# Stories of the abuse of service folk **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 28, 2010, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665 "2010-04-28T20:53:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/81 "2010-05-01T15:39:57Z")
> [@Ibanez](#): > > When I worked at a Hobby Shop I had several instances of dickheads. > > During Christmas our busiest time we had this drunk “I’m miserable and I’m going to make everyone else miserable” old man come into our shop. My co-worker had helped him find a gift and put up with his abuse while doing so. He came to the counter and I proceeded to wrap his gift, the whole time while insulting me with irritating remarks, your doing it wrong, not going fast enough etc… In front of me other customers the last straw was when he called me a “fucking idiot”. I calmly stopped went over to the cash retrieved his 13$ and change for his purchase and gave it back to him, leaned over the counter about 6 inches away from his face and told him. “Customers like YOU, we don’t need nor want. GET OUT OF HERE.” > > His eyes widened like saucers. Protested a little until I opened the door to the shop for him and told him get out or I’m calling the cops. I was the manager. Some of the other customers cheered when he left. > > Another instance same shop, I had this mentally challenged man with a large white man afro going on about RC airplanes and he wanted to buy one. Nice 700$ sale for us, but would have been a post sale nightmare for the shop I’m sure. Operating a 4 channel is not a great intellectual feat but takes someone with an attention span greater than a gnat in order to operate. So I declined to sell it to him, he got a little upset about that hymned and hawed then attempted to bite my hand. I grabbed him by his fro and slammed his head down on the counter , not hard. But hard enough to get his attention and told him to get out. > > Same shop, I had one customer looking for a particular size of bass would. I went to our balsa and bass would rack and thought that we were out of what he was looking for but he found the size he needed mixed up with the balsa would. Took the piece “Here’s what I’m looking for right here silly” and lightly knocked me over the head with it. “Don’t every do that again to me or anyone else” Sorry he whimpered. > > I also worked in a Restaurant for 5 years as a bartender, surprisingly there wasn’t that much abuse during my experience there, I had to deal with drunks, cutting people off, kicking people out, but no real direct abuse. Probably that had to do with the fact I was the dude in control of the booze I got some sort of respect. > > I never put up with over the top abuse. Wow. You sound like some sort of tough guy. But on the internet. Like an internet tough guy. Remind me never to fight you on the internet. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/82 "2010-05-01T16:55:58Z")
> [@Ibanez](#): > > When I worked at a Hobby Shop I had several instances of dickheads. > > During Christmas our busiest time we had this drunk “I’m miserable and I’m going to make everyone else miserable” old man come into our shop. My co-worker had helped him find a gift and put up with his abuse while doing so. He came to the counter and I proceeded to wrap his gift, the whole time while insulting me with irritating remarks, your doing it wrong, not going fast enough etc… In front of me other customers the last straw was when he called me a “fucking idiot”. I calmly stopped went over to the cash retrieved his 13$ and change for his purchase and gave it back to him, leaned over the counter about 6 inches away from his face and told him. “Customers like YOU, we don’t need nor want. GET OUT OF HERE.” > > His eyes widened like saucers. Protested a little until I opened the door to the shop for him and told him get out or I’m calling the cops. I was the manager. Some of the other customers cheered when he left. > > Another instance same shop, I had this mentally challenged man with a large white man afro going on about RC airplanes and he wanted to buy one. Nice 700$ sale for us, but would have been a post sale nightmare for the shop I’m sure. Operating a 4 channel is not a great intellectual feat but takes someone with an attention span greater than a gnat in order to operate. So I declined to sell it to him, he got a little upset about that hymned and hawed then attempted to bite my hand. I grabbed him by his fro and slammed his head down on the counter , not hard. But hard enough to get his attention and told him to get out. > > Same shop, I had one customer looking for a particular size of bass would. I went to our balsa and bass would rack and thought that we were out of what he was looking for but he found the size he needed mixed up with the balsa would. Took the piece “Here’s what I’m looking for right here silly” and lightly knocked me over the head with it. “Don’t every do that again to me or anyone else” Sorry he whimpered. > > I also worked in a Restaurant for 5 years as a bartender, surprisingly there wasn’t that much abuse during my experience there, I had to deal with drunks, cutting people off, kicking people out, but no real direct abuse. Probably that had to do with the fact I was the dude in control of the booze I got some sort of respect. > > I never put up with over the top abuse. I bet you’ve got a _huge_ cock. One that the ladies want to suckle on day and night, amirite? ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 5:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/83 "2010-05-01T17:20:38Z")
Wow, standing up for yourself is something that’s frowned upon here. Noted. ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/84 "2010-05-01T17:56:18Z")
> [@Ibanez](#): > > Wow, standing up for yourself is something that’s frowned upon here. Noted. Grabbing someone by the hair and slamming their head into the counter to “get their attention” is not what I’d call standing up for yourself. I’d call it assault. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/85 "2010-05-01T18:04:48Z")
