I was in my department alone when I nipped to the canteen to grab a quick cuppa. When I returned, after ten minutes or so, a couple was standing there muttering under their breath, glaring around. I greeted them cheerfully, and they snapped:

Customer: “Why is nobody here? There should be someone here at all times.”

Me: “Unfortunately, my colleague was involved in a car crash on her way into work this morning, and I am waiting for another worker to come in who has agreed to give up her day to cover for her. I have to have a break for the loo and a drink; it is illegal for me not to. Now, what can I do for you?”

They had nothing to say to that.

Bag checkers at my local superstore are required to ask to see your receipt if you have unbagged items in your cart. You very much can say, “No, thank you,” and continue on your way.

One day, I am at the store behind this dude and his kids. The son is pushing the cart.

Employee: “Can I see your receipt, please?”

The kid goes to hand it to her.

Dad: *Rudely* “No! Don’t stop!”

And he just about pushes past her.

My son and I stop and hand her our receipt even though all our stuff is bagged.

Me: *Loudly* “You can look at ours. Some of us have manners and know you’re just doing your job!”

The dude stopped, glared at me, and then kept going.

We passed him in the parking lot as he was loading his car, and I said to my son:

Me: “I always try to set a good example for you when it comes to proper behavior. I would never act rudely to someone who is just trying to do their job.”

Then, we went to our car to load our items in the trunk. We were parked next to the cart corral. The dude kept his eyes firmly fixed on the ground as he dropped off his cart.

There is no excuse for rudeness when someone is merely trying to do their job.

I work for an online shop that sells to most European countries. You can buy clothes, shoes, and accessories from us. A customer has contacted us by email because when they received their order with two bags in it, they found a small handbag in one of them. This handbag turned out to contain a few toiletries — and a huge amount of pills!

The customer is, of course, outraged (for an obviously good reason).

Customer: “What it is that you’re planning on doing here?!”

The normal procedure is to contact a manager and get a case like this dealt with properly because it’s a serious issue and a potentially huge health hazard. Imagine if a kid thought it was candy!

But unfortunately, one of my coworkers either doesn’t think it is serious, read the email wrong, or is on total autopilot, since their answer is rather… not good.

Coworker: “I’m sorry this has happened to you. You are welcome to return the article to us.”

And that was more or less it. Try to guess if the customer was happy about that reply. 

Yes, I did forward the case to a manager who would take care of the background part. I was given the task of answering the customer with “a tiny bit” more concerned email and getting all the needed information from them.

The retail location where I work does a Mother’s Day gift basket giveaway every year. All you have to do to enter is fill out a small slip of paper with your name and phone number on it. We are told to offer this to all customers and show off the products that are part of the gift basket.

I am restocking shelving attached to the side of the register while my coworker rings up an older man. He has said nothing the entire transaction, despite my coworker’s efforts.

Coworker: “Would you like to enter our raffle for our Mother’s Day gift basket?”

Customer: “My mother is dead.”

Coworker: “Oh… I’m sorry. Well, you could always enter for your wife—”

Customer: “My wife is dead.”

Coworker: *Very flustered but still trying* “Oh… I’m so sorry… You could always gift it to a sibling or a daughter or—”

Customer: “No. Everyone’s dead. They’re all dead.”

He dropped exact change on the counter, grabbed his things, and walked out.

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away, I was the assistant to the retail manager of a swimming pool store. We sold, as you might guess, swimming pools and swimming pool supplies. Anyone that has the misfortune of owning a pool or working in the industry knows that pool chemicals are a big part of pool maintenance and sales, and every shop has its own line of products and they are always better than every other shop’s line of products, despite it really all being the same stuff.

One day, I was manning the store on the closing shift. It was toward the end of the season and things had slowed down that evening. A few minutes before closing time, I get a customer.

Customer: “Oh, good! You’re still open!”

I internally roll my eyes. We all know that line. It’s five minutes before quitting time, but I put on my best customer service smile.

Me: “How can I help you?”

Customer: “I’d like to return these chemicals.”

Me: “Hmm, okay. It’s actually store policy that we cannot accept returns on chemicals.”

This was true; there were signs up everywhere and it was written on receipts, as well. Customers in the past would purchase chemicals, use them, and then return them after filling them with water or other substitute materials. We had stopped accepting returns years and years ago.

Customer: “Oh… Well, can you make an exception? My pool just fell down and I don’t have any use for them now. I’m just trying to recoup my losses.”

I was feeling sorry for her like the sucker I was.

Me: “Okay… Do you have your receipt?”

Customer: “No.”

Me: “Well, let me see what you have.”

She plops several canisters of various pool chemicals on the table

Me: “These… are all open. And half-used. And they aren’t my brand of chemicals. You didn’t even buy them from me!”

Customer: “Can you give me anything for them?”

I fought the urge to get rude.

Me: “Sorry, can’t help you.”

This must have been ten years ago. I’ve moved on to a different industry and thankfully blocked out many of the painful memories of that awful job, but I’ll never forget the audacity of that customer, trying to return half-used chemicals that she didn’t even buy from me!