We tend to think of “good” customer service as polite waiters, happy cashiers, and helpful attendants. But what happens when customers need to be taught a lesson? Here is some of the best customer karma these Redditors have ever witnessed.
1. Told Ya So
Back in the day, I used to work in the mobile phone industry. In this line of work, I needed to suggest insurance and a protective case whenever someone bought a new phone. This wasn't personal, it was strictly business; in fact, failing to do so could result in job termination at certain companies.
I vividly remember one particular instance during a routine new mobile setup, where I encountered a rather irate customer. From the very beginning, she wasn't pleased with anything regarding the transaction. I knew this was going to be bad—but it was so much worse than I realized.
Her credit score was far from perfect, requiring her to make a sizable deposit and pay a larger amount upfront for the phone. Somehow, she perceived this to be my fault. As I proceeded to finalize her purchase, I performed my routine spiel: asking about her choice of insurance plan and inquiring if she had considered any phone cases.
To my surprise, my routine questions ignited her fury. With a raised volume, she created an uncomfortable atmosphere in the store, accusing me of suggesting she was accident-prone. Irrespective of the awkwardness, I maintained my calm demeanor whilst attempting to explain the company’s policies.
Relentlessly, I tried to make her understand that this routine suggestion was simply part of our service and not a personal assessment of her. Despite my best efforts, my words fell on deaf ears. At this point, a co-worker stepped forward to defuse the situation, switching customers with me to finish the transaction.
After paying a grand total close to $500 for her new Galaxy Note 3, she left the store, engrossed with her new phone. Unfortunately, just as she stepped out, she tripped and dropped the phone, shattering the screen. Moments later, she was back in the store, causing a scene, demanding assistance.
2. A Road To Nowhere
While I was working at the drive-thru of a Tim Hortons, I encountered a rather tactless individual with a large black truck. He parked his vehicle too distant from my window and preposterously expected that I could reach far out to give him his change. His patience seemed to be rather thin, and his overall behavior was quite off-putting. I simply shook my head at the audaciousness, which triggered his anger. This led him to exit his truck, but in a sudden twist of events, the truck door closed and locked behind him.
For about fifteen minutes he found himself in quite the predicament. Noticing his plight, we had to summon a tow truck to help. Of course, this caused annoyance for the customers queued behind him, but to our relief, they blamed the incident on him rather than us. It’s fair to say he looked rather embarrassed, and quite possibly, he felt it was the most humiliating moment of his life. It was undeniably an awkward sight to behold.
3. When You’re Here, You’re Family
While studying in college, I was working part-time as a server at an upscale restaurant. My job was smooth sailing, mainly because I enjoy connecting with people. One day, I was waiting upon a table intended for four, but only three members were present: an elderly couple and their adult daughter. I provided them with their drinks and learned that they were expecting the arrival of the fourth member, their son.
Approximately 40 minutes passed, along with a couple of drink refills. With the intent of being helpful and lightening the mood, I suggested, "By now, you must all be feeling quite hungry. May I suggest our crisp lettuce wraps? They're rather light and won't spoil your dinner. Or are we going to wait for our fourth guest?”
My proposal, unfortunately, did not sit well with them. The father responded, "We'll wait. And to clarify, he's not your friend. I'd like to underline that you don't know him. In fact, he's a dedicated professional, and any speculation otherwise is not appreciated."
Recognizing the father's response, I immediately apologized, "You're absolutely right, sir. Please accept my apologies.”
Feeling somewhat defensive, he added, "He holds down a serious job, you know.”
Affected by his words, I responded, "Of course sir, I understand your perspective. It won't happen again.”
The time for the third refill arrived, and so did the son. However, he was no stranger to me. As it turned out, we were old school friends, and upon seeing me, he walked right up to me for an enthusiastic hug, right in front of his stunned family. It was sooo satisfying.
Spotting the father's reaction, I couldn't help but remark, "Quite a coincidence, don't you think? Who would have imagined we're all connected through your son? It's quite funny we never crossed paths given the amount of time we spent together during our school years.” Although the situation was indeed embarrassing for the father, I must confess-- it was quite a relief we didn't have any crow on our menu that day.
4. Squeaky Clean Revenge
I serve as a front desk associate at a hotel. One incident involved a visitor from Armenia who was unsatisfied with his room. While he made quite a scene about it the following morning, his accusations seemed exaggerated and unwarranted. His crude manner nearly brought a colleague to tears as she stood her ground, refusing to refund his stay.
Realizing his antics weren't working, he callously tossed his receipt onto the floor and stormed off...only to walk smack into a freshly cleaned glass door. The impact broke his sunglasses, leaving a minor cut on the bridge of his nose. The moment he stormed out, even angrier, my coworker and I couldn't contain our laughter.
5. Bad Timing
I used to work at a grocery store as a cashier. One day, a man with a cart full to the brim didn’t want to wait in the regular queues. His grumbles and negative behavior towards the staff eventually earned him a spot at my express checkout - initially designed for customers with fewer items. At that point, there were only two people in line.
Once he was given permission by the floor manager and started unloading his cart, a frail elderly woman, barely able to stand even with her walker, joined the queue behind him.
No sooner had she lined up, than everyone in the vicinity started shooting displeased glances his way. Suddenly realizing his mistake, the man tried to lighten the mood with a joke. However, his attempt fell flat, met only with a stark silence. I can only hope that the time he saved was worth the uncomfortable position he put himself in.
6. Be Careful What You Wish For
A woman from a client firm recently gave me a challenging time due to the total on the invoice we forwarded to them. She was pretty upset and asserted we'd overcharged her. She asked me to review her order and in doing so. Here's where something interesting happens. We discovered an error - it turns out we had actually undercharged her by a thousand dollars because of a misplaced zero. The stunned silence from her end of the line was quite something to behold.
7. Do You Prefer Fashion Victim Or Ensembly Challenged?
Working in a high-end clothing boutique in a swanky seaside town, my experience was usually routine and unremarkable. However, one bustling Saturday, a quite ostentatious young woman entered the store with her boyfriend. Despite our attempts to welcome her, she disinterestedly bypassed us, throwing my coworker a condescending glance. As the couple browsed through our selection, she picked out several garments and made her way to the fitting room.
