The Customer Is Always Wrong

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freak__76

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Feb 11, 2009
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Pinmonkey by trade, noticed large doses of stupidity from customers (and front of house staff for that matter).

Inability to read lane numbers (numbers are pasted all over back masking units and scoring monitors), or count (several lanes can be closed on either side of lane 4, and they'll call a machine fault to lane 5 (usually the wrong type of fault, sending us looking for the wrong fault. Much hilarity ensues with the whining customers, and the whining managers)).

Inability to follow simple directions (collect bowling shoes from bowling shoe collection area, you are on lane n, PRESS RED BUTTON TO ENTER NAMES (in big bold text on the scoring monitors infront of your faces)).

Inability to follow (un)common sense directions (DO NOT cross foul line, lane is oiled - therefore slippery, and lane is solid wood laminate - therefore harder than your soft skulls).

Again with the (un)common sense with the "jackarse"-ing under the masking units, into the operating pinsetters despite several glaring, blacklight-glowing signs/stickers (I just drop pins on them from the front of the machine, after switching off the pinsetters to avoid any permanent injury. The number of parents that send their kids up the lanes and into the operating machinery to retrieve a ball they've thrown at the sweep(rake) is gobsmacking).

Head orifice is just as bad. Due to a pinmonkey dying due to FoH staff not doing their jobs at another company altogether, some bright spark decided we need "safety" cages all over the pinsetters. I've suffered more injuries from the "safety" cages and fittings in 6 months than I have from 6 years as a pinmonkey, not to mention it makes the job/repairs that much harder/longer.
 

puppydogvaan

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Mar 26, 2009
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I used to work at a movie theater...urgh.

Weekdays were always fun because we were a very small theater and only the minimum number of staff on. The manager and person working box office would dick around playing video games in the office, the projectionist would sleep upstairs and the usher would wander off and watch a movie. So the customer walks in to what is essentially movie theater twilight zone--not a human soul in the lobby but me, lounging in the concession area I'm not allowed to leave and telling them that I can take their tickets and their souls right over here, please.

It was on one of these weekdays that three teenyboppers attempted to sneak in. For thirty or forty minutes. While I sat there, leaning on the counter, eating nachoes, and watching them. They'd screw around outside for a couple minutes, stick their heads in the lobby, see I was still watching, and go back out. Lather, rinse, repeat. Dude, do I look like I plan on going anywhere any time soon? I would've told 'em to shoo but they were my only entertainment.

Worse than that were the morons who, when I plonked their $50, barely-fits-on-my-counter order and ask them if that's it, say yes. I ring it up, give them their change, clear the order. Cue, "Hey, where's my Icee?"


Ahh, but the best one was the kid cup lady. Now, my theater didn't sell kid cups, but we did sell kid's trays, which came with popcorn, a little packet of candy, and a little plastic cup with a lid. So this lady comes up to my till asking if she can get just the cup. I haven't heard this request before, so I go ask my supervisor, who tells me no go, which I repeat to the lady (and I check my till, which has no button for the cup, making it unsellable). Lady says she wants it for her kids. Does she want the kid's tray? No, just the cup. How about a courtesy cup, which is roughly the same size and which I can give her for free? No, she wants a cup with a lid. How about a small soda? No, it's for her kids, am I stupid? The small is too big! Throughout this whole rigmarole, she keeps repeating that she will PAY for the cup!! I know you will, lady, but I can't. Sell. It. So finally she gives up and I finish her order, whereupon she promptly requests to see a manager. So I yell for my supervisor, and the lady goes, "Is that the girl you talked to before?" Yes. "I don't want to talk to her, she can't help me." Annoyed, I get a manager, who comes out royally pissed since he's not supposed to have to deal with this crap when a supervisor is on. Lady gives him her request and he tells her no go. But I'll PAY for it!


>.< It might sound like a lot of fuss on our part (why not just give her the damn cup?) but, you see, it was Inventory. Meaning it was counted at the end of the night. Yes, the manager on duty really had to go through and count every cup and bag in the place and account for them to corporate, who was extremely fussy about how much we were allowed to lose/spoil in a week, since they believed their theaters to be stocked with a bunch of teenagers who were out to steal them blind. (They were right...but this isn't about bad coworkers.)

