Anyone that works in any form of retail/food/customer service industry could go on with lists and lists of complaints about... special customers. Things that happen that are (I hope) once in a lifetime experiences or something that happens every day. Or even several times a day.
As I've previously mentioned, I currently work at a liquor store as a cashier/stocker/warder of all things evil. I do hear many things every day from customers whether it's (supposed to be) a light-hearted joke or a full-fledged verbal assault, usually questioning my competence as an employee or as an overall human being.
Let me give you a quick run-down of things that I hear all the time that are NOT, I repeat, NOT clever/funny/things that I haven't heard before/make me feel whatever feeling you want me to feel. Feel. Feel. I'll say it more and now the word sounds funny.
1. (When the barcode doesn't scan) "I guess that means it's free, huh?"
*Note: Who the fuck even invented the system of something not scanning that it's free? I know you're making a joke but some little bit inside you has grasped some little bit of faith that somehow, your logic about something not scanning just MIGHT get you a free bottle of $900 wine or a half pint of $3 vodka. Produce doesn't scan at a supermarket. Do you ask the cashier if it's free?
2. "I thought your store would have everything."
*Note: This wouldn't even work at Costco, Wal-Mart, or some amazing fusion of the two. Do you know how gigantic of a store would have to be to have everything? Especially the store I work at. It's fairly large for a liquor store but I'm pretty sure if it had every single type of alcoholic substance made... no, that's just idiotic. "Yes, the snake wine is right next to the generic mint mouthwash."
3. "You don't take (this form of payment)?!"
*Note: Yep, it happens. Sometimes when you go to purchase something, your type of payment may or may not be accepted. Your credit card that claims to be world-wide accepted is not. Also, when you got enraged that we don't accept checks and decide to throw the pen provided at me, you looked like a fool once that pen stopped in mid-air because of the chain it was attached to.
*Additional Note: I also love when they claim that we took that method of payment "last year", and they look even angrier when I tell them I've worked there longer than that and their logic is flawed.
I could go on more and more... we're not onto ID discrepancies but that's a whole other field.
But why do some people have such disrespect for those working in customer service? I swear they think we aren't human. Many of our customers are wealthy, white Americans who will flip a grand on alcohol. Not that there is anything wrong with that, I mean, it gives me a job and if I had that kind of money I'd probably be doing the same thing. A grand's worth of Old Heaven Hill. Yuss.
Okay, story time. The other day was the last day of a very busy sale and the lines were flooded at the registers. All the registers had cashiers and we were about an hour behind on breaks. The longer you wait for a break, the longer the next cashier has to wait for theirs. I had opened and me and the other employees had been furiously working non-stop for the past several hours since open. Finally, my supervisor told me just to shut off my light and close down my register because I was over an hour late for my lunch break (that I desperately needed). Of course the reactions were pretty negative and moans and groans erupted from the customers. But one man (of course entitled) had to say something.
Man: Hey, what are you doing?!
Me: I'm sorry, I have to close this register and take my break.
Man: I've and these other people have been waiting forever!
Me: I'm sorry sir, my supervisor has ordered me to shut down and take my break. We are an hour behind and to make it fair to the other cashiers I need to go now before theirs is delayed more.
Man: Well then who's opening up again?! Is someone coming to take over?! Where are you going?! I've been waiting for like fifteen minutes!!
Me: SIR. My supervisor has ordered me to shut down, if you have any complaints, please speak with her. I am going on my break. Someone will be here to replace me in less than ten minutes.
Man: WHAT?!-----COME ON.
Well he survived I guess. He sure had it hard that Saturday afternoon. Lovely day out, spending your day off purchasing wine with your frequent flyers credit card doing whatever you please. Maybe he went to a fancy restaurant afterwards and complained about how his food didn't have enough "go to hell you asshole" on it.
It's okay now though. Because I'm really killing this crossword puzzle. :)
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