Moments later, we began to hear a growing argument emanating from the dressing area. Her boyfriend was shuttling back and forth between the fitting room and the merchandise displays, fetching different pieces for her. All this while, she incessantly dismissed us with a wave of her hand each time we offered assistance, barricading herself inside the fitting room.
Resigned, my coworker and I focused on servicing the other patrons. I was at the payment counter when the young woman unexpectedly stormed up to me, indignant and forthrightly ranting about "How our store really should work on the fitting of our clothes" and our massive incompetence.
Caught unaware, I recollected myself and was about to inquire into the specifics of her displeasure. Then, I noticed my coworker casting a devastated look at the woman, before bursting into an uncontrollable fit of laughter, complete with tears streaming down her face.
The reason was gloriously comedic. The woman was hollering about a dress, which didn't quite fit right. Except, it was no dress. It was a skirt.
Exasperated at the dress-not-fitting issue, she had tried every size, only to realize she had mistaken the skirt for a strapless dress. Amidst all the commotion, she stormed out of our store, yanking the skirt up to form an ill-fitted dress, giving us all quite the spectacle. Her departure was followed by my own burst of laughter that lasted long after she was gone.
8. Not A Clean Getaway
During my shift at a local restaurant, a particular family came in that really pushed the boundaries. To begin with, their bearings and attire did not give the impression of wealth, yet they ordered the priciest steaks on our menu and a large round of drinks. Throughout their visit, they were discourteous, almost as if they mistook me for their personal servant.
It didn’t end there though. Once they finished eating, they called for a manager, complaining their steaks tasted bad, and their beverages lacked the punch they expected. It felt like a blatant attempt to worm out of the bill. Our manager, noticing their disrespectful treatment of me and the absurdity of their complaints, declined their request for a comped meal. This incensed them - they started causing a commotion and eventually attempted to dine and dash. But, the incident didn't wrap up there.
As fate would have it, their car broke down in the parking lot. Sensing the need to intervene, our manager reported the family to law enforcement. The result? One of the rambunctious individuals was apprehended for public disruption while the rest of the group left on foot after their car was towed.
9. An Extra Large Mistake
I once worked as an evening manager at a pizza shop in the city center. We competed directly with another pizza joint right next to us. They served takeaway all night through a window while our shop pulled the blinds at 10 PM and only offered home deliveries past that hour. The local law enforcement often hung out in our parking area to complete their paperwork and such during the night.
One evening, around 11:30, a man and a woman started pounding on our door. Through the shut door, I loudly, yet courteously, informed them that we stopped serving takeaway at 10. At this point, the woman went berserk, starting to scream at the top of her lungs and pounding even harder on our door. Meanwhile, the man simply gazed at the spectacle, attempting to appear intimidating.
To keep myself safe, I asked another team member to keep an eye on me in case things got out of hand. I then chose to go out another side door to reason with the raging woman. Despite her furious screaming and swearing, I patiently listened and then gently told her that she might have placed her order with our neighboring pizzeria, which maintained a 24/7 takeaway window.
This instigated an allegation that I called her unintelligent. I suggested she check her mobile and recall the number she dialed. She insisted that she had dialed our number, accusing me of having taken the order myself. I maintained my stand, assuring her that I could not have accepted a takeaway order post our closing time. This further triggered them. That led the man to adopt an aggressive demeanor and demand that I let them in to collect their food. I held my ground. He pushed me back a few feet and attempted to punch me, missing the target. I retaliated and managed to land a punch, flooring him.
Around the same time, the woman tried to charge at me. Simultaneously, we heard the police siren. The pair, unfortunately, persisted in their offense, but this was promptly handled by a couple of police officers who had just arrived.
An additional police patrol arrived soon after, handcuffing the duo. They were then taken away, and the police made a copy of our security footage, aiding their investigation. Out of curiosity, I asked an officer to persuade the woman to share the phone number she had called earlier. He successfully managed to do so.
She spat out the number, glaring at me with a look of disgust and resentment: "XXX-XXX-7272, you idiot," she hissed. In response, I calmly informed her, with a smile, "Our number is XXX-XXX-3030. We are Domino's. You dialed the number for Papa John's. That's why the number 7272 spells 'Papa'."
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10. Going Out Hot
Not long ago, I was employed at a gas station. A week prior to this event, heavy snowfall had caused disruptions, delaying the arrival of our fuel tankers due to safety concerns. One day, a customer arrived driving a fairly recent model of a Mercedes-Benz - a sleek SLS 400 to be precise, and he wanted premium fuel.
I politely informed him about the hold up with our deliveries and the consequent unavailability of premium gasoline. I suggested he could check at the next station just down the street. But, instead of understanding the situation, he lost his temper and started berating me, as if I had personal control over the fuel deliveries. Infuriated, he drove off hastily, his tires shrieking against the asphalt. Unfortunately for him, his rear tire hit the curb, resulting in severe damage to his rim which prevented him from driving further. Despite the unpleasant encounter, I couldn't help but chuckle at the ironically unfortunate turn of events.
11. A Surprise Ending
While I was in the process of checking into a hotel, a young staff member was assisting me. A very rude woman decided to interrupt us, complaining about the quality of the kettle in her room. She insisted that her room featured just a standard kettle, which seemed to upset her greatly. I reminded her that everyone else had to wait their turn, just as she should.
In response, she argued that she had been traveling all day and that the room she was given wasn't up to par. I pointed out that we were all at an airport hotel, implying that most of us likely had a long day of travel behind us. She was visibly upset by this, and the hotel employee assisting me had turned red and was on the verge of tears.
The woman reached a boiling point, banging her fist on the desk and demanding to see a manager. What happened next shocked me -- the woman began to cough violently, which led to an unfortunately noticeable accident in her beige pants. Needless to say, she didn't stick around after such an embarrassing event.
12. God Has A Plan, And It’s To Embarrass You
Around two decades ago, I was working part-time at Pier 1 Imports in the suburbs of Birmingham, Alabama. At the time, I wasn't really conscious of transgender issues. It was the holiday season, and the store was pretty busy, with a long queue of customers lining up to check out. Towards the end of the line, a visibly exasperated woman was causing a stir.