> [@Moonlitherial](#): > > Grabbing someone by the hair and slamming their head into the counter to “get their attention” is not what I’d call standing up for yourself. I’d call it assault. Like I said I didn’t do it very hard, maybe I shouldn’t of used the word “slammed”. It was more like I brought his head down to the counter. Mentally challenged or not, which is what I think you liberal weenies have a problem with, someone tries to assualt me which he did in the first place. I’m allowed to defend myself. So get bent. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/86 "2010-05-01T18:26:24Z")
He tried to bite, which is assault, and potentially dangerous if the guy has any diseases. Try to bite a cop and see what happens. But yeah, this board is filled with the self-righteous who get off on that kind of response. Ignore them. ---
**Author:** ![wolf-alice](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/9e8a1a/32.png) [@wolf-alice](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolf-alice)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2010, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/87 "2010-05-01T23:25:36Z")
It’s the fact that he refused to do business with someone he found to be “mentally challenged” that I’m finding a little wacky. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/88 "2010-05-02T00:32:56Z")
> [@wolf-alice](#): > > It’s the fact that he refused to do business with someone he found to be “mentally challenged” that I’m finding a little wacky. The Remote Control airplane kit he wanted to buy, include the airplane, the radio, the engine, gas and parts. All of this he would have to assemble himself. We know how to assemble them, but its not a service we offer. Also the engines on these RC plans put out enough power that the prop can sever fingers, slice you open and probably take out an eye. I would of loved to have made the $700 sale on it, but even though what I was selling is a toy, its a potentially a dangerous toy. So not only was I thinking about the “mentally challenged” customers best interests. I was also thinking of everyone elses as well. ---
**Author:** ![Chimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Chimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chimera)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/89 "2010-05-02T00:36:40Z")
> [@](#): > > It’s the fact that he refused to do business with someone he found to be “mentally challenged” that I’m finding a little wacky Not really. If you sell a complicated item to a person you know can’t handle it, unless you’re a commissioned salesman who leave the support to others, you should expect that the entire process is going to be a complete nightmare for your company. If you are a small business owner, you’re a damned fool to sell an expensive item to someone who is going to fuck it up, probably damage it, not be able to use it properly, then demand their money back. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/90 "2010-05-02T00:37:07Z")
> [@Ibanez](#): > > The Remote Control airplane kit he wanted to buy, include the airplane, the radio, the engine, gas and parts. All of this he would have to assemble himself. We know how to assemble them, but its not a service we offer. > > Also the engines on these RC plans put out enough power that the prop can sever fingers, slice you open and probably take out an eye. > > I would of loved to have made the $700 sale on it, but even though what I was selling is a toy, its a potentially a dangerous toy. So not only was I thinking about the “mentally challenged” customers best interests. I was also thinking of everyone elses as well. I wonder about the rights of the ‘mentally challenged’, now. I know almost nothing about it. I mean, what about buying a beer, or a pack of cigarettes, or a hunting rifle at Walmart? Does a man with Downs Syndrome have the same legal right to purchase these items as any other dummy? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/91 "2010-05-02T00:53:03Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > I wonder about the rights of the ‘mentally challenged’, now. I know almost nothing about it. I mean, what about buying a beer, or a pack of cigarettes, or a hunting rifle at Walmart? Does a man with Downs Syndrome have the same legal right to purchase these items as any other dummy? Owners of stores _in general_ have the right to refuse to sell anything to anybody. I think he had a valid right not to sell something to a person who may get injured, cause injury and have issues assembling and learning to use it. I am sure if it was one of hte $40 remote control cars, it would have gotten sold to him - it has a lot easier usage and less chance of serious injury. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/92 "2010-05-02T01:04:31Z")
> [@Nzinga\_Seated](#): > > I wonder about the rights of the ‘mentally challenged’, now. I know almost nothing about it. I mean, what about buying a beer, or a pack of cigarettes, or a hunting rifle at Walmart? Does a man with Downs Syndrome have the same legal right to purchase these items as any other dummy? All I know in my instance, the owners didn’t want the big boy toys comming back and especially didn’t want item we sold hurting anyone. We had RC helicopters that could potentialy kill. When you own your own business your entitled and obligated to make those decisions. ---
