Why was I fired?

Question

I work as a tour guide at a Museum, and give interactive tours all day. I have guests that come up and ask me some of the stupidest questions. For example, we have an ENTRANCE sign right by the front of where the tour starts. Guests will ask "Where's the entrance?" Gee, maybe where the entrance sign is? They also ask things like "Where's the bathroom?" when there are signs that clearly say BATHROOMS right in front of them! So last week, a family of four come up to me and ask "Where's the entrance for this tour?" Mind you, Im standing Right in front of the entrance, with the Sign saying ENTER HERE next to me. So I replied "Right where it says entrance you morons!" I said it sort of irratated, but still trying to smile. The lady reported me for rudeness, and I was fired later that day. Even though I told my story and claimed they should have known where the entrance was. Why was I fired for simply putting these idiots in their place?

All of you assholes who are saying "I would have fired you too!", grow up! You dont work like I do every day with morons. You try dealing with the same questions every day and see how you handle it.

Wow I can't believe that NO ONE has sympathized with me. You all are either phony or just plain sick. You've surrended yourself to a robotic society and have decided to "FOLLOW THE RULES" like everyone else. The customer is HARDLY ever always right. I can't believe that in 2007, Im getting replies that sound like their from 80 year-old grandparents. You people obviously have never worked with the public before.

Answer 1

i would have fired you, too.
you are hired to give this kind of info.
as you are learning, many people don't read signs.
i think you need a different kind of job.
or to become more tolerant of people.

Answer 2

You provide a service and should be doing it in a hospitable manner. You failed to do so. You can not assume the guest sees and knows everything. Guests are out of their element when in a museum and probably distracted or excited. With that being the case they do not read or pay attention. I see it all the time in my line of work. You just have to roll with it and be patient.
It is not your job to put people in their place. Your job is to give interactive tours. What was it going to prove to this group of four, calling them morons? It sounds if later that day someone else would of done the same thing.
The guest is not always right, but they are always served. You served them in a rude way. I don't think you would like someone calling you a moron or better yet a family member a moronn for not being observant.
I'm sorry but maybe you are not cut out for the service industry if you can't handle repetative, obvious questions.

Answer 3

You were a representative of the museum. As a representative, it was your job to present the museum in the best, most professional way possible. Calling customers morons definitely does not fit that criteria.
Yes, it's difficult dealing with questions we may perceive as stupid, but if you want to keep your job, you have to treat customers professionally and respectfully. Remember, it's the customers who keep your employer in business and you with a job. Repeat business keeps these businesses alive. If customers are treated badly by employees who are allowed to stay, word will get around and the museum loses money and eventually goes out of business.
Not everyone has a knack working with people or for the public. That's okay. You may find yourself much happier working behind the scenes somewhere. But no matter what, always hold your tongue and treat people with respect and be professional.

Answer 4

I am in my 20's and work in customer service. There are people that can work in that industry and there are people that just can't. You can't. That's not a bad thing, it just means you don't have the patience to deal with the millions of idiots that are out there. Somehow, I have the patience to not only deal with idiots but with liars as well. I work at a hotel and daily I get people that lie just so they can get something for free. I have to basically take it and give them what they want. Why??? Because somehow in the last few years upper management lost their spine and do not stand up to customers who are scamming. I understand that not all customers do this, but I would say about 70% do.
Do not get another job in customer service because that is not your strength. I too would have fired you. You were hired as a person that would be able to assist customers. Just stay away from that field.

Answer 5

As super w said, when you enter a room for the first time, it's very different than when you see these signs day in day out. I'm worried for you. Almost every job involves dealing with people and if you don't change your ways you'll do more harm to yourself than you do to the people you call morons. Hope a job where you don't get so many questions all the time will work better for you.

Answer 6

You were fired because you weren't doing your job. Your job is to GUIDE...no matter how obvious the signs are. When you're in a hospitality position, your job is to be hospitable no matter the circumstances. You need to learn that speaking your mind is not always appropriate, and in this case calling customers morons (no matter your tone) was completely inappropriate. Do you think those people are going to want to come back? Do you think they're going to enjoy their experience at the museum after you just ridiculed and belittled them? Probably not. Your firing was completely justified. And if you don't change your attitude I'm sure you've got many more firings to look forward to.

Answer 7

I would have fired you too. You were getting paid to do a job politely. You were fired because being polite and kind to the public was probably in your job description and you could not handle it. There are so many signs and advertisements all over the world that people tend to ignore them. They want to ask a person to get a solid answer. There's nothing wrong with that. If you can't handle a job with people maybe you should work in a lab or something.

Answer 8

You definitely deserved to be fired. There is NEVER, EVER any circumstance where you can insult a customer. PERIOD.

You have to remember, just because you worked there everyday and presumably knew your way around, the majority of the patrons are in an unfamiliar enviroment and even if the signage is good, might be confused. Haven't you ever been in a grocery store and asked where the bread aisle is, only to discover it was right in front of you? It's the exact same thing.

as for your "additional details:" I'm willing to bet there are a LOT of people in this forum who work in a service-style job like you did. So to say they have no idea what it's like is a sign of your stupidity.

Answer 9

Calling a visitor a moron is disrespectul, unkind, and as others have said extremely rude. The fact that you smiled was of no importance. Sometimes actions do not speak louder than words. You are a prime example of that exception.

If you were so discontent with people asking you stupid questions (which most people do at least once or twice in their lifetime, and I'm sure you're not an exception), you should have left your job and escaped the embarrassment of being fired.

Answer 10

Good manners never go out of style. No matter how someone might appear to YOU, it doesn't give you the right to belittle someone who:
A. Could have vision problems.
B. Wanted to make sure.
C. Is not an Einstein like you.

Chalk this up as a lesson in life, and seek new employment that doesn't involve working with the public. Become a programmer or scuba diver, or house sitter maybe. Heck, you might even try working with animals, you can say whatever you want to them, and they don't care.

Answer 11

I worked in customer service for almost five years. No, the customer is not always right, but the customer is always treated with courtesy and respect.

I would have fired you. You are so full of sarcasm and irritation toward the guests of the museum with their legitimate questions, thinking of them as morons and idiots, that you should probably not try to work with people again.