ils99
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Joined: 5/30/2008
Msg: 1 | |
| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 4:13:15 PM | I work at this bakery store that also sells desserts. This lady who looked about 40-50 years old (or even 60 for all we know judging from the make up she piled on...) came in and bought two custard danishes and wanted to choose, so I let her, as any good attendant would. First one she wanted was in the middle, nearest to me, the second one was closest to the display, which was also the furtherest to me. It meant I had to take out the tray just to get it out. Not saying I'm lazy but I didn't like the tone of her voice
and I put it down to plain rudeness.
Normally I don't purposely choose the ugliest/smallest/oldest one either because I want them to have the best food experience so they'd come back, right? I casually told her that they were all the same, in terms of size, freshness etc cos they were all made fresh on the same day (i.e. today). She retorted back with a smart comment about how they're not all the same, that they have different amounts of icing etc. I'm all for individualism but isn't this going a little too far? I know they're not all exactly the same but what huge difference is an extra ml of icing going to make?? If she were at a supermarket buying vegetables/fish/meat then it would be understandable as you'd naturally want the freshest, but its not as if she paid $5 for the custards either which would also have been a little understandable. To me its the sort of thing 3 year olds would make a fuss about!
If you were in my position what would you have done? Retort back or kept your mouth shut? If you were in her position would you have been just as choosy? This can't be normal can it?
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 4:16:54 PM | Just treat her normally. That way you don't get into anything dramatic with her.
Avoid drama with customers at work! 
As far as her personality goes. I'm sure if she's like that normally, there are many other people in her life on the verge of getting in her face about it. | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 4:38:36 PM | Oh, please! She has every freakin right to pick out whatever she wishes to spend her money on.
I'd say "Ill be happy to get that for you" and be done with it. | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 4:44:39 PM | Well, they say to choose your battles wisely. And then there was Custard's Last Stand. I think you were lucky she didn't leap over the counter and take your scalp.
P.S. I would have smiled and said: Good eye! Those are the best ones. | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 4:46:03 PM | As somebody that has to make sure the "customer is happy"... well, I'm sorry to say it but in that case you just have to button your lip and bend over backwards.
I know, admitting the "customer is always right" can be stressful and downright enraging at times. But unless your boss lets you get away with giving particularly rude customers the what-for, you have to put up with that crap in order to keep you job. In that case, as with any business that places value in customer service, if she complained you would probably be seen as being in the wrong, even if she was a absolute ****head.
Have heart though. Even if that's the case, I'm on your side, which is why I hope you can keep your job. | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 4:46:11 PM | The best thing to do, and sometimes it's very hard to do...... is grit your teeth,paste on a big smile, and give her/him the best service you can.People who act like that usually treat all staff everywhere, the same.. with disdain and demanding and patronizing attitude. I deal with those kind of people all the time, and you just have to put up with it. For every miserable s.o.b, there are at least two more that honestly thank you and appreciate your service. Remember the faster you serve them, the faster they will go away and hassle someone else. They are just one person, don't let it wreck your day,at the end of the day, you still go home and start all over again the next.In our store, we were talking about collecting stories called....... paper or plastic? I know it would be a best seller, all sales people in every job have stories to tell, and odds are, stupid people would never recognise themself at all ! Have a great day, and don't let the stupid people get to you.... they are everywhere! | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 5:42:51 PM | | Its HER money being spent not yours . if she wants the one with the most frosting thats her choice , and your job to get it for her . I am sure it did not take alot of minutes out of your day to do so . If i was your boss id be telling you thats your job to make her happy and get what freakin danish she wanted since shes the one spending the money in order to keep your job . | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 5:54:33 PM | Remember, old people are weird. Some day you will be old.
And weird, and think everyone especially young whippersnappers are trying to constantly rip you off. Those other 2 cakes have half the icing of the nice one in the front of the display. They always put more on that cake so when you look at it you think it's all good and then they give you one of the other cakes with less icing. So thats why you have to ask for that front cake, and that's why they are sooooooo against giving you that front cake.
I swear Mable, it's the truth.
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ils99
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Joined: 5/30/2008
Msg: 10 | |
| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 6:17:19 PM | Actually ALL the custard danishes had roughly the same amount of icing/custard/fillings etc, meaning you couldn't any obvious difference between one danish and the next. Even if they weren't equal, it would only be a minute difference. Those who say I'm complaining, would you act like that lady did too if you went to a store to buy small goods? She may be the one paying, but she's still not the Almighty if you get my drift. Plus the tone of her voice was completely rude, no need for that at all. Many customers I've served have been polite and nice.