**Author:** ![Sternvogel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bc79bd/32.png) [@Sternvogel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sternvogel)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/93 "2010-05-02T02:01:48Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > I’ve seen exactly one episode of _Keeping Up With the Kardashians_, but on that one a guy who is evidently live-in baby-daddy to one of the sisters was drunk, came to an upscale restaurant where the rest of the family was having a business dinner with an investor (in what I’m not sure exactly- perhaps they’re selling Bruce Jenner) I’ve apparently seen as many episodes of the series as you have, but the one I saw featured the sisters working at their boutique, [D-A-S-H](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D-A-S-H). I’d guess that was what the investor was considering. ---
**Author:** ![Twisted\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/fbc32d/32.png) [@Twisted\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Twisted_Angel)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/94 "2010-05-02T03:58:49Z")
This just happened earlier tonight. I was in line to get cigs at a convenience store. Bastard Customer was in line ahead of me. When he got to the counter he said, plane as day “Pack of Newports”. So the cashier gave him a pack of Newports. Bastard Customer picks up the Newports and THOWS it at the cashier (he missed) and said “100’s YOU IGNORANT FUCK”. I was like :eek:. So the cashier grabs a pack of Newport 100’s and gives it to Bastard Customer. The BC throws the Newport 100’s at the cashier (mised again) and say’s “JESUS, GET IT RIGHT, SOFT PACK”. Now I’m like :eek::mad::mad::mad: Then the cashier gives him a pack of Newport 100’s in the soft pack. I’m bracing myself, cause if BC acts like an ass one more time, I know I’m gonna lose control and intervene. Fortunately, BC pays for the cigs and leaves. As he was heading for the door, I said to the cashier (loudly) “Some people are just assholes aren’t they?” ---
**Author:** ![Beerman1963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2acd7d/32.png) [@Beerman1963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beerman1963)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/95 "2010-05-02T04:33:40Z")
Did phone support for a company that made a product for the retail auto industry. Now picture talking to car salesmen all day about a product that prevented them from showing a car when it did not function as planned(it stored and retrieved keys). Number one "I am gonna push this (insert favorite word here) machine out in the middle of the road. Second to this was “where are you so I can come there and kick your ass”. Sure I am in Dallas you are in wherethefuckever 2000 miles away. Tell you what I will wait by the bike racks at 3 o’clock. My favorite was telling them the longer they screamed the longer the machine was down. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 10:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/96 "2010-05-02T10:19:18Z")
> [@Ibanez](#): > > Wow, standing up for yourself is something that’s frowned upon here. Noted. My objection was to your display of classic Internet Tough Guy Syndrome - coming online and bragging about how mean and tough you are, complete with descriptions of violent acts, which of course can’t possibly be verified. Spouting off about “liberal weenies” just reinforces the stereotype. ---
**Author:** ![Ibanez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/a4c791/32.png) [@Ibanez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ibanez)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 2:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/97 "2010-05-02T14:12:17Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > My objection was to your display of classic Internet Tough Guy Syndrome - coming online and bragging about how mean and tough you are, complete with descriptions of violent acts, which of course can’t possibly be verified. Spouting off about “liberal weenies” just reinforces the stereotype. I wasn’t bragging. The topic is experiences of service workers being treated badly of which I have 10 years worth of experience. I decided to add to the thread. How I handled my “personal” situations obviously offend you even when I was defending myself during an attempted assualted. You can’t possibly believe everyone in the service industry is a meek punching bag that puts up with everything ? They’re are various levels of abuse, I have put with minor forms as expected but never tolerated extreme forms of abuse. Trust me it happens. It would only make sense that the most extreme cases are the ones that are most memorable to me. Your complaints are noted though, I’ll just talk about the customer that called me poo-poo head and walk off, more pedestrian anecdotes is what you desire ? For the record “internet tough guy” or E-thug as it is better known is someone who eventually threatens another poster. ---
**Author:** ![slalexan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@slalexan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/slalexan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/98 "2010-05-02T15:44:56Z")
I’m a college student and I have only just gotten out of customer service jobs. I have more than a few stories of abuse but I’ll only tel you a few. I worked at the 24 hr McDonalds across from the university I attend. Since I had classes all day, I worked nights and overnights. Unfortunately, the way the registers were set up, the whole system had to be shut down for about 30 minutes somewhere between midnight and 4 am which we called POS. At that time, the manager would bring out fresh cash drawers and we could take only cash. This happens every single night. You would think that more than one person would know about it. One time, I was working during POS and a group of really drunk people came in. They swarmed the counter and tried multiple times to hand me credit cards. When I denied them, they proceeded to throw coins at me. There was nothing I could do about it because I needed the job and would not risk getting fired. Soon they got bored of that and left. When I was working at CVS, one of the other CVS stores got busted for selling cigarettes to minors. Our manager put a carding policy in place and we were not allowed to sell cigarettes without seeing an ID. Most customers were fine with this but