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Anyone who has worked in retail knows that there are good customers, there are bad ones, and then there are people who have just come out of hell and are on a mission to make everyone's life miserable.
Recently, Twitter user Pigeon Fancier posted a question: "What's the most ridiculous demand a customer has made of you?" and the answers have been flooding in nonstop! From returning a fully consumed rotisserie turkey because it was too dry to demanding a book with real dinosaur photos, here are some of the wildest replies.
Image credits: isabelzawtun
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One study found that people treat retail workers worse when they're looking for bargains than if they were less price-conscious. The University of British Columbia (UBC) Sauder School of Business study, which was published in the Journal of Consumer Psychology in 2017, looked at several factors to determine how customers treated employees. One variable researchers looked at was the words customers used when speaking to customer service workers.
#4
Sarcastic Panda 3 years ago
her brain cells clearly weren't permanent, must've gone for a walk
They found that customers at the cheap airline Ryanair used fewer humanizing trait words than those who were flying Lufthansa. Researchers believe that plays a big part in how customers treat people who are working there to help them.
#5
troufaki13 3 years ago
Even if you worked there, putting a finger on your face and threatening to get you fired is beyond disgusting. Who do these people think they are??
#6
Periwinkle 3 years ago
I hope the police were called on him. In front of his kids. A lot of the time religion is stupid.
"When shoppers focus only on paying the lowest price, they become less attuned to understanding the human needs of others, or even recognizing them," Johannes Boegershausen, a UBC Sauder Ph.D. student who co-authored the study, said in a press release.
Researchers also analyzed customers' feelings towards the employees by showing them pictures of a flight attendant in the Ryanair (bargain) uniform, the Lufthansa (luxury) uniform, and a neutral uniform. Customers viewed the Lufthansa and neutral flight attendants as equally human, but they saw the Ryanair flight attendant in a poorer light.
#10
Periwinkle 3 years ago
What do you mean? You can obviously change the weight of the bags easily. Using essential oils! Laws were made to be broken.
"We simply varied the brand, and found that people ascribed lower capabilities for experiencing emotions and feelings to the Ryanair flight attendant," Boegershausen explained, adding that this subtle dehumanization can take many forms and is not necessarily intentional.
#11
Sarcastic Panda 3 years ago
a bit like arguing with the creator of Dairy Milk because it doesn't taste the same as a supermarket knockoff
#12
Becca Gizmo the Squirrel 3 years ago
There are some people that thinks the whole world owes them for being born.
Elaine Mattingly 3 years ago
Hand him an empty pie pan, tell him the pie is envisible so no plastic can be hidden and bid him good day.
Debbie Lavender 3 years ago
i might have had to spill a blueberry pie somewhere REAL close to him, oooops
Crycket 3 years ago
That reminds me of the time I was working in a theatre, with its sister theatre down the street. Someone came in and started reminiscing about our newer (by 90 years) theatre, and when she finally got to a question of some sort, I had to say, that she must be speaking of the sister theatre. She proceeded to ream me out for several minutes...telling me I was wrong. OK then...
Ryan Bitzer 3 years ago
I would have stared at him while crinkling up the list and throwing it away.
François Carré 3 years ago
These people must have seen The Truman Show when they were kids, and they have stuck with the idea that they are the main character of one very big show that actually involves the entire world, and everything there is linked altogether, so you can go from one random shop to another and your demands will follow you along wherever you choose to go, as you are the one and only true customer of them all.
Another experiment had participants communicating in a live chat with a rude customer service representative. They were then offered the chance to punish the employee through a complaint. The researchers found participants were 18 percent more likely to give a rating that would lead to disciplinary actions against the employee when shoppers were adopting a price-conscious mentality than when they were not.
#13
The researchers say the findings could help owners and management of discount stores, as the problem could affect their employee retention—previous research has shown that employees who experience rude and inconsiderate customer behaviors report higher levels of emotional exhaustion, job dissatisfaction, and burnout.
#15
Periwinkle 3 years ago
For lords sake, This is why I'm not a retail worker. People are STUPID.
#18
Periwinkle 3 years ago
No there should not be a door here. Windows are used to bring in light. Specsavers appointment long overdue.
