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 Chicken Chick
Posts: 3562
   
Location: Texas | I own a small drive through convenience store, have only been open a couple of months. Everyday I am amazed at how rude people can be. I don't know why it amazes me... but it does. Today I got cussed up one side and down the other because I was out of a certain kind of snuff. (I ordered it and it didn't come in) Like cussing me is going to put a log on the shelf? Uh nope. Some of it I swear is because I look too young to own a store, so I am treated like a teenager that doesn't know what I am talking about. Or maybe that is how they treat everyone, who knows. Granted I have my regulars that are SO polite, then the majority of people know how to just be nice to someone. There are those people though that come in and I want to send their coke flying through their window.
Last week, right in the middle of getting someone's order I get a phone call that my great grandma died. So granted I was upset, and trying very hard not to cry at the window lol. The woman looked at me and obviously saw that I was on the verge of tears, and I swear it is like she could smell blood. Her attitude got 10 times worse then it was before, and she went off on me because we don't sell pipes (I had told her we didn't in the beginning, and she wasn't mad then). I swear she flipped the switch on me because she saw me almost in tears.
Maybe it is because I am here 13+ hours a day 6 days a week, that I am not as thick skinned as I usually am. This isn't my first time in a customer service position, I just don't remember people being so rude or snotty.
I would just like to be treated like a human not a dog. I don't think I am asking for too much.
So there is my vent for the day. |
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  That's White "Man" to You
Posts: 5515
| You cannot be everything to everybody. Do the best you can and if they don't like it...they can get stuffed. Not your problem, it's thiers. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | pinx05 - 2015-04-13 1:08 PM I own a small drive through convenience store, have only been open a couple of months. Everyday I am amazed at how rude people can be. I don't know why it amazes me... but it does. Today I got cussed up one side and down the other because I was out of a certain kind of snuff. (I ordered it and it didn't come in) Like cussing me is going to put a log on the shelf? Uh nope. Some of it I swear is because I look too young to own a store, so I am treated like a teenager that doesn't know what I am talking about. Or maybe that is how they treat everyone, who knows. Granted I have my regulars that are SO polite, then the majority of people know how to just be nice to someone. There are those people though that come in and I want to send their coke flying through their window.
Last week, right in the middle of getting someone's order I get a phone call that my great grandma died. So granted I was upset, and trying very hard not to cry at the window lol. The woman looked at me and obviously saw that I was on the verge of tears, and I swear it is like she could smell blood. Her attitude got 10 times worse then it was before, and she went off on me because we don't sell pipes (I had told her we didn't in the beginning, and she wasn't mad then). I swear she flipped the switch on me because she saw me almost in tears.
Maybe it is because I am here 13+ hours a day 6 days a week, that I am not as thick skinned as I usually am. This isn't my first time in a customer service position, I just don't remember people being so rude or snotty.
I would just like to be treated like a human not a dog. I don't think I am asking for too much.
So there is my vent for the day.
Ugggg,,,,, dealing with the public you will get all kinds and it takes someone really special that can do it/deal with them. My husband is really good dealing with the public but not me, there is no way I could run a store like what your doing, hugs to you  |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | Some people are just d*cks. Just all there is to it... and some people are worse when they think they're just belittling help and not a person in charge. Can you do anything to make yourself look more 'professional'? Not saying that you don't look the part, but every little bit helps.
.. if all else fails I would just use my right to refuse service! |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| I am so sorry about your great grandma! I don't know why people have to be so mean either. I read where it actually takes more energy to be angry than happy. So I actively try to be pleasant to everyone, mostly. I have even made grumpy fast food servers become friendly to me. I send you hugs and I wish your store was by my house, I'd be a regular.  |
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Porta Potty Pants
Posts: 2600
| I'm so sorry. It can take a toll on you. My only advice is that you need to try not to take things so personally. I work in a field that requires me to deal with people when things aren't going so great. I can tell you this: all people are fighting their own battles that have nothing to do with you. Does that mean they can/should be rude - nope but the fact of the matter is that half the time people are technically multitasking - buying something at the store and are only partially present. At the same time you are going though your own daily battles and sometimes, bigger battles (like your grandma dying) and sometimes all of this extra stuff everyone is dealing with bubbles over in different and inappropriate ways. All you can do is control how you respond. You know you're doing a good job, don't let the bad ones get to you. It's the silent majority (as I call them - those that you see regularly that don't complain but come in and give you their business) that really matter.
