We are currently slammed with only two registers open because a coworker called out. I have asked everyone in the return line to please join the regular line since neither of us is in the customer service area.

A young female walks up to my register with a return.

Me: “Hi, how are you? 

Customer: “I’m great! I just wanted to return these headphones because I found better ones at a new store!” 

She provides me with a receipt and after I scan the barcodes, she gives me the headphones that, from the receipt, she bought roughly a month ago. I begin inspecting them and notice a large amount of ear wax accumulated in each earbud.

Me: “Uh, these were used quite a lot; did they stop working?” 

Customer: “Oh, no! I just found something better somewhere else.” 

Me: “Well, unfortunately, we can’t accept returns on used merchandise. I have to deny your return.” 

She raises her voice.

Customer: “I DON’T UNDERSTAND WHY YOU CAN’T RETURN THEM! MAYBE YOU ARE NEW, BUT I WANT MY MONEY BACK!” 

Me: “No, ma’am. I’ve worked here for several years and the return policy states we cannot return used, washed, or altered merchandise, and because the earphones you are returning clearly have a large amount of earwax in them, I cannot return them for hygienic reasons, such as being used.”

She snatches the earphones off my counter.

Customer: “WELL, YOU JUST LOST MY BUSINESS AND I’LL MAKE SURE YOU LOSE YOUR JOB!” 

I still work at my job and she never complained.

Related:
Ear-Waxing Lyrical About Bad Service

I work in a small photography studio. One of our duties opening first thing in the morning is to print the updated session list and call the clients to confirm their appointments; if a client cannot be reached to confirm, their session is canceled.

It’s Easter Sunday and my manager and I are the only two working a short shift for the holiday. We call all the clients. Only one does not answer, so we leave a message and remind them that we close early and failure to call back and confirm cancels their appointment.

It’s now thirty minutes from our closing time and that client has since missed their appointment with no return call. Since no one is scheduled to come in, and no walk-ins have arrived all day, my manager gives me the okay to start closing down the shop while she takes off early.

As I am closing the till, I see a group of around eighteen people walking in the door.

Me: “Sorry, guys, we’re closing early for the holiday.”

Older Woman: “But we have an appointment.”

Me: “What is your name and what time was your appointment scheduled?”

Older Woman: “It’s under [No Answer Client] and our appointment was at [three and a half hours earlier].

Me: “I’m sorry, but you never returned our confirmation call, and you missed your appointment time.”

Older Man: “But we are here now. We had to wait for family coming in from the airport.”

I called my manager to explain and she told me to go ahead with the job, while my family waited for me at home. The clients didn’t even buy anything that day.

I’m cashiering at a busy restaurant on a Saturday night. A man marches up to the counter to pick up a to-go order. Having dealt with many surly customers tonight, I’ve found the best way to avoid getting yelled at is to smile brightly and ignorantly while saying as little as possible.

Me: *Smiling widely* “Hello! It looks like your food is ready; I’ve got it right here for you! Your total is [amount over $40].”

Customer: *Grumbling* “I’ve only got seven.”

He pulls out his wallet and takes a single bill out.

Customer: “No, I’ve only got $5.”

He places the $5 bill on the counter between us, steps back, and gives me a hard stare. I don’t move to touch the money. Still smiling, but feeling a bit uncomfortable under his glare, I respond the only way I can think of.

Me: “We’re still $38 short.”

The man continues to glare at me, hard. I can feel my smile fading, turning into a deer in the headlights look. Just as I’m about to turn to grab a manager, he grabs the money off the counter, pulls his wallet back out, and hands me a card. I quietly swipe it and hand him the receipt to sign.

Customer: *Shrugging harshly* “This is ridiculous.”

Now just trying to get him out, I shrug back and avert my eyes. Suddenly, the man’s face turns into a grin.

Customer: “You know I’m just messing with you, right? Just thought I’d lighten up your day a bit!”

Relieved, but still on edge, I smiled back. In one fluid motion, the man signed the receipt, handed me the $5 bill as a tip, grabbed his food, and left, chuckling on his way out.

When I return from my two-week vacation, a store I very often shop at is suddenly having a liquidation sale as they are closing. I am greeted with multiple signs that they are closing and that all sales are final. Inside the store, there are many, many signs stating returns are no longer accepted, all sales are final, etc. There are more signs than products, but luckily, what I need is still there, and I get it half-off; nice!

When I reach the register, the cashier is already serving the lady in front of me.

Cashier: “That will be [amount].”

The lady pays and leaves, but returns less than a minute later.

Lady: “Wait, how much is [item]?”

Cashier: *Checking receipt* “It was [amount], miss. It was half-off.”

Lady: “It’s too expensive!”

Cashier: “It used to be [double], miss. The discount has been applied.”

Lady: “It’s still too expensive.”

Cashier: “I’m sorry, miss. I can’t help that.”

Lady: “I want my money back!”

Cashier: *Pauses* “I’m sorry, but you can’t. All sales are final.”

Lady: “But it’s too expensive! You just cashed me out!”

Cashier: “I know, but all sales are final.”

The cashier points to the sign next to her.

Cashier: “I’m no longer allowed to return items.”

Lady: “You just cashed me out!”

Cashier: “I know! I’m sorry, but I can’t return your money. We can’t accept returns; all sales are final, even if they are made less than a minute ago.”

The cashier points to the sign next to her.

Lady: “This is outrageous! How rude! I will complain about this; the head office hasn’t heard the last of this! I will never shop here again!”

Cashier: *Muttering* “That shouldn’t be too hard…” *Louder* “Next, please!”

I work in a call centre for one of the main delivery companies, and it’s a few minutes before we close the lines for the night. I get a call from a lady whose package is clearly shipped with another carrier.

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I see that you’ve called the wrong company; you should check with [Local Carrier].”

Customer: “Hmm, really?” *Very entitled tone* “Well, what’s their number, then?”

Usually, I would make an effort for an elderly person or someone nice, but we aren’t obliged to provide our competitors’ contact information to entitled people who are clearly capable of doing a Google search.

Me: “I don’t have their number, unfortunately, but I’m sure it’s available online.”

Customer: “But you are customer service! You have to give me the information I ask for!”

Me: “Ma’am, you’ve essentially called the wrong number. I don’t have to give you any information beyond what I already did.”

Customer: “Oh, yeah? Give me your manager now!”

This makes me chuckle a little, because first of all, I have no legitimate reason to escalate the call and my manager would think I was crazy if I did, and second, the lady seems way too entitled for someone who’s calling a wrong number. Where I work, “give me your manager” is not a magic wand that gets you whatever you wish for.

Me: “I’m sorry, but I repeat, you have called the wrong number, so I cannot pass you a manager. What’s more, I am not your servant. Have a good evening, now.” *Click*

I felt a sense of relief, but also surprise at what came out of my mouth. I wish every customer would realize that they’re talking to a human being on the other side.