Eventually I just offered everyone who was even slightly peeved to get a manager for them, since i figured that their being paid more than me meant that they got to deal with this crap.

Oh, and as a last note: you can't flush a diaper down a toilet. It won't fit. Stop trying.
 

dantheman931

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Dec 25, 2008
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puppydogvaan said:
Eventually I just offered everyone who was even slightly peeved to get a manager for them, since i figured that their being paid more than me meant that they got to deal with this crap.
I think most people who work in the service industry figure this out pretty damn fast; I know I did! I loved it when customers got that smug "I'ma-get-you-fired" look when they thought I was just being a bastard for no reason, because it was so very epically sweet when they found out that, no, I'm not just yanking things out of my a$$ to make their lives difficult.
 

puppydogvaan

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Mar 26, 2009
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dantheman931 said:
puppydogvaan said:
Eventually I just offered everyone who was even slightly peeved to get a manager for them, since i figured that their being paid more than me meant that they got to deal with this crap.
I think most people who work in the service industry figure this out pretty damn fast; I know I did! I loved it when customers got that smug "I'ma-get-you-fired" look when they thought I was just being a bastard for no reason, because it was so very epically sweet when they found out that, no, I'm not just yanking things out of my a$$ to make their lives difficult.

A lot of people today suffer from a strange condition. They can't hear anything anyone says unless that person has a nametag that says "manager". Everything that a regular employee tells them has to be repeated by a person with a special nametag or else the sound never reaches their brains.

It's a sad, sad, condition. Someone should start a foundation.
 

dantheman931

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Dec 25, 2008
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puppydogvaan said:
dantheman931 said:
puppydogvaan said:
Eventually I just offered everyone who was even slightly peeved to get a manager for them, since i figured that their being paid more than me meant that they got to deal with this crap.
I think most people who work in the service industry figure this out pretty damn fast; I know I did! I loved it when customers got that smug "I'ma-get-you-fired" look when they thought I was just being a bastard for no reason, because it was so very epically sweet when they found out that, no, I'm not just yanking things out of my a$$ to make their lives difficult.

A lot of people today suffer from a strange condition. They can't hear anything anyone says unless that person has a nametag that says "manager". Everything that a regular employee tells them has to be repeated by a person with a special nametag or else the sound never reaches their brains.

It's a sad, sad, condition. Someone should start a foundation.
The problem is, the people who most need it would be the least likely to join. lmao
 

seamusotorain

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Dec 14, 2008
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freak__76 said:
Pinmonkey by trade...
You were a pinmonkey? I can finally be proud of your job!

puppydogvaan said:
A lot of people today suffer from a strange condition. They can't hear anything anyone says unless that person has a nametag that says "manager". Everything that a regular employee tells them has to be repeated by a person with a special nametag or else the sound never reaches their brains.

It's a sad, sad, condition. Someone should start a foundation.
The Sales-Assistant's Society of Asshat Prevention? (SASAP)

It's kinda like the SAS, but it's also like ASAP. They need muscly, angry Brits to kick the crap throught them, ASAP!
 

big_shaq12

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May 18, 2009
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OK here is what I think is my best story.

I work at a blockbuster in Canada. One day I walk in to work and the first thing I hear is a lady yelling at one of the other CSR's (Customer service representatives), a vary nice High school girl. I thought I could give her a hand. I'm 6"6' 300 lbs so I'm not generally screwed with by customers, but this lady was determined. she tell me this F@#$ C$%t helping her won't let her rent her movies. I look at her account and she had rented 10 movies three months before and never returned any of them so she was charged the retail price of the movies, about $20 a movie so $200 total, not Unreasonable since she never brought them back. When I tell her she would have to pay for the movies she never brought back and she can keep them, then she can rent. she picks up on of the movies she is currently trying to rent and toss's it at the window behind the counter and demands to see the manager. my manager was already watching for the last minute and so she walks up and tells her she needs to leave the store.
She answers,"so another *****."