Hang in there!
Edited by azsun 2015-04-13 1:24 PM
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Chicken Chick
Posts: 3562
Location: Texas | Southtxponygirl - 2015-04-13 1:15 PM pinx05 - 2015-04-13 1:08 PM I own a small drive through convenience store, have only been open a couple of months. Everyday I am amazed at how rude people can be. I don't know why it amazes me... but it does. Today I got cussed up one side and down the other because I was out of a certain kind of snuff. (I ordered it and it didn't come in) Like cussing me is going to put a log on the shelf? Uh nope. Some of it I swear is because I look too young to own a store, so I am treated like a teenager that doesn't know what I am talking about. Or maybe that is how they treat everyone, who knows. Granted I have my regulars that are SO polite, then the majority of people know how to just be nice to someone. There are those people though that come in and I want to send their coke flying through their window.
Last week, right in the middle of getting someone's order I get a phone call that my great grandma died. So granted I was upset, and trying very hard not to cry at the window lol. The woman looked at me and obviously saw that I was on the verge of tears, and I swear it is like she could smell blood. Her attitude got 10 times worse then it was before, and she went off on me because we don't sell pipes (I had told her we didn't in the beginning, and she wasn't mad then). I swear she flipped the switch on me because she saw me almost in tears.
Maybe it is because I am here 13+ hours a day 6 days a week, that I am not as thick skinned as I usually am. This isn't my first time in a customer service position, I just don't remember people being so rude or snotty.
I would just like to be treated like a human not a dog. I don't think I am asking for too much.
So there is my vent for the day. Ugggg,,,,, dealing with the public you will get all kinds and it takes someone really special that can do it/deal with them. My husband is really good dealing with the public but not me, there is no way I could run a store like what your doing, hugs to you
I have worked in fast food, I have worked in grooming salons, I have worked in retail, and I have also worked in vet clinics. All in positions where I was dealing directly with customers. One of the vet clinics it was nothing for people to sit 2+ hours in the lobby just waiting to get in a room where they would wait some more. So there was a lot of unhappy people I had to deal with on a daily basis. I am usually good at defusing the situation, here though I don't even get a chance before I am being cussed. Maybe it is because they are on the other side of a window and not literally face to face that they feel bigger. |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | All of my jobs have been customer service in some capacity and I swear the general public treats anyone who's working as a moron with no feelings. Just once do I want to tell people how disgusting they are behaving. Working at Hobby Lobby I don't know how many people lost their sh!t on me because THEY read the sale signs wrong.
For example, once there was a sale on metal decorations. There was an end cap with big metal letters on it and a sign on it. A lady grabbed a PILLOW out of the aisle that was attached to that endcap, and proceeded to yell at me and tell me how the store was trying to cheat people out of their money because she ignored what the sign said.
I also worked as an after hour dispatcher for 70 rural power co-ops. I can not describe to you how many times I and my coworkers were screamed at, cussed at, and called derogatory names. Why? Because either they didn't pay their own bill or an outage was caused by things COMPLETELY out of our control.
Many hugs for you and good luck with your business!!!! |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| cavyrunsbarrels - 2015-04-13 1:25 PM
All of my jobs have been customer service in some capacity and I swear the general public treats anyone who's working as a moron with no feelings. Just once do I want to tell people how disgusting they are behaving. Working at Hobby Lobby I don't know how many people lost their sh!t on me because THEY read the sale signs wrong.
