Customer service (what is with people these days)

[DaddysMonkey]

I don’t really have people in my personal life to vent to about some of the crazy stuff that happens at my job , so I just felt like venting a little bit here.

 

With COVID going on , a lot of people have been really high strung and on edge , super stressed out. A lot of people are going through stuff , and working at a vape shop we deal with a lot of people that are having nicotine withdrawals. They can be very aggressive and irritable but usually it’s really easy for us to handle people.

 

If you don’t know much about the Vape world , some of this might not make much sense but I’m sure you’ll get the idea.

 

I was helping a customer , and another customer walked into the shop. My employee greeted him and asked how he could help him.

The customer : “give me a small juice and mod.” Very short , his stance was very on edge.

My employee : “well we have a lot of different juices and devices , is there specific things you’re looking for ? All of our mods are over there if you want to look” , he points towards the mods and waits for an answer.

Customer : He begins to walk away to the display counter , “well walk over here you condescending asshole”.

My employee didn’t hear the customer call him an asshole , my employee recently got a promotion so I wanted to see how he was going to handle the situation on his own. Sort of a test run.

Customer : “so give me a fuckin mod”

My employee : “dude I’m not sure what your deal is , I’m trying to help you out here but I can’t just pick a mod for you. You have to work with me here so we make sure you get what’s right for you and you don’t just leave unhappy because I picked something you don’t like.”

Customer : Raising his voice and beginning to yell at my employee , “DO YOUR FUCKIN JOB BRO.” He balled up his fists and kept getting closer to Tanner like he wanted to fight him. Flexing up , raising his fists and arms ect.

 

I could tell my employee was about to snap , so I said excuse me to my customer , yelled “AYE!” Super fuckin loud so the shop was silent , and said “I don’t know what you have going on in your life , but I’m the manager here and you’re not going to blatantly disrespect my employee when he’s trying to be as calm as possible while you keep swearing and yelling. I don’t play that shit , if you want a problem you and I can have a problem outside but you’re not going to speak to Tanner that way.” I walked right up to him and made eye contact and didn’t move until he unballed his fists and backed up. I walked away , and let them finish their business.

 

I can’t say because I’m not him , but I imagine the guy felt like an ass. While Tanner was ringing him up , Tanner asked if he did anything to offend him. And the guy said not really , he just was in a bad mood and they got off on the wrong foot.

 

Fast forward three hours later , this guy comes back with his girlfriend. His girlfriend bought the same thing her boyfriend had bought and she had Tanner help her. The guy walked up to me and apologized for his behavior and said he constantly embarrasses his girlfriend by the way he acts. And she turned to speak to me and said she felt horrible for his behavior.

 

I accepted his apology, but also let him know that if it were to ever happen again , he was going to have a different set of problems besides me just yelling at him to diffuse the situation.

 

What is freaking with people in customer service ?!?!?!

Edited February 26, 2021 by DaddysMonkey

[Guest LittleBoyChris]

Sometimes you do need to take a no-nonsense firm approach with customers cos while we all know anyone can be having  bad day it's totally wrong to disrespect employees by being abusive verbally or otherwise. Good on you! 

[LeftyGuitar]

I've worked in retail and I've seen some stuff. After working in retail, I think I'll work in a different industry. "The customer is always right" saying is not true. I think a lot of people are on edge right now because of covid and stuff, as you stated in your post. "We reserve the right to refuse service to anyone" is a sign I'd have on my shop. Just saying.

[Little kaiya]

Being on edge, for whatever reason, or having a rough day is no excuse for customers to verbally abuse customer service staff. My wife was a retail manager and honestly some of the stuff I saw customers try in her store. . . . Yeah, there's a reason I never worked in retail as those people would be out of my store so fast their heads would be spinning.

[ThatOneGuyTho]

Working as a delivery driver, and now a line cook.. Customers are just the worst. They believe you work for them, they own you.. and they treat you as such..  I have a very no none sense, zero hand holding approach to customers anymore. I won't even joke with them over the phone, I just tolerate absolutely nothing from them anymore.