My Boss Replies, "I'm not a *****, I'm a c#$t. The difference is a ***** will yell at you and call the police. A c$%t will yell at you Punch you in the face and then call the police. Don't make me prove it."

(and just as a side note my boss is also the greatest boss ever. She's one of the nicest lady's I've ever met and she bakes brownies and cake for work every week.)
 

lenin_117

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Nov 16, 2008
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TheNecroswanson said:
I worked at Taco Del Mar at one point. (It's like Sub Way, with delicious ass mexican food instead.)

I worked at a furniture shop on a navy base once. We had furniture sales every Tuesday
You get around don't you?
 

lenin_117

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Nov 16, 2008
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seamusotorain said:
Digitalpotato said:
Repost from copy thread cause I'm stupid and didn't see this. :p

I've worked at a Subway in my student centre for a year now. Lemme tell you this...I have pretty much seen everything that makes working the Lunch shift a living hell. These people are sent by Satan themselves, and only people from Subway can experience some of these:

-I just cleaned that a minute ago! Now you spilled soda all over it!

-No, we do NOT carry Elk meat.

-It is not called "Salad", it is called "Lettuce".

-You would NOT Want it if we carried Cabbage - I seriously doubt you know how that tastes.

-If you say "Salad Dressing", I'm going to give you a really odd look since there is no such thing as "Salad Dressing".

-This is Subway - WE DO NOT CARRY BEER. The place right here has a liquor license.

-This is not a bakery, we do NOT Sell crossaint(sp) rolls, and we are not allowed to give "Fresh Baked" bread in the morning.

-We do NOT give discounts for giving you day-old-bread we're supposed to use first. Again, this is NOT A bakery.

-We do NOT sell bagels, because there are two bagel places in this building. They open way before we do. Get something there.

-We do not give Student Drinks.

-I just cleaned that!

-Turn off that cell phone please.

-PLEASE don't complain about Subway being slow when half our staff is working on a 30 foot party order or when there are only two people working the line for about 50 people and there's no sign of the customers slowing down anytime soon.

-PLEASE don't text in the middle of the line.

-Soembody is talking to you - STOP THE FREAKING TEXTING!

-We do NOT carry Ketchup.

-Because we do not carry ketchup, PLEASE don't make us go to all the trouble of toasting a foot long Ham and Cheese and then just leaving when we don't have Ketchup. You just made us waste food.

-If you're getting six foot longs, CALL AHEAD PLEASE. Don't make 40+ people wait in line.

-You do not want that bread that just came out of the 500+ Degrees oven. Seriously - you do not.

-When you just say "I'll have a meatball sub", you ALSO need to say how long you want it and on what kind of bread.

-When you say "I'll have a six inch on white", you ALSO need to say what kind of sandwich it'll be.

-We do NOT Sell hamburgers - there is a hamburger grille upstairs.

-We also are NOT allowed to sell pizzas because of how much it'd gum the line up, and because there is a pizza place right there.

-We did not carry Swiss cheese the last time you asked us yesterday, we are not going to start carrying it now.

-PUT THAT DARN CELL PHONE DOWN.

-If you say "Chipotle Mayo", then you best expect Mayonaise on it since it is NOT mayo.

-We do not carry Okra - Do you see it on the vein?

-I do not even know what a Gherkin is - do you think we carry it?

-Spinach is NOT a kind of lettuce.

-Bacon and Cheese are NOT Vegetables.

-We do not care about how much better Quiznos does it - you're still coming HERE and getting it TOASTED.

-There is nothing that annoys us more than people who cannot make up their mind.

-SPEAK LOUD AND CLEAR. If you just grunt when I ask what kind of bread you want, I am going to ask AGAIN.

-Your friend is RIGHT there - you don't need to be YELLING AT THEM because we hvae to talk over it.

-You don't HAVE to talk through your boyfriend and have him order everything - unless you suffer from Chronic Mumbling Syndrome, you can talk as well.

-PLEASE DON'T HOLD UP THE DARN LINE BECAUSE YOU ARE MAKING OUT WITH YOUR BOYFRIEND!!!!

