What are you like?

[powerboy]

I am wonderful

Yes you are

I'm a mirror. What the store does to me, I tend to do back. If the store's bad enough, I just don't go back.

Normally I'm very polite. But, if I'm getting jerked around or the employee is just a total moron, I get less and less so.

I am like that. Usually I am nice and understanding. But if they are down right rude to me, then I am rude back. And when I have to send something back, I am nice about it.

[Despina83]

I'm not going to get mean with someone for doing someting stupid/incompetent, or taking long. I'll just stand patiently, say "that's okay", etc. It would take someone actually insulting me for me to do anything. Just like at work. I'll be perfectly patient and polite, but the minute you get the idea to insult me or call me stupid, all bets are off.

[rerant]

The only time I push it is when I *know* I'm getting jerked around. Ie; my internet provider who can't maintain service even for an entire 24 hour stretch of time, and my tire insurance company that likes to think of a billion reasons they won't reimburse me for my flats. Other than that, I am sweet as sugar, and usually get what I want. I know for a fact that I'll bend over backwards fornice customers, so most of the time they do the same for me.

This has nothing to do with your comment, I jut thought I would point out that we have the same name, only mine is a different spelling.

That's assuming that your username is the same as your real name, of course.

[iradney]

I'm as sweet as pie TTO always likes me to order when we go out, because I do it so nicely (Pleases, thank yous, smiles, etc etc). We get great service when I do the ordering

But, if being nice the first few times doesn't get me where I need to be (eg a medium rare steak, not a shriveled piece of shoe leather), then I ask for management. I'm still polite, but firm and icy cold. I will go all the way up if I have to, until my issue is resolved. Then, those that were instrumental in helping me get an email saying thank you, and whenever possible I CC their manager or corporate office.

[Liminality]

I generally try to be nice, but only if I get treated nicely back. I particularily try to remain patient with young retail workers because I've been in retail and I know how difficult it can be, particularily when you're first starting.

I've never been called by a telemarketer, but I'd try to be as polite as possible, even if they got pushy. If I got caleld by a surveyer I'd participate if I truly had the time.

As for restaurants, tipping isn't usual in Denmark because of the high base wages (even at minimum wages), but good service will be rewarded with smiles and "thank you". If there's a hair in the food or it isn't properly heated, I might be too lazy / hungry to complain. But if I did, I'd be polite about it.

[Fawn]

I've been sucky but it was (usually) my own fault.
Usually PMS related or due to my anxiety disorder.
Most of the time, when I get sucky staff I'll just walk out of the store or put as much distance between us as possible.

[AirHostess]

What I hate is when you are being super nice to the cashier/waiter etc and they are really rude to you!

[princess4life]

I have to admit I have been a sucky customer on occasions, but like most people it has only been when they are sucky to me first. Like really crappy service at a restraunt. The last time I went out to eat the wait staff didn't ask if I wanted soup or salad with the meal even though the menu showed you could choose either soup or salad (yeah I could have said what I wanted but I didn’t notice what the menu said until he walked away), he jut walked away and came back with a salad with ceaser dressing already all over the salad. Then he got annoyed when I told him I don't like ceaser dressing and I would ranch dressing. When he came back he slammed the salad and dressing down on the table and walked away. And then to add to the sucky service when he brought the bill he slammed it down on the table and walked away, I was paying with a card so I had to wait for him to come back to get the bill after waiting 25 minutes for him to come up I finally went up to another waiter and asked for a manager so I could pay for my food. I paid the full amount but left a crappy tip since he never bothered to pick up the payment. When I was leaving I saw the manager yelling at him.

There is juist one example of when I have been sucky.

[TryNotToBeThatOne]

I think that I'm a pretty nice customer about 9 times out of 10. Yeah, long lines are a pain, but that poor cashier has to deal with all these customers. When the nice clerk apologizes for the long wait, I smile & comment dryly, 'oh, yeah, see me dancing with impatience,' as I stand stolidly waiting for my turn.

