What's the best way to deal with rude customers?

My summer job involves a lot of customer service, which is fine, but sometimes you'll get a customer who is a complete and utter arse!!! For example, this old woman started having a go at one of my workmates as she was preparing her coffee or whatever it was, and generally had a bad, very condescending attitude. It makes me so angry. What's the best way to react when you're in this situation? I find myself getting worked up and being tempted to argue back, but yeah that would probably lose customers and after all the customer is always right....But surely it's not right to just stand there and take their crap? What do you think?

Spit in her coffee.

Anonymous

My summer job involves a lot of customer service, which is fine, but sometimes you'll get a customer who is a complete and utter arse!!! For example, this old woman started having a go at one of my workmates as she was preparing her coffee or whatever it was, and generally had a bad, very condescending attitude. It makes me so angry. What's the best way to react when you're in this situation? I find myself getting worked up and being tempted to argue back, but yeah that would probably lose customers and after all the customer is always right....But surely it's not right to just stand there and take their crap? What do you think?

If they're too rude. put them in their place. politely.

If you're told to just stay there and smile, just do so.

OR: as you work in a food place, either overcharge her and take it as a tip or stick some salt in her drink or something lol

Reply 3

ladyportacabin

8

Ignore her and fantasise about your life when you don't have to serve coffee anymore.

Reply 4

Fruit-cake

9

Give them as cold/dirty a look as you can get away with, possibly infuse some hate into it.

Whilst thinking really nasty thoughts about said customer.

If that fails leave, before you get violent.

Reply 5

Gem

14

I would just breathe deeply, count to ten and smile :smile:

It's a Summer job, it'll be over soon!

That said I worked in an office for a year and I had to deal with so many rude customers, there's just no need for them to be so rude!

Reply 6

Ron Stoppable

14

Treat them to the Kevin & Perry stare.

Reply 7

silverbolt

19

you must keep your cool and remain calm, if you shout back it will probably mean your job.

However if they are abusive to you as in swear at you, you wann them first, if they continue then you can ask them to leave and say you are not dealing with them.

Reply 8

marcusfox

16

I have had to deal with a lot of rude customers in one of my part time jobs. Mostly to do with the price, which is not set by me, or by people who've lost their tickets and have to wait until the end of the night to claim back their property. Some of my most memorable encounters/comebacks include:

"Insulting me won't solve your problem."

In my best patronising voice "Oh I'm sorry, that's very unfortunate"

After being told "You're having a laugh", I replied with "Indeed, it's my great sense of humour that enables me to be able to put up with people like you."

"You remind me of Hitler, just without the moustache."

Loads more, just can't remember them all. Use at your own risk though!

Marcus

Reply 9

hanadeka2002

It depends how someone is rude to me.

If they swear I tell them that there's no need to take that attitude...or I tell them to get out.

If they are just ignorant I'm ignorant back.Don't make eye contact or smile....treat them as they are treating me.

If they make a bitchy comment or get impatient I give them all their change in 2ps hahaha....

Oh I'm terrible.

Nah,I'm mostly nice to my customers because they are mostly quite nice...quite a few idiots though.

Reply 10

Invocation

12

slap them with a big oily fish & shout out "you've been tango'd!!!"

Reply 11

contractador

1

if theyre really rude smash the till over their head. Thats what i felt like doing when some berk had a go at me.

Although maybe you could take a milder option and just spill their coffee over them.

Or you could even do what they did in friends and offer them the "bad muffin" as "compensation" for any upset they may feel

Reply 12

musicalfruit

contractador

if theyre really rude smash the till over their head. Thats what i felt like doing when some berk had a go at me.

Although maybe you could take a milder option and just spill their coffee over them.

Or you could even do what they did in friends and offer them the "bad muffin" as "compensation" for any upset they may feel

I would take this advice. It's pure genius. Especially the first one.

Reply 13

Angelharpist

13

I work in Laura Ashley and the amount of rude customers we get every is astonishing - I suppose working for an upper-class brand like that, you're going to end up with customers who expect that little bit extra, the 'wow' factor.

Example:
A woman the other day hadn't used her account card in years, then tried to pay for a purchase using this card. Naturally, for her own safety, the card had been disabled. She then saw fit to throw a bit of a hissy fit at the till point and say how incompetent I was, because HER card had been rejected. I called the Card Helpline, where the associate on the other end of the phone spoke to her and basically put her in her place, saying that it was her fault that the card wasn't working. Of course, she was even more sarky after this, so I merely replied: "I'd love to help you more but I've done all I can and I do have other customers to serve. If you feel hugely aggrieved, then here's the telephone number for Customer Services, and they'll send you a complaint form..." I then just walked off.

As soon as they start getting het up, I like to give them Customer Services' number - the kind of people they are, they like stomping their feet in the shop, but can't be bothered to actually report it officially. Think of it as a toddler's temper tantrums; they take it out on whoever's nearest.

Recently, the "I'm merely a temporary Sales Assistant at this branch - I really don't think this is terribly fair" line has been implemented a lot...

It's a shame, seeing as Laura Ashley is such a fab company to work for. The surroundings are great; the senior staff are all lovely; the company is well run, established and traditional - unfortunately, the customers let it down occasionally...

Reply 14

Lofty

13

I found it mildy amusing to act more stupid than they assume you are (Being retail and whatnot), just reply with a series of nods and grunts. That way, even if they do moan, just nod, agree, and smile. Makes em even more angry :p:

Miserable buggers :biggrin:

Reply 15

NickNack

1

i work in a pub, nd if someones dares be rude to me while its pretty busy, i just tell them that i dont give a damn and there are plenty of other pubs around. This works quite well and they go quiet pretty quickly.

Reply 16

leah_0600

It's (unfortunatly) all part of parcel when it comes to these types of jobs isn't it?
If you work alongside someone (which i do) and you're quite friendly with them, if a customer starts getting arsey with me, i usually look and my co-worker and start laughing as if i don't care and we're actually both having a laugh about it! Hey, it works for me, and i hardly ever get annoyed anymore.

Then again, where i work, the employer is always right (our boss couldn't give a rats arse if he loses a customer!)

Reply 17

leah_0600

It's (unfortunatly) all part of parcel when it comes to these types of jobs isn't it?
If you work alongside someone (which i do) and you're quite friendly with them, if a customer starts getting arsey with me, i usually look and my co-worker and start laughing as if i don't care and we're actually both having a laugh about it! Hey, it works for me, and i hardly ever get annoyed anymore.

Then again, where i work, the employer is always right (our boss couldn't give a rats arse if he loses a customer!)

Reply 18

slk999

15

Just don't treat it with the god fearing seriousness that the complainers expect you to. That way they'll realise that they're a little out of order.

might work?

Reply 19

RealityIsDull

13

explain to them (politely) that your not paid to take abuse, and will not serve them if they continue.... your boss should be backing you up other than the customer

What's the best way to deal with rude customers?

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