Me: *finish ringing up the customer’s items* “Ok. That comes to $67.47”
Customer: *leans in very close and looks over his shoulder and whispers* “Hey, man. Can I get a discount?” *proceeds to give me a wink*
(I lean in equally as close and look over my shoulder and whisper…)
Me: “No”.
Customer: *smile fades from face*
Me: *unenthusiastic stone-faced wink* “$67.47, please.”
(Some of the air fresheners we sell have a “scratch and sniff” on the packet so the customers can try the scents before they buy. As I walk past our air freshener display one day, a customer browsing them asks me for help.)
Customer: “Excuse me. How do I use the scratch and sniff on this?”
(I work for a company that services big trucks, among other things, in multiple states. Before we transfer the callers to the service locations, we’re required to confirm the location they’re needing service — because it isn’t uncommon for people to call a location several hundred miles from where they actually are — and get their name, even if it’s just a first name. Some people apparently don’t like being asked simple questions.)
Me: “Thank you for calling [Service Company]. How may I help you?”
Caller: “Service.”
Me: “Certainly, sir. And what—”
Caller: *annoyed sigh* “TRUCK service.”
Me: *mentally bracing myself for one of THOSE calls* “And you’re needing the [City], [State] location, correct? May I tell them who’s calling?”
Caller: “JESUS CHRIST! I’m a f****** DRIVER. I need TRUCK SERVICE!”
Me: “One moment, please.”
(Ordinarily, I would make one more attempt to placate them and get a name, but I had already dealt with numerous rude callers in the thirty minutes I’d been on and was in no mood to be cussed at even more. I put him on hold and call out to that service location, even though it’s actually about ten minutes before their coordinator — a woman who has been with the company for years and has outlasted most of the mechanics and techs at her location — starts her shift. Fortunately, the coordinator is already in and answers her line on the second ring.)
Coordinator: *teasing tone* “What time does your clock say?”
Me: *chuckling, because she always teases and gives us a hard time if we call her right around her shift starting* “Ten to. Sorry to bother you this early, but I’ve got a Grumpy Gus who was not going to want to leave a message with anyone. Someone apparently hasn’t had his coffee yet.”
Coordinator: “Oh, boy. First one of the day, too. What’s his name?”
Me: “Well, he wouldn’t tell me.”
(I quickly relate the exchange to her.)
Coordinator: “Don’t you wish you could ‘accidentally’ hang up on callers like that?”
Me: *laughing* “I would say you have no idea, but I know you do. Hopefully he’ll be nicer to you since you’re actually the service department.”
Coordinator: “Let’s hope so. I think we’ve made him wait long enough; send him on over.”
(I got the guy again when he called back a couple hours later, and he was significantly nicer and sounded almost meek. If the coordinator hadn’t told me it was the same guy, I wouldn’t have thought it was him. Apparently, she took the wind out of his sails really quickly when he started in on her after I first gave her the call. Nothing like a long-time service coordinator to give a truck driver a lesson in manners! We do understand that the drivers can be frustrated when they call — their trucks aren’t working right and it costs them money, not just in repairs but in lost work — but cussing at us and being difficult when we’re trying to do our jobs and help isn’t going to get them anywhere.)
(The store I work at receives our stock on a Monday. By Wednesday we have finished processing it and it is all on the shop floor for purchase. I am tidying one of the aisles when a customer comes walking up to me, and asks me a question, without a, “Hello, how are you?” or anything.)
Customer: “Do you have any more sets of trailer wheel bearings out the back?”
Me: “No, sir, just what is on the shelf, I’m afraid.”
Customer: “Well, you only have three sets on the shelf! What use is that? Do you know of any trailers with three wheels?!”
Me: “Well, no, but we generally have them sent in amounts of two. It could be that another customer has purchased one set and left us with an odd number. I’m sorry about that.”
Customer: “You don’t just change one! That’s just stupid. You may as well throw the other three away, as they’re no use to anyone!” *shaking head at me*
Me: *pause* “I’m sorry, sir, but I cannot control what people do and do not buy. There is a trailer shop just up the road, though; I’m sure you’ll be able to get some there.”
Customer: *muttering as he walks away* “F****** useless c***s!”
Me: *sigh*
(I work in an auto repair shop. Just after we open at seven am, I get a call from a sweet-sounding, older lady.)
Me: “Thank you for calling [Shop]. How may I help you?”
Caller: “Parts department.”
(It’s about an hour earlier than that department arrives in the office. Additionally, as we do not sell parts themselves, only order them as needed for repair jobs, our parts department only takes incoming calls from vendors.)
Me: “I’m sorry, but they’re not available. Is there something I can do for you?”
Caller: “I need a price on a part.”
Me: “Okay, no problem; however, for us to quote you a price, we would need you to come—”
Caller: *interrupting* “I can’t come in. I just want a price on a rear window.”
Me: “I apologize for the inconvenience, but—”
Caller: “It’s the rear window. You know, the glass part that goes up and down?”
(Yes, she actually explains car windows to me.)
Me: “I understand, ma’am, but as we are a repair shop, not a parts shop, we don’t just sell parts. We would need to give you a quote on the full repair work. If you’d like—”
Caller: “Let me speak to [Person].”
Me: “I’m sorry; we don’t have anyone here by that name.”
Caller: “What? Let me speak to [Person]. He works there.”
Me: “Ma’am, are you maybe trying to reach another shop or a dealership? We’re [Shop].”
Caller: “Oh. Yeah, I need a dealership.”
Me: “Ah, okay. Then—”
Caller: “Transfer me.”
(We are associated with two different dealerships dealing with two different car makes, so I can send her to one of them if needed, but only if I know what type of car she has.)
Me: “Sure thing. Which dealership are you trying to reach? Do you have a—”
Caller: “F*** you!” *hangs up*
Me: *stares at phone in shock*
