# Do you yell at sales people because of the price of their products? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 13, 2004, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-yell-at-sales-people-because-of-the-price-of-their-products/269086 "2004-10-13T21:34:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-yell-at-sales-people-because-of-the-price-of-their-products/269086/41 "2004-10-15T14:30:06Z")
> [@Flander](#): > > I work for a company that developes software for court reporters. For those of you who don’t know, this is a VERY expensive line of work to start. $4000 for the steno writer, $1500 for a good laptop, money for connection cables and junk it all adds up quickly before you can even start. Our software retails for $3995, in addition to all those other costs. If you want to be a closed captioner (you know, the person who types the words on the tv for the deaf), the software is $6995. Already, every customer we have (and we have a LOT) is strapped for cash. So what do the bosses do? Yup, charge an additional $495 if they want tech support to be available to them…per year…per system. > The owner’s kids are all living on their parents’ dime and the father just paid cash for a brand new Dodge Viper. Meanwhile, I"m stuck listening to computer illiterate fucktards bitch about how they can’t find their program’s shortcut icon and they have to pay $495 if they want me to tell them. The only saving grace is the gorgeous daughter. I need a new job. Anyone hiring an office savy doper with great computer skills and an affable personality? (Retail employers need not respond) That probably wasn’t the wisest post to make, **Flander**. There are only a few companies that make software for court reporters and captioners. Only one of those companies is headquartered in Florida, and you just quoted their price list. Although many of their customers are computer-illiterate, they have some rather clever ones, too, who just might be Straight Dopers. The lead programmer is a very clever chap. The owner is a robber-baron wannabe with the ethics of Al Capone, and you just insulted him and his company personally. You just might need a new job soon. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 2:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-yell-at-sales-people-because-of-the-price-of-their-products/269086/42 "2004-10-15T14:32:19Z")
> [@Sami41](#): > > “Make it a good one,” with a wink, or “How’s your wrist feeling,” or “Hook it up.” Well, for one, I’m sick of the winking, it’s not working, and secondly, this isn’t my booze to give away. If it was mine it’d be at least a buck cheaper and I would be happy to “Hook it up.” Okay, I know what “Make it a good one” means, and I can intuit “How’s your wrist feeling.” I’ve never heard “Hook it up.” Does it mean basically the same thing? ---
**Author:** ![Flander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8c91f0/32.png) [@Flander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flander)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-yell-at-sales-people-because-of-the-price-of-their-products/269086/43 "2004-10-15T15:03:54Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > That probably wasn’t the wisest post to make, **Flander**. There are only a few companies that make software for court reporters and captioners. Only one of those companies is headquartered in Florida, and you just quoted their price list. Although many of their customers are computer-illiterate, they have some rather clever ones, too, who just might be Straight Dopers. The lead programmer is a very clever chap. The owner is a robber-baron wannabe with the ethics of Al Capone, and you just insulted him and his company personally. You just might need a new job soon. The programmer is a genius. No doubt about that. And I have no beef with the owner’s personally, they are quite nice people. Sometimes I just get burned out on this job. Everyone has that moment. There’s no option for promotion which makes motivation to excel hard to come by. My post was basically my way of venting. Think what you want. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-yell-at-sales-people-because-of-the-price-of-their-products/269086/44 "2004-10-15T15:25:47Z")
We all should try many jobs. I have been a shop assistant and a telephone troll. I learnt to always be polite to anyone just trying to earn a living. ---
**Author:** ![Elza\_B](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Elza\_B](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elza_B)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-yell-at-sales-people-because-of-the-price-of-their-products/269086/45 "2004-10-15T15:59:46Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > Aint just retail. I just examined a cat with head trauma. Mandibular and maxillary fractures, unable to eat, a real mess. And the cat’s wounds are 72 hours old (owners have been busy). When I gave them a quote of $450 to $550 for complex orthopedic surgery they became irate. > > This is the pit, verdad? Well, fuck 'em. Fuckers. Why the fuck did they wait so goddamn long? We just spent about $500 to get our boy cat well with an allergic skin condition that he has - he was pretty miserable for awhile, and spiked a few very high fevers. I’d pay all of my life savings to make sure he was well, and I sure as hell wouldn’t grumble about it. Yeah, we took him to the emergency vet one Sunday because he had another high fever and was bleeding all over the place, but we expected the bill to be high when we got it. That’s why it’s an emergency vet. I hope most of your owners are a lot nicer than these assholes. Ava ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lott](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ee7513/32.png) [@Mona\_Lott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lott)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-yell-at-sales-people-because-of-the-price-of-their-products/269086/46 "2004-10-15T20:46:57Z")
Here is something that happens all too often. The customer is as rude as can be to you, the retail drone. When you finally get a manager up front to deal with the completely unreasonable customer, why is it that that’s when they become calm and non-abusive? Where did they put their scorn and contempt? I think that the customer in this situation is beneath contempt. ---