When she finally reached the counter to pay, she raised her voice significantly, targeting the customer behind her with hurtful remarks. "That's a man! A disguise-wearing freak!" she yelled. The individual in question did appear to be assigned male at birth, but was presently wearing a dress. I was more taken aback by the woman's intense reaction than by the presence of a transgender individual.
Her aggressive display, while shopping for festive decorations, was both ironic and unfortunate. She tried urging me to understand her offensive views, insisting the person did not have a right to be in the store and so on. Meanwhile, I processed her credit card amidst her rantings only to find it was declined. I ran the card again, but received the same result.
There's no denying the immense satisfaction I felt at that moment when I looked her in the eye, smiled, and announced that her credit card had been denied. She turned beet red and created an even bigger scene, emphatically shouting "That’s impossible! Try again! You're messing it up!" Now she had the entire store's attention. I checked her card again and publicly confirmed it was indeed declined.
She left in a huff, accidentally toppling over a jolly Santa statue by the doorway. The previously targeted customer and I exchanged a knowing, gratifying smile.
13. A Dangerous Occupation
In the days that I was employed at Blockbuster, we would sometimes encounter shoplifters. The normal protocol was to not chase after them to ensure the safety of our staff and patrons. There was this one instance when a man stole some items and ran out of the store. My boss, however, raced towards him and pointed him out to two police officers who were parked in our lot.
The officers immediately started pursuing him. He maneuvered his way through the crowd and vehicles with them on his trail. He made it across the street with one officer running right behind him. In a desperate attempt to shake off the cops, he jumped down a staircase, hoping to extend his lead—instead, he ended up breaking both his legs.
14. Watching, Waiting
I encountered not an unruly customer, but a hostile co-worker in my shop that has 10 check-out counters. However, only one of these counters stores tobacco products under lock and key. For such purchases, customers either queue in that line or make a request to a cashier in another. The same rule applies to my co-workers, who are prohibited from retrieving items for personal use and checkout.
On one early shift, I manned the tobacco counter when I noticed a janitor lingering around my counter. As she wasn't supposed to be there, I asked if she needed help. She expressed a desire to buy cigarettes, to which I clarified the rule - she’d have to queue like the other customers.
She reacted aggressively to this, accusing me of denying her access. Despite clarifying that she could purchase anything as long as she queued, she stormed off angry. This event spiraled into a day-long nightmare.
Throughout the day, she spoke terribly about me to my co-workers and even lodged a false complaint about me refusing her service due to prejudice. When I explained the situation to my manager, he understood and I carried on with my work.
During a lull, I took a short break. After making sure to lock the tobacco cases and putting my cashier station on “away” mode, I moved towards the bathroom. The janitor somehow intercepted me and, forbidding me from entering, jabbed her mop handle into my chest. She accused me of considering myself superior due to her position as a janitor. I reminded her of the security cameras monitoring the corridor and she quickly retreated.
The rest of the day, she continually tried to intimidate me with her glares. As the day ended, I handed over my station to a co-worker and went home, only to discover the next day that the situation hadn't resolved.
Upon my arrival, my co-worker informed me that the janitor had been fired. She had been caught on surveillance stealing cigarette packs while my replacement was on break. Though the relieving cashier received a warning for leaving the tobacco case unlocked, she was able to keep her job.
15. Karma Comes Back Around
During my tenure as a cashier at Borders, I encountered a situation with a particular customer who had either pre-booked an item or placed a special order. The customer became irate when I was unable to locate the order, despite my polite attempts to clarify under which name it was placed.
After some difficulty, it was discovered that the order was made under her husband's name, not hers. My inability to initially find the order was due to this misinformation and was not a mistake on my part.
Unfortunately, the customer did not extend an apology for her miscommunication and displayed an indifferent attitude, which made the situation somewhat challenging. However, an unexpected turn of events gave me a moment of quiet satisfaction. As I proceeded to process her payment, her credit card was declined. She was visibly taken aback and, clearly embarrassed, she promptly exited the store without another word.
16. Taking A Stand
During my time at Target, we were always reminded to advise customers to ensure their children sat securely in the cart - rather than stand. This was for safety reasons and most parents would heed our advice without a fuss. However, one day I encountered a lady who bucked the trend. She was just coming into the store with her child standing in the cart, unfazed by a slight unevenness and a small ridge on the ground at the store's entrance.
When her child began to totter precariously in the cart, I thought it best to politely advise her about both the bump in the entrance and the risk of her standing child falling out. Her reaction was infuriating: She told me, with an accusing finger pointed in my face, that I had no right to advise her on parenting matters unless I had children of my own and to mind my business.
Unfazed by the outburst, I stood aside to let her proceed. True to fears, the cart struck the uneven entrance, causing her child to topple over, his face slamming into the hard, thinly-carpeted ground. The store's entrance flooring, unlike many would assume, isn’t padded. It's more like a sheet of paper spread over concrete, offering little to no cushion on impact.
Unfortunately, the fall resulted in a big bump on the child's forehead and a bleeding nose. I informed management promptly and we arranged the necessary aid for the child. Needless to say, the mother remained gruff throughout, still refusing to acknowledge the foreseeable mishap. I couldn't help but think to myself - "Just as I predicted, lady."
17. You Get What You Pay For
Once upon a time, when I was employed at a bank branch, an unforgettable incident happened. One morning, a customer was behaving awfully towards one of our female employees. Now, what happened next was something out of a movie. Just two minutes later, the bank was hit by a robber. The shocking part? The thief targeted the exact counter that this rude customer was at. His $5000 was snatched straight off the counter before he could even blink. You can imagine the shock on his face at that moment. Ultimately, the bank took responsibility and covered the loss, but I bet he was pretty shaken up initially.
18. Seeing Double
Once upon a time, I found myself at a Hawaiian resort bar. A young man, who looked to be around 18, sauntered in and tried to order a drink. Accordingly, the bartender asked for his ID. He checked it out and realized it was expired, hence, he just had to refuse to serve the young man a drink. This sparked quite the fuss as the youngster started to behave rudely, slinging insults and threats at the bartender. Your classic misbehaving teenager scene.
Fast forward a couple of days and I found myself at the airport lounge, seated at the bar. Who should walk in but the same rude youngster from the prior incident. Once again, he attempted ordering a drink.
