(I used to work in a call center where we would ask for a customer’s PIN, which is what they created to verify their identity for when they called regarding their account.)

Coworker: “Good morning! This is [Business]. Can I have your name, please?”

(Pause.)

Coworker: “Okay, great! Can I have your PIN?”

(Pause.)

Coworker: “It’s okay if you can’t remember it, ma’am. I’ll just ask you for some other information to verify your identity.”

(My coworker then asks her a few questions.)

Coworker: “Okay, thank you very much. Do you want to update your PIN or would you like me to tell you what it is?”

(Pause.)

Coworker: “That’s not a problem. The PIN you set up was 7727.”

(My coworker freaks out then hits the mute button to snort loudly before jumping back on the call.)

Coworker: “Uh… y-yes, that’s just fine. N-not a problem. You have a nice day.”

(She turns around to talk to me.)

Coworker: “When I gave that lady her PIN she said ‘Oh, it’s the same as my bank PIN! That’s what I put in the ATM!’ I can’t believe she told me that! Now I can’t un-know that!”

(Hours later.)

Coworker: “That lady’s bank PIN is still in my head! I can’t get it out of my head! Why did she have to tell me that?!”

(Sometime the night before, an opossum got into the power box in our center and was electrocuted, causing power to go our building and others. We usually open at eight am. Our bosses texted the employees not to come in until nine am. When I came in at nine am there is an email from a customer saying he tried to call at eight am. I call him back immediately:)

Me: “Hello, I’m sorry you couldn’t get through this morning. We had a power outage.”

Customer: “Not answering the phone was unprofessional. You told me you would be there at eight am. I called; you didn’t answer.”

Me: “Yes, I understand. An opossum got into the power box, was electrocuted, and knocked out all the power.”

Customer: “Well, that was unprofessional of him!”

(Realizing the customer is not listening at all.)

Me: “You are completely correct. I assure the individual responsible was fired.”

(Or, should I say… fried)

(I’m female, and work in a hardware store in a small town. My boss is an elderly lady infamous for two things: always taking the customer’s side, and being extremely proper and conservative. We have a regular customer who comes in a few times per week and always makes vulgar and sexist jokes, comments, and gestures towards the female staff. We’ve complained to our boss multiple times about him, but she never does anything. She claims turning him away will be bad for business. So, normally we let the male staff handle him and keep our distance. I would quit, but it’s a small town and jobs are hard to come by. This particular evening I’m kneeling down stocking screws when he comes down the aisle.)

Regular: “Huh, you look like you spend a lot of time on your knees, hey?” *creepy laugh*

Me: *trying to ignore him* “Can I help you find anything?”

Regular: “Naw, I’m just admiring the view” *motions to my butt and winks*

Me: “All right, well, if you need anything just ask. [Male Coworker] is at the back desk.”

(I stand up to leave, but as I’m walking past him, he proceeds to grab my butt and give it a squeeze. Having endured years of his comments and gestures, I snap and end up punching him square in the face. He staggers back and falls into a rack of car fuses, holding his face and cursing.)

Me: *having completely lost it* “DON’T YOU EVER F***ING TOUCH ME AGAIN, UNDERSTAND?! I’LL HIT YOU A LOT HARDER NEXT TIME!”

(I notice something out of the corner of my eye and turn to see my boss standing there, eyes wide and mouth open. Then she starts marching towards us, angrily.)

Boss: “How DARE you?!”

(At this point, I’m positive I’m about to be fired for both swearing and hitting a customer. However, she walks over to the customer instead.)

Boss: “Get the f*** out of my store!”

(She chases him out of the store, screaming profanities as he holds his bloody nose. She eventually comes back to me.)

Boss: “Now, [My Name], are you all right? Have you called the police?”

Me: “No, not yet, but I will. I honestly thought you were going to fire me.”

Boss: “Oh, heavens, no. The only thing I have to tell you is to hit the a**-hole harder next time!”

(I saw a very new side of my boss that day.)

(It is my first day of work. I worked for this particular coffee store once before, quit, and have come back. While it has been a long time since I worked there I still remember how to make drinks. An order is placed for an iced latte and I make it then hand it out to the customer.)

Me: “There you are! Have a great day!”

Customer: “That’s wrong.”

Me: “I’m sorry?”

Customer: “You made it wrong. There’s too much milk.”

Me: “Well, an iced latte is one shot of espresso and the rest is filled with milk and any flavoring.”

Customer: “No, it’s not.”

Me: “I can remake it for you if you’d like.”

Customer: “Obviously.”

(I begin remaking the drink with my shift leader watching me in case I did indeed mess up. The customer leans over the counter and begins watching me as well. I ask the customer if they want more espresso and they say no so I decide to add more ice so there’s less milk and the drink is still full.)

Customer: “That’s too much ice!”

Me: “Did you want less ice?”

Customer: “Yes and that’s still too much milk!”

Me: “Then the drink won’t be full, sir.”

Customer: “Ugh! Well maybe if you made it right!”

(I finally give up and have my shift leader makes it the exact same way I did the first time and hands it to the customer.)

Shift Leader: “How is that?”

Customer: “Finally! It’s made right!”

(The customer then left and stood in the parking lot, drinking their drink. It was beyond frustrating!)

(To ensure speed and accuracy of drink orders we add milk, sugar, and flavors to drinks by using three different machines. Each machine is calibrated to add a certain amount of product per size of drink. For example, and extra small shot of sugar is about 1 teaspoon, a small is 2 teaspoons, and so on. The same goes for the milk/creamer/skim milk machine; therefore, we can’t really do half shots of anything. A customer tells me that she wants a coffee with the smallest shot of skim milk. I make her the coffee and show it to her before putting the lid on.)

Me: “How’s that?”

Customer: “Oh, no, no, no, no.”

Me: “Would you like more or less milk?”

Customer: “More; that’s not nearly enough.”

(I add a little more milk and bring it back.)

Me: “Is that better?”

Customer: “Oh, no, no. now it’s too light.” *sigh* “But I guess it will do.”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am. All our machines are calibrated to a certain amount so it’s hard to get it just right sometimes, you know?”

Customer: “I understand. It must be so hard for you to actually make a coffee with something other than cream. It’s hard for you to understand; I get it. I have to keep it simple with you folks so you don’t get all confused.”