 

I remember one time, as a delivery driver.. I brought a customers food to their house, apparently the order was not taken correctly.. Instead of sauce on the side, he got sauce on his ribs.. He went off, made me give him back the money for his order (including my tip) made me wait while he went and found exact change, and told me I need to do better next time, or something to that effect.. And I needed to go back and get him sauce...  His wife was mortified over his behavior. I did not take his order over the phone, I did not cook his order... I just delivered the food as the order slip indicated.. I did my job 100% correct, and swiftly.. But since I was the person that he actually interfaced with, I get shit on. I didn't go back and get him sauce, and he didn't order again for like 3 years or something.. When I showed back up at his house, I made sure he remembered me, did everything by the book, and refused any tip. 

 

I had a guy just the other day, come into our store after we were closed.. To pickup an order he had abandon earlier in the day.. We had thrown the food out, and he somehow got into the store after close (guess they didn't fully lock the door correctly) he had no mask on, demanded his food.. I told him we're closed, I can't do anything for him, all the cookers were off as we had been closed for 25 minutes.. Told him there's nothing we can do for you, have a great night.. He threw a fit in the lobby on his way out, ripped a sign down and threw over another standing sign.. 

 

Seriously, eff customers, absolutely hate them with every fiber of my being lol. I treat the good customers right, but I do it behind the scenes not by making conversation. It's just not worth it for the 99.9% of asshats who make working in customer service a goddamn nightmare. /rant XD

[LittleTeacup]

I worked in retail for a year after I graduated from college. Some of the people I interacted with were so bizarre. This one woman I still talk about today. I was at the dressing room desk and my job was to count the number of clothes people were bringing into the dressing rooms and give them a card with the number and then when they came out I'd count again and make sure the number matched. So this older woman comes up with two shirts and I greet her politely and attempt to give her a 2 card. She got angry and acted like I was singling her out and said she was trustworthy because she used to work for (something I can't remember). She finally snatched the card from me and stomped into the dressing room. Another woman behind her then looked at me and said "what's her problem?"   Not only that, but when she came out a few minutes later, she threw the card at me and ignored me as she walked away. Then, she came back with a few more shirts and I realized she had been wearing one of the shirts she'd tried on the first time despite it being against the rules to leave the dressing room while wearing clothes you haven't bought. (I was just glad she didn't decide to steal it) This time she refused to take a card at all, but she had few enough shirts that I could count mentally and remember... It ended up fine and she didn't steal anything or leave any shirts in the dressing room, but what a piece of work she was.

 

Another time I had a woman tell me I was being rude and condescending just for attempting to inform her of the store policies. I felt really bad and wondered if I had actually been rude accidentally, but fortunately another employee saw and told me I said nothing wrong.

 

Some of the problems I had to deal with were caused by store policy. One was that there was no limit to the number of clothes brought into the dressing room. If there was more than 10, I didn't have a card so I'd have to write the number on paper and give it to them. The record number I dealt with was 54 pieces of clothes. 54. The good thing was that the women (and it was always women who had absurd numbers) who had more than about 25 usually were reasonable and patient while I counted the items and even helped by holding them out so I could see them easier, although there were a few who rolled their eyes and didn't do anything while waiting for me to lift everything draped over themselves. I told them all the actual limit was what they could carry as carts weren't allowed in. The other issue was men who liked to try on folded bagged button up shirts and then decide they didn't want them and leave them to me to attempt to refold and replace in the bag....

 

And another time a woman tried to take her teenage son into the women's dressing room and I told her she couldn't (because I'd been told before that only children could go with their parents into the opposite gender dressing room) and she complained to a manager and then I got in trouble. I'd really thought I was doing the right thing. I thought I'd get in trouble for letting a 15 year old boy into the women's dressing room, but I guess not.

 

And then there was being spoken to sarcastically and demeaned by managers despite believing I was going above and beyond my duties, but that's not the topic here.

[DaddysMonkey]

TRIGGER WARNING.

 

 

 

 

 

So , obviously I posted a status about getting concealed and having a gun.

 

I’m a very understanding person , Covid , lockdown restrictions, mandatory masks , people being out of work and broke , Washington’s drug and homelessness problem is getting out of hand. This all will make people start acting differently than they normally would. Myself ? I’m handling it pretty well , other than the issues at work lately.

 

The area I work used to be known as a “rich old person neighborhood” where crime was very rare. A lot of people are being pushed out of Seattle and other areas , and ending up where I work. I work right next to a 7-11 which around here is a huge spot for drug addicts / dealers : dangerous people to hang out.

