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Today was my last day working at the dry cleaner. I mentioned it in my last thread titled "Asian Stereotypes" that I found a new job and will be ending this one soon. I don't want to have people dig through the forums to find that thread so I'll just give you guys the details about myself.
I worked at a dry cleaner for several years owned by a family. "Mom and pop" store I believe people call it. They are Korean-American like myself and the "Asian Stereotypes" thread explains some of the absurd things we had to experience such as people assuming we know the number to the local sushi place and so on. I am not related to the family but they treated me like their own. I'm one of the two that aren't related. The other worker is treated like family as well. I've been working for them since I started college. I'm done with graduate school at the local university so it's a new chapter in my life. Anyway, today was my last day of work. Monday was officially my last day but I came by to help out. A relative of the family is visiting so I wanted to help out as a way of saying thanks for all the good years. I drove him to the mall so I wasn't there for the 2nd rude customer.
Customer walks into the store carrying a dress early in the morning.
Me: Hello. How can I help you today?
Customer: Hello, sweetie (She said in a very soft voice. She stopped being polite immediately)
Customer: I want this here cleaned okay? See these stains? (points to stains on suit) Get them off. Ya'll don't even try to get em out!
Me: We will do the best we can ma'am but I do have to let you know that we cannot guarantee the stains will completely come out or even come out at all.
Customer doesn't say a word. Just stares at me. I ask for her information to type into the computer. I noticed the buttons on her suit and I tell her that I would have to check in the back because of certain buttons can get ruined when dry cleaned. Many companies will state "Dry clean only" but that doesn't include the beads, buttons, and other materials attached to the clothing. They can get damaged. Some are glued on which also can cause a whole lot of problems. She sighs but nods. I check in the back and the manager tells me that he will have to take out the buttons before cleaning and then resew the buttons after it's done. Because of the work, we would have to add the cost. We tell customers beforehand so they can decide if they would want to spend extra money.
I come back to the front and explain what the manager told me to the customer and as I am about to tell her that we would have to charge extra.
Customer: Whatever. Get it done and you better not charge me extra!
Me: I'm sorry ma'am but we will have to add the cos-
Customer: Excuse you??? Uh huh! I ain't paying extra for no buttons! I'll do it myself. Give me scissors.
I am not allowed to just hand a customer scissors so I tell her I would have to speak with the manager in the back and apologize for making her wait. I don't know the name of it but she makes the sound with her mouth. I believe it's called "sucking teeth" but it sounds more like when someone rubs their tongue on the root of their mouth hard so it makes a sound. It's considered very disrespectful.
Manager tells me that's fine but he's now alert and is keeping a close eye out on the front of the store after hearing all the commotion up front.
Me: Manager tells me that it's totally okay fo-
Customer: Well of course it is! Give me scissors! (now at this point she starts to raise her voice) SERIOUS. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!
Me: I'm sorry ma'am. The reason-
Customer: UH HUH! THIS IS RIDICULOUS! I DON'T NEED TO HEAR THIS!
Me: Ma'am. You have to understan-
Customer: HELL NO! I DON'T NEED UNDERSTAND NOTHING! I AIN'T PAYING EXTRA FOR NO BUTTONS! I WANT THEM CLEAN REGULAR OKAY! THIS SOME RIDICULOUS! I'VE BEEN COMING FOR YEARS! (That isn't true. This is her 2nd time here. She bought in a piece of clothing last year and took her 3 months to pick it up) RIDICULOUS!
Me: I'm sorry ma'am but as I told you, this is what the manager has said and I cannot-
Customer (at this point she's shouting extremely loud) YOU KNOW THIS IS SOME DUMB STUFF! RIDICULOUS! (She really loves this word)
I am instructed to let customers know about other cleaners in the area if they are not satisfied with what we tell them. This is mainly for customers will complain about costs or work we cannot do.
Me: Well, there is another dry cleaners in the area that may not charge extra. You may have better luck wi-
Customer: YEAH OKAY! THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING! I AIN'T NEVER COMING BACK HERE AGAIN. I'M TELLING MY FAMILY TO NOT COME HERE TOO! *mumble mumble* ( I couldn't make out the last part of what she said)
She walks out the door and slams it shut hard as she could. She walks to her car which is parked illegally on the "NO PARKING ZONE" and slams her car door shut as she gets in. The manager asks if I'm okay and tell him that I'm fine.
