Not only have I worked in retail, I’ve worked in tourism! There are some incredibly rude people out there, and WSLer met one. While I probably wouldn’t have handled the situation the same way, I was amused by it. Me, when I get mad, I get polite.
Years ago, I worked for the Japanese section of a certain tour company. I was doing paperwork one day when I was vaguely aware of someone reaming out my counterparts on the American side, about 2 or 3 yards/meters away. I wasn’t paying attention to what he was saying, but I knew the people and they were very competant, and he didn’t seem to be in a mood to be placated. After he’d finished with them, he came over to me, stood in front of me and said in a loud, offended tone, “I don’t appreciate being lied to.”
I looked up from my paperwork, but on my best, bland British accent, and said, “I’m sorry if we have displeased you in anyway, sir,” and went back to my paperwork. Translation: “Go to hell. Go directly hell. Do not pass Go. Do not collect $200, just GO TO HELL!” As I read it, the guy was spoiling for a fight and determined to involve bystanders. This one wasn’t going to be involved.
I’m with Guinastasia. Politeness is a wonderful way to disarm twits because they don’t know how to handle it (lack of exposure?).
These 2 stories aren’t even in the same ballpark. There is a big difference between confronting a customer on a one on one basis (very believable) and jumping on an intercom at a major retailer, that is full of customers, and belting out some insults and having everyone in the store on your side like in some sort of John Hughes movie. And kept his job to boot. I’m suprised he didn’t throw in something about getting a promotion over the popular jock in the music dept.
I’m sorry. This just did NOT happen. There is nothing that can be said that can sway my belief. And, IMHO, anyone that says that this happened as described is either REALLY gullible or “wishes” it happened just like WSLer wishes it did.
I am not saying that employees do not confront customers and get into shit with them, because they do. I have seen it. But not in this “Empire Records” sort of way that WSLer has presented.
Stinkpalm, we get the point already. You don’t believe the story. Fine, just shut up about it and let everyone else continue their discussion about the hell of retail.
Well, Stinkpalm is living in a world where this can’t possibly happen, but if it did, you would sue. For what, we still don’t know.
Stinkpalm - never underestimate the variation in human behavior. It is likely that someplace on this planet, something like this has happened - more than once. It is also likely that the woman never called to complain, or if she did, Barnes and Noble filed her complaint under “nutjob” and sent her a gift certificate and never called the store to check.
In my experience, corporate offices really don’t keep that tight a rein on day to day operations. I once worked in a Fanny Farmer where the high school employees had candy fights - yep, threw candy at each other. And, despite getting busted, not one of them got fired. Barnes and Noble can’t even tell me what the store 3 miles away has in their inventory!
I don’t mean that WSL was out of line-I don’t blame him at all.
I’m just saying that this how I personally handle it. It’s not Polite so much as annoyingly sachriny. REALLY fake nice. Big smile and my kindergarten teacher voice.
[me too]
I was with 4 greek friends on an island in Greece several summers ago. The boat ride over was horrible, so we decided to find a flight back to the mainland instead. We found one of the many travel agencies on the island, went inside and explained our situation to the man behind the counter. We spoke english. He tapped away at his computer and informed us that there were no flights available. We should check back that afternoon and then, maybe again tomorrow. Dejected, we turned to leave and the following conversation took place…in greek:
Me: Fuck! What are we gonna do now?
Friend: Who knows…
Travel Agent: Excuse me…you speak greek?
Us: Yes.
Travel Agent: Are you
greek?
Us: Yes.
Travel Agent: Let me check the computer again. <tap tap tap> Aha…I’ve found a flight!
LOL – I agree! But you left out the fact that the teller was a misunderstod goth book lover desperately in love with Molly Ringwald. The woman, was actually the popular jocks girlfriend, the captain of the cheerleading team. After the teller tells off the woman on the intercom, Molly Ringwald – who runs the espresso machine at the stor as a way to make extra money for her family – since her father is dying of cancer, realizes she loves the goth book teller.
The manager of the story – who is a grumpy old man, but really has a heart of gold gives his keys to his porche to the book teller and tell him to ask Molly on a date.
Molly says yes, and they kiss, but to the load and thunderous applause of the customers waiting in line. . .
LOL – I agree! But you left out the fact that the teller was a misunderstod goth book lover desperately in love with Molly Ringwald. The woman, was actually the popular jocks girlfriend, the captain of the cheerleading team. After the teller tells off the woman on the intercom, Molly Ringwald – who runs the espresso machine at the store as a way to make extra money for her family – since her father is dying of cancer, realizes she loves the goth book teller.
The manager of the store – who is a grumpy old man, but really has a heart of gold, gives his keys to his porche to the book teller and tells him to ask Molly on a date.
Molly says yes, and they kiss, but to the loud and thunderous applause of the customers waiting in line. . . The jock and the cheerleader stand there fuming. . .
I’m sorry; that’s my fault. I just did laundry, and had a whole bunch of onesies when I was done. If you’ll send all the socks to me, I’ll roll them up into a little ball and stuff them in a drawer.
If I wished anything, it would be that the whole incident never took place.
But it did.
As I stated before, if you like, stinkpalm, I can give you the names of 6 former co-workers who were present and were witnesses to the incident.
But you seem to think that I have some desperate insatiable need for attention, therefore I go about completely making up stories about rude customers, simply so I that can seem cool in some peoples eyes.
Oh Please.
Oh, I wasn’t belting out insults.
Belting out=songs.
Screaming out=insults.
Got it?
Where did I ever say that everyone in the store was on my side?
Wait, you must have assumed that since I said that the store got very suiet that everyone agreed with me. Did everyone in the store agree with what I was doing?
Fuck if I know. I sure as hell didn’t go around asking them.
Oh, yeah, we didn’t have any jocks popular or otherwise who worked in the music department. And the only person over me in the music department was the manager.
So, why not go back to being bitter about something else, like the continual lack of a cure for the common asshole.