 

Months and months ago now , within a week I had someone *try* to rob me , I confronted him and made him out everything back and berated his ass. He gave me a sob story about how he’s “hard up” for money. I told him to get off the drugs and get a job. I didn’t report him because I felt pity. Mistake..

a week later his buddy comes back into my store acting very suspicious. I don’t need to go into detail here as I don’t want or need the omg are you okays. Basically , he tried to take product and walk out , I chased after him , we exchanged some words , I smacked half the products out of his arms ready for a fight (over worked , tired , and sick of people trying to take advantage of me because they see me as an easy target). Well , right when I was posting up , he pulls a knife out on me and starts screaming at me to back up. He sounded pretty desperate, and all of the people in the parking lot watched it happen and nobody got out of their cars or called the police. People stayed silent and just watched.

I decided I didn’t feel like getting stabbed that day , so I let him know his face was on our camera system and either the cops would find him or I would.

 

Since those two interactions , I’ve had a sickening amount of aggressive drug addicts trying to come into my shop and scope. I’ve also had several bad interactions with males that won’t take no for an answer , had issues with a couple stalkers , and recently had been threatened in a joking manner that made me feel sick to my stomach. Two interactions in particular that I won’t share here , made me feel that my life is on the line at my work when I work my shifts that I’m alone all day. (All had been discussed with my boss but I still am forced to work alone.)

 

So , I got a concealed. Got a M&P. I’ve never been against guns , I shot them a lot growing up and enjoy them. I just never felt the need to carry one. (I think I’m a lot stronger than I am and my intense first reactions could lead me into danger , like confronting the guy with the knife.) Well... you know what they say.. don’t bring a knife to a gun fight.

 

I guess I’m just really sad for people , and it’s disheartening that’s it’s come to this. Like I said , I’m very understanding... but I’ll never understand what’s going on at my job right now and how wild things are getting. I was raised that even when you have nothing , you never steal from anyone let alone hard working people just trying to support themselves. And then to get violent after being confronted.. I don’t know man.

 

I’m rambling at this point , but it’s all for my safety and for me to feel better and less anxious when I’m alone for ten + hours a day. Having it makes me feel weak to be completely frank , but I’m safe I guess.

 

That’s all. Thanks for listening.

[DaddysMonkey]

Thank you , I really appreciate the response.

 

It really makes me really sad for people , even the people that choose to be violent or aggress against me. (Obviously not the creepy guys). I’ve had plenty of peaceful interactions with people who are out of work and have nowhere to live , but it’s always the bad or scary interactions that make the most impressions on people. I always try to be kind and understanding of situations. Washington’s issues have really been pushed aside. I specifically moved to be on the bottom of the mountain to be safer and away from the chaos that’s seeping into the county I work in.

 

I don’t go to Seattle often just because it’s lost it’s appeal (not for the issues , I’ve just been there a million times and have seen everything) , the last time I went I saw extremely wealthy people literally walking over the homeless and acting like they were animals instead of actual people. It makes me sick , and I can only imagine it’s gotten worse since I’ve last gone. Especially considering everything I’ve seen spilling over into my county. I hate the attitude you mentioned , the “not in my backyard attitude.” So what , you push your problems on other people ? I have no issue with homeless people being in my county , it’s shitty and it can happen to anyone. What I do have a problem with , is the violence that comes with certain individuals that are in these situations. Like I said , I’ve had plenty of peaceful interactions. But those are becoming more rare , and the scary ones not so rare. I am really just hoping for the best in my community around me.

 

<3 thank you for caring.

Edited April 28, 2021 by DaddysMonkey

[Vampiress]

I'm really sorry that you're being put into a situation where you have to deal with such aggression and hostility in your own work place. I don't understand how those people could just stand there and watch and do nothing. I also don't understand why your boss isn't doing more to make sure you're safe. I feel like they have a certain responsibility to make sure the people who work for them are safe and secure because no employee owes them their life or putting their lives in danger. It really sucks that you have to take such measures but I completely understand, sounds like you really have no other choice if you intend to keep working there. I hope you stay safe and that this dies down really fast.

 

As for Washington's issues, yeah we have a lot of problems and I've heard part of the issue is that other states know that the Seattle area is pretty liberal and they give people one way bus tickets to our area and expect us to deal with it. However, we don't seem to implement any good or helpful solutions and just kind of shove it to the side which is really awful. I hope the community leaders can get their acts together and eventually figure out something that will make a positive difference. People who are having a hard time still deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, not like an inconvenience.

[DaddysMonkey]

A customer asked to buy pictures of my butt.

People are weird.

That is all.