Memories of stupid cutomers in the retail buisness.
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I worked at McDonald's for about a year. Yes, it was as fun as you expect.
I remember some great customers. The one that claimed I was being a jerk even though I kept trying to help him and kept getting told to go back to my post by a manager. Always loved the people that ordered $35 worth of food in the drive-thru (seriously, if there are more than 2 of you ordering, go inside!). Angry people who can't believe that it will take more than 13 seconds for their food to be ready at rush hour.
But the worst was from my managers. One in particular used the phrase "or I'll fire you" like it was "please". To this day, threatening to fire me doesn't phase me. I'm more likely to get a mop then get scared. And I was a great employee. The store manager (read: Satan) loved when I got secret shoppers because we'd always get great scores. Also told me that that manager couldn't fire me and even if she did, I'd be rehired the next day.
I remember some great customers. The one that claimed I was being a jerk even though I kept trying to help him and kept getting told to go back to my post by a manager. Always loved the people that ordered $35 worth of food in the drive-thru (seriously, if there are more than 2 of you ordering, go inside!). Angry people who can't believe that it will take more than 13 seconds for their food to be ready at rush hour.
But the worst was from my managers. One in particular used the phrase "or I'll fire you" like it was "please". To this day, threatening to fire me doesn't phase me. I'm more likely to get a mop then get scared. And I was a great employee. The store manager (read: Satan) loved when I got secret shoppers because we'd always get great scores. Also told me that that manager couldn't fire me and even if she did, I'd be rehired the next day.
You know, had I not seen and been through everything that I have the 3 years I've been at my place, I probably would be disgusted at this. As it as however, I think that's great.Lullabye said:
Oh man, the people who expect "fast food" to mean "food in under two seconds" are the worst. Sometimes they demand refunds if you tell them their food will take just a couple of minutes and ask them to politely drive forward so the cars in the drive-thru behind them can get moving. Ergh.
Used to work at a Texaco gas station. I ran the deli quite a bit, so I witnessed quite a few idiots. We sold quite a few chicken products. Breasts, thighs, wings, legs, tenders and liver. A LOT of people tended to tell me "get me some chicken" whenever I took their order. Not only did they slow down the line, but most of them gave me shit because I asked them to specify exactly what they want. Got to the point where I started to give everyone who said "give me some chicken" a few pieces of chicken liver.
Every time they got to the register, they got angry because I didn't give them the chicken they desired. I never got any flak from the boss because I was honoring their order of "give me some chicken". Didn't take that long for people to stop saying it.
Then you have the asshats who think they're sly enough to skip the entire line by placing their order at the register instead of the person taking orders. I made it a point to put them at the very back every time they did that. A new customer gets in line, BAM. Right behind that new customer even if they've been waiting 15 minutes.
When I wasn't working the deli, I constantly got asked where the caps to the drinks were even though THERE IS A BIG SIGN THAT SAYS, IN BIG RED LETTERS, "TOPS AT REGISTER". Annoyed me to no fucking end.
Every time they got to the register, they got angry because I didn't give them the chicken they desired. I never got any flak from the boss because I was honoring their order of "give me some chicken". Didn't take that long for people to stop saying it.
Then you have the asshats who think they're sly enough to skip the entire line by placing their order at the register instead of the person taking orders. I made it a point to put them at the very back every time they did that. A new customer gets in line, BAM. Right behind that new customer even if they've been waiting 15 minutes.
When I wasn't working the deli, I constantly got asked where the caps to the drinks were even though THERE IS A BIG SIGN THAT SAYS, IN BIG RED LETTERS, "TOPS AT REGISTER". Annoyed me to no fucking end.
One time while working at EB Games, this guy walks into the store in a strange huff, a large white box in his hands. He more or less rushes to the front counter and just plops this box right on there. Just as suddenly he enters, he leaves without saying a word. My assistant manager and I peer into the box to see what the guy left, nervous that he might have left some awful or dangerous surprise. Inside, there lay a PS2 with two controllers. We had no idea who he was, as we never saw him the store and never saw him again. I can only guess as to what circumstance caused him to drop his console off at a game retailer without a word said.
