Would you speak up if someone was saying racist remarks?

Question

here's the kicker......They are your customer and you are a small business owner. How would you handle the situation if it meant losing their business if you confronted them about their racism....

I'm asking this because this recently happened to me and I needed the business and didn't say anything. I think the customer is an evil prick but I also have to eat and pay my bills.

Answer 1

I don't know what business you are in, but I wouldn't stand for it. There's always another customer waiting for your business.

Answer 2

Well, that happened to me, a customer at a resturant said something negative about a manager that use to work at the resturant, because he is of middle east descent and with the qar going on you know, well I was shocked and after the cusotmer made the comment the manager walked by and greeted him, the cusotmer acted like nothing. I felt like I should say something, but I didn't know what would happen or if that would do any good. Well, I declined from saying anything, as it was not my place and I did not want to cause a scence. They wouldn't of been able to do anything except just know who the cusotmer is and because no one else saw it but me and his wife, he could deny everything-in the end trying to do the right thing, would bite me in the as s . I won't stand up for someone if I feel I can gethurt in the process or if what they are saying might be racist but true. This is your store, so go ahead with the actions,b ut remember they;'re are consquences.

Answer 3

You have to weigh whats more important to you:

Money or Morals?

Personally, this is something that could come back to hurt you I would think.

Should you grow into a large business and become involved with a race that the other customer doesn't care for you'll lose his business or there will be a big confrontation.

I would just explain to him that you don't appreciate that kind of talk and if he wishes to do business he can keep such comments to himself.

Answer 4

Tough call. It depends on how badly you needed his business I suppose.
Every one of us with a job has dealt with jerks in business. What a satisfying feeling it is when you get into a position to tell somebody, "Get out of my store!"
I've done it twice and it was great!

However, I know some small business owners that Love to "take money from" the jerks, citing that everybodys' money is green.

Depends on how you choose to look at it. As I've said, I've only thrown out two customers. If I threw out all the ones I ever wanted to, I would not have sold anything!

Answer 5

In the situation you describe, I think I would probably not confront them about it.

You don't need to initiate a confrontation. If you can avoid conversations that give your customer a reason to air these views then do that. I presume that these conversations are incidental to your business.

If your customer asks you directly, you could try to say that you prefer not to discuss the issue but, if pressed, don't lie.

Answer 6

It depends. I might, I might not. Some people don't honestly mean anything by the things they say...I just let that stuff go. If you're with an epderly person who makes a comment about an interracial couple, I wouldn't say anything because even though I don't care, I also know the old person isn't going to change their ways at this point, so who would benefit?

Answer 7

If I encounter someone like this in my personal life, I would surely say something. You can't expect everyone you do business with to have the same views. Business is business, and it should stay that way. You don't have to like your customers or their personal views to have a successful business relationship with them. This is one time when you were right not to say anything.

Answer 8

That's tough. You don't want to lose their patronage, but if nobody calls them out on their racism, then they will think it's okay. If it's a joke, you could always say 'that's not funny,' or if it's a racial slur, you could say 'please don't call me that.'

My friend's family owns an ethnic Thai restaurant. Many of the people who work there are educated and speak perfect English, however they are constantly frustrated by customers who think it's funny to order 'flied lice,' demand fortune cookies, and speak loudly and slowly to them. It's so maddening, but I think the staff keep their mouths shut for the tips.

Answer 9

That is a tricky thing - you need his business, but don't appreciate his attitudes.

You can find more subtle ways to show your disapproval rather than jumping down his throat - for example, if he tells a racist joke, don't laugh - don't look amused at all. If he says anything - say, "I don't find that very funny." Or if he tries to draw you into a racist conversation, don't. Or if he tries to get you to agree with a racist comment, say "I don't agree with you - I don't think that is true".

Answer 10

i get racist comments a lot because people think i am white and because you are white you are supposed to be racist too i guess? i don't know how it works. i have learned to look rather shocked when i get off-color jokes and usually i deride myself -- say something about my gypsy roots and how in many places i would be considered worse than whatever race or ethnic group was your customer derided. you can be polite and let them know that you would really prefer not to hear any more racist nonsense coming out of their mouth in the future.