-There is no such thing as Bacon made from Roast Beef.

-STOP HOLDING UP THE LINE WITH YOUR TEXTING!

-I just cleaned that!

-We do not serve Fries - we have Chips.

-Please do not say "yes" when I ask if you want Chips or a drink and then say "WAIT I didn't order those!"

-a $5 foot long deal does NOT Apply to six-inches.

-PLEASE don't sing that stupid $5 foot long song.

-Be nice to the person behind the counter - we do this for #### pay and we don't wanna be here any more than you do.

-If you call me some white racial slang, I am going to ask you to leave due to disrespect. There IS such thing as racism against WHITE people.

-And the reason your $5 foot long is not $5 is because of TAX. Everybody has to pay it.

-When I say that a Chicken Bacon Ranch is no longer a $5 foot long, that does NOT mean you will still pay $5 for it. $5 for how much stuff goes on that is Grand Theft.

-You can NOT get a $5 foot long that's "Half BMT half Tuna".

-Please turn that iPod off.

-Do not get angry at us for not speaking loud enough when you're wearing $50 headphones that I bet are noise-canceling.

-Take those Earbuds OFF.

-TURN THAT CELL PHONE OFF DAMMIT.

-We do not make Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches.

-we do not carry Pumpernickel.

-We do not carry Donuts.

-If you just say "Sauce" when we ask that, we're gonna ask "What Kind?".

-There is a sign that shows all the sauces in front of your face - READ IT.

-There is a sign that lists all the foot longs that are still $5 in front of you - READ IT.

-There is also a sign that shows the "Sub of the Day" on the vein.

-And last but not least, please don't ask what kind of cheese we have when there is one of thsoe signs in front of you like all the others.

-If you don't know what something is, just say "Whatever that stuff is next to the thing I DO recognize". don't point to it since we can't see it from your point of view.

-PLEASE do NOT ask if we're still doing the $5 foot long deal when we are wearing $5 foot long TEE SHIRTS and you're standing RIGHT NEXT TO A $5 FOOT LONG BANNER THAT IS AT LEAST TWO METERS TALL!!!

-PLEASE do not ask if we're doing Breakfast sandwiches if you're standing next to a "Serving Breakfast" and you're walking in at 8:30 AM.

-When someone in a Subway uniform is eating a sandwich or coming out of the bathroom, they are NOT Slacking off from work - they are on BREAK.

-If that burned cookie is at least good enough for you to shove in your face, it's edible.

-We haven't carried Peanut Butter cookies since march - we aren't gonna carry them now especially after someone got an allergy triggered because it was processed in the same factory as a peanut butter cookie.

-IF you order 6 loaves of bread, you WILL Be charged.

-If you order a "6 inch Fresh Baked Bun", you WILL be charged for it.

-To the Children: SHUT UP. Mommy's busy since you likely can't order for yourselves.

-The end of the line starts at the end, you do NOT order at the register unless you are ordering a Party Sub for later.

-Please don't ask us to make the special kind of white-wheat-braided bread for a 30 foot party sub that you're gonna pick up within an HOUR.

-Please give us at least one day's notice before ordering a party sub.

-TURN OFF THAT CELL PHONE. I don't care if your dad just died, you can at least step out of the line for a few minutes for a call that's so important.

-And if you're holding up the line to have phone sex, then you best be going back to the end of the line since we're gonna ignore you.

-Asking if you want it toasted or if you want a copy of the receipt is a simple Yes or No question. And if you just answer with a grunt or a squeak, we'll have to ask again because that is not an option.

-We do not sell sixteen inch sandwiches.

-You seriously want to toast the Mustard? Good luck it's only gonna be about 600 degrees when you bite into it.

-Because we have Meatballs, that does NOT mean we have freaking spaghetti.

-We do not sell PEPSI products when we have COKE all over the soda fountain.

-If you don't see a kind of chips there, then that means we don't have it.

-We can NOT toast a salad. Why would you even want that in the first place?

-And no we can't stir-fry it either. Do you see an oven for that?

