It's hard working in customer service, especially with irate customers. You need to be able to empathize and understand where your customers are coming from, show sympathy, and be willing to help them with their problem. However, if they come at you ranting and raving about an issue which clearly has nothing to do with you, well, then you're free to rant about them on the internet.
Reddit user, u/[deleted], wanted to know the rudest of the rude when they asked:
What is the most bizarre reason a customer got angry with you?
Sir, Do You Want Me To Change The Day?
Giphy
I worked at a Burger King in high school. A guy comes in one day complaining he put in money to get a newspaper in the machine outside, and it wasn't this Sunday's paper. He wanted a refund. I told him we didn't own that machine, and we weren't able to give him his money back. I also mentioned to him it was actually Saturday, not Sunday. He flew into a rage, threw last weeks Sunday edition of the paper all around the restaurant and behind the counter. My manager comes out, and threatens to call the cops.
Dude leaves screaming about how we ripped him off. Sometimes you can't fix stupid.
Ma'am, Would You Like Me To Spell It Out?
A woman and her high school daughter walk up to me while I'm working in Bath and Body Works. Here's how the convo goes:
Mom: We don't know what they are called, but you know those things you can wear around your neck and you clip keys or badges to them? Do you sell those here?
Me: Oh, do you mean lanyards?
Mom: WHAT DID YOU CALL ME?
Me: Nothing, you said you didn't know what those things are called, they are called lanyards. Unfortunately we do not sell them here. Maybe check Hot Topic?
Mom: Whatever, thanks for wasting my time.
As they turned to leave, the daughter turned behind her moms back and mouthed, "I'm sorry," to me. Poor girl, that mom was nuts.
Ma'am, You Know Fudge Isn't Strawberry, Right?
Apparently when she said she wanted a "hot fudge sundae" she meant strawberry sundae.
Ma'am, You Know That's Not Me, Right?
Apparently I didn't greet her at the drive thru with enough enthusiasm.. but the real gag is it wasn't even me on the speaker and when I corrected her she got even madder.
Sir, You Know I Don't Actually Make The Product, Right?
Worked at Walmart and this guy went through my line buying something for his tires. He accidentally got two different things. One was a lot more expensive than the other. He got pissed (looking at his receipt) and demanded to know why one cost more money. I looked at the products and noticed one had some gel inserted in the product. I told him this and he demanded to know why this made the product more expensive.
I explained to him I knew nothing about cars and was just a cashier but he could go to customer service to exchange the more expensive product for the cheaper one. He then refused to leave my line until I lowered the price of the more expensive product. BTW I was working the express check out line on Friday at 5:30 and a huge line was forming behind this man child. My manger finally got him to leave the line and go to customer service. Though his son was in line behind him and apologized for his father's actions.
You Understand I'm Not From Russia, Correct?
They noticed I had an accent (I'm from southern virginia and north carolina area) and pointed it out as 'Russian' i don't know how they possibly thought my accent was russian but I corrected them and they got angry that I was being 'condescending' to them.
No, My Best Friend Told Me It's True
I work at a store that retails car parts, among other things. A customer got mad at me when she asked me if we had an extension for seat belts in cars. I told her that we didn't carry any extensions and we never have and she proceeded to yell at me because her friend who is an expert in seatbelt extensions(?) had told her that we carried that type of extensions.
Sure, trust your supposedly "expert" friend rather than the person who actually works at the store and almost knows the full list of items we carry by heart She argued with me for a full five minutes before giving up because I was 'stubborn' for not helping her.
Starbucks Problems
His coffee didn't taste like the one he drinks at home.
I suggested he should drink his coffee at home then.
Who Would've Thought Subway Would Be So Hostile?
2 stories from my experience in Subway.
I had a guy verbally abusing me over a cup. Yes... a cup. His wife asked how much it would be for 2 cookies and a drink. I told her it would be $4 for the cookies and a SMALL cup. She walked away with the food and her husband came back... and oh boy. He told me it was always $4 for the cookies and a large cup. I tried to explain to him what his wife paid for and he cut me off, telling me I'm useless and people like me shouldn't have a job. He demanded to talk to my manager and told her lies, saying I told him to "Go F yourself". Luckily she told him to leave.
Another, I called an old male customer mate (I'm Australian, it's part of my vocab) and he went off like a sailor! Shouted at me saying he's a mystery shopper and will tell head office about me. Never seen his face again.
Can't You Do Something About The Sun??
Ice cream shop - lady was mad because her ice cream melted. About 10 minutes after she ordered it (and apparently didn't care to start eating it), in 90+ degree weather.
Wanted a new cone.