#19
Julia Atkinson 3 years ago
An elderly relative once asked me to photoshop a group of people out of an old photo "so I can see the building behind them"
#24
Mary Rose Kent 3 years ago
I probably would have told him that if he managed to suck it out and spit it into a bucket, I would be happy to give him a refund. 🤔🤭😵
#36
Foxxy (The Original) 3 years ago
Do many places have smoking and non smoking areas anymore? I know in SA that it is illegal to smoke anywhere indoors (except home). It is also illegal to smoke a certain distance near a park, bus stop, school grounds etc. Pubs, Restaurants, Sports clubs have a small seperate section outdoors designated for smokers but no food is allowed and it is literally like a closed in box with no roof, some plants, maybe a couple of chairs/stools and maybe a table or two with ashtrays (if your lucky), sometimes it is standing only with ashtrays.
#37
Periwinkle 3 years ago
And yet they ate.. It all? They must like dry things then. Like their personality and scamming tactics, for example.
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What do you think ?
Mrs_ Possum 3 years ago
Back when I was working at a restaurant for a bit, I had a customer call up and ask if I could print and mail them directions, from their house, to the restaurant. Turns out they lived on a different continent, and also wanted me to arrange their flights and hire a car for them. They also asked, in all seriousness, if I could compile some sort of itinerary for their 2-week stay, and to include recommendations for other restaurants on the list. I suggested a travel agent might be a better fit for their requirements, and they said I had a lot to learn about "going above and beyond" in my customer service 😶 This was about 15 years ago
Tabitha L 3 years ago
Wow. I have so many questions. Where were you working? A fancy restaurant? From where was the person coming? Were they going to pay for the international postage?
Load More Replies...
Mandra 3 years ago
I worked in a Tourist Information centre, in a small village. I had once a lady asking me some information about a traffic circle which had statues of pilgrims on it, and I didn't know what she was talking about. She also asked me questions about the village, but what she was describing didn't exist in here... She lost her temper and started yelling at me, saying I didn't know the area I was working in, etc. I made a Google search on this specific traffic circle (fyi, in France we have tens of thousands traffic circles...), found it, and showed her the photo. Turned out she fell asleep while her husband was driving, and she didn't realize they drove more than 100km... I saw she felt stupid, and she left without any apology...
AlmightyOne 3 years ago
Can people PLEASE stop being so abusive and mean to retail workers? It's not ok. They're people too.
Laine Light 3 years ago
I was working at a hotel during a busy Easter weekend. A guest arrived thinking she had reserved 2 rooms. She had only reserved one room and I would have offered another but we were fully booked. Her response was to demand that I sell her someone else's room.
Luna Laluna 3 years ago
As a student I used to work as a cashier in the superstore. That day I was working on the fast service till for clients buying 10 items and less. I had costumer who got really mad because man before him was buying 13 items -it was 9 items and multipack of beer. First he argue and shouted, then become very aggressive, swore at me and when I tried to stand up for myself and told him I am not paid to tolerate such a behaviour he completely kicked off, lean over the till and tried to punch me. Security guy who came to help was kid from my college, as little and as scared as me. Finally someone seen it on the CCTV and my manager run down to me with couple of police officers who were in the store just because some homeless guy locked himself in the store toilets and refused to leave. Other costumes in the line did and said nothing to help me, call someone or stop him. When freaking guy was escorted to the police van they were all very sorry for me.
Joe Alcocer 3 years ago
I worked at a copy center and a customer brought in black and white photos and wanted color copies of them, I didn't think much of it because our color copier was a higher quality print than the black and white copier and actually came out close to photo quality. When I handed her the copies she was confused why they weren't in color like she asked... Had to explain that the "color" copier didn't work that way
Katie Johnson 3 years ago
I worked in a shoe shop, customer comes in with a pair of trainers wanting a refund because they gave him blisters... they had blood all around the heel.
Candice Ravel 3 years ago
While I was ringing up customers at Trader Joe's, a woman came in and asked if we sell Coke, to which I answered that we did not. She then rudely demanded to know if they sold Coke next door at Barnes and Noble and stormed out when I said I had no idea what they sold in their cafe.