-We also cannot toast a wrap.

-This is SUBWAY. We do not serve, of all things, TACOS. Especially when there's a Taco Bell upstairs.

-Yes yes I know. You fought in Vietnam. Yes we know you lost your leg to Agent orange and have probably suffered extreme lung damage. Yes we know you were spat on because the idiots back then thought you actually WANTED to be drafted. You still have to pay for your food like the rest of us.

-Being in the Special Forces or being an Air Force Veteran also does not mean you get a discount.

-You may be in the ROTC, but you're still paying as much for your food as everyone else is.

-Women do NOT. GET. A BLOODY DISCOUNT.

-If you don't see an M&M cookie on display, then we likely don't have it.

-Please don't pay for a $20+ order with pennies.

-From living in an age in which pretty much every food service place has a huge sign reading, "We do not accept bills larger than a 20", you should know that by now.

-"No checks" means exactly what it says - WE DO NOT TAKE PERSONAL CHECKS.

-I just told the last 4 people that we are out of herbs and cheese bread. And no we are NOT gonna hold up the line so we can make you some fresh bread.

-You think you can do better than we are? Get back here, put on some gloves and get to work.

-I know it's 8 AM, but that's no reason to talk in mumbles and grunts like you're drunk off of your ass.

-No, our meat is not raw.

-The oven has been turned off hours ago. We are nearly closing. We are NOT going to wait an hour for the oven to warm you up and then cook you something "Fresh".

-No, you may not purchase cookie dough from us.

-We don't carry T bones. What do you think this is, a sit-down?

-There is a yellow sign that says "wet floor", and it is placed in the middle of the floor in plain view. If you fall down because you didn't see it, it is not our fault for irresponsibly mopping the floor. Nor is it the water's fault for refusing to evaporate.
You poor thing. Your blood pressure must be, like, whoa.

My favourite story goes a little like this:

Couple of days after Christmas, I was working in GameStop. Dealing with the usual returns, when a woman comes in...
"Hi...*peers at nametag* James, I have a broken game here".

"Ok *takes game: a copy of Nintendogs* What's the problem with it?"

"It's broken."

"Uh...huh. Do you mean it doesn't work, it won't load properly...?"

"No, it's broken."

"Hang on, I'll check it. *fires game into DS. Works perfectly well* sorry, but this game is working perfectly well."

"No, the dog won't listen to my child."

"...what is the dog's name?"

"I gave it to 3 people who play this game, and they all said it's broken! The dog is called Lucky, but it won't listen!"

For those of you unfamiliar with Nintendogs, at the start of the game you have to teach the dog its name and how to sit down, using the microphone.

Queue 15 minutes of shouting at a bundle of pixels, attempting to teach it how to sit. It learned. I'm a 6ft 2" 18 year old man. I had to imitate the voice of a 10 year old girl. I hate people who refuse to accept their wrongness.
Maybe you're a very feminine 6ft 2" 18 year old man?

EDIT* Sorry for the triple post but i figured someone else would have posted in between mine. I left enough time.
 

Snugglebunny

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Mar 25, 2009
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Honestly, I try always to be polite to any sort of worker anywhere, because I am so afraid of beign THAT person and incurring store clerk wrath, so I'm alway "I'm so sorry, no, I don't mean to bother you, sorry sorry ><;;"
 

Silent but Violent

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Mar 9, 2009
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I used to (I thank whatever powers that be that that's in the past tense) work in a Tesco Express, locally. For those not familiar with them, Tesco Expresses are a branch of Tesco's monopoly, now covering corner-shops. So they are staffed by about eight people at a time, tops.

Our Tesco express was recently fitted with two self-service counters. These work much the same as a standard counter, except the customer scans their shopping themselves, then places it on a set of scales. The computer checks that the scanned item is the right weight, to supposedly prevent kids from scanning one bag of sweets and taking ten. They're within sight of the tills, and there's a camera over the top to help prevent shoplifting. Also, because it's automatic and thus can't verify age, the machine will stop and say "approval needed" if the customer tries to buy alchohol. Can you see where this is going?