The bartender, a lady this time, asked for his ID. She gave it a casual glance and was about to hand it back when I decided to intervene. I suggested she double-check the ID, specifically, the expiration date. Yes, it was a bit underhanded, but let's be honest here - he had it coming. Like they say, karma can be quite the taskmaster.
19. This Comes Right From The Top
For a couple of years, I was employed with a sushi bar known for their high-quality food and half-priced sushi deals on most weekdays. However, this offer was exclusive to dine-in patrons. On a particularly busy evening, a woman and her cheerleader daughter walked into the packed restaurant, eager for the half-off sushi but short on time. Despite the crowded house, they pressed on.
Predictably, their food took longer than their unrealistic 15-minute expectation, causing the woman to lose her cool. Hoping to save time, she asked for the food to-go, to which I gently informed her that the meal would be charged full price as the deal was strictly for sit-in dining. This sparked a lopsided argument where she began to loudly berate me in front of her mortified daughter while I was just trying to keep my composure.
Her voice grew louder and her words harsher, insisting that her food be considered dine-in simply because she ordered it while seated. As my anxiety started surging, my boss intervened. Suddenly, everything changed.
My boss, who was working behind the sushi bar, told the woman firmly but fairly to stop yelling at me. She made clear that if the woman wanted the discounted sushi, she should wait like everybody else and respect the rules. My boss then gracefully apologized to others for the mishap and checked to see if I was alright.
The woman, caught off guard and embarrassed by her own behavior, finished her meal in silence. Her daughter, on the other hand, apologized on her mother's behalf and even left a generous tip.
My boss has always been a generous and considerate woman, always making time for her regular customers and still surprising me with free sushi here and there. Ever kind, just strive not to cross her, or you'll see how swiftly she can become formidable.
20. Just Smashing, Darling
I once had a job at a liquor shop. One day, a customer who seemed to have had one too many strolled in. Struggling to get his words out and barely keeping his balance, he wanted to make a purchase. We, however, decided not to sell to him due to his intoxicated state. This refusal threw him into a fit of anger, leading us to forcefully show him the door, while warning him of potential police involvement.
Instead of heading home, the disgruntled customer tottered to another nearby store. On his way back - bottle in hand - he passed by our store and tried to spew out some pretty unkind remarks at us. However, just like in a comedy movie, he tripped mid-sentence, causing his newly acquired bottle to smash onto the sidewalk. While it wasn't a pleasant circumstance, the spectacle was somewhat satisfying to witness.
21. Not So Fast
In the car repair industry, we often encounter individuals who aren't happy about spending money on their vehicles. Take, for instance, a couple who once came to reclaim their car. Their vehicle was conveniently parked in the nearest spot to the street. The husband was rather agreeable, accepting the need for the repairs and approving them without complaints.
However, his wife was a different story. She challenged every single detail on the repair estimate, persistently questioned every decision, haggled for a lower price, and even threatened to take their business elsewhere or buy a brand new car.
While the husband headed towards the office, his wife made a sprint for the car. She retrieved the hidden keys, carelessly tossed the protective seat cover aside, and started the car. Before even settling the bill, she dashed off with the vehicle.
And then karma struck instantly. As she turned around a corner, she miscalculated the distance and scraped the whole passenger side of the car against a low concrete planter. I happened to witness the whole incident, but the husband didn't. That was the last time we ever saw them.
22. Forgetting Something?
I had a routine at our take-out restaurant where, upon finalizing a customer's payment, I'd place their credit card onto the Square platform we used for transactions. Then, I'd swivel the screen around for them to sign their receipt, their card right there for them to retrieve.
One busy lunch hour, a particular customer took exception to my method. She vocally accused me of disrespect for not directly handing her back her card. Despite the bustling restaurant - several customers enjoying their meals at tables and five others queued up behind her – she made a show of reprimanding me loudly.
In an ill-advised move, I attempted to explain that this was a standard procedure I followed with all customers, but to no avail. Her tirade continued unabated, asserting that as a customer, the ideal service would cater to her specifications. She made sure to put on quite a performance, drawing everyone's attention to our exchange.
Ironically, her theatrics ended up being her downfall. She was so preoccupied with 'educating' me, she left the restaurant forgetting her infant. Given that she'd made herself the epicenter of the room, her forgetfulness did not go unnoticed. One of our quick-thinking customers even had to dash out to prevent her from driving off without her child. Believe me, there's no elegant or inconspicuous way to retrieve a left-behind, full-sized baby carrier.
23. Too Hot To Handle
I'm employed in the food industry, and I had a memorable experience at a college football game some time ago. An alumnus harshly criticise my colleague and me because our hot chocolate didn't meet his expectations - apparently, it wasn't "chocolaty" enough for his taste. Bound by our roles, all we could do was politely apologize, powerless and unable to solve the problem.
24. Want To Revise Your Story?
As a bank employee, I once had a customer who was very upset. He noticed a $50 charge on his account and accused us of failing to safeguard his account, causing a big fuss that went on for about 30 minutes. However, it was revealed that he had forgotten about a $50 payment he made for a webcam service. This information came to light when my customer service representative reviewed his account and conducted a search on the internet to identify where the charge originated from.
25. His Luck Ran Out
I used to work at a cash and credit card service booth in a Native American casino. One night, a particularly irritable customer who'd had one too many drinks was giving me a hard time about the speed of my service. He insisted I needed to "speed things up" or he would threaten my job.
I did speed things up, processing cash withdrawals for him on five different credit cards. He kept returning because his luck was bad at the gambling tables and he needed more cash.
As the night wore on, it seemed that Visa noticed the alarming spending pattern this individual was exhibiting - withdrawing around $10,000 at a casino within just a few hours. As a result, they froze all of his credit cards.
For us, the protocol in such situations was clear: we had to confiscate the customer's card. Consequently, I collected and kept every single card that this customer had on him. Needless to say, he was far from pleased with the situation.
26. Checking Out
Back when Circuit City was still around, I held a new-ish position there, selling electronics. There was a moment when the iPod nano was a hot item; everyone was clamoring to get a look. During a particularly busy shift - working solo because a co-worker had called in sick - I was juggling a group of customers for over an hour straight.