For example, once there was a sale on metal decorations. There was an end cap with big metal letters on it and a sign on it. A lady grabbed a PILLOW out of the aisle that was attached to that endcap, and proceeded to yell at me and tell me how the store was trying to cheat people out of their money because she ignored what the sign said.
I also worked as an after hour dispatcher for 70 rural power co-ops. I can not describe to you how many times I and my coworkers were screamed at, cussed at, and called derogatory names. Why? Because either they didn't pay their own bill or an outage was caused by things COMPLETELY out of our control.
Many hugs for you and good luck with your business!!!!
We get a lot of outages in our rural area and we are always nice when we call because we know mad people may have called before us. There was one time I almost lost it though. Our line is separate from the neighborhoods because we are not part of the neighborhood. So power goes out and they get the neighborhoods' power on, but not ours. My son was just let out of the hospital because of an asthma and lung infection. I told them this when the power went out, but when I called to ask why we still had no power the dispatch person argued with me that I did have power. This was several hours out and it was time for my son's neb treatment. Yeah, I lost it on that person and I am embarrassed about it still, but we live 30 minutes from any kind of hospital and his asthma is to this day very fast to crash. |
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Chicken Chick
Posts: 3562
Location: Texas | Longneck - 2015-04-13 1:18 PM Some people are just d*cks. Just all there is to it... and some people are worse when they think they're just belittling help and not a person in charge. Can you do anything to make yourself look more 'professional'? Not saying that you don't look the part, but every little bit helps.
.. if all else fails I would just use my right to refuse service!
It is funny how many people talk crap on the "owner" when they are looking me in the face lol. I just smile and say "I'm the owner" and most of them you can see the look on their face change to an "oh crap" look lol. I'm still nice to them after ward, I think the stuff like that is funny. I have an odd sense of humor I guess? Most of them are referring to the woman that owned the store before and they think I am just a new employee.
I have one girl that comes in every morning, I know most of her order but then she always adds something different to the end of it. She expects me to know what her surpise snack for the day is and gets all huffy when I don't know. Why she is so snotty to me, but still comes back day after day baffles me. |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| I think it gives unhappy people some kind of power trip to be rude to to others, as if it puts them above you some how. |
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Location: Texas | Rude people are just unhappy people, taking it out on someone else. It's sad, but true, that it is rare and almost shocking when a customer or person is genuinely polite and kind. God doesn't like ugly!!
Hope things get better, even though it probably won't- just because people are a**es! Kill them with kindness and drink a beer every night ;) |
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 Veteran
Posts: 138
| That's truly horrible. I've worked in customer service when I was younger. It was an enlightening and horrifying peak into the world. I had been cursed, spoken down too, called stupid... it's sad that people feel the need to bully those that they perceive to be below them. From then on, I was determined that anyone that I come across... whether they be entry level at McDonalds or a CEO of a company, they deserve respect because I've been there and it isnt easy to smile day in and day out to the public.
I've come to greatly appreciate those who take pride in their work and work to the best of their ability. NO ONE is beneath you. I think taking on that perspective has made me a much happier person. Knowing that those people are just trying to provide for their family or pay their way through school makes me want to be the kind person that gets them through the next day, hour, or few minutes.
My advice to you would be to let it roll off your shoulders. Its hard, but let it go. Pray for them. They need the prayers more than anyone.
Edited by CallMeSkidmark 2015-04-13 1:58 PM
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Chicken Chick
Posts: 3562
Location: Texas | EqualRanch - 2015-04-13 1:47 PM Rude people are just unhappy people, taking it out on someone else. It's sad, but true, that it is rare and almost shocking when a customer or person is genuinely polite and kind. God doesn't like ugly!!
