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!
