Customers....I need to vent!

[Rae Rae]

So I work in retail and deal w/ a lot of different customers. Some are great and will make your whole day! Others think that they are above everyone else and diserve you to wait on them hand an foot (way beyong great customer service) and it makes me soo mad! Especially since I can't tell them how it is.

Yesterday I even had people LYING to me to get discounts! Can you believe that? Everyone thinks they diserve a discount and doesn't want to pay full price, even on shoes that are already $40+ off! I had people saying that they had the discount card (when it was obvious that they didnt) and one person went as far as saying that our store in another mall always gives her discounts, but our store isn't in that mall!

What is with people these days

I can't even get started on the garbage that they leave in my store (gum on a display shoe) the kids that think the store is a gymnasium (they run in and out of the store, their parents don't even notice)

Don't get me wrong, I love my job, but I really can't believe how some people are these days.

I really do think some people come into my store, purposely being as obnoxious as they can just to test our limits!

[vainchick5]

I remember those days. It was tough but it very much prepares you for thick skin in the future. If anything, those kinds of jobs were my motivation to go to college and get my masters so I never had to do that stuff anymore. That would be my suggestion.

[Rae Rae]

Originally Posted by vainchick5

I remember those days. It was tough but it very much prepares you for thick skin in the future. If anything, those kinds of jobs were my motivation to go to college and get my masters so I never had to do that stuff anymore. That would be my suggestion.

This isn't a job I'm at because I don't have a degree or anything, I'm majoring in fashion marketing and management.

[vainchick5]

Originally Posted by Rae Rae

This isn't a job I'm at because I don't have a degree or anything, I'm majoring in fashion marketing and management.

But at least you know when you're finished you can do what YOU want to do Great sounding major.

[bornnygurl]

Originally Posted by vainchick5

I remember those days. It was tough but it very much prepares you for thick skin in the future. If anything, those kinds of jobs were my motivation to go to college and get my masters so I never had to do that stuff anymore. That would be my suggestion.

That is not necessarily true. I remember a time when you could be a retail store manager without a degree. Nowadays a degree is required to even get an interview for that kind of job.

I remember when I worked in brick and mortar retail stores and boy do I have stories. One time a woman wanted to fight me because she could not return her stuff. I think it's always been this way because there will aways be and has always been rude people. On the other side I had someone tip me once for helping him even though the store was closing. It was the nice people that kept me going. Some people just get off on being rude and inconsiderate to other people.

[genie]

I know what you mean, I deal with the same thing as a emergency room nurse. Makes me so mad.... . I had to finally quit because I started to hate people, I mean like almost all people.... . Most of the patients we get are always looking for a free ride and get mad if they have to wait in the lobby. One night we were slammed and I was in triage and I had several people waiting to come back to rooms and several people to triage. I was typing in the next persons info before I called her in to triage and this other girl came to the window and asked how long it would be before she went back to a room (she had already been triaged) and I told her that there was 2 in front of her, and she told me that if I would get off my lazy a$$ and work that it wouldn't take so long, I told her I was working and she said you are lazy and I deserve better service (service, like this is the Hilton) because I am paying your salary. I went off, I had not had a break in 9 hours, my bladder was full and I had to miss lunch and supper. I told her "You are the lazy one, you don't pay my salary, I pay taxes to keep your lazy a$$ up, I am paying for your food your housing and your medical bills so that you can bring your lazy a$$ down here for a runny nose, you need to get out and get a job and if you had to pay a insurance co-pay you wouldn't be right now wasting everyones time, now you can sit down and wait your turn or you can go to the house". She sat down and shut up too. I had to bring in a few people in front of her that was more critical (chest pain, shortness of breath) and I know she thought I did that on purpose but I didn't, so she left. I am so surprised that I wasn't fired. But a person can only take so much before they snap.

[mizzwanned]

ugh I can't even deal with customers anymore, I feel like blowing up in front of all their faces. I hope you feel better and have many more better days than worse.