**Author:** ![InvidiousCourgette](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e47c2d/32.png) [@InvidiousCourgette](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InvidiousCourgette)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-yell-at-sales-people-because-of-the-price-of-their-products/269086/47 "2004-10-15T20:52:15Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > I was returning from lunch with the VP of Marketing. The receptionist was sitting at her desk crying. We asked what was wrong, and she said that a customer had called for Dave (said VP of Marketing). She told him Dave was at lunch, and the fellow spewed obscenities at her, saying that he really needed to talk to Dave **right now**. > > Dave picked up the lobby phone and called the customer. He said something like, “As the VP of Marketing, I’m paid to take this kind of abuse from customers. The receptionist isn’t. She isn’t responsible for where I am or what I’m doing. You may call and abuse me any time you like, but if you do it to her again, I will recommend that you take your business elsewhere. I’m going to hand the phone to the receptionist now and I’d like you to apologize to her.” > > The customer apologized to the receptionist, and she absolutely worshipped Dave for standing up for her like that. Respect to that VP. ---
**Author:** ![Sami41](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c57346/32.png) [@Sami41](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sami41)\ **Post date:** [October 15, 2004, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-yell-at-sales-people-because-of-the-price-of-their-products/269086/48 "2004-10-15T21:33:42Z")
> [@InvisibleWombat](#): > > Okay, I know what “Make it a good one” means, and I can intuit “How’s your wrist feeling.” I’ve never heard “Hook it up.” Does it mean basically the same thing? Yes, essentially the same thing. My guess is that it evolved from the phrase “Hook me up,” which I take as meaning “Give me something free.” ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-yell-at-sales-people-because-of-the-price-of-their-products/269086/49 "2004-10-16T19:19:18Z")
> [@saramamalana](#): > > It drives me nuts when people say “why is this so expensive??” It’s a national chain! I have nothing whatsoever to do with the pricing! I just put the damn labels on! Sometimes this isn’t always the case. I regularly look for video games in these national chain stores and it’s ridiculous that they don’t take part in price cuts that were issued by the game publishers. They are pricing themselves out of the market and I think it’s fair to complain. However, for a lot of these complaints, I’m very sorry that some of you had to deal with people like that. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 10:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-yell-at-sales-people-because-of-the-price-of-their-products/269086/50 "2004-10-16T22:38:36Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > Aint just retail. I just examined a cat with head trauma. Mandibular and maxillary fractures, unable to eat, a real mess. And the cat’s wounds are 72 hours old (owners have been busy). When I gave them a quote of $450 to $550 for complex orthopedic surgery they became irate. > > This is the pit, verdad? Well, fuck 'em. Damn-one wonders how they cat became so severely injured. :mad: What I love is when they bitch, “You don’t have enough people working here!” Well, d’uh. Yes, I do this on purpose, it’s all me. I LOVE being overworked and abused! One woman told me that “You should pay your staff more, then more people would be willing to work here!” Oh, sweet Jesus, did I want to point out the obvious to her… **Justin Bailey** -it’s fair to complain, but NOT TO THE RETAIL DRONES!!! They do NOT set the fucking prices! ---
**Author:** ![racinchikki](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@racinchikki](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racinchikki)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2004, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-yell-at-sales-people-because-of-the-price-of-their-products/269086/51 "2004-10-16T22:39:02Z")
> [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > Sometimes this isn’t always the case. > > I regularly look for video games in these national chain stores and it’s ridiculous that they don’t take part in price cuts that were issued by the game publishers. They are pricing themselves out of the market and I think it’s fair to complain. > > However, for a lot of these complaints, I’m very sorry that some of you had to deal with people like that. You are not getting the point here, sir. GAME PUBLISHER: Issues a price cut. NATIONAL CHAIN STORE: Ignores the price cut. PERSON AT THE DESK IN A LOCAL BRANCH OF THE NATIONAL CHAIN STORE: Has fuck-all to do with the price cut. FUCK-ALL. Nothing. Nada. Zip. It is NOT UP TO THE PERSON AT THE COUNTER whether or not the national chain store takes part in the price cut! Do you understand this? This is what the OP was about. If you have that much of a problem with the game pricing, RIGHT TO THE NATIONAL CHAIN STORE’S HEADQUARTERS, because the person at the counter has NOTHING TO DO WITH IT. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-yell-at-sales-people-because-of-the-price-of-their-products/269086.md?page=2)