PS- thanks for your support bornnice, if only there were more nice people like you! | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 6:23:00 PM | | So isn't it reasonable for someone to choose their own steaks or lobsters at the meat counter? What's the difference? People buy cans of food that don't have dings in them and choose the ones in the back, just like people do with milk and shampoo (people always open the bottles). It is human nature to choose and if you don't want people choosing their own stuff, then just have one as a display up front and keep the rest in the back of the bakery. | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 7:06:04 PM | Give her what she wants and smile. After she's gone, rant about her to your friends and your coworkers.
Two weeks ago I got a call from a woman who had a gift certificate for a massage with me that expired three years ago. I agreed to honor it anyway. I made the appointment and told her if she needed to change it, I need 24 hours notice so I can make that appointment available to others.
My car broke down the day before her appointment and I left her a message the evening before her morning appointment that I could make the appointment but if I could push it back 1/2 hour, it would help me out. She called me three hours later and said that she had to cancel and that she'd left a message on my answering machine at work cancelling the appointment. (She didn't.) The message on the answering machine clearly states NOT to leave messages there and gives the number where messages should be left. Anyway, she cancelled the appointment and said she'd call to reschedule. At least I didn't strain myself getting there on time only to be stood up.
I want to tell you I never gave this woman either my office or home number; she only had them because, I presume, she has caller ID. Instead, I had given her (and the gift certificate has this number) a number I use to conduct my business. There are reasons for this.
Day before yesterday she calls me *at home* at 9 a.m.. She only identifies herself by her first name, as if she's a personal friend. I had no idea who she was. She makes an appointment for this morning. Fine. Now, this morning she calls me at home again at 9 a.m. to cancel her appointment for today. At this point I said, "Look, your gift certificate expired three years ago and this is the second time you've cancelled on short notice." She started going off on me and insisted that *I* cancelled the last appointment. Needless to say, I consider her gift certificate something I no longer feel obligated to honor and I will not return any future calls from her.
This is, unfortunately, the kind of cr*p you put up with when you have to deal with people. Get used to it. Be pleasant. Give people what they want within reason. And rant about them behind their backs.
Thanks for listening. | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 7:25:33 PM | Thanks, but it's hard some days to be nice, customers can be very trying. I could fill pages of bad customer experiences, but so could anyone working in the public service industry. There have been a few customers that sent me to the back of the bakery to cry in private. The customer who actually says thanks, and they are few, or the ones that come back to tell me they really enjoyed their cake, make up for all the bad customers. As I have to deal with all kinds of people, it makes me more aware of how to treat others when I am the customer. Just keep smiling, and remember the day will end. If nothing else, it gives you something to trade stories with your other staff members .Everybody has bad days, bad customers, all kinds of things that go wrong in a day, but at the end of the day, it's just another day. | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 7:37:36 PM | At the risk of sounding "mean", I think you were asking for more rudeness when you pointed out (unsolicited it sounds like) that they were all the same. The best way to deal with someone like that is to be as pleasant as possible and just let them get the heck out of your store. Then you can move on. It was her money and she wanted what she wanted. For all you know, that could have been the highlight of her day and you ruined it by being upset that you had to take the tray out.
I send medical bills, trust me, no one is happy when they call me. My goal is to make them happy (or as close as we can get) by the end of the conversation. The best thing you can do is make them feel that you are on their side and see things from their perspective. They like you and trust you after that. And after you're done with them, you can silently count to ten and take a cleansing breath and go on with your day.....and pat yourself on the back that you didn't sink to their level (which is also your job not to do). | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 9:02:57 PM | UNFORTUNATELY, the customer is 'always' right. Not. But that is how your boss will look at it if the woman were to complain. Next time....just smile and grab the damn custards she wants and wish her happy eating.
~Welder's Girl~ | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 10:34:42 PM | | It's really not worth the fight, is it? You're still upset about this, hours after it happened? That's the sort of thing that I mention to my co-workers just to get it off my chest, then forget about it ["That brat was just in here, needing the perfect Danish."]. There are other, much more important, things to get upset about, and this blip is not worth bringing home with you. | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/15/2008 11:56:43 PM | You have to have worked in retail to understand. If she is using a rude tone with you you could tell her that you're not going to help her if she can't speak to you in a civil tone. People think that just because you work there that they can't treat you however they want and you're supposed to bow down and take it
Someone raised her voice at me and I told her not to yell at me
Today a woman got her panties in a bunch because she was looking at some little T -shirts and there was one on the floor. I stopped and hung it back up. She started bitching at her friend about me hanging up the shirt. I guess she didn't like it being pointed out what a slob she is.
