Some People Just Have Bags Of Anger

(A woman comes up to the counter.)

Me: “Hello. Did you find everything today?”

Customer: *no answer*

(I continue to scan the items until I get to the total.)

Customer: “That’s not the right f****** price!”

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry. Which one is incorrect?”

Customer: “The handbag, you f****** idiot!”

Me: “Okay, if you show me where the handbag is from, I can have a look at the signage and correct the price for you.”

(She walks me over to the bag and I explain that this particular item is not on sale.)

Customer: “Get me your manager!”

(I walk over to the phone and call the manager to come down.)

Me: “The manager is just coming down; she will be with you in a moment.”

(Less than thirty seconds later, the woman slaps her hand on the desk and screams abuse at me.)

Customer: “WHERE IS THE F****** MANAGER?! IF I DON’T HAVE A MANAGER HERE IN TWO SECONDS I WILL HAVE YOU FIRED!”

(My colleague then politely replies for me.)

Colleague: “If you would just like to wait a few more seconds, I’m sure the manager will be right with you.”

(The woman then really makes a turn for the worst. She leans over the desk, grabs my colleague’s shirt, and pulls her in.)

Customer: “YOU F****** LITTLE COW! I WILL HAVE YOUR JOB FOR THAT! YOU NEED TO LEARN SOME F****** MANNERS! DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM?! HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME LIKE THAT?! CONSIDER YOURSELF FIRED!”

(My colleague is in tears and another colleague comes to take her away from the situation. She takes my colleague away and another one comes in.)

Colleague #2: “How dare you talk to our staff like that?! What gives you the right to talk to an employee like that, let alone touch them?!”

(By this point my manager has seen all of the events and comes over to intervene.)

Manager: “What seems to be the problem?”

Customer: “I’m f****** suing you for false advertisement! On top of that, your b**** of an employee just verbally assaulted me! I’m going to the head office and the police about this!”

Manager: “Actually, madam, you were verbally abusing my staff. I have heard the entire altercation and I have a good mind to call the police myself and have you arrested.”

Customer: “You can’t call the police on me! I know my rights!”

Manager: “Actually, I can call the police, and if you don’t leave my store immediately, I will.”

Customer: “I’m not leaving until I get my free handbag and make my complaint!”

Manager: “One, you are absolutely not getting a free handbag. Two, here is the number for the head office; feel free to make as many complaints against me as you like.”

(My manager then gets very close to the customer and says very clearly:)

Manager: “AND THREE, IF YOU EVER TALK ABOUT OR TO ANY OF MY EMPLOYEES LIKE THAT AGAIN, I WILL DROP YOU.”

(The customer turned white and grumbled out of the door.)