What compells people to be so rude and mean spirited to complete strangers?

Question

I work technical support, which requires alot of customer service. Now, I enjoy my job and love speaking with customer. Many are lovely people and roll with the punches when some error has occured. But there are those that are just down right nasty and for no apparant reason. Do you think this is because we're speaking on the phone and not face to face? Do you think its because in their lives they have to bow down to others and use this as a chance to "vent"? Have you ever behaved badly to someone without any real provocation?

Answer 1

Who calls you because they are not having a problem, just to say everything is just great. Call it an occupational hazard.

Answer 2

I'd be lying if I said all my angry outbursts were justified. I think the anonymity offers a buffer that people feel protects them from having to be civil. Just as you ask why could people be rude and mean to complete strangers, they may ask why they should be kind and polite to someone that hasn't shown they are competent at fixing their problems yet. In their minds, if tech support people were so clever, why didn't they make the computers work properly to begin with or solve their problem the first dozen times they called.

Answer 3

These are greedy people. They tend to take take take and never give back. They are the type that if they are having a bad day, EVERYONE else will too. They only think for themselves and couldn't care less about the others. But karma will get them 7 times fold.

Answer 4

a feeling of superiority is the root of the problem

Answer 5

selfishness, greed and inpatience... there is a lot of this in this world

Answer 6

Oh, hell, it's just plain FUN