So one day, a lottery day if memory serves; the store was very crowded, and I was one of the only two on the tills.
Guy1: Oi!
Me: *doesn't notice, is currently trying to serve a customer, print a lottery ticket and check another customer's ID on behalf of my underage colleague*
Guy1: Oi, dick'ead!
Me: *notices* One moment please sir, I'll get to you in--
Guy1: Your machine's broken.
Me: Just a moment, sir--
Guy1: It's not working. I tried to scan my shopping, and it just keeps shouting at me!
Me: Okay, that's . Thank you, your change and your receipt. Right sir, what's the problem?
Guy1: I said, your f*cking machine's broken!
Me: I was serving another customer, sir. What's it doing?
Guy1: I dunno, I'm no f*cking technician! It just keep shouting at me!
Me: *listens*
Machine: Approval needed.
Me: It needs approval for alchohol, sir. I'll just--
Guy1: Approval? Why?
Me: Because you're trying to buy alchohol, sir.
Guy1: I'm thirty, you idiot!
Me: Yes sir, and the machine is only three months old, and thus won't be old enough to sell alchohol unattended for another seventeen years. I'll just approve it *presses button* - okay, you should be alright to carry on, sir. Next, please.
*a few seconds pass*
Guy1: For f*ck's sake! Your machine's broken again!
Me: Just a moment, please sir--
Guy1: No, you fix this piece of sh*t now!
Me: *with exaggerated slowness* Thank you, sir. Would you like a bag for that? No? Would you like anything else? Okay, that's . Thank you, sir. Would you like your receipt? Okay. Thank you. *walks over to guy1* What is the problem, sir?
Machine: Please place the item in the bagging area.
Guy1: Your f*cking machine keeps shouting at me again! When're you going to get this thing fixed!?
Machine: Please place the item in the bagging area.
Me: I'm sure, sir. And what is the machine doing, sorry?
Machine: Please place the item in the bagging area.
Guy1: I don't f*cking know! It just keeps saying sh*t at--
Machine: Please place the item in the bagging area.
Me: Yes, sir. And what is the machine *saying,* sir?
Machine: Please place the item in the bagging area.
Guy1: I don't know! "Please place the item in the bagging area?"
Machine: Please place the item in the bagging area.
Me: Yes, sir. have you tried putting the bottle of wine you just scanned in the bagging area, sir?
Guy1: ...*puts item in bagging area*
Machine: *silence*
Me: *pauses for effect* Thank you, sir. Next, please?
 

Silent but Violent

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Mar 9, 2009
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big_shaq12 said:
OK here is what I think is my best story.

I work at a blockbuster in Canada. One day I walk in to work and the first thing I hear is a lady yelling at one of the other CSR's (Customer service representatives), a vary nice High school girl. I thought I could give her a hand. I'm 6"6' 300 lbs so I'm not generally screwed with by customers, but this lady was determined. she tell me this F@#$ C$%t helping her won't let her rent her movies. I look at her account and she had rented 10 movies three months before and never returned any of them so she was charged the retail price of the movies, about $20 a movie so $200 total, not Unreasonable since she never brought them back. When I tell her she would have to pay for the movies she never brought back and she can keep them, then she can rent. she picks up on of the movies she is currently trying to rent and toss's it at the window behind the counter and demands to see the manager. my manager was already watching for the last minute and so she walks up and tells her she needs to leave the store.
She answers,"so another *****."

My Boss Replies, "I'm not a *****, I'm a c#$t. The difference is a ***** will yell at you and call the police. A c$%t will yell at you Punch you in the face and then call the police. Don't make me prove it."

(and just as a side note my boss is also the greatest boss ever. She's one of the nicest lady's I've ever met and she bakes brownies and cake for work every week.)
Please tell your boss that the collective virtual community of the Escapist Magazine Forums salute her.
 

rosac

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Sep 13, 2008
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I may be joining the ranks of those behind the counters on saturday If I get the saturday job I applied for. It's only at a local corner shop, but I reckon I'll have a few stories by the end of next month (possibly involving chavs and ciggies, but y never know.)

wish me luck.

rosac