I worked at a dry cleaner for several years owned by a family. "Mom and pop" store I believe people call it. They are Korean-American like myself and the "Asian Stereotypes" thread explains some of the absurd things we had to experience such as people assuming we know the number to the local sushi place and so on. I am not related to the family but they treated me like their own. I'm one of the two that aren't related. The other worker is treated like family as well. I've been working for them since I started college. I'm done with graduate school at the local university so it's a new chapter in my life. Anyway, today was my last day of work. Monday was officially my last day but I came by to help out. A relative of the family is visiting so I wanted to help out as a way of saying thanks for all the good years. I drove him to the mall so I wasn't there for the 2nd rude customer.
Customer walks into the store carrying a dress early in the morning.
Me: Hello. How can I help you today?
Customer: Hello, sweetie (She said in a very soft voice. She stopped being polite immediately)
Customer: I want this here cleaned okay? See these stains? (points to stains on suit) Get them off. Ya'll don't even try to get em out!
Me: We will do the best we can ma'am but I do have to let you know that we cannot guarantee the stains will completely come out or even come out at all.
Customer doesn't say a word. Just stares at me. I ask for her information to type into the computer. I noticed the buttons on her suit and I tell her that I would have to check in the back because of certain buttons can get ruined when dry cleaned. Many companies will state "Dry clean only" but that doesn't include the beads, buttons, and other materials attached to the clothing. They can get damaged. Some are glued on which also can cause a whole lot of problems. She sighs but nods. I check in the back and the manager tells me that he will have to take out the buttons before cleaning and then resew the buttons after it's done. Because of the work, we would have to add the cost. We tell customers beforehand so they can decide if they would want to spend extra money.
I come back to the front and explain what the manager told me to the customer and as I am about to tell her that we would have to charge extra.
Customer: Whatever. Get it done and you better not charge me extra!
Me: I'm sorry ma'am but we will have to add the cos-
Customer: Excuse you??? Uh huh! I ain't paying extra for no buttons! I'll do it myself. Give me scissors.
I am not allowed to just hand a customer scissors so I tell her I would have to speak with the manager in the back and apologize for making her wait. I don't know the name of it but she makes the sound with her mouth. I believe it's called "sucking teeth" but it sounds more like when someone rubs their tongue on the root of their mouth hard so it makes a sound. It's considered very disrespectful.
Manager tells me that's fine but he's now alert and is keeping a close eye out on the front of the store after hearing all the commotion up front.
Me: Manager tells me that it's totally okay fo-
Customer: Well of course it is! Give me scissors! (now at this point she starts to raise her voice) SERIOUS. THIS IS RIDICULOUS!
Me: I'm sorry ma'am. The reason-
Customer: UH HUH! THIS IS RIDICULOUS! I DON'T NEED TO HEAR THIS!
Me: Ma'am. You have to understan-
Customer: HELL NO! I DON'T NEED UNDERSTAND NOTHING! I AIN'T PAYING EXTRA FOR NO BUTTONS! I WANT THEM CLEAN REGULAR OKAY! THIS SOME RIDICULOUS! I'VE BEEN COMING FOR YEARS! (That isn't true. This is her 2nd time here. She bought in a piece of clothing last year and took her 3 months to pick it up) RIDICULOUS!
Me: I'm sorry ma'am but as I told you, this is what the manager has said and I cannot-
Customer (at this point she's shouting extremely loud) YOU KNOW THIS IS SOME DUMB STUFF! RIDICULOUS! (She really loves this word)
I am instructed to let customers know about other cleaners in the area if they are not satisfied with what we tell them. This is mainly for customers will complain about costs or work we cannot do.
Me: Well, there is another dry cleaners in the area that may not charge extra. You may have better luck wi-
Customer: YEAH OKAY! THAT'S WHERE I'M GOING! I AIN'T NEVER COMING BACK HERE AGAIN. I'M TELLING MY FAMILY TO NOT COME HERE TOO! *mumble mumble* ( I couldn't make out the last part of what she said)
She walks out the door and slams it shut hard as she could. She walks to her car which is parked illegally on the "NO PARKING ZONE" and slams her car door shut as she gets in. The manager asks if I'm okay and tell him that I'm fine.
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