Just when I thought I was catching my breath, a man walked up to me, accusing me of ignoring his wife. It turned out the couple had been lingering in the back corner of the store, out of sight, expecting service there. They demanded a high-end laptop but didn't want me to receive any sales commission because they felt I had neglected them earlier.
Joke's on them - we weren't operating on commission then, so their rebuke didn't faze me at all. I procured their desired laptop and passed them on to a manager to process their payment. The cherry on top? Their check bounced back. Couldn't help but do a little victory jig there.
27. He Made His Bed
Back when I was a mattress salesperson, it was no secret that nobody was genuinely excited about buying the products. Let's face it, purchasing a mattress isn't exactly thrilling. We all understood that customers made such buys out of necessity rather than desire. On one eventful Saturday, an grumpy elderly gentleman walked into the store.
Before anyone had the opportunity to welcome him, he commenced grumbling about absolutely everything. Our team attempted to assist him, but he wasn't having it. He kept everyone at an arm's length, quite insistently. Ironically, he then began fussing about not receiving any help. Just to provide a visual, this man was rather old and had some mobility issues, which made any movement a daunting task for him. Given his situation, we respectfully suggested that he shouldn't try out the all-foam mattress without assistance - a suggestion he curtly shrugged off.
Ignoring our advice, he marches over to a foam mattress located next to a wall-mounted TV. The TV, jutting out about 8 inches from the wall, kept on airing commercials tirelessly. The grumpy gentleman lay down on the mattress and instantly knew the unfamiliar foam structure was not for him. It dawned on him that getting off the bed would be a Herculean task, yet he refused to ask for help.
Bracing himself, he propelled off the mattress with such force that he collided into the TV unit. The spectacle was too much for my manager who had a hard time keeping his composure. Undeterred by the laughing staff members, the man raised a feeble complaint before exiting the store in his snappy fashion.
28. Pitching A Fit
During my college years, I took up a job at our local RadioShack. Sundays were generally slow and I was often the sole employee on duty. One Sunday morning, after a particularly tiring night, I was somewhat disgruntled at the idea of having to go into work on a likely quiet day.
My irritation only escalated when I pulled into the parking lot and was immediately confronted by an irate man. With a practiced retail associate smile, I asked him what was wrong. He angrily informed me that he had been waiting for half an hour and accused me of lateness. In reality, I was at the store 15 minutes ahead of my shift.
Despite his ranting and raving about never returning to the store as he tailed me to the door, I calmly explained that, before attending to him, I needed to deactivate the alarm and tally the cash register first. This further upset him, but by that point, I was indifferent to his ire.
It's only fair to note that despite his rudeness, I made an effort to assist him before the store’s official opening time. When I eventually started helping him, he asked about batteries, which should have been a straightforward query. But as I showed him our battery range and the pricing, he exploded. He accused us of charging exorbitant rates and claimed we had treated him poorly.
His rage expressed itself in him pounding the counter and raving about the lack of name-brand batteries (which we did in fact stock) and his absurd perception of RadioShack as a communist organization forcing our own brand of batteries upon customers. Maintaining composure, I told him there was nothing more I could do and asked if there was anything else I could assist him with.
His response was to storm off, whack a battery display, and then karma paid him a visit. In his fury, he surged headfirst into our door. His angry tirade earlier during my unlocking had distracted me, causing me to forget to unlock the other door. He glanced around sheepishly, perhaps to see if I had witnessed his blunder. With a wave and a cheery "have a great day," I sent him off. He tore out of the parking lot, and that was the last I saw of him.
29. Drive On By
There's this awesome tale from my time at Starbucks. We were shorter on staff than normal, causing our drive-thru line to move slower. So, this one guy comes to the window, clearly upset, venting his frustration about the wait. I instantly apologize and give him his total.
Then, something unexpected happens. He flings his credit card my way. It shoots off the bottom of the window, lands right under his truck. We share a moment of awkward silence before he asks his daughter to hunt for the card. I kindly share that it's beneath their vehicle, leading him to inch his truck up a bit.
Next thing, he's out of his truck, saddling up to retrieve his card from the narrow patch of ground between his vehicle's back end and the building side. His face flushed with embarrassment as he gingerly hands me his credit card, eye contact conveniently absent. By this time, the smirking audience behind him had quite the spectacle to enjoy. I must admit, it was a gratifying moment.
30. Read The Room
I was waiting my turn at the hardware store when I noticed a sign alerting customers that the cashier was deaf. Despite this, a rather robust man in line behind me was growing impatient, rudely expressing his annoyance at her perceived slowness. Mind you, the customer she was currently assisting had quite a loaded cart.
Suddenly, this man's patience ran out and he shoutingly exclaimed, "What's your problem? Are you deaf?" This outburst was met with stunned silence, then disbelieving glances from every direction. It was quite a spectacle. My mother, who was with me, spoke up, gesturing towards the cashier's sign.
She retaliated with, "What's your problem, can't you read?" The man's face reddened beyond belief and he slinked away, avoiding eye contact with everyone. His exit was greeted with applause from not only the customers but the other staff as well. Keep listening for the rest of this engaging story of human behavior.
31. You Won’t Get Away With This
Back in my retail days at an electronics shop, we had a pair of troublemakers sneaking around, pilfering DVDs. Their method was smart - snipping off barcodes to disarm the sensors and ensure a quiet escape. Our sharp-eyed manager spotted their antics and smartly sent our floor reps their way, just to check in on their 'shopping'.
Eventually, my boss approached these gentlemen and offered them an empty basket. A polite way of signaling, we're onto you. Becoming increasingly nervous, they began aimlessly wandering, subtly dropping DVDs along the way. Every time they discarded one, our staff was quick to pick it up. Eventually sensing they were caught, they lapsed into panic, dumped the remaining DVDs, and sprinted towards the exit.
No one bothered to tail them as they made their hasty escape, considering they had abandoned all the stolen goods. Right before exiting, one of the perpetrators turned around to rudely gesture at us. Unluckily for him, in his defiance, he lost focus and walked straight into an oncoming car in the parking lot. Though it was a minor bump since the vehicle was in the lot, it left him scrambling on the ground before he could keep his flight, providing quite the closing spectacle to this strange event.
