Retail nightmare stories.

[ozarkram]

I have worked in retail for most of my life. I was lucky enough to learn a trade and parlay that into a career. Trade, retail? Yes although mine is a dying art at the retail level. In that time I have had about anything and everything happen to me in dealing with the public. Many nightmare stories. When I first got in the business the customer was king. If the customer wanted you to kiss their butt you got down on your knee and kissed their butt. If you wanted to keep your job. But times were different and most customers were civil and treated you as at least a human. Over the past 20 or so years that's changed and its amazing how many self absorbed entitled d-bags are walking around out there. Who have nothing better to do than to try and make someones life hell. I will relate two of the more minor ones just to get the ball rolling. After awhile you can spot these people they come in day after day seeming to have no life. This one gentlemen was bad news and made it a point to mess with anyone he crossed paths with because of course he was the center of the universe. I was out front one day with another employee. When I looked over and around the corner here comes d-bag. I see him, oh crap. I start making a beeline for the shop. Walking away the guy starts whistling like he is looking for his dog. I keep walking right past the other employee who says hey that guy is trying to get your attention, I say I know but I am not a dog. As I disappear into the shop. A few minutes later the employee comes in the shop and tells me the guy runs up to him and says hey I wanted to talk to that guy. Employee says yeah he knows but he said he is not a dog. D-bag Well well I didn't mean it that way. Employee well how did you mean it sir? He said the guy turned 7 shades of red and stomped off. Same type of experience different D-bag. Guy is always in nothing is ever right constantly giving everyone a ration of crap. One day I had,had enough. I found a little corner and motioned the guy over. Its one on one so I am not to worried what I say. Man what is your problem? Why do you come in here? No one can please you. To my surprise the guy grins really big, I am retired, I worked hard all my life. In that time I took alot of crap. Now its someone else's turn. Wait, what you do this on purpose? Yep. Now it was my turn to stomp away muttering under my breath piece of shit. Funny thing he was always nice after that. Whats your retail nightmare story from either perspective? Oh and if you are a self absorbed entitled D-bag. My apologies.

 

[OC--LeftCoast]

Honestly, not to be overly picky, but that was a pretty hard read, just one huge paragraph, in fact I couldn’t, lost track 25% through

 

[-X-]

Well, I'm in the service industry (kinda), but I run into a ton of self-absorbed entitled d-bags. The most recent was a guy who's in charge of hospital maintenance for our biggest contract. He had my phone number, but I didn't have his. So let's get that straight because it's important for the rest of the story.

My phone rings, and I don't recognize the number because it's not stored and it's a different area code, so I immediately figure it's yet ANOTHER spam call. I get, no lie, ten of those a day. So this is how the call went.

Me: "Yeah?" (again, thinking it's a spam call)
Him: "You called me."
Me: "No, I didn't."
Him: "Yes you did."
Me: "No. I. Didn't."
Him: "YES YOU DID. CHECK YOUR PHONE."
Me: "Who the fuck do you think you're getting loud with?"
Him: "What did you just say to me?"
Me: "Yeah, I don't have time for this. Go fuck yourself."

So he calls back and I send it to voice mail. That was a mistake, because it has my name and the company I work for on the message. So he then texts me back and says, "This is Michael [last name] from [insert hospital here]. You'll be happy to know I'm emailing your superiors to let them know how you talk to their customers." And he did. He sent an email to three of my bosses telling them that I told him to fuck off. Which, is technically wrong, but close enough. lol. So my boss calls me and asks what happened. I explained exactly how it went down, and he says, "Apologize to that pussy". So I called him, and he refused to answer and immediately texts back, "I have nothing to say to you, Paul." So I texted back and said, "Shame. I called to apologize that I didn't have your number stored, so I had no idea who was getting belligerent with me for no reason. I'll just call your boss and clear it up." So I did. His boss and I have a real good relationship. He said, "Shit happens. We all have bad days. Did you apologize?" And I said, "Yeah, I tried to, but he wouldn't take my call." So he says (lol), "Yeah, that makes sense. He's one of those sensitive types. So you'll screen your calls more effectively now, correct?"

"Yeah."

"We're good then."

That dude, to this day, will STILL not talk to me. But the guys underneath him think I'm some sort of hero. So, all's well that ends well.