[bornnygurl]

Originally Posted by genie

I know what you mean, I deal with the same thing as a emergency room nurse. Makes me so mad.... . I had to finally quit because I started to hate people, I mean like almost all people.... . Most of the patients we get are always looking for a free ride and get mad if they have to wait in the lobby. One night we were slammed and I was in triage and I had several people waiting to come back to rooms and several people to triage. I was typing in the next persons info before I called her in to triage and this other girl came to the window and asked how long it would be before she went back to a room (she had already been triaged) and I told her that there was 2 in front of her, and she told me that if I would get off my lazy a$$ and work that it wouldn't take so long, I told her I was working and she said you are lazy and I deserve better service (service, like this is the Hilton) because I am paying your salary. I went off, I had not had a break in 9 hours, my bladder was full and I had to miss lunch and supper. I told her "You are the lazy one, you don't pay my salary, I pay taxes to keep your lazy a$$ up, I am paying for your food your housing and your medical bills so that you can bring your lazy a$$ down here for a runny nose, you need to get out and get a job and if you had to pay a insurance co-pay you wouldn't be right now wasting everyones time, now you can sit down and wait your turn or you can go to the house". She sat down and shut up too. I had to bring in a few people in front of her that was more critical (chest pain, shortness of breath) and I know she thought I did that on purpose but I didn't, so she left. I am so surprised that I wasn't fired. But a person can only take so much before they snap.

Wow! Not to get off topic but I think a lot the nurses feel the way you do. What is unfortunate is that some of them show it to every client regardless of the circumstances. I was sick with pneumonia and didn't want to go to the hospital. Well my airways became so restricted to the point I was panting uncontrollably. I got rushed to the emergency (by hubby) and the nurse was so rude to me. At one point she said: "Stop breathing like that or you'll pass out". I'm thinking if I could stop I wouldn't be here right now! She was much nicer when they later found out I had bronchitis and pneumonia. But there was no reason for her to treat me that way, regardless.

Anyhoo, point of my story is I think when you get to the point where you are so dissatisfied with your job that is shows to everyone (including customers/clients who don't deserve it); I think you should move on to something else that makes you happy.

[Angela]

I have worked in retail for too long. I actually quit right before Christmas b/c I was starting to HATE the company....everything about it, then I was sick of the customers, next I started hating everything at home just because I was sooooo unhappy during the day at work.....that is when I decided to quit with no back up plan.....it has been hard without the extra money I made, but I have been sooooooo much happier and I am ready to go back to work somewhere else. Also, I am going back to college. I am 31 and I don't won't to stand up eight hours a day dealing with the public for the rest of my life. I am not sure what I want to major in, but I guess I can just start with general studies.

Good Luck!
Angie

[Rae Rae]

Originally Posted by vainchick5

But at least you know when you're finished you can do what YOU want to do Great sounding major.

I'm hoping to become a buyer. Gotta work my way up though. I don't mind selling, I'm pretty good at it, It's just some people really make me wonder. Like letting their kids run in and out of the store, then when their kid is missing, they wonder why...it's like if you watched your kid in the first place, they wouldn't be missing. I'm not their to watch your kid, but when I see a kid run out of the store, I have to do something because I don't want anything to happen to the poor kid..they don't know any better.

[Rae Rae]

Originally Posted by genie

I know what you mean, I deal with the same thing as a emergency room nurse. Makes me so mad.... . I had to finally quit because I started to hate people, I mean like almost all people.... . Most of the patients we get are always looking for a free ride and get mad if they have to wait in the lobby. One night we were slammed and I was in triage and I had several people waiting to come back to rooms and several people to triage. I was typing in the next persons info before I called her in to triage and this other girl came to the window and asked how long it would be before she went back to a room (she had already been triaged) and I told her that there was 2 in front of her, and she told me that if I would get off my lazy a$$ and work that it wouldn't take so long, I told her I was working and she said you are lazy and I deserve better service (service, like this is the Hilton) because I am paying your salary. I went off, I had not had a break in 9 hours, my bladder was full and I had to miss lunch and supper. I told her "You are the lazy one, you don't pay my salary, I pay taxes to keep your lazy a$$ up, I am paying for your food your housing and your medical bills so that you can bring your lazy a$$ down here for a runny nose, you need to get out and get a job and if you had to pay a insurance co-pay you wouldn't be right now wasting everyones time, now you can sit down and wait your turn or you can go to the house". She sat down and shut up too. I had to bring in a few people in front of her that was more critical (chest pain, shortness of breath) and I know she thought I did that on purpose but I didn't, so she left. I am so surprised that I wasn't fired. But a person can only take so much before they snap.

I was going to school for nursing before, and I worked in a doctors office and I agree, some patients are just as bad as rude customers! If not, worse...especially because their usually in pain and people are always grouchy when their not feeling good.

Did this lady your talking about not have insurance and was on public aid or something? If so, then obviously she's not paying your salary!


Part of me still wants to go back to school to become a nurse, so if the fashion industry doesn't work out it's definitly my back up plan.

