Ever work in Customer Service? How do you deal with evil customers? Any horror stories?

Question

The customer is NOT always right.

Answer 1

I let them rant, try to empathise with them, then do the same as I would for any other customer. Some people think they have to throw a tantrum to get anything done. Bad thing is, if rules are to be broken in order to pacify these habitual tantrum throwers, they learn quickly that they can get anything done if they scream loud enough. Me, I do nothing special for them above what I would do for the nice ones who come in with a problem. If that isn't good enough, they can go right back out the same door they came in.

Answer 2

You are so right. I am a pharmacist and I know many situations with evil customers. I would say 90% of the time they are mad at me for things I can not control, Like their insurance, I didn't sign them up with that plan they did but when the insurance does not pay for it, my butt does. MOST of the time people get pissed off they don't understand how things work so they blame the closest person to them. Another story. We had a lady in the drive-thru wanting to pick-up her medication. She when from zero to ***** in 0.2 seconds when we told her that her medication would not fit in the tube.I tried to explain to her that her medication is fragile can can be easily broken. I simply asked her if she could get in the first lane or come in the store to pick it up. After arguing with her I let her have it her way i squished there medication in the tube and sent it out. When she got it she took the medication out of the tube. She threw the tube under her car and tried to run it over. Ya I'm thinkin what the hell . All I can think is may she has a few screws loose.
You are so right the customer is not always right.

Answer 3

I used to work in a grocery store customer service booth. We did everything from cash checks to return items to develop photos. You are right about the customer not always being right, but the thing that always upset me was that we were taught to (gently) let the customer know that they couldn't do this or that. BUT, if they complained and got a manager, the manager ALWAYS agreed with the customer and gave them what they wanted. Made us look like idiots.

My worst story was a guy who wanted to cash a check. He didn't have a card or ID and the check was over the limit. I wouldn't let him cash it so he started swearing at me and spitting (I was on the other side of glass, but still), calling me names and SCREAMING. The manager, whose office was directly over mine and who overheard the whole thing, came down and told the guy I was right, but if he filled out some information we could give him a card. Well, he filled it out with information we could not confirm and when he came back to cash a check I still wouldn't cash it (it wasn't allowed by company policy). He yelled and again called me names (w*itch, c-word, etc). He then stuck his hand THROUGH THE GLASS and threatened me ("I'm going to kill you, you stupid wh---") The manager came again, CASHED THE CHECK, and told the guy not to come back. I ended up quitting not long after that. Never saw him again, but still....

Answer 4

I've worked in customer service all my life and I think most of America is a service industry. So, yea the customer is paying you.

Answer 5

You just have to grin and bare it. Don't take it personally and NO the customer is not always right. You need to know the proper rules and regulations of your workplace so that you can politely put them in their place when needed.

Answer 6

i've got had MANY cases of terrible client provider!! lots of the time I forget it and chalk it as much as them having a bad day. I artwork client provider myself so i know how rude human beings can placed you in a bad temper. i'm quite stable at turning undesirable situations around in spite of the undeniable fact that so i've got discovered a thank you to handle rude and disillusioned human beings so they never bypass away unhappy! Oh and Gods infant, only out of your answer i could guess that that's YOU who's the priority at that place of employer and not the human beings who artwork there. in line with threat you're able to no longer be so judgmental.

Answer 7

Ive been called out of my name before and yelled at. You just take it with a smile becuase they are frustrated and can't get anything done until you hit the button. They are at your mercy, not the other way around, just remember that!

Answer 8

Slowly count to ten. If after that you still feel like punching them in the head then do so.