The Adventures Of Man-Bear
(I work as a volunteer job at a retirement home. The people living here usually aren’t problematic, but visitors can be. I am helping the cafeteria with another volunteer, a quiet bear-type who looks like he’s only there to find his WWE membership card. It’s busy and every table is packed; I’m running around trying to get residents seated on tables that only have one or two other residents. I see a table coming free, so I go to the entrance where an elderly couple is making their way over to said table, to guide them there. Two guys who are obviously not visiting anyone take the table. This happens often, as our prices are way lower than a cafe, so people take advantage.)
Me: “Sir, could you please leave the table? We give residents priority.”
Customer #1: “No, they should have been faster.”
Me: “Sir, these people are well over 80 and 90 years old, respectively. I’m asking you to leave the table.”
Customer #2: “Well, we were here earlier; go dump them somewhere else and bring us two coffees.”
(I’m too shocked to form a reply, but then I hear chairs scraping and see my man-bear coworker helping the couple to take a seat.)
Customer #2: “Hey, what the h*** are you doing? We were here first; get them out of here and get us our coffee!”
(My coworker walks over to the pair, and places his hands on the back of their necks.)
Coworker: “You two are not here to visit residents, are too cheap to go to a café, and are very rude to my coworker and our residents. She asked you to leave, and now I’m telling you: leave, or I’ll make you.”
Customer #1: “Go ahead and try; I’ll call your manager and have you fired.”
Coworker: *begins lifting both men from their seats* “Well, too bad I value our residents over a volunteer job.”
(He drags them to the exit where he drops them — literally. The two get back up, but by now a couple of nurses, volunteers, and half our visitors are up and looking at them.)
Customer #2: “I’m going to call the cops on you guys! I’ll have this whole place closed down!”
(My coworker went back to the counter, took off his jacket, and asked me what the couple ordered. Then, he paid for their order and made me a coffee to get over the experience. He was later called in by the director, lightly scolded for getting physical, then commended for protecting the residents. He’s still working with us, and he’s really cool.)
This story is part of our Nursing Home Worker roundup!
Question of the Week
Have you ever served a bad customer who got what they deserved?