it raised hell for a couple of old men who yelled at me. When I refused, they screamed at me, leaving their other purchases on the counter, and stormed out of the store. The worst experience happened back at McDonalds. I was working the drive thru and was pretty tired. I took an order from a car full of obnoxious people. They all talked at the same time and wanted all separate orders. I could do at most two and they seemed satisfied until they got the to the window where I took their money. They proceeded to yell at me and tell me how hot I was and how much they wanted me to go with them. I should note that the uniforms at the time were not flattering and mine didn’t fit well because I’m a taller girl and they wouldn’t let me get man pants. They had two orders so it took longer to finish their order and they kept it up the whole time. I was so shocked, I didn’t know what to do about it. When they left the window, I tried to grab the manager before they left. I didn’t make it in time. And one story of awesome people who had the right to be mad: I came in for my shift at CVS and the photolab tech working the shift before mine was pacing the photolab and muttering to himself. It turns out that the new tape the store got for taping the film to the feeder card that moves the film through the film developer wasn’t the right tape. He had lost a whole roll of film in the film developer and the only way to get it out is to open the machine, which will expose the film and ruin the pictures. He hadn’t yet called the couple who brought in the film and was very reluctant to because this film came out of a camera labeled “Honeymoon.” I called the couple and explained the situation. They responded in a way that I never expected. They didn’t yell or scream or ask for discounts or demand to speak with my manager. They said something along the lines of “oh, do we have anything to pick up?” I pulled their film out of the film developer and washed it as well as I could, then rolled it up and gave it to them at no charge. They were one of the few customers who had a right be pissed and they responded with politeness and understanding. I wish more customers were like this. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/99 "2010-05-02T18:42:09Z")
An interesting thing about when I was a front desk manager at a large new downtown hotel and convention center that had, like the city itself, a majority of black employees was the relatively few racist incidents that occurred. Whenever a racial slur was used against one of the employees by a guest or customer, it was interesting that it was never who you’d expect it to be from- it was never from a redneck or a “po’ white”, but usually from an executive class guest. I can only speculate that these guys were of the “I’m a big shot and if I say it then what are you gonna do about it?” variety. One I remember was a super successful tort lawyer from Mobile and another was an exec with a certain International Paper company, and another was a drunk legislator. I wish I could say that I did go Internet Tough Guy (ITG) on them and leave them bloodied. Instead I just told them “The staff does not have to take that and will not do anything to help you”. I wish I could also say that management backed me up, but nope- they saw it as a matter of “a couple of employees got offended that this guy said ‘nigger’ versus a $50,000 per year corporate account” (or however much) and basically gave lip service- out of the earshot of the offender- that “We’re sorry that happen and of course you’re right, when that happens leave the desk”, while they bent over backwards to accommodate the offending guest. When I complained about this the GM (high ranking ex military) basically said “What can you do? This is business”. When I suggested that the offended employee could do quite a bit- there were witnesses and these were people who would be much embarrassed publicly if news they were drunken racist gits got out- he said this was a good point- and had employees sign confidentiality notices. (This was in many ways the worst run big hotel I ever worked at incidentally.) I had been spoiled perhaps by Marriott (except in pay, which is why I took the downtown job). When I was at Marriott our (libertarian white guy) didn’t play that; if you showed your ass to his staff he’d back you up 100% and he’d stand to nose to nose with anyone who had a problem with it and if they threatened to stop their company from using this hotel he’d tell them “go ahead- and I have a few words for your superiors myself”. It never hurt business either. It’s always been hysterical to me working in academia what total cry babies so many of the employees are when it comes to (almost always perceived rather than real) sexual harassment, racism, or ‘hostile working conditions’. These complaints usually come from people who’ve evidently never worked in restaurants or hotels or retail where incidents that would get you fired at a college happen if not daily then at least weekly. I’d love to see them deal with a direct supervisor who says “Yeah, he called [that staff member] a nigger/slut/bitch/dumbass white boy/whore [whatever] and or slapped her ass as she walked by, but what can you do? He spends a lot of money here”. ---
**Author:** ![MTCicero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/a4c791/32.png) [@MTCicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MTCicero)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2010, 7:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665/100 "2010-05-02T19:47:09Z")
> [@Chimera](#): > > He tried to bite, which is assault, and potentially dangerous if the guy has any diseases. Try to bite a cop and see what happens. > > But yeah, this board is filled with the self-righteous who get off on that kind of response. Ignore them. You agree with him. What a, um, surprise. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stories-of-the-abuse-of-service-folk/537665.md?page=6)