Bunny Wood 3 years ago
I worked as a manager of a big box retailer in a small NZ town. A man came in and asked for an AIRCRAFT part. My offsider politely declined, saying we didn't carry it. He insisted we check the (non existent) warehouse, and i said no need, we know we dont have it, and he totally lost the plot. I let him rant then escorted him out. He sent me a letter from his lawyers saying i had to arrange to keep the part in stock. Weird.
Al Christensen 3 years ago
I worked as a cook at a fish & chips joint. Fish, shrimp and chips went from the fryer to pans under heat lamps. One day a customer ordered shrimp. As my coworker assembled his order he said, "No, I want HOT shrimp." I explained those shrimp had come out of the fryer seconds before he placed his order. He accused me of lying. I told him I would make some more but it would take a couple of minutes. He agreed to wait. When the shrimp was done I plopped it straight into his basket without shaking any oil off of it. He smiled as if he had won a major victory. Then he burned his mouth on his HOT shrimp.
No Thanks 3 years ago (edited)
I worked at a snack bar on the Quebec border. We had a very flamboyant and well dressed biker gang pull in one day. This type of biker gang seems to only exist in Quebec from what I've seen. One gentlemen proceeded to order our fresh haddock seafood platter (pricey for a snack bar) and I asked if he wanted tarter or cocktail sauce with it to which he replied tartar. Then he ordered a coffee with cream and sugar. He pays over 20$ American for this (2010~) and sits down at a table. A while later I bring his food and he FREAKS OUT that he didn't order fish.... I still don't understand why he wanted tarter sauce with his coffee after all of that or why he didn't question paying over 20$ for the cup of coffee which was apparently all he wanted. I got yelled at by Quebecians constantly. One couple would come every single week and complain every single week and tried to get free food (every single week).
Katy McMouse 3 years ago
I used to spend my days processing prescriptions and dealing with mostly nice, reasonable patients, until Blister Pack Bitch darkened my pharmacy door. She had a prescription for 500 ferrous sulfate tablets (iron tablets) - which by law, in the US, have to be sealed and dispensed in a blister pack because of the risk of children accidentally getting their little mitts on unsecured tablets and overdosing. The first time she demanded that these tablets be removed prior to dispensing, we explained to her that federal law forbade this and why. She kicked up such a fuss that we gave in but told her this was it. A month later, she pulled the same b.s. and once again, we broke the law. The third month, she played the "I'm dying card" -seriously- and my pharmacist finally gave up. Every month after that, I had to peel the paper backing on each card and pop each tiny tablet through the foil. The popping part was easy, but that initial paper peeling part never went smoothly.
Tabitha L 3 years ago
I can't believe y'all capitulated. It was the law. She must have really been something.
Load More Replies...
Carol Emory 3 years ago
And people question why employees that work in customer service should be paid $15.00/hr. You've just had over a hundred examples as to why. They just don't get paid enough to put up with this crap everyday!
Katey 3 years ago
I had customers call me incompetent, lazy and stupid for the craft store I worked at not carrying something they wanted. Also had older customers that were apparently so problematic my managers would apologize to me over the radio for sending them my way that wanted me to come to Christmas dinner to meet their grandsons by the end of a transaction because even the grumpiest of our older customers loved me. My most ridiculous request was a woman we had to call 911 on for threatening violence after we wouldn't return clearly stolen items. My managers insisted I went home early because she left before officers arrived and definitely blamed me for calling my managers (policy when the system flags a return) instead of giving her cash and she was threatening my life.
Hannah Anderson Carroll 3 years ago
I worked at a declining Hallmark store from 2011-2013. We had a customer call about once a month wanting to buy cards but did not want to peruse the shelves herself. Instead she would have us READ the cards over the phone to her and have us put aside the ones she liked so could could pick them up later. At first it pissed us all off, but eventually we just went along with it cuz we were all dead inside. That place sucked.