Two summers ago, I worked at Universal Studios Hollywood as a ticket seller at the front gate. It's always hectic, dealing with hundreds of people forking over thousands of dollars (I usually handled about $10,000-$12,000 a day from tickets, front of line passes, etc.). One bright, sunny day, this French woman (I could tell by the thick accent) wanted to buy four tickets with a coupon (I forget what the discount was). The coupon had expired. Our system only has the coupons currently in circulation, and it scanned the barcode or accepted the barcode number. I tell her that the coupon is good since it's expired. She tells me that it's fine. I tell her that it's not; I cant give her the discount she wants. She asks why not, to which I respond helpfully with the reason stated above. She starts yelling about how she has tons and tons of these coupons at her home (the expiration date on them was from two years before) and how she really wanted that discount. I still calmly and warmly try to explain that even if I wanted to, I couldn't because that particular discount was not in the system. Then she throws a shit-fit. I have to give her that discount...it wasn't fair...I was trying to screw her over. Then she brings her husband, who appeared to be somewhere north of eighty. He proceeds to give me shit and demands that I call a supervisor. I do so, and the supervisor explains the same exact thing for more than five minutes. Five minutes doesn't seem like a long time, but when you're standing in the California heat in the middle of summer with no shade, five minutes is a fucking eternity. Eventually, they accept their fate and buy their fully priced tickets. The French gal said absolutely nothing as she paid. I could feel the disdain she held for me. Maybe I shouldn't have asked her to get a front of line pass (an extra $60) because when I did, she ripped the tickets from the counter, made an audible "HMPH!", and left. On one level, I felt kinda sorry. On another, I felt they were self-entitled assholes who didn't like hearing "No."
Ah, fun times. There's also the scalpers, but that's another story.
Two summers ago, I worked at Universal Studios Hollywood as a ticket seller at the front gate. It's always hectic, dealing with hundreds of people forking over thousands of dollars (I usually handled about $10,000-$12,000 a day from tickets, front of line passes, etc.). One bright, sunny day, this French woman (I could tell by the thick accent) wanted to buy four tickets with a coupon (I forget what the discount was). The coupon had expired. Our system only has the coupons currently in circulation, and it scanned the barcode or accepted the barcode number. I tell her that the coupon is good since it's expired. She tells me that it's fine. I tell her that it's not; I cant give her the discount she wants. She asks why not, to which I respond helpfully with the reason stated above. She starts yelling about how she has tons and tons of these coupons at her home (the expiration date on them was from two years before) and how she really wanted that discount. I still calmly and warmly try to explain that even if I wanted to, I couldn't because that particular discount was not in the system. Then she throws a shit-fit. I have to give her that discount...it wasn't fair...I was trying to screw her over. Then she brings her husband, who appeared to be somewhere north of eighty. He proceeds to give me shit and demands that I call a supervisor. I do so, and the supervisor explains the same exact thing for more than five minutes. Five minutes doesn't seem like a long time, but when you're standing in the California heat in the middle of summer with no shade, five minutes is a fucking eternity. Eventually, they accept their fate and buy their fully priced tickets. The French gal said absolutely nothing as she paid. I could feel the disdain she held for me. Maybe I shouldn't have asked her to get a front of line pass (an extra $60) because when I did, she ripped the tickets from the counter, made an audible "HMPH!", and left. On one level, I felt kinda sorry. On another, I felt they were self-entitled assholes who didn't like hearing "No."
Ah, fun times. There's also the scalpers, but that's another story.
I work at a Woolworths Supermarket, and each shift someone asks me where the eggs are. I point to a large sign that says eggs. Some people just dont look.
Also, whenever I tell someone what aisle the product theyre looking for is, they ask which way that is. Even though we have giant signs wiyh aisle numbers printed on it.
Also, whenever I tell someone what aisle the product theyre looking for is, they ask which way that is. Even though we have giant signs wiyh aisle numbers printed on it.
I think it's got to be the kids that try to get age-restricted products, and make some staggering errors.
DON'T try and accentuate how very old you are by adopting a gruff voice.
DON'T try and pull a double bluff by arriving with many different kinds of alcohols, games, DVDs and knives.
When you are asked for I.D., DON'T stamp your foot and say in a hurt voice that you always get drunk.
Finally, DON'T arrive with the eldest of you stood at the front of the queue and a gaggle of twelve year olds stood ten feet away staring at you, the cashier, the booze and being the loudest people in the shop.
Just a hint.
DON'T try and accentuate how very old you are by adopting a gruff voice.
DON'T try and pull a double bluff by arriving with many different kinds of alcohols, games, DVDs and knives.
When you are asked for I.D., DON'T stamp your foot and say in a hurt voice that you always get drunk.
Finally, DON'T arrive with the eldest of you stood at the front of the queue and a gaggle of twelve year olds stood ten feet away staring at you, the cashier, the booze and being the loudest people in the shop.
Just a hint.
Oh I keep track of this stuff. Grocery stores are the best for this.
-The girl banging on my self checkout and yelling at it before her friend turning around and saying 'sorry we're from Montana.'
-The lady using the self checkout drunk off of her ass saying 'this is like the Jetson's, I like the Jetson's'
-The girl with the 'fuck off' on her pants strutting around like she was awesome.
-The girl and guy tweaking who 'lost' a twelve back, tried to take another one and then proceeded to find it in a corner.
-The woman who said to my boss 'it does my heart good to see a man with a mop'
I could go on forever.