When I've had a bad day or whatever, I try not to take it out on the service person. I may not succeed (which why I don't claim to always be a nice customer), but I try. And I try to be extra nice when it looks like the cashier has had a sucky day. I'm usually an empathetic person who reallllly took that Golden Rule thing to heart.

And when I do get pissy, I try to go ultra-polite/civil/cold. One, it's cultural (honest, it is, there've been studies done) that the more you dislike someone, the more polite you are. Two, more flies with honey than vinegar. Three, most people appreciate your feelings more if you are showing subtle signs of anger, thus displaying control of your emotions and not throwing a tantrum. It's all mature-like.

But if it's bad service, then well. That's another story. When I order my drink without ice, you bring it with ice, and I politely ask for another one; do not tell me that I should have ordered it without ice in the first place. Yes, that has happened. While I admit to sometimes forget to say 'without ice', I suck it up and drink my icy drink anyway when that happens.

[LadyAndreca]

I'm usuallly a pretty good customer, the only thing I will call someone on is blatant incompitence (i'll do that with coworkers too).... ie, if you are the Manager on Duty there is no reason why you shouldn't know how to void a transaction... or conversely if you don't know how to void a transaction you shouldn't be the manager on duty...

At my store, two of the MOD's aren't register trained, because they both were promoted from the back room. But they know how to deal with it.

MOD: Here, let me walk you up to guest service so I can do this for you... *undertone* LadyA, you can postvoid this right?
Me: Yep, just log in so I can use your numbers and I'll take care of it.

Back on topic, I do my best not to be a SC. I know I get snappy when I've got a migraine or am PMSing, but I at least remember to use 'excuse me', 'please', and 'thank you'. And I'd never even CONSIDER doing most of the things I see on this board daily.

[Saydrah]

I tend towards the extra nice side, with one exception- if I see animals poorly treated, I will immediately complain to the manager and will complain to corporate and the BBB after leaving the store if the concern is not resolved. Animals without food or water are my button- don't push it. Which is why I no longer shop at stores with live animals unless it is a desperate emergency. Other than that, I'm extra nice and make conversation if it seems appropriate, for example with the cashier as I leave the checkout line- in the holiday season, I usually say something sympathetic like, "You have a good night as well- try not to tear too much hair out listening to all the Christmas music!" that line rarely fails to elicit a long laugh.

[blas]

I love how you're just as passionate as I am about animals, Saydrah

I always do the ordering when I'm out with bf or my family. While my parents are usually pleasant, my father just appears to be a big burly angry teddy bear. Just the way I look, I look really harmless and happy most of the time, and I think it's more relaxing for people to deal with me. My bf always looks angry when we're out in public. I'm the only one who can remember to say "Thank you".

[Saydrah]

I have the same thing when I go out with my primary SO... He is a tall guy who wears a black leather trenchcoat, so employees tend to shy away from him. His eyebrows also are very low and arched so he looks from most angles like he is always scowling. As it happens, he is actually a very polite customer although often has a lot of questions, and is a great tipper when we go out to eat- but I find that the frightened employees generally direct the, "Are you finding everything okay?" to me rather than to him! It doesn't help that he has the freaky ability to pick up languages just from watching TV or movies, so half the time he's chattering away to himself in Mandarin or Arabic, both of which make you sound angry if you don't know what someone is saying.

[chainedbarista]

i try to be a good customer; i don't bug associates for help if i don't need it and i try to be as pleasant (genuinely pleasant, not fake) as possible, because i don't want to be the bad customer to ruin their day. i even try to make it a little better sometimes by getting a laugh and being personable (maybe it's just a polite laugh, but i appreciate it just the same) as i can.

i'm sure there have been times i was less than ideal, but as a whole, i think i'm fairly decent.

[Ree]

I am usually polite and understanding, but I do expect the same quality of service that I give to