Seabeast 3 years ago (edited)
I was a volunteer corner marshall, not even a paid worker, for a stage of the Tour De France that went through the south of England in 1994. An eccentric crank on a tandem stopped in front of me and started ranting at me about the press cars that were speeding down the closed road circuit in front of the race, as if I could somehow stop them. (He and his old lady were wearing homespun wool socks that were falling down into their shoes - real old hippy types.) "Sure dude, I'm a volunteer from another country who has never met the race organizers, but I'll get right on that." 🙄
Michaela Čonková 3 years ago
I work as an customer service operator for a bank. I hear customers say '' that wasn't mentioned in the contract!'' on daily basis. I always take the time to find the exact contract and read the ''not mentioned'' part out loud for them. Their defense is usually '' Well I didn't read the contract, so how could I know'' so, yeah..
Mrs_ Possum 3 years ago
Back when I was working at a restaurant for a bit, I had a customer call up and ask if I could print and mail them directions, from their house, to the restaurant. Turns out they lived on a different continent, and also wanted me to arrange their flights and hire a car for them. They also asked, in all seriousness, if I could compile some sort of itinerary for their 2-week stay, and to include recommendations for other restaurants on the list. I suggested a travel agent might be a better fit for their requirements, and they said I had a lot to learn about "going above and beyond" in my customer service 😶 This was about 15 years ago
Tabitha L 3 years ago
Wow. I have so many questions. Where were you working? A fancy restaurant? From where was the person coming? Were they going to pay for the international postage?
Load More Replies... Mandra 3 years ago
I worked in a Tourist Information centre, in a small village. I had once a lady asking me some information about a traffic circle which had statues of pilgrims on it, and I didn't know what she was talking about. She also asked me questions about the village, but what she was describing didn't exist in here... She lost her temper and started yelling at me, saying I didn't know the area I was working in, etc. I made a Google search on this specific traffic circle (fyi, in France we have tens of thousands traffic circles...), found it, and showed her the photo. Turned out she fell asleep while her husband was driving, and she didn't realize they drove more than 100km... I saw she felt stupid, and she left without any apology...
AlmightyOne 3 years ago
Can people PLEASE stop being so abusive and mean to retail workers? It's not ok. They're people too.
Laine Light 3 years ago
I was working at a hotel during a busy Easter weekend. A guest arrived thinking she had reserved 2 rooms. She had only reserved one room and I would have offered another but we were fully booked. Her response was to demand that I sell her someone else's room.
Luna Laluna 3 years ago
As a student I used to work as a cashier in the superstore. That day I was working on the fast service till for clients buying 10 items and less. I had costumer who got really mad because man before him was buying 13 items -it was 9 items and multipack of beer. First he argue and shouted, then become very aggressive, swore at me and when I tried to stand up for myself and told him I am not paid to tolerate such a behaviour he completely kicked off, lean over the till and tried to punch me. Security guy who came to help was kid from my college, as little and as scared as me. Finally someone seen it on the CCTV and my manager run down to me with couple of police officers who were in the store just because some homeless guy locked himself in the store toilets and refused to leave. Other costumes in the line did and said nothing to help me, call someone or stop him. When freaking guy was escorted to the police van they were all very sorry for me.
Joe Alcocer 3 years ago
I worked at a copy center and a customer brought in black and white photos and wanted color copies of them, I didn't think much of it because our color copier was a higher quality print than the black and white copier and actually came out close to photo quality. When I handed her the copies she was confused why they weren't in color like she asked... Had to explain that the "color" copier didn't work that way
Katie Johnson 3 years ago
I worked in a shoe shop, customer comes in with a pair of trainers wanting a refund because they gave him blisters... they had blood all around the heel.
Candice Ravel 3 years ago
While I was ringing up customers at Trader Joe's, a woman came in and asked if we sell Coke, to which I answered that we did not. She then rudely demanded to know if they sold Coke next door at Barnes and Noble and stormed out when I said I had no idea what they sold in their cafe.
Bunny Wood 3 years ago
I worked as a manager of a big box retailer in a small NZ town. A man came in and asked for an AIRCRAFT part. My offsider politely declined, saying we didn't carry it. He insisted we check the (non existent) warehouse, and i said no need, we know we dont have it, and he totally lost the plot. I let him rant then escorted him out. He sent me a letter from his lawyers saying i had to arrange to keep the part in stock. Weird.