-The girl banging on my self checkout and yelling at it before her friend turning around and saying 'sorry we're from Montana.'
-The lady using the self checkout drunk off of her ass saying 'this is like the Jetson's, I like the Jetson's'
-The girl with the 'fuck off' on her pants strutting around like she was awesome.
-The girl and guy tweaking who 'lost' a twelve back, tried to take another one and then proceeded to find it in a corner.
-The woman who said to my boss 'it does my heart good to see a man with a mop'
I could go on forever.
Having worked at a Target for over 4 years, I've encountered an endless amount of absolute morons.
Since I work both on the sales floor and as a cashier I get to see pretty much every type of idiot that comes to the store.
While cashiering I've noticed that about 20% of customers actually use the bars used to separate orders. Most customers seem to think that an empty space of 2-5 inches is a good enough sign that their items are separate from the items the person in front of them is getting. Then, since I couldn't tell where one order stopped and another began, I scan some items that the next person is getting by mistake and get yelled at by both customers. I've also been yelled at for: taking 30 seconds to add change to my register, asking someone for their ID when they were buying beer (at Target we card everyone. The register literally will not let me continue scanning items until I scan an ID), and not scanning someone's huge stack of coupons because they waited until after their receipt printed to pull them out.
While on sales floor my biggest complaint about customers is that they're all horrible slobs. Most of my job while on the sales floor is simply cleaning up the disarray that they leave the store in. Items are misplaced and/or left on the floor, towels and clothes are left unfolded and/or on the floor, items are broken and then hidden behind other items (couldn't tell you how many times I've gotten cuts on my hands because of this), garbage is left on shelves (usually within 10 steps of the nearest clearly labeled trash can), I could really go on for a while here.
To top it all off, a decent amount of my bosses are absolute dicks. Especially my store manager who takes paid vacation time every other week while, at the same time drastically cutting work hours for other employees.
I guess the general message I'm trying to get across is that working in retail sucks. >_>
Since I work both on the sales floor and as a cashier I get to see pretty much every type of idiot that comes to the store.
While cashiering I've noticed that about 20% of customers actually use the bars used to separate orders. Most customers seem to think that an empty space of 2-5 inches is a good enough sign that their items are separate from the items the person in front of them is getting. Then, since I couldn't tell where one order stopped and another began, I scan some items that the next person is getting by mistake and get yelled at by both customers. I've also been yelled at for: taking 30 seconds to add change to my register, asking someone for their ID when they were buying beer (at Target we card everyone. The register literally will not let me continue scanning items until I scan an ID), and not scanning someone's huge stack of coupons because they waited until after their receipt printed to pull them out.
While on sales floor my biggest complaint about customers is that they're all horrible slobs. Most of my job while on the sales floor is simply cleaning up the disarray that they leave the store in. Items are misplaced and/or left on the floor, towels and clothes are left unfolded and/or on the floor, items are broken and then hidden behind other items (couldn't tell you how many times I've gotten cuts on my hands because of this), garbage is left on shelves (usually within 10 steps of the nearest clearly labeled trash can), I could really go on for a while here.
To top it all off, a decent amount of my bosses are absolute dicks. Especially my store manager who takes paid vacation time every other week while, at the same time drastically cutting work hours for other employees.
I guess the general message I'm trying to get across is that working in retail sucks. >_>
One of my favorite websites ever, http://www.actsofgord.com/index.php, has a ton of great accounts of stupid customers at a game store.
For stories relating to retail and all sorts of customer service,
http://notalwaysright.com/
is good for a laugh. It gets updated often
http://notalwaysright.com/
is good for a laugh. It gets updated often
Oh, goodness. Three years working at a video games store has equipped me with a WEALTH of stories.
One of my absolute favourites is the shoplifter one. We have a reward card system where I work, and it carries the usual stuff such as a name, address, phone number, etc. So we have a bloke that likes to come in with a plastic bag lined with foil, to fool our detectors at the door. We've spotted him many a time trying to cut into the PS2 games. One time, he queued up at the counter to "buy" something (this was a distraction so his four "kids" could plunder our stock), and we asked if he had a reward card. ... And he did. With his full name and address in there.
He's since been banned. Stupidity at its highest, I guess, haha.
Up there too is the bloke complaining that his Gold membership didn't go onto his profile correctly, so we put him through to Microsoft in the store. He had to tell them his e-mail address, and it was "pussylover69@whatever it was.com" Listening to him spell that out on a busy day absolutely made my day. Turns out he hadn't logged out and logged back in to activate it...
One of my absolute favourites is the shoplifter one. We have a reward card system where I work, and it carries the usual stuff such as a name, address, phone number, etc. So we have a bloke that likes to come in with a plastic bag lined with foil, to fool our detectors at the door. We've spotted him many a time trying to cut into the PS2 games. One time, he queued up at the counter to "buy" something (this was a distraction so his four "kids" could plunder our stock), and we asked if he had a reward card. ... And he did. With his full name and address in there.