Hope things get better, even though it probably won't- just because people are a**es! Kill them with kindness and drink a beer every night ;)
Most of my customers act at least decent, and that is completely fine with me. I don't expect people to just be over the top nice, just don't treat me like dirt. Some of the hateful people I have converted to regulars that like me lol. |
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I just read the headlines
Posts: 4483
| Just remember the nice people! I have gotten to where I only go to the places where the nice people work. My whataburger has the cutest girl at the window in the mornings, she always has a beautiful smile on her face, and let me tell you, on a Monday morning she is a welcome sight! We are good enough friends with the employees at our little town's only store that my husband fueled up his truck in the morning and drove off. They waited until about 7 am to call me and tell me so I went up there to pay. They thought it was funny. At the Beefy Burger, the lady was always a sour puss, but I was always nice. One day someone dumped a puppy and when I asked if it was anyones because I was fixin' to rescue it, she became my friend. She always smiles and chats a little if she has time. |
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Chicken Chick
Posts: 3562
Location: Texas | Well thanks guys. I was about 1 more power trip from taking the week off lol. |
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 Hawty & Nawty
Posts: 20424
| People act so entitled it drives me nuts. Thank the stars you didn't get that one chick that went through the mc donalds drive thru ticked off about them not having chicken nuggets avail. She broke the window and freaked! |
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Chicken Chick
Posts: 3562
Location: Texas | RidenFly - 2015-04-13 2:12 PM
People act so entitled it drives me nuts. Thank the stars you didn't get that one chick that went through the mc donalds drive thru ticked off about them not having chicken nuggets avail. She broke the window and freaked!
We have a gun sitting on top of the register at all times. Doors are locked at all times, if someone tries to come through my window they might quickly rethink that. |
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Red Bull Agressive
Posts: 5981
Location: North Dakota | GLP - 2015-04-13 1:34 PM cavyrunsbarrels - 2015-04-13 1:25 PM All of my jobs have been customer service in some capacity and I swear the general public treats anyone who's working as a moron with no feelings. Just once do I want to tell people how disgusting they are behaving. Working at Hobby Lobby I don't know how many people lost their sh!t on me because THEY read the sale signs wrong.
For example, once there was a sale on metal decorations. There was an end cap with big metal letters on it and a sign on it. A lady grabbed a PILLOW out of the aisle that was attached to that endcap, and proceeded to yell at me and tell me how the store was trying to cheat people out of their money because she ignored what the sign said.
I also worked as an after hour dispatcher for 70 rural power co-ops. I can not describe to you how many times I and my coworkers were screamed at, cussed at, and called derogatory names. Why? Because either they didn't pay their own bill or an outage was caused by things COMPLETELY out of our control.
Many hugs for you and good luck with your business!!!! We get a lot of outages in our rural area and we are always nice when we call because we know mad people may have called before us. There was one time I almost lost it though. Our line is separate from the neighborhoods because we are not part of the neighborhood. So power goes out and they get the neighborhoods' power on, but not ours. My son was just let out of the hospital because of an asthma and lung infection. I told them this when the power went out, but when I called to ask why we still had no power the dispatch person argued with me that I did have power. This was several hours out and it was time for my son's neb treatment. Yeah, I lost it on that person and I am embarrassed about it still, but we live 30 minutes from any kind of hospital and his asthma is to this day very fast to crash.
Mmmm yeah that's one of those weird situations. I totally see why you would be angry. From a dispatcher's POV, 99% of the time when we get those types of calls, it's a moron that hasn't checked their breakers. So the linemen get all the way out there, flip a switch, and drive home. Costs the company a few hundred bucks. I bet that's what they were thinking. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2128
| I waitressed in highschool and college. I loved the multitasking, fast pace, and interaction with most people for a long time...but I eventually got burnt out because as you said PEOPLE ARE SO RUDE!! No matter how polite you treat some, they cannot do it in return. I cannot stand to go out to eat with people who are rude to wait staff. These people are serving you and are generally treated like crap and make 2 something an hour. It just seems so common. BUT that is with everything....common courtesy and respect are not so common anymore. Its a SHAME. |
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