be delivered the next day.
We would then not see her for a week. Invariably she would then come in the day after I had just chucked another case of milk out that had sat on the shelf going off and demand to see the manager. And repeat, every single week. When the manager finally refused to stock it, she wrote to head office and complained, me and the manager had to explain the stock to the Area manager, who told use to stock it.
Three weeks later after I have thrown a case of soya milk away every week he gave me and the manager a bollocking for bad stock control.
Most of the customers weren't that bad though, they do just seem to leave their brains at the door. Got into trouble lots for "cheeky" answers for stupid questions like,
Standing in front of the cereal aisle,
"Where are your cornflakes?"
"Here" indicating the 6 foot wide section of cornflakes directly in front of the customer inside the 30 foot section of cereal
"Well it's not very obvious, you should have a sign"
"Like that one?" indicating the 3 foot wide sign saying Breakfast Cereals
Or,
" Where does your milk come from?"
"Cows"
"No, I mean where are the cows from?"
"A field?"
"No, what country?"
I pick up milk bottle and show the customer the label saying British Milk, then walk off.
Or,
"Why can't I use my Nectar card here? I have loads of points"
"Because this is Somerfield, not Sainsburys"
"Yes but I have loads of points I should be able to use it here."
"We are a different company, you can't use that here."
"But I have been saving them for ages"
"Then go to Sainsburys and spend them"
"I don't have any money, I thought I would be able to use them here"
"Um, Well I'm afraid you can't, if you go to Sainsburys however..."
"I want to speak to the manager"
My customer service skills have improved considerably since then.
We would then not see her for a week. Invariably she would then come in the day after I had just chucked another case of milk out that had sat on the shelf going off and demand to see the manager. And repeat, every single week. When the manager finally refused to stock it, she wrote to head office and complained, me and the manager had to explain the stock to the Area manager, who told use to stock it.
Three weeks later after I have thrown a case of soya milk away every week he gave me and the manager a bollocking for bad stock control.
Most of the customers weren't that bad though, they do just seem to leave their brains at the door. Got into trouble lots for "cheeky" answers for stupid questions like,
Standing in front of the cereal aisle,
"Where are your cornflakes?"
"Here" indicating the 6 foot wide section of cornflakes directly in front of the customer inside the 30 foot section of cereal
"Well it's not very obvious, you should have a sign"
"Like that one?" indicating the 3 foot wide sign saying Breakfast Cereals
Or,
" Where does your milk come from?"
"Cows"
"No, I mean where are the cows from?"
"A field?"
"No, what country?"
I pick up milk bottle and show the customer the label saying British Milk, then walk off.
Or,
"Why can't I use my Nectar card here? I have loads of points"
"Because this is Somerfield, not Sainsburys"
"Yes but I have loads of points I should be able to use it here."
"We are a different company, you can't use that here."
"But I have been saving them for ages"
"Then go to Sainsburys and spend them"
"I don't have any money, I thought I would be able to use them here"
"Um, Well I'm afraid you can't, if you go to Sainsburys however..."
"I want to speak to the manager"
My customer service skills have improved considerably since then.
DotCommunist
So many particulars. So many questions.
hardly ever
barney_pig
Po-cha-na-quar-hip
One week of my notice left, the customers picking up my reductions are going to be surprised!
barney_pig
Po-cha-na-quar-hip
Last day Wednesday, gonna miss it in a strange way.
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equationgirl
Respect my existence or expect my resistance
Yay for new opportunities though
free spirit
more tea vicar?
I got my first ever proper letter of complaint today. I knew it was a letter of complaint because it was titled as such, and what a lengthy tome it was, 4 pages of complaint about erm well, not very much at all really as far as I could work out.
Still, it's not like I had anything better to do than spend all afternoon responding to all the bullet points. Apparently 2 service visits to test and replace a faulty bit of kit, and about 4-5 phone calls doesn't amount to an adequate response to an email, and I was supposed to somehow know that the customer felt I'd not responded adequately to the email and was waiting for a further response.... fact the customer was on holiday for 2 weeks at the time and we therefore had to deal with his mum instead appears to have escaped his notice.
Still, it's not like I had anything better to do than spend all afternoon responding to all the bullet points. Apparently 2 service visits to test and replace a faulty bit of kit, and about 4-5 phone calls doesn't amount to an adequate response to an email, and I was supposed to somehow know that the customer felt I'd not responded adequately to the email and was waiting for a further response.... fact the customer was on holiday for 2 weeks at the time and we therefore had to deal with his mum instead appears to have escaped his notice.
Yuwipi Woman
Whack-A-Mole Queen
They really do. Sanctimonious bunch of cunts.
Absolutely. I've had customers that I'd gone out my way for and got treated like shit for my trouble.
But they can be really good too. I've had some take a side trip while traveling to bring me cookies. We do a lot of business with Universities so I have more Harvard, Yale, etc. shirts than I know what to do with. Perhaps I'm just lucky being tech support.
Maurice Picarda
Actually, might as well flounce.
I like customers much more than I like colleagues.
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