When Your Whole World Depends On $0.50
The place I used to work at always had a sale on one product each month for typically 50% off. However, that month instead of being 50% off the product was $9 off, which meant that the total price of the item was $10 instead of $9.50. There was no advertisement anywhere in the store that said 50% off. Everything relating to that product said $9 off. It was a small store so I was working alone when this woman came in.
Typically people browsed around a bit and then asked questions when they needed help, but she came right up to me and started yelling about how we were doing false advertising and that she should get the product for $9.50 instead of $10. It turns out she'd called the head office yesterday and yelled at them, but apparently she also felt like she needed to yell at someone in person. She continued to demand that I sell her the product for $9.50 until another customer walked into the store and asked what her problem was. She left after that and as far as I know never came back
*flips the table
It really is alarming how many customers out there get easily angered over the smallest things in the restaurant biz. Lady almost flipped the table and started crying when I told her we don't have steak on our 3 for 10 menu anymore.
"You guys suck."
A crackhead/petsmart customer yelled across the store asking if we could put a $600 tank on layaway.
When I told her no, she screamed out "you guys suck" and continued shopping.
Just A Stressful Day
A man threw a tantrum because laundry detergent was not EBT food approved. I told the couple several times to keep it off the conveyor belt until the first transaction was over. He kept loading it up anyway. His SO and I both told him to leave it in the cart so that it wouldn't come up to my register.
He then started throwing heavy items until he ran out, just in time for me to not kick him out. He was perfectly fine after the tantrum.
Do You See The Mistake You Made?
I work at a local pizza restaurant and I once had a customer come in with his two daughters. I brought them out their food and a few minutes later he called me over. He asked, "What's wrong with this pizza?" I didn't see anything wrong so I guessed that he wanted extra toppings and he said yes. I told him I would have them make him a new pizza and bring it out as soon as it was ready.
About five minutes pass and he comes up to the counter and says, "I didn't want to say this in front of my daughters, but how f-cking long does it take to add some mushrooms to a f-cking pizza? We have somewhere to be I don't have all f-cking day." I explained the misunderstanding and he stomped back to his table. I immediately brought him his new pizza and he ate it, visibly angry with me.
My manager told me to comp the pizza to make this guy happy and he said, "Oh you don't have to do that! Thank you!" Also, as he was walking out he said, "I left you a good tip! Did you see?"
F-ck that guy.
Sir, Please Stop Hiding Items In The Wheelchair.
He got caught having his 4 and 6 year old nephews hide merchandise under his wheelchair for the THIRD TIME. Mostly video games and controllers.
He accused me of hating disabled people as he was being kicked out. I was just the cashier by the front door. Literally wasn't involved at all.
Would You Like Me To Wait Outside In My Car?
Giphy
I used to deliver pizza.
I had someone get irate and refuse the delivery because they'd ordered it to be delivered at 7pm and I got there at 6:55.
Again, You Understand I Don't Make The Products, Right?
I remember being screamed at every time the cigarette prices went up. "How am I supposed to afford that?" I don't know, sir; I'm a 15 year old girl.
note: This was 20 years ago, I think the law has changed but at least at the time, yes, minors were allowed to sell tobacco products! And yes, as a then 15-year-old girl sometimes being yelled at did make me cry!
What's the one reason a customer became furious with you? Tell us all about it!
I'm a smart person. I read, I study, I comprehend. But certain types of math can send me to the funny farm. I tried trigonometry in high school. I needed a therapist after a week. My brain hates math. It is what it is. I give up trying.
Louder!
Meme Reaction GIF by reactionseditorGiphy"I can't comprehend why any company would think I'm more likely to buy their product if they make their commercial 20db louder than all other commercials. Instant boycott."
The Scale
"The sheer size and scale of the universe. Like the fact that you can fit all the planets of the Solar System between the Earth and the Moon. Now realise how far apart all the planets are in the Solar System. This is practically next door compared to the distance between our Sun and the nearest star."
"There are billions of stars in our Milky Way (with the majority having planets of their own). The sheer scale of the vast emptiness involved means that even when our galaxy merges with the Andromeda galaxy in 4.5 billion years' time, there will be very, very few actual collisions between stars."
"Then there is the void between galaxies, and that it takes billions of years for light, at its speed (massless, and the fastest speed possible), to travel between galaxies, speaks of the sheer emptiness and distance in that void. I can't quite fathom it."
The Before...
"What was there before the universe, what was there before that, and that and that and (you get the idea)."
"The problem is we are using English words that have implied meanings that are familiar to humans on everyday experience to describe events that are outside everyday experience."
