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[Name removed]

[LakeArenal]

1. I always say, ( in this case hotels)

If there’s lots of issues at a moment and you have two unhappy customers, who you gonna help first, the nice polite one or the one spitting shit.

Always I have gone with the nicer person who might appreciate my efforts.

[Wellstone ruled]

4. Always called the MOD

when that happened. Retail is one hell of a Public Learning phase of life. Defusing a shit spitter takes a special skill set,and working for shit wages,I always told the Manager,if you want that fire put out,pay me Fireman pay.

[LizBeth]

2. I worked in hotel until covid. working on 60, a little old woman and the aggressiveness of some

customers had me backing away and grabbing phone to call 911. My job was to accommodate and solve problems. Someone angry, let me fix it. But the anger that was directed at me could be very scary. The vast majority of the customers were wonderful and I had fun playing with, and making them happy, welcoming them on their vacation where they just wanted to have a good time and were paying for a good time. Then I have that small percentage that threatened me. Men. 40's-60's.

It was like nothing I have experienced in all my years of customer service.

[Sherman A1]

3. Comes down to treating people

As one would wish to be treated. Worked 43 years in the Retail Sector and got abused by many a customer through those years. I will note that it got progressively worse over time and people got meaner.

[tenderfoot]

5. SPAM

[MineralMan]

6. Today is not "be nice to customer service day," I'm afraid.

This is a political discussion forum. It's not a customer service support forum.

[AngryOldDem]

7. My son works at Lowe's

The amount of shit he takes from people would move me to violence. Not only are they rude, most are homophobic Trumpers who think my son (who is gay) is one of them. He just has to say “yes, sir,” “yes, ma’am” and “have a nice day.” Customer service folks are easy targets because they are dealing with angry and fristrated people who are misplacing their anger and frustration. My younger son takes donations at a thrift store and he’s been cussed out, yelled at, insulted and damn near assaulted by people upset over store policy he has NO say in. He is also gay and has had homophobic slurs said to his face.

Now, confession time. A few weeks back I went to Target for a small purchase, which I tried to pay for with cash at at self-serve kiosk that was taking credit only because of the coin shortage. I realized that as I was trying to feed it bills. A clerk came up and nicely pointed out that it was credit only. I snapped back that yes, I see that now. Thanks. I immediately felt terrible. I had no excuse for that. She was gone before I could apologize. I still feel bad about it, especially with my sons’ experiences. I learned a lesson that day. Which is...

... We all need to be kind to each other. We’re all in a situation not of our making and beyond our control. Mutual respect goes a long way in these times. And always, always thank those who are workng on the front lines for you, some (like my sons) since this shit started, putting their own health at risk for you.

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

8. I was an airline ticket agent for ten years

at Washington National Airport, 1969-1979. It was amazing how often the first thing out of a passengers mouth was some kind of an insult of my airline.

People weren't quite as awful and entitled back then, but it was still pretty bad at times. Especially when flights were delayed or cancelled because of weather, and they somehow felt we'd cancelled or delayed a flight just to inconvenience them.

What they didn't understand was that "The customer is always right" is a crock of horse poop, and we actually had ways of getting even.

[XanaDUer2]

9. Never be rude to anyone, but esp people preparing your food

Not a good idea. Work friend was in waitstaff services, and has some interesting stories.