32. The Time Is Right
Once upon a time, I was merely helping a mother purchase a Nintendo 3DS for her little boy. The thrill on the kid's face was so palpable, I handed him the toy's box to grip in his tiny hands as I billed everything. When the subject of the accidental damage protection plan came up, she put up quite a struggle. Apparently, she thought I was indirectly suggesting her child wasn't responsible enough to handle his toys. Just on cue, the most dramatic event unfolded.
The moment those words left her mouth, the boy chucked the box with the console clear across the store. It dramatically collided into a shelf, causing a cascade of games to shower down. If there was ever a definition of poetic justice, this was it. And well, she ended up purchasing the four-year plan.
33. Sad Violin Sound
I was working in a music shop where we specialize in selling high-end orchestral instruments, such as tubas and clarinets. This tale happened towards the end of our annual sale. During this time, an older gentleman came into the shop and was captivated by the most expensive trumpet we had on display.
My colleague approached the man, offering assistance and asking if he'd like to try out the trumpet. The customer, however, started criticizing the instrument, particularly its $3400 price tag. He wasn't much impressed and felt the cost was too high.
Just as he was airing his complaints, a caller rings up and asks for that same trumpet model. The caller was even willing to pay the full amount upfront to reserve it. Considering it was sale time, we had sold out most of our stock and the trumpet the older man was belittling was the last of its kind.
Without skipping a beat, another coworker of mine walked up and removed the debated trumpet from its display. This action sparked an outrage in the older man who began yelling and calling us incompetent. It became apparent he had been pretending displeasure in an attempt of negotiation for a lowered price. Since our sale only applied to items currently in stock, we couldn't help him out. He ended up ordering one later but had to shell out a couple more hundred bucks for his grumbles. Let's just say we had a good chuckle about that incident for quite some time.
34. Boy’s Night Out
A bunch of lads entered my eatery, throwing a big party for a buddy's newly-acquired single status. It was clear that their ongoing festivities were about to make my attractive waitstaff a little uncomfortable. I kept a close watch on their table while balancing not to look too blatantly supervisory.
After taking a quick 15-second detour to the kitchen, a waitress rushed in alerting me that the previously married guy needed to be cut off - she accused him of inappropriate touching. That's crossing boundaries, mate. Marching back to their table, I took them their bills and asked them to settle up and depart. I dealt with the matter professionally, explaining I received a complaint from the waitress and sadly could no longer serve them alcohol. Their night was over.
Now, I'm not easily intimidated, but a showdown with all six of them would be more than a mild disturbance. Once the shock wore off, the recently single man posed a challenging question, "So, what happens if we don't leave?" Then, in a brilliantly timed disaster, he tried to rise, only his generously sized belly didn't make it over the table edge. This attempt resulted in two pitchers and six nearly empty glasses of drinks cascading all over him and his buddies, followed by his swift and unceremonious descent back to his seat.
There was no need for further words. One of his pals quickly threw a hundred bucks on the table, apologized, and ushered his now-sticky and thoroughly embarrassed friend out through the side door.
35. From Sob Story To Most Wanted
I'm part of a chain that deals in cell phone and computer repairs. One day, a woman we'll name "Wanda" visited us. We typically purchase phones and minor electronics, only if we're confident about reselling them. An old iPhone 4 or any brand new device won't get you a lucrative offer of $600 from us.
Wanda reached out to us for price estimates for three phones and an old Compaq laptop. On evaluation, two phones seemed outdated. The dilapidated state of the laptop was a dead giveaway that we couldn’t consider purchasing it. Wanda later showed up at our shop claiming that another branch of ours offered her $50 for all the three phones and $150 for the laptop. Knowing the efficiency of the managers from the other branch, it was apparent she wasn't being truthful.
I offered her $30 for her best phone (which was personal and plays an essential role in the upcoming scenario) and politely declined to buy the other two phones and the worn-out Compaq. She was insistent and complained about the prices we offered. She seemed to hold the unreasonable expectation that it was our responsibility to buy her items.
Let me paint you a picture of our store condition that day: the air conditioning was out of order, it was 80 degrees inside, and everybody was irritable. Amid this unbearable heat, Wanda kept on grumbling. To bring the conversation to a close, I offered her $50 for the phone. Apparently satisfied, she left, intending to sell the other items at our other branch.
Soon enough, about half an hour later, she returned with a sad tale for my colleague about needing money for her ailing daughter. Listening to her plead, my co-worker eventually relented and paid her $10 for the laptop. Finally, she left our store, but unbeknownst to us, that wasn’t the end of it.
As part of our process, we examined the phone and laptop for reselling possibilities. What we found was shocking - a text message on the phone which read, "Return my laptop and everything you took, or I’ll alert the law”. A quick research revealed that Wanda has been on a wanted list since 2010 for theft in our area.
We immediately called the police, briefed the store owner, and managed to return the laptop to its rightful owner. Thanks to two overheated but determined young employees, that supposedly routine visit from Wanda has now led to her being under a warrant again. And all it took was a measly $60 to finally get her out of our store for good.
36. No Backup Plan
This customer made quite an impression. First, they purchased a phone from my store, acting rudely throughout the process. Afterwards, they accidentally dropped their new phone, resulting in a cracked screen, much to their dismay. Although they had initially declined a warranty - calling it a "useless expenditure" - they subsequently wanted me to add it on. Regrettably, that wasn't feasible.
Following my refusal, they reacted with a barrage of angry words, going as far as hurling the damaged phone towards me. This led to the intervention of security. Thankfully, they haven't been back since that incident.
37. Holding All The Strings
As a service advisor for a notable car company, I recently had an experience with a rather impolite customer over the phone. She needed her car to be serviced. Due to our busy schedule, the only free slot I could offer was 7:30 am on the upcoming Monday morning. Knowing the repairs would barely require a 10-minute span was an ironically satisfying yield of the situation.
38. A Helping Hand
We had a strict policy at the store against pursuing shoplifters once they left our premises. One day, as I was having a chat with the attractive barista from the neighboring Starbucks, I caught a guy attempting to steal a coat. I quickly signaled the barista and we positioned ourselves near the exit to intervene. The thief spotted us and darted towards an alternate exit.
