Unfiltered Story #178338

Me [answering the phone]: Hello, thank you for calling [clothing store], this is [my name].

Customer: Hi, I need to speak to the manager.

Me: I’m sorry ma’am, the manager has just gone her lunch break now. Is there anything I can help you with?

Customer: Oh no, it must be the manager.

Me [thinking it’s a customer complaint and this particular customer is just a difficult one]: No problem. Well like I said she had literally walked out the door for her lunch break when you rang, it’s unfortunate you just missed her. She has a 30 minute lunch break so you can either ring back in half an hour or I can take your name and phone number and have her call you back as soon as she returns.

Customer: Oh I’m not giving you my personal information.

Me: Ok…well you can try calling back in half an hour when she returns from her break. She will be available then.

Customer: *sigh* I don’t have time. It’s pretty urgent. Can you just, like, give me her mobile number or something?

Me [stunned]: Uh, no, sorry, I’m not permitted to give out employee’s personal information. And even if I could, the manager is currently on her lunch break. Unless it’s a store emergency, she is entitled to half an hour of uninterrupted break without having to worry about work.

Customer: But this IS an emergency! And I don’t have time for this! I demand to speak to the manager! I have an urgent customer inquiry and I don’t have time to talk to someone who doesn’t know what they are doing! Give me her mobile number so I can talk to the manager!

Me: Ma’am, please don’t talk to me like that. I am not giving you the manager’s personal mobile number. I have explained that the manager is on her break and offered you two options if you wish to speak to her, neither of which you are choosing to take. Now, unless there is anything that I can help you with, there are customers here that have been waiting that I need to also attend to.

Customer: This is disgraceful customer service. I am a customer that has an urgent inquiry to make, I have a party on tomorrow and need a dress ASAP, and I want to know if you have a particular dress in stock, and the only person who can help is not even in the store. I’m not coming to this store ever again!

Me [facepalming big time and in complete disbelief that’s all she needed the manager for]: Ma’am, I’m an employee of the store, my job title is Sales Assistant. I am definitely qualified to check on the system if we have a dress in store. You do not need the manager or her mobile number to check something as simple as an item search.