# Long, uncomfortable silences **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 7, 2005, 6:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-uncomfortable-silences/298264 "2005-04-07T18:01:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-uncomfortable-silences/298264/21 "2005-04-09T08:49:57Z")
> [@Pullet](#): > > Anyway, favorite example of angry talkative client: Lady calls past 9pm to the emergency line and wants me to cancel the appointment her pet has the following morning. No problem, all set and cancelled. She wants to make sure the doctor knows. I assure her that the doctor will find out in the morning. No, she wants me to call the doctor now, while she remains on the other line, and tell him. Even my “the doctor is probably sleeping now, ma’am” big guns didn’t work. She wouldn’t shut her ugly trap for five minutes. Never wanted to strangle anyone more. And the best part is, she’s probably told all her friends what asses we are for not obeying her every whim. Yup **pullet** , you’ve nailed exactly what I’m talking about. I’m semi-new to the customer service business, six months in a low management position at a gym. And GAAAAAAH, the ways in which people behave exactly as you describe above, and then bitch to YOUR manager that you were “rude”. With this sort of idtiot, it doesn’t matter HOW very sweetly and nicely you tell someone “no”, they’ll make your life a living hell and twist the incident to make you look like the worst CSR in the world when they don’t get their way. I’m feeling particularly sensitive to it tonight since a few of those I wouldn’t break rules for complained and got me “written” up just recently. When my coworkers found out they were aghast. They replied “YOU??? You’re so nice it’s disgusting, you’re ms. pushover”. Sigh…urge for revenge… So yeah, send me a silent customer that I can smile at and say “will there be anything else”? Sorry end hijack ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@The\_Tim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tim)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-uncomfortable-silences/298264/22 "2005-04-09T13:24:54Z")
I’m a fan of the line “Either words are going to come out of your mouth or my cock is going to go in it” when people try to extort responses through silence. This probably won’t work for you as it is over the phone, but it would be funny to try it. Basically I figure that once someone breaks the social contract with you it is void and you are no longer bound to treat them like a civilized human being. ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-uncomfortable-silences/298264/23 "2005-04-09T21:51:42Z")
> [@The Tim](#): > > I’m a fan of the line “Either words are going to come out of your mouth or my cock is going to go in it” when people try to extort responses through silence. This probably won’t work for you as it is over the phone, but it would be funny to try it. > > Basically I figure that once someone breaks the social contract with you it is void and you are no longer bound to treat them like a civilized human being. That’s a pretty funny line, if you’re a guy. Wouldn’t work with we girl types. And as to the second sentence. We WISH!! Unfortunately, bosses don’t feel the same way. ☹ I can’t wait til the “season” starts in my regular job and I can greatly reduce my hours at the gym. Otherwise, if I have to suffer any more fools (the upper management being the worse for not backing us up with idiot clients), I may suffer momentary tourettes and utter something like your wonderful comeback, despite my lacking the appropriate equipment. ---
**Author:** ![Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f0a364/32.png) [@Fuji\_Kitakyusho](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuji_Kitakyusho)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2005, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-uncomfortable-silences/298264/24 "2005-04-09T23:12:19Z")
“Is there something else I can help you with?” usually works for me. ---
**Author:** ![Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grits_and_Hard_Toast)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-uncomfortable-silences/298264/25 "2005-04-10T00:44:32Z")
I recently was the one who did the staring, making for a long uncomfortable silence. I didn’t do it as a “cheap ass tactic” or “outdated business trick.” It came quite natually. I had to go back to the pharmacy to show them they had, for the second time in one year, put the wrong pills in my mother’s prescription bottle. I found out about the first time, after she had taken the wrong pills for 2 weeks and had to go to her doctor because the pills lowered her blood pressure so much she was weak, dizzy and depressed. They asssured me it would never happen again, incrediably rare mistake, everyone is human, blah blah blah. I gave them another chance, but I made sure that I checked each new prescription against a picture of what the pill was supposed to look like, not believing another mistake was likely, but I wanted to protect my mother, just in case. So I open her new prescription, and find they made the same error. I go back to the pharmacy, and ask to speak to the manager. The clerk tells me she is the manager, but is really busy, can’t I come back another time when she does not have so many important things to do, this is not a good day for her. I am stunned. She knows I am not a sales person, I am a customer, she has waited on me dozens of times. The words that were dying to spring out of my mouth were, “You stupid bitch, your day just got a whole fucking lot worse. My mother could have died because you fucked up again, and now I am going to make you wish you were the one who OD’d.” I have never spoken to another person like that in my life. I don’t have a temper, but when she tried to brush me off like that, I had to take a breath and count to ten so I wouldn’t say what I really thought. I have worked for years as a hairdresser and bartender and have been on the other end of raving customers. I know if I go off on her she will not take me seriously, and this is a very serious matter. So I am just staring at her. I am also trying to decide what my options are. I can storm out, and call the BBB, or the state agency that regulates pharmacies, or the local news. But I realize that won’t accomplish anything. In the end their mistake would just become a bureaucratic nightmare for me. I really don’t need that aggravation. I just want to file a complaint, get my money back, and find a new pharmacy. It takes me a while to decide what I want to do. I do notice my silence is unnerving her, well good, let her get unnerved a bit. As it turns out, she was the one who filled the prescription wrong. Since she is the manager, not much of a chance anything happening to her. So while I can understand your complaints of people who give you the silent treatment, sometimes that is best thing they can do for you. The alternative might be much more unpleasant. ---
**Author:** ![Cyros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a698b9/32.png) [@Cyros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyros)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-uncomfortable-silences/298264/26 "2005-04-10T01:22:10Z")
> [@Grits and Hard Toast](#): > > So I am just staring at her. I am also trying to decide what my options are. I can storm out, and call the BBB, or the state agency that regulates pharmacies, or the local news. But I realize that won’t accomplish anything. In the end their mistake would just become a bureaucratic nightmare for me. I really don’t need that aggravation. I just want to file a complaint, get my money back, and find a new pharmacy. . Do report it and tell the local newspaper. Similar incidents were happening in my city with a particular pharmacy (not mine, thank God) and the resulting publicity meant the business was fined, all employees made to take extra training, and it had the added benefit of informing other customers so they could choose one of the many competant pharmacies in town. ---
**Author:** ![Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Grits\_and\_Hard\_Toast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grits_and_Hard_Toast)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2005, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-uncomfortable-silences/298264/27 "2005-04-10T21:14:30Z")
> [@Cyros](#): > > Do report it and tell the local newspaper. Similar incidents were happening in my city with a particular pharmacy (not mine, thank God) and the resulting publicity meant the business was fined, all employees made to take extra training, and it had the added benefit of informing other customers so they could choose one of the many competant pharmacies in town. I did report it. I also told the “investigative reporter” who lives next door to a friend. I was lucky I was in a position to catch it. I hate to think of the others who were affected, but never knew why. ---
**Author:** ![ioioio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ioioio/32/316_2.png) [@ioioio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ioioio)\ **Post date:** [April 11, 2005, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-uncomfortable-silences/298264/28 "2005-04-11T12:39:39Z")
> [@Grits and Hard Toast](#): > > I can . . . call the BBB . . . Don’t waste your time. I recently filed a complaint with the BBB – took a lot of time to put together the documentation and get everything they wanted. The merchant responded by copying my description of the incident verbatim and adding, “We do not take responsibility for the damage described.” The BBB told me that since the merchant had responded to my complaint, the matter was now closed; their records will show an unresolved complaint only if the merchant completely fails to respond. WTF??? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/long-uncomfortable-silences/298264.md?page=1)