"Before" implies that time exists on both sides of an event, but that is not true when we are talking about the universe. Like how there are no positive numbers less than 0, there are no times before the beginning of the universe."
In the Words...
"Language, the fact that we all collectively decided separately and divertingly that certain sounds have meanings and that other sound mixed with those can change the meaning."
"Thanks for all of the upvotes and the award :3."
"Adding onto what I said, sounds are just vibrations in the air that out brains interpret into the sensation of hearing. Really we're vibrating the air at each-other and those air vibrations to your brain contain meaning. When you think about it like this language is not too dissimilar to the internet in a way. Makes you realize how crazy and unique of a skill language really is, with-ought it we wouldn't have a civilization."
"Another interesting thing related to this is when people call your name. Even if your in a crowded area with hundreds of people talking around you and you think your tuning them out if you hear your name you immediately notice, Some part of your brain must be constantly listening."
"Here are some other things my mind can't quite grasp:
- Computers, the fact that my phone is performing countless mathematical operations constantly.
- the plank length, if I understand it right it's the smallest distance anything can move, like a pixel of space.
- the human body and animals in general, were a collection of (large number but idk how large) cells all working together in various systems some how sustaining a brain that is able to be conscious, it's a miracle animals work at all let alone what they're capable of.
- why my ankles crack when I walk.
- what the future will be like, the world is changing so fast it's likely the future will be nothing like we think and it's coming." - Flaer15
I'm Empty
Fun Floating GIF by Tomas BrunsdonGiphy"My little brain can't comprehend the vast emptiness of space and the fact it supposedly just stretches on forever and never has an end. Kind of wild when you try imagine it."
Like any other muscle or organ in the body, we have to listen when pain is inflicted. We have to recognize discomfort and deal. Why don't we allow the same respect to our brain? It will tell us when enough is enough.
Simplicity...
Work Working GIFGiphy"How a simple calculator works. I can do math. I'm actually very good at it. How does a little plastic box do it though? Always boggled my mind."
Dammit!
"Dates. I am considered a historian by my family due to my knowledge on most world history, but God dang dates... I could be talking about WWII and say it happened the same date as WWI."
Billions of People
"That all the others persons I talk to or see, have their own thoughts, own inner dialogue and own life. For gaming analogy sometimes I just feel like others are NPC and I just can't comprehend that there are more than 7 billions person just like me."
"Sonder...
The profound feeling of realizing that everyone, including strangers passed in the street, has a life as complex as one's own, which they are constantly living despite one's personal lack of awareness of it."
Now That's Too Much!
"Quantum physics."
"I have a PhD in astronomy and MSc in Physics, and had to take ~2 years worth of quantum mechanics courses. It's one of those things where you can take solace that even with all that education on it all I can say is no one else really understands it either."
And the Dark?
"Light isn't affected by time. So... other things could just exist outside of time? Like, if you were a photon that traveled at light speed for a million years and then hit an alien's third butt, you'd experience it as instantly being a million light years away."
- Delica
"A photon moves at the speed of light through space, but is standing still in time."
"A person at rest moves at the speed of light through time, but is standing still in space. When you accelerate through space, you're simultaneously decelerating through time. That's why observers will see your clock slow down when you begin accelerating at relativistic speeds. It's referred to as time and space dilation. Makes more sense once you realize that."
The Process...
"There are people who don't have an internal dialogue with themselves. So, they never question if they are right or wrong. They never wonder if they are treating someone fairly, or if they are nice or mean."
"They can change their minds with no information, but it doesn't involve the process most of us go through when confronted with an opinion, or new data. It's not common, but it's not entirely rare. When I learned about this, I just couldn't understand how it was even possible."
The End
Season 2 Episode 10 GIF by The SimpsonsGiphy"Death, obviously I understand why people die and all that but just thinking what happens afterwards. What's it like for the said person that died, is it just blackness? Is it like they're dreaming??? Reincarnation?? This probably sounds very stupid but I don't care 🤦🏻♀️🤷🏻♀️"
There is so much to learn, and even more that we'll never know. And that's ok. When the brain is full, it's full. Seems like just a part of life. The mysteries will sometimes stay illusive.
Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.
I wanted to give up, I was flustered and spent way too much time trying to get a great grade in a class that just wasn't clicking for me. What did I do? I had to take a step back and reflect on what I would tell a friend in the same shoes. I would tell them they don't need to be perfect, that getting a C+ in one class wasn't going to wreck their whole GPA, and for the love of God drink water too won't just coffee.
Self-care and stealing extra sleep, even just an hour nap, can go a long way to refreshing your drive. The takeaway really was just to show me the same love and support I'd been putting out to those around me. You deserve it, too!