"Unfortunately, we're not permitted to chase culprits beyond the store's limit," I told her. Her eyes sparkled with the perfect solution: She said, "But there's no such rule for me!" Without wasting a moment, she sprinted after the crook and succeeded in tackling him to the ground.
The story doesn't end here. As the guy fell, his fingers became entangled in the coat's hanger. The combined impact of the fall and hanger resulted in breaking all except the middle finger of that hand.
Well, that served the thief right. His thieving act landed him with an injured hand. What a brilliant payback!
39. No Such Thing As A Free Drink
There was a demanding customer who felt entitled to a free birthday drink. It wasn't a typical request we honored, particularly not to individuals with unpleasant attitudes. Sadly, I had to inform him that we were unable to cater to his request, trying to express it as kindly as possible. His girlfriend understood the situation and kindly offered to pay for the drink; but her boyfriend protested against it and insisted on getting his freebie.
Maintaining my stand, I reiterated that such a request wasn't doable. At that, he huffed off angrily, name-calling his girlfriend and shoving her slightly as they both exited. The pavement was slick from a recent rain, and the push resulted in him losing balance and slipping. Somehow, it was a twist of karma. Meanwhile, I served the girlfriend her drink on the house as her boyfriend walked away in a huff.
40. Moving On Up
I found myself queued behind a woman who acted like a stereotypical "Karen" at the cashier's counter. The cashier was dutifully scanning her purchases when Karen suddenly objected, saying, "No, that's incorrect. It's not X, it's Y". The cashier obliged and corrected the error. Interestingly, her total spiked after the correction. A bit taken aback, she jokingly remarked, "Guess I should've kept quiet, huh?" I couldn't help but appreciate this as the perfect real-time example of instant karma.
41. Getting Sassed Back
I have a job just outside Baltimore where I oversee a store selling clothes for plus-size women. Interestingly, it isn't purely populated by the 'typical' clientele you might expect. We have men buying dresses for charity events, cross-dressers, gender-fluid individuals, transgender women, and even drag queens. One particular day, a drag queen came in looking for some shoes they'd previously purchased online.
Looking glamorously dressed with full make-up, it was clear they were either heading to a show or wrapping one up. As I collected their name to locate their parcel, another customer walked in. Immediately acknowledging the new customer, I reassured her, "I'll be right with you," before darting into the back room to find the drag queen's web order.
It took a while to sift through the stash of orders, but I eventually pinpointed the requested package. On my way back, the newly-arrived customer threw out her arm to prevent me from passing. Assuming a tone of strong dissatisfaction, she proclaimed, "I am a new customer and I've been here for 20 minutes and no one has spoken to me". First, it was strange because I did greet her as she entered the store. Second, she had barely spent five minutes here.
Given the situation, I prepared myself to apologize extensively. But, before I could utter a word, the drag queen marched over, fixed a stern gaze on the disgruntled customer, and retorted, "Honey, she did greet you". It was a moment accentuated with an array of sassy, finger snapping. They then made sure to express their gratitude generously for the package. They bestowed a luminous, sparkly smooch on my cheek before strutting out of the store. The other customer, a little embarrassed by now, quietly made her payment for the Spanx. Keeping her eyes averted when I wished her a pleasant day, she promptly exited the store.
42. Double Whammy
A guy entered our shop who was incredibly rude. He refused to show his ID to buy drinks, even though he didn't appear older than 20, and was consistently raising his voice and using foul language. He even parked his car in a disability parking spot despite not having the required tags or plates. But his actions soon caught up with him.
One of my regular customers, who happens to be a sheriff's deputy, was in the store at the same time. The deputy observed the young man's inappropriate behavior and illegal parking. He promptly walked out, took out his ticket book and started writing a ticket for the young man. When the rude customer realized he was not getting his drinks, he went outside only to discover he was being ticketed. It was such a humorous situation, I simply couldn't stop laughing.
43. Playing The Short Game
I'm not quite sure if my role as a public defender falls into the retail or service industry. However, considering my work involves presenting a legal defense for clients with limited resources, often accused and facing a loss of their basic rights and freedom, I'm inclined to categorize it under service. Not long ago, I was assigned a client who, unfortunately, had developed a serious substance abuse issue and had, regrettably, endangered her own daughter as a result.
She was confronted with charges of child endangerment and substance possession, and was staring at a potential three-year prison sentence, on a plea deal. On communicating this to her, she didn't take it well, becoming highly agitated when I informed her that the plea deal was the best possible outcome the DA was providing, and her choices were to either accept it or gamble on a trial outcome.
I also highlighted the very substantial amount of evidence against her, the chief aspect being, shockingly, her own daughter's impending testimony against her. In response, she lashed out at me, employing a range of creative insults, including "public pretender", followed by her decision to terminate my services and, unbelievably, scrape together $8,000 to hire a private attorney.
I'm uncertain as to how she came up with the funds, but I can speculate. This private attorney assured her of a successful trial outcome, and she opted for the trial. Much to no one's surprise, it seemed evident the private attorney hadn't properly examined the case files before the trial's commencement. The trial took approximately three hours, the jury needed merely five minutes to return, and the judge handed down a ten-year sentence. I chalked that up as a fairly satisfactory outcome.
44. Doggone It
I work at a warehouse store where customers need a membership card to shop. Even though we aren't specifically a grocery store, we have a firm no-pet policy. However, one day a man tried to briskly stomp past our entrance guard, a hefty pitbull puppy straining on a leash at his side. We intercepted him and kindly informed him that dogs were not allowed inside the store. That's when he lost his temper.
Claiming to be our top customer, he said he visits us five times weekly and even holds shares in our company. Despite his displeasure, he demanded an explanation for our policy. We calmly told him that we prioritize food safety and an untrained puppy could compromise that.
Just then, our manager arrived on the scene and allowed him to proceed - clearly he was not one to enforce rules strictly. What happened next made me buckle over laughing. In less than five minutes, the puppy halted in the middle of the main aisle and relieved itself - first urine, then feces.
The man's face turned beet-red from embarrassment. He hastily yanked the dog towards the exit, abandoning his shopping cart. We stopped him once more, this time to enquire if he would kindly attend to his puppy's mess. “This is precisely why we forbid dogs in the store, sir".