Al Christensen 3 years ago
I worked as a cook at a fish & chips joint. Fish, shrimp and chips went from the fryer to pans under heat lamps. One day a customer ordered shrimp. As my coworker assembled his order he said, "No, I want HOT shrimp." I explained those shrimp had come out of the fryer seconds before he placed his order. He accused me of lying. I told him I would make some more but it would take a couple of minutes. He agreed to wait. When the shrimp was done I plopped it straight into his basket without shaking any oil off of it. He smiled as if he had won a major victory. Then he burned his mouth on his HOT shrimp.
No Thanks 3 years ago (edited)
I worked at a snack bar on the Quebec border. We had a very flamboyant and well dressed biker gang pull in one day. This type of biker gang seems to only exist in Quebec from what I've seen. One gentlemen proceeded to order our fresh haddock seafood platter (pricey for a snack bar) and I asked if he wanted tarter or cocktail sauce with it to which he replied tartar. Then he ordered a coffee with cream and sugar. He pays over 20$ American for this (2010~) and sits down at a table. A while later I bring his food and he FREAKS OUT that he didn't order fish.... I still don't understand why he wanted tarter sauce with his coffee after all of that or why he didn't question paying over 20$ for the cup of coffee which was apparently all he wanted. I got yelled at by Quebecians constantly. One couple would come every single week and complain every single week and tried to get free food (every single week).
Katy McMouse 3 years ago
I used to spend my days processing prescriptions and dealing with mostly nice, reasonable patients, until Blister Pack Bitch darkened my pharmacy door. She had a prescription for 500 ferrous sulfate tablets (iron tablets) - which by law, in the US, have to be sealed and dispensed in a blister pack because of the risk of children accidentally getting their little mitts on unsecured tablets and overdosing. The first time she demanded that these tablets be removed prior to dispensing, we explained to her that federal law forbade this and why. She kicked up such a fuss that we gave in but told her this was it. A month later, she pulled the same b.s. and once again, we broke the law. The third month, she played the "I'm dying card" -seriously- and my pharmacist finally gave up. Every month after that, I had to peel the paper backing on each card and pop each tiny tablet through the foil. The popping part was easy, but that initial paper peeling part never went smoothly.
Tabitha L 3 years ago
I can't believe y'all capitulated. It was the law. She must have really been something.
Load More Replies... Carol Emory 3 years ago
And people question why employees that work in customer service should be paid $15.00/hr. You've just had over a hundred examples as to why. They just don't get paid enough to put up with this crap everyday!
Katey 3 years ago
I had customers call me incompetent, lazy and stupid for the craft store I worked at not carrying something they wanted. Also had older customers that were apparently so problematic my managers would apologize to me over the radio for sending them my way that wanted me to come to Christmas dinner to meet their grandsons by the end of a transaction because even the grumpiest of our older customers loved me. My most ridiculous request was a woman we had to call 911 on for threatening violence after we wouldn't return clearly stolen items. My managers insisted I went home early because she left before officers arrived and definitely blamed me for calling my managers (policy when the system flags a return) instead of giving her cash and she was threatening my life.
Hannah Anderson Carroll 3 years ago
I worked at a declining Hallmark store from 2011-2013. We had a customer call about once a month wanting to buy cards but did not want to peruse the shelves herself. Instead she would have us READ the cards over the phone to her and have us put aside the ones she liked so could could pick them up later. At first it pissed us all off, but eventually we just went along with it cuz we were all dead inside. That place sucked.
Seabeast 3 years ago (edited)
I was a volunteer corner marshall, not even a paid worker, for a stage of the Tour De France that went through the south of England in 1994. An eccentric crank on a tandem stopped in front of me and started ranting at me about the press cars that were speeding down the closed road circuit in front of the race, as if I could somehow stop them. (He and his old lady were wearing homespun wool socks that were falling down into their shoes - real old hippy types.) "Sure dude, I'm a volunteer from another country who has never met the race organizers, but I'll get right on that." 🙄
Michaela Čonková 3 years ago
I work as an customer service operator for a bank. I hear customers say '' that wasn't mentioned in the contract!'' on daily basis. I always take the time to find the exact contract and read the ''not mentioned'' part out loud for them. Their defense is usually '' Well I didn't read the contract, so how could I know'' so, yeah..
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