Redditor peachyjams asked:
"What are some tips for a burnt out student?"
The Reddit community gave this user some wonderful tips and tricks to help with student burnout.
Go at your own pace.
“Don't pressure yourself into 4 years. It's OK to take it slower. Balance out your schedule with more enjoyable elective credits if you can, or just take less courses in a semester if possible.”
“Obviously things like financial aid, living costs (if not living at home) and others may play a factor in how many courses you need to take or how quickly you need to complete college, so if you can't take less courses, talk to your advisor or counselor and work with them to carefully plan out each semester so that your coursework is balanced IE: You don't end up accidentally taking Calculus + "Fun," art class that was 1000x more work than you thought it would be in the same semester.”~zachtheperson
“Burnt out doesn't begin to cover it.”
“I feel very qualified to answer this. I have been in college continuously since I was 18, and I'm now 32. I have 2 years to go before finishing my doctorate. I currently have an associate's, bachelor's, and master's. I have also worked the entire time. Burnt out doesn't begin to cover it. Here is how I stay sane:
- Give school as little bandwidth in your life as possible. "Good enough" are the two most beautiful words in the English language. Get Bs on things. Write your assignments and due dates on a master calendar, block off times to get them done, and try to avoid thoughts of school outside of those blocks.
- To increase productivity during your work blocks, use Freedom or something similar. I paid for a lifetime subscription and in one class alone it paid for itself. It just blocks access to your distractions on the phone and computer while you get stuff done.
- Tackle other hobbies in life that you see progress in outside of school. Even if it feels like school will never ever end and you're on a treadmill of misery going nowhere, you can go somewhere in other areas of your life. I'm currently training for a marathon, just started learning cello, I mentor first gen college students, and I'm in a book club. Pick your poison, but try to put away the laptop and push yourself in a non-academic area.
- Your social needs may vary, but try getting together with other people not in your circle of school misery. Join a sports league (yuck for me but maybe not for you). I host regular dinner parties. Volunteer. Now that vaccines are out, make sure you get one then connect with other people.
- DO NOT TAKE A BREAK. When you stop school even for a semester you know what it's like to be happy and not have the weight of misery pulling you down. You won't want to go back. Slog through and just do it.
- Don't reward yourself with damaging things. Don't eat or drink your rewards for school or you will be unhealthy and unhappy when you're done. Reward yourself with something positive instead."
If I had to recommend one book, it would be 'Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle'. Basically, it goes into the science of feeling burned out, why it's bad for you, and how to fix it on a physiological level."
“If you don't want to read the whole thing, if I could distill the most useful information it would be: exercise. The author digs deep into the science (which I love) behind why it works SO DAMN GOOD, but if you hate science and reading, trust me. Go for a run a few times a week, lift weights, dance a lot, just get your heart rate up. Good luck. School sucks."~bicycle_mice
You don’t have to be perfect.
walking dead love GIFGiphy“If you're an A student I would suggest lowering your personal bar. Being constantly burnt out isn't worth the 0.2 difference in your GPA and if you're worried about career prospects there are always comparable fields that aren't quite as competitive.”
“Trying to get an A in every class takes disproportionally more work. If you can get A's and a few more B's while getting to chill every once and a while and not stressing, do that.”~SlightlyOvertuned
Lists are seriously underrated.
If your sensation is of being overwhelmed (i.e. you have an impossible amount of work to do with no end in sight) more than burnt out (you are exhausted and becoming detached from the work), then two tips:
- Realise that it's not infinite. If you stick it out until graduation (and I hope you do!), then many of the problems you're accumulating will be wiped clear. Perhaps your GPA/final grade won't be as good as you want, but remember that whatever you're facing now - this too shall pass. Knowning that there is an inevitable light at the end of the tunnel is useful for me.
- Make a list. If you are the under-organised type, making a list of things to do each morning on a sheet of paper dramatically reduces the stress level that those items cause you. You can implement some fancy to-do software if you prefer but tbh a daily todo is simpler and more effective...”~alexandicity
A book and a blanket? Make it so.
read new york GIFGiphy“When I was a burnt out student I took solace in a comfort zone activity. Something unrelated to my school work that I could dive into for a little while when I needed a break. For me, this was reading the Lord of the Rings.”
“What works for you depends one what's in your comfort zone, but it should be something that you can easily pick up and put down again when it is time to get back to work.”
“To this day, I still read the Lord of the Rings when I get stressed or overworked. In fact, I am reading it now, for the 48th time.”~khendron
Healthy Routines...