45. An Act Of God Indeed
The story I'm about to tell was centred around the store manager - the epitome of unpleasantness. Displaying an unjust favouritism and often resorting to rudeness, she had an uncanny knack for creating chaos around the workplace. Easily the worst managerial experience we had ever encountered.
When an imminent storm threatened our town, it was her call whether our store would remain open or be safely shut down. Unfortunately, she decided to keep it open. As a result of schools being closed due to the grim weather condition, only half of the scheduled employees managed to come in. Even then, she didn't hesitate to exercise her bias and excused her favourites from work. Well, the day was about to teach her a rather harsh lesson.
Inside the deserted store, the few present employees gathered, our eyes glued to the window. We were all absorbed in the spectacle of the wind ferociously bending the trees. At this point, our worries were more about our safety and the daunting task of returning home amidst the storm, rather than the work that was already finished.
In the midst of our anxious waiting, a loud crashing noise rent the air. The source? The industrial air conditioner from the top of the building was breezily rolling off the roof, ultimately making a dramatic landing in the parking lot. The climax of the scene was when it landed precisely on the manager's car, crushing it to a dismayed scrap of metal. Watching the air conditioner flatten her expensive BMW was nothing less than surreal.
Interestingly, she had decided to disobey the rule against parking near the building and instead chose to park right up close. On the other hand, the cars of the rest of us were safely parked in the remote corner of the lot, just as instructed. Here's another twist to the tale - her car wasn't fully paid for and neither would her insurance cover an "act of god".
In a run of calamities, her poor decision, combined with the sheer power of nature, served her a costly and unforgettable lesson. The day perfectly illustrated the connection between thoughtless actions and their consequences.
46. You Got Told
I was employed at a bustling brunch hotspot, and Mother's Day was easily our peak business day. On the eve of this day, I received a call from a customer seeking a reservation for six. Upon informing him that this wasn't feasible, he reacted with curt indifference. As his frustration escalated, he requested to liaise with my supervisor.
Initially, I was hesitant to hand over the call. Our manager, Mac, had a reputation for being abrasive, and we were engaged in a bustling dinner shift. However, Mac, noticing the duration of my call, intervened and inquired about it. Feeling defeated and understanding that the client was adamant, I passed the phone to Mac.
Mac's approach was prompt and direct. After listening for a brief moment, he addressed the customer with a firm rebuttal, something along the lines of, "Why are you occupying my hostess's time during a busy dinner shift when she has already politely informed you that we can't accommodate your party on the eve of one of our busiest days? Enough is enough!" Following this, he ended the call.
47. Babies Know Best
Currently, I'm employed at a second-hand furniture store that spans two levels. The store's inventory solely comes from individuals who provide their furniture for us to sell while they make a part of the profits. Recently, a woman visited our store accompanied by her young son. Our collection that day included two bar stools, which caught her eye. She approached me at the counter and requested, "I'd like to order two more of these bar stools".
With a polite smile, I explained, "I'm afraid we can't do that. These stools belong to a consignor and are the only ones available". This irritated the woman as she snapped, “What’s stopping you from finding similar ones online?”. Keeping my cool, I responded with a forced smile, "Of course, you're welcome to search online for something similar, but we do not provide this service. I'm really sorry for the inconvenience".
Groaning in dissatisfaction, the lady stormed off towards the exit, muttering negative statements about me, vowing to leave a negative review and even have me fired, her outrage inadvertently amusing me. But what happened next always makes me chuckle. As she approached the door, she walked straight into it. It was a push door and, surprise, it was locked. Astonished, she turned to me and demanded, "WHY IS THIS LOCKED?!" before I could answer, her son said, "Mommy, you were mean to that lady. You should apologize before we leave". That little boy restored my faith in humanity that day.
48. What He Does In The Shadows
I once had a job assisting customers with online banking. I recall an encounter with an 18-year-old guy who noticed a $7 charge from "allpay" on his account. The charge seemed unfamiliar to him, so he jumped to the conclusion that our bank, and by extension I, was swindling him out of $7. His choice of words was "thieving little jerk."
Next, I found myself speaking with his father, who defended his son's unfounded accusations, calling me a hopeless fool who was extracting money from his teenage son. Mind you, I merely worked in the department assisting with online banking and it was just a standard debit card transaction.
In light of their concerns, I decided to contact our debit card department for more information and, indeed, they were able to clarify things. This gave me the satisfaction of sharing the true nature of the transaction with the teen's father.
"Hello sir, I appreciate your patience. Our debit card department has provided some insights about the transaction in question. The term 'allpay' is somewhat ambiguous by design. It's often used when a customer subscribes to adult content websites. That's what this charge was for; your son has been paying for explicit online content. Would you prefer I explain this to him, or would you like to inform him?"
The father's reaction was a subdued acknowledgement. He expressed that there was no need for further probing, thanked me for exploring the matter, and then ended the call.
49. Feeling Blue
A woman with blue hair approached me with a complaint about a dessert she'd ordered from our restaurant. She claimed there was a hair in it. When she showed me, sure enough, the hair was blue. I calmly responded, "Madam, none of our staff have blue hair."
50. Have A Care
I had a stint at a telecommunications company in Canada. One day, a woman walked in clutching her damaged iPhone, insisting we give her a replacement at no cost. She was quite persistent and took her complaint to our customer loyalty department, right there in our shop. For the following couple of hours, she continuously yelled at them, determined to have her demands met. Ultimately, they conceded and granted her a new phone for free. Turning to me she said, "I don't need a protective case, and AppleCare is just a rip-off."
You should understand that we make a living from commission, so with her rejection of any additional items, my potential earnings took a huge hit and so did my sales record. As I was working to set up her phone, she repeatedly nudged me to speed things up. I was just trying to ensure everything from her old device was effectively transferred to the new one before she left. However, she snatched the phone, called me an inefficient worker, and stomped towards the exit.
Only a few steps out the door, she accidentally dropped her brand new phone. The screen shattered and the device couldn't even power up. Panicking, she hurried back into the store, asking what could be done to fix it. I simply shrugged and said, "Too bad, AppleCare would have been handy, right?"