[judyeve]

Dear RaeRae:

Welcome to the world of reality! I have found that so many people are so dumb, rude, obnoxious and oblivious that it's amazing. I was a teacher for years and learned that lesson faster than I ever wanted to. Besides the kids being rude, which is really problematic only within about the past 5 years, some of the parents, principals, administrators, etc. I had to deal with made my skin crawl. My favorite was when you took your own time to worry about a student enough to call the parent, only to be yelled at, cursed at, blamed, and at times, reported to the principal for "harrassing my child." You can't blame the kids for being rude - they learn it at home. I loved my students and learned to deal with them, not their parents. I taught high school so I could do that. There had to be a major issue before I would contact the parent.

I very quickly developed a hard skin and became very assertive and set very strong boundaries. Other people figure out that's how you are very quickly, and they back off real fast!

Good luck. Just remember, if you can raise a stubborn little Yorkie, you can deal with anyone! You'll be terrific.

Judy

[genie]

Originally Posted by bornnygurl

Wow! Not to get off topic but I think a lot the nurses feel the way you do. What is unfortunate is that some of them show it to every client regardless of the circumstances. I was sick with pneumonia and didn't want to go to the hospital. Well my airways became so restricted to the point I was panting uncontrollably. I got rushed to the emergency (by hubby) and the nurse was so rude to me. At one point she said: "Stop breathing like that or you'll pass out". I'm thinking if I could stop I wouldn't be here right now! She was much nicer when they later found out I had bronchitis and pneumonia. But there was no reason for her to treat me that way, regardless.

Anyhoo, point of my story is I think when you get to the point where you are so dissatisfied with your job that is shows to everyone (including customers/clients who don't deserve it); I think you should move on to something else that makes you happy.

Well first of all I would never treat someone who is sick with a rude attitude even if they were rude to me. The lady that I told off was being very rude and I was tired of people thinking they can talk to me that way especially if they are not even sick. And I am normally a very nice person. I do have alot of patients that are a joy to take care of and I love my job and I love taking care of sick and injured people and I believe that I make a difference in peoples lives, but I must say that the idiots out weight the really sick and nice patients, even then I ususally do pretty good keeping my cool. There are good nurses and there are bad nurses, and there are even good nurses that get an attitude sometimes. I usually tolerate alot of rude behavior from people and go on my merry way, I even have tolerated being kicked, hit, spit on, my hair pulled out and cursed at, but it comes to a point that a person can't take anymore abuse. I agree with you that it would be good if you could move on if you are not happy, and so I did (actually it is just a break,I will be going back sometime), but some people can not move on due to financial reasons and other reasons. I have worked with nurses like the one you described and it makes for a miserable shift, because not only are they rude to the patients they are also rude to other staff. I guess the world is full of rude people, but it feels really good sometimes to put them in their place.

[yorkiegirl83]

I think working in retail is one of the most underrated jobs. I've worked in retail management for 5 years.. since I was 18 in all different kinds of stores including some high end boutiques.

I really love retail.. I love working in the store environment and I loved all of the responsibilities that came with it, but it was few and far between I'd get a customer who was grateful for my services. Those few customers made it worth while, but the others were absolutely down right rude.

I'm a very polite person, especially since I've dealt w/jerk customers and if I see someone mistreating a sales person I definitely get involved and tell them to lay off. You'd be surprised how emberassed some people get once you snap them out of their own rudeness.

My BIGGEST pet peeve is people that snap their fingers at me! I worked as a manager of a Nine West and it was in a really richy Boston area.. and I'd have women on their cells snapping at me! I'd finally walk up and politely say.. "I'll be happy to take care of you once you're off your cell phone"... =)

[Rae Rae]

Originally Posted by judyeve

Dear RaeRae:

Welcome to the world of reality! I have found that so many people are so dumb, rude, obnoxious and oblivious that it's amazing. I was a teacher for years and learned that lesson faster than I ever wanted to. Besides the kids being rude, which is really problematic only within about the past 5 years, some of the parents, principals, administrators, etc. I had to deal with made my skin crawl. My favorite was when you took your own time to worry about a student enough to call the parent, only to be yelled at, cursed at, blamed, and at times, reported to the principal for "harrassing my child." You can't blame the kids for being rude - they learn it at home. I loved my students and learned to deal with them, not their parents. I taught high school so I could do that. There had to be a major issue before I would contact the parent.

I very quickly developed a hard skin and became very assertive and set very strong boundaries. Other people figure out that's how you are very quickly, and they back off real fast!

Good luck. Just remember, if you can raise a stubborn little Yorkie, you can deal with anyone! You'll be terrific.

Judy

Hahahaha you're soo right! Thanks for the kind words! You reminded me that at the end of the day, I always have my yorkie to come home too..and that always makes me forget about them! The rude customers obviously don't have the love that I have from Rocky, so I guess I can see why their bitter. Maybe they all want discounts so they can save up and get a yorkie