Customer service workers of Iwaku; share your horror stories!

[Minibit]

I've had quite a few horror stories in my years working customer Service, from the guy who threw his groceries at me to the girl who tried to jump counter, but number one is the guy who insulted my mother to my face.

This guy... I was always his favourite. He'd always compliment me on my work, telling me what a good salesman I am, and this time he was telling me how I should sell cars or houses instead of frozen food (this was at my old job).

I thanked him for the compliment but said I didn't want to make a career out of sales, and that I enjoyed my job.

He asked me what I did want to do, and I said I'd like to make a career in the writing industry.

The usual (and accurate) "everyone and their dog is a writer, writers are a dime a dozen, no money in that path" retort followed

I waved it off, saying I did have a paycheque plan, and that my mother always told me to go after what makes me happy, not necessarily what makes me rich.

"Well is your mom penniless? Is she selling it on the street?"

I'm not even paraphrasing. The man looked me dead in the eye and said that

I was so shocked I couldn't even speak. I refused to serve him after that.

 

[Zen]

When I was in culinary, many of my peers didn't want to work front of the house because dealing with customers stressed them out. And it stressed me out too when I had to do it, but hey you learn. I did end up having to deal with customers though, but I doubt my stories will ever be as bad as the ones shared on here. Fortunately I worked back of the house.

We have one guy at Papa John's who just wouldn't sign for his credit card because he thought we would steal his money. It ended up involving the entire store, including our driver and our shift leader, but the guy refused to pay. He ended up storming out with his pizza and the rest of us cussing him out when he left.

 

[Smo]

I had a fast changer try to trick me but after working a while with those types, I was able to identify them. Those who don't know what that is, it's when a customer gives you some cash and then as you are taking out the change, handing it to them, they ask for a $10 instead of a $5 and then be like, "I change my mind, I want $1s". What it does is that it tricks the cashier into giving much more change to the customer and they walk away with like an extra $15 or more.

Plainly put, I told him the typical spiel and he got very angry that he was caught. Started yelling and cussing in the midst of the store, scaring customers away. And the real gem here? Was that he tried to punch me in the face. He grabbed me by my collar. Of course, my shift lead being the big guy he was, knocked the old fart right on his ass before he managed to hit me and the other one called the police.

After that, yeah, I did not like working retail anymore.