“Lots of things you could try! Sleep. 8 hours a day, wake up spontaneously without an alarm and if you feel the need do a 30-90 minute power nap in the afternoon.”
“Meditate daily, 5-30 minutes to start in the morning or whenever you feel comfortable. Limit the consume of caffeine.”
“Plan a healthy diet you can stick to, reducing the amount of junk food first to focus later on the composition of your main meals, snacks and so on. Eat plenty of greens, fruit, nuts and drink mainly water or sugar free drinks.”
“Take cold showers. Those are a huge boost, especially in the morning. Decompress. As someone said, take the days you need to just do nothing during your week. Last but not least, workout! Start small, build the habit and stick to it!“~Tha_Sin
“...it's pretty normal in our over worked society.”
“Burnout is real. It means you have given too much of yourself to something, and you need to recover. While deadlines don't wait, professors often will. “
“You have to communicate with them if you are struggling. If they are worth their pay, they will do their best to accommodate you. It's unhealthy to continue under so much stress. Be kind to yourself.”
“Nearly everyone experiences this at some point in life, and it's pretty normal in our over worked society. Do what you can to clear your mind. Assign yourself a certain number of hours to completely shift gears away from all these responsibilities.”
“Set an alarm if you have to, but give yourself enough time to reach a stage of full body relaxation. You can try walking, meditating, sleeping, whatever your body needs. Just listen to it! There is no shame here. You must care for yourself and keep a balance. Deep breaths, often.”~VaginaWarrior
“Yes to this advice!! Let teachers know ASAP that you are struggling and often they will be able to make accommodations or offer help. Also, looking into counseling services that are offered through the school is definitely worth taking advantage of while that stuff is accessible and free.”~shannonbta
“because a b*tch needs water...”
“My bad day thing is I have to get up, eat (even if it's takeout), put on fresh bedsheets because if I'm having a bad day in bed it might as well be comfortable and smell good, have a shower (even just shoulders down) and go for even a small walk, even if it's to the shop or to get myself that takeout."
“They're not huge things to do but they're very difficult on some days. And I don't always do them all, maybe I just eat and shower, or go for a walk, or just change my bedsheets. But all of them are small tasks that feel like mountains but once I do one or two of them they're so so easy, and I benefit from them all mentally or physically or both."
“And I have a litre bottle of water and cup of tea at my side at all times because a b!tch needs water and there are few things as comforting as a good cup of tea in a warm mug to me."~thisisausername-2021
“I didn't pull a single all-nighter in my 4 years of undergrad.”
- “Don't listen to your fellow classmates who boast about study 60+ hours a week, they're either exaggerating, straight-up lying, or have an incredibly inefficient study method. There will be times where you really need to be studying hard for extended amounts of time (ex. finals week), but for the vast majority of the semester it is completely unnecessary to do that in order to get a good grade.”
- “If you do find that you need excessive study in order to do okay in a course then you need to reach out to your TA(s) and professor. Most universities have free tutoring services, use them.”
- “Seriously just take more breaks and get more sleep. I didn't pull a single all-nighter in my 4 years of undergrad and now that I'm in med school I don't have any need for that either. Without real breaks and sleep your brain's ability to actually store and organize all the information you've studied goes out the window. This is harder to do if you need to work to support yourself but you need to find some semblance of healthy sleeping habits if you want to be able to make it through all 4 years.”
- “Eat real food. Don't just live off of snack foods and coffee, your brain isn't going to work properly if you don't fuel it. It's generally cheaper to buy canned and frozen fruit and veg so if you're on a budget try those aisles. Additionally, most places have some sort of charity or community pantry/soup kitchen, use it if you need to.You don't need to be completely destitute in order to reach out for help from these places, if you are struggling to make ends meet get help from your community. It is not weak, it is not shameful, it's being smart enough to accept that everyone needs help now and then.”
- “I mean it, don't pay attention to classmates and social media influencers who say they spend all their time studying. They almost definitely aren't and if they are they have an unsustainable view towards work/school that will bite them in the butt later on.”~JSD12345
Treat yourself to a mini-vacation.
“If you have any extra money (I know, easier said than done) book the cheapest AirBNB you can find within the area you can get to with the transportation you have available. Go alone or bring a friend, and have a mini-vacation, just for a night or weekend. It's very refreshing to have a change of scenery, even if it's in your same city.”~goshawkgirl
These are some great ideas to help cope with the all to real burnout. Remember to show yourself the grace you give to others because your best is all you can do.
Want to "know" more? Never miss another big, odd, funny, or heartbreaking moment again. Sign up for the Knowable newsletter here.