His Hot Head Is Adding To The Heat  

(Our thermostat is not controlled in our store. A computer system in a different state is where the controls are located to prevent employees from messing with it. The only thing we can turn on and off are the ceiling fans. One day it is ridiculously cold both outside and inside the store.)

Angry Customer: “This is ridiculous! You must not want to be here this morning if you’re turning on the cold air when it’s forty degrees outside!”

Me: “I know it’s pretty cold out there, but unfortunately, we can’t do anything about the air inside right now. My manager already made a call in to get the heat turned on, but it could take several hours for it to get switched over since the controls are in a different state.”

Angry Customer: “That’s bulls***! I install air conditioning and you can’t install the system controls in a different state. You’re just a stupid little nobody so you make things up so you won’t get yelled at.”

Me: “If you’d like to file a complaint, sir, my manager is on the register to my left.”

(My manager goes over the same thing with the angry customer but he only gets more pissed off.)

Angry Customer: “You all must be stupid, then! I can’t believe they made someone as incompetent as you a manager if you don’t know how to work a f****** thermostat! I’ll just come back there and fix it myself!”

Manager: “Sir, if you attempt to get behind this counter I will have to call the police on you, and I’d like to remind you that they are just across the street so it won’t take long for them to get here. I’m sorry about the cold, but there is nothing more I can do at this time, and you do have a nice, thick jacket on that should be keeping you very warm.”

Angry Customer: “How dare you threaten me?! I want the number for your corporate office!”

(My manager writes a number down on a piece of paper and hands it to the angry man, who stands right in front of her and dials. That’s when I hear our store phone ringing.)

Manager: *to me* “Sorry, let me go back to the office and answer that.”

(She walks back to the office and from where I am standing, I can hear both sides of the conversation as the angry man yells at my manager and she proceeds to tell him the same thing we already told him twice. After a few minutes he hangs up and grumbles.)

Angry Customer: “I can’t believe this s***! That is the stupidest thing I ever heard!”

Manager: “Sorry, sir, I had a customer on the line. Did corporate resolve your issue?”

(The angry customer leaves, cursing under his breath.)

Me: “That… Did that just happen?”

Manager: “That was awesome! I knew he would fall for it!”

Me: “Are you allowed to do that?”

Manager: “Are you kidding? Corporate doesn’t have time to deal with grouchy guys screaming at them because of something that can’t be immediately fixed.”

(Just then, our cold air shut off and the heater kicked in.)