 

[OC--LeftCoast]

Well, I'm in the service industry (kinda), but I run into a ton of self-absorbed entitled d-bags. The most recent was a guy who's in charge of hospital maintenance for our biggest contract. He had my phone number, but I didn't have his. So let's get that straight because it's important for the rest of the story.

My phone rings, and I don't recognize the number because it's not stored and it's a different area code, so I immediately figure it's yet ANOTHER spam call. I get, no lie, ten of those a day. So this is how the call went.

Me: "Yeah?" (again, thinking it's a spam call)
Him: "You called me."
Me: "No, I didn't."
Him: "Yes you did."
Me: "No. I. Didn't."
Him: "YES YOU DID. CHECK YOUR PHONE."
Me: "Who the fuck do you think you're getting loud with?"
Him: "What did you just say to me?"
Me: "Yeah, I don't have time for this. Go fuck yourself."

So he calls back and I send it to voice mail. That was a mistake, because it has my name and the company I work for on the message. So he then texts me back and says, "This is Michael [last name] from [insert hospital here]. You'll be happy to know I'm emailing your superiors to let them know how you talk to their customers." And he did. He sent an email to three of my bosses telling them that I told him to fuck off. Which, is technically wrong, but close enough. lol. So my boss calls me and asks what happened. I explained exactly how it went down, and he says, "Apologize to that pussy". So I called him, and he refused to answer and immediately texts back, "I have nothing to say to you, Paul." So I texted back and said, "Shame. I called to apologize that I didn't have your number stored, so I had no idea who was getting belligerent with me for no reason. I'll just call your boss and clear it up." So I did. His boss and I have a real good relationship. He said, "Shit happens. We all have bad days. Did you apologize?" And I said, "Yeah, I tried to, but he wouldn't take my call." So he says (lol), "Yeah, that makes sense. He's one of those sensitive types. So you'll screen your calls more effectively now, correct?"

"Yeah."

"We're good then."

That dude, to this day, will STILL not talk to me. But the guys underneath him think I'm some sort of hero. So, all's well that ends well.

Yeah have I mentioned in the past that being we pretty much share the same industry that I hate all elevator guys

As a window and windows service\screens installer your SoCal brethren would never slip me the magic key, some pesky detail of being fired if they did, the flights of stairs have taken there toll and made me one bitter hombre

lol, outside of that, most elevator guys are alright

 

[ozarkram]

Honestly, not to be overly picky, but that was a pretty hard read, just one huge paragraph, in fact I couldn’t, lost track 25% through

As I said in the OP. My apologies.

 

[-X-]

Yeah have I mentioned in the past that being we pretty much share the same industry that I hate all elevator guys

As a window and windows service\screens installer your SoCal brethren would never slip me the magic key, the flights of stairs have taken there toll and made me one bitter hombre

lol, outside of that, most elevator guys are alright, lol

Yeah, we're basically a bunch of dicks.
When I was in construction, I wouldn't let anyone use the elevator either.

 

[OC--LeftCoast]

Yeah, we're basically a bunch of dicks.
When I was in construction, I wouldn't let anyone use the elevator either.

Dammit, I even would offer a case of beer and cardboard your interior, lol

 

[Memento]

I worked a summer job at a grocery store - if that counts as retail - when I was fifteen. Most people were decent...until this one guy.

He wanted to buy wine, but couldn’t find the kind he wanted. So of course, he goes to me and demands that I get him the wine. I’m not allowed to handle the wine unless I’m bagging, So I tell him that, and that I’ll have to ask a manager.

Naturally, he flipped out and started screaming and swearing at me, and I have to take it because he was a customer. This goes on for a good two minutes, until the manager saw and started to talk to him.

The guy never apologized to me. Never even looked at me after the manager talked to him. Only reason why I didn’t quit then and there was because I needed the money and the coworkers were great.

 

[Loyal]

The worst for me are car salesmen. If I am interested in a car/truck, I go to see it after the dealership is closed. I'm tired of talking to agressive car salemen who think I'm their meal ticket.

The other side of that when I was a 19 year old Navy guy, I tried to talk to salesman about buying an oldsmobile/buick in San Diego, but none of the dycks could get off their asses to show me a car. I wasn't in their targeted demo, so they wouldn't waste time on me. Bad mistake, because I bought a new Honda not too long afterwards.