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/16/2008 2:35:14 AM | Maybe you shouldn't be in a customer service type role if something like this gets to you.
The fact is she's spending her money,so,is entitled to pick whichever danish she likes.
One day you'll get to her age & might be just as "picky",who knows??
Just suck it up,smile,& onto the next customer.... | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/16/2008 2:42:52 AM | It's true that a customer should get what they ask for but if they're snappish with you or are rude in their tone the it's off-putting and there's no need for people to be shitty to workers when they're shopping. We're expected to be polite but they don't have to be
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/16/2008 3:56:59 AM | just a reminder, when you ask for peoples opinions on a public forum, be prepared to get just that--other peoples opinion and not just a nod to yours. 
from your remark about her age, then her make up, says much about your reaction--she pissed you off, which can happen.
I agree with several others that 1) you could have turned it around and did your best acting by being extra sweet, which might have placated her rude mood and diffused the sticky (pun intended) situation. 2) so what if she wanted to pick and choose, even if she was making others wait she still has the option to be picky, she is the customer. wouldn't you rather she left as a satisfied customer than to possibly complain about you to the manager?
I know it's a pain in the ass to be nice to rude and demanding people (we all work with some) but when it comes to our job, sometimes we have to bite our tongue.......and smile, or at least put on a good act.
I have a sub-boss that when she gets in a b!tchy mood, and comes gunning for me, I kill her with kindness.  that usually confuses her and she goes and torments someone else. lol
and to answer your last 2 questions, yes, sometimes I pick and choose, and yes, it's normal for some people. why not? | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/16/2008 6:54:05 AM | That's not bad, I've heard worst situation concerning rude customers....
I would just serve her request, but kill her with kindness....Be soooo polite its pathetic. 
You: "Is it this one or that one?"
Old Lady: "This one."
You: "This one"
Old Lady: "No, that one"
You still pick up the wrong one....
Old Lady: "No, no, no that one"
Then you pick up the right one, while apologizing with a smile of course. Then you start all over on 2nd custard danishes, still smiling.
You: "Is it this one or that one?"
Old Lady: "This one."
You: "This one"
Old Lady: "No, that one"
You still pick up the wrong one....
Old Lady: "No, no, no that one"
Don't forget to smile....
You: "Have a nice day Miss, comeback soon...." | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/16/2008 7:19:08 AM | This is totally of off the subject, but last post kind of reminded me of a time in my early twenties of a part-time job I had working in a pizza place. Not that I was dealing with rude customers, but a lazy employee (owner son) that I use to mess with his head and he would get really frustrated with me. It has some similarities to my last post because I love messing with people without them even noticing that I am. It's like I'm insulting them, but their just too dumb to notice.
Anyway, the owner son is a lazy little sh!t. I would be cleaning or something, just trying to hurry up to get my job done, while he would joke around with girls up front or just hang out and not do anything. Needless to say, the owner son is like 17 years old, but the owner leaves him in charge, so you know how that works. He would come up to me, while I'm busy working and say,
Son: Hey Wiz can you go upstairs and get me a can of tomatoes.
Me: No problem....
With a smile.... But I'm piss off because he goes back and starts joking around the with girls. So I go upstairs and come back with a can of ketchup.....
Son: No, a can of tomatoes....
Me: Oh....Sorry.
Still smiling.... I go back upstairs and bring back a can of tomatoe sauce, with a smile pretending I did a good job....Now the owner son is annoyed with me. He's thinking I'm really stupid, but little does he know. He looks at me with this frustrating look like he wants to kill me and says,
Son: NEVER MIND!!!! I'LL GO GET IT....SHEESH!!!!
BINGO!!!!!!! That was my plan. He never asked me again to go upstairs and fetch him anything, because I was labeled the "dumb guy". The guy who could not tell the difference between a can of tomatoes and a can of ketchup. But I always kept my smile.... | |
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| rude customers- what would you do?
Posted: 8/16/2008 7:45:19 AM | | you handled it better than me...i would have pretended to be death and not heard a word she said....ppl like that i don't even respect | |
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