He's since been banned. Stupidity at its highest, I guess, haha.
Up there too is the bloke complaining that his Gold membership didn't go onto his profile correctly, so we put him through to Microsoft in the store. He had to tell them his e-mail address, and it was "pussylover69@whatever it was.com" Listening to him spell that out on a busy day absolutely made my day. Turns out he hadn't logged out and logged back in to activate it...
These are great.
Working at a copy shop, I get a wide range of people. Just the other day I had a customer try to copy something that was visibly copy written. Told him politely that we couldn't do it, so he removes the cover page (even though each page has one on it) and says "Ok now you can". I tell him again sorry I can't and he responds at the top of his voice "Do you get up in the morning to make everyone's day miserable?"
I've also had people ask me if the fax machine actually sends the paper. When I tell them that no it just sends a copy they look at me with such wonder and amazement and reply "Oooo that's like magic."
No magic would be if it actually sent the paper.
And similar to the wine customers, people looking for Ink Cartilages (cartridges), Epstine or Einstine (Epson), Landmark (Lexmark).
Working at a copy shop, I get a wide range of people. Just the other day I had a customer try to copy something that was visibly copy written. Told him politely that we couldn't do it, so he removes the cover page (even though each page has one on it) and says "Ok now you can". I tell him again sorry I can't and he responds at the top of his voice "Do you get up in the morning to make everyone's day miserable?"
I've also had people ask me if the fax machine actually sends the paper. When I tell them that no it just sends a copy they look at me with such wonder and amazement and reply "Oooo that's like magic."
No magic would be if it actually sent the paper.
And similar to the wine customers, people looking for Ink Cartilages (cartridges), Epstine or Einstine (Epson), Landmark (Lexmark).
I work in retail, so I know the score. I go out of my way to be nice to other people stuck with similar jobs. It's probably part of the reason I keep getting visits from door knocking religions.
Where I work, we get a lot (and I mean A LOT) of Asian customers. That's not the part that bothers me, it's the game of Charades I have to play nearly every time to even try to work out what they want. Sometimes I just can't be bothered, and start guessing random movie titles.[footnote]The only relation I have to movies at work is sometimes there's one playing in the employee's area.[/footnote]
The absolute best part[footnote]The near-overpowering sense of sarcasm should be a clue here.[/footnote] though, is trying to explain how warranties work. For example, if you used a PS3 to stir paint, I'm probably not going to take it back. Likewise for using a circular saw to slice fruit. The amount of people that will explicitly ignore what voids a warranty is staggering. At times it seems as if everyone I help out teams up to find the best way to annoy me.
Where I work, we get a lot (and I mean A LOT) of Asian customers. That's not the part that bothers me, it's the game of Charades I have to play nearly every time to even try to work out what they want. Sometimes I just can't be bothered, and start guessing random movie titles.[footnote]The only relation I have to movies at work is sometimes there's one playing in the employee's area.[/footnote]
The absolute best part[footnote]The near-overpowering sense of sarcasm should be a clue here.[/footnote] though, is trying to explain how warranties work. For example, if you used a PS3 to stir paint, I'm probably not going to take it back. Likewise for using a circular saw to slice fruit. The amount of people that will explicitly ignore what voids a warranty is staggering. At times it seems as if everyone I help out teams up to find the best way to annoy me.
One time when I was working at Great America this guy called me a piece of shit cuz his kid was too short to ride the roller coaster and I was just enforcing the safety rule. lol
I got one. Nice and simple.
I once worked at Popeye's [Chicken & Biscuits]. We once had a guy com in asking for a box of shrimp fried rice.
I had to turn around to keep from laughing in the guy's face.
I once worked at Popeye's [Chicken & Biscuits]. We once had a guy com in asking for a box of shrimp fried rice.
I had to turn around to keep from laughing in the guy's face.
Not actually a game-realted thing. But I guess the post-office is retail
Anyway, I'm working at Edinburgh Post Office in Scotland and an American man walks in with his floral shirt and walks up to me and says "Isn't Scotland great?" so I said
"Yeah, it is." to which he replied
"But what I don't get was, why did they build the castle so far away from the shops?"
Oh, I had a good chuckle
Anyway, I'm working at Edinburgh Post Office in Scotland and an American man walks in with his floral shirt and walks up to me and says "Isn't Scotland great?" so I said
"Yeah, it is." to which he replied
"But what I don't get was, why did they build the castle so far away from the shops?"
Oh, I had a good chuckle
Nice, thats certainly a ton of replies, from August 2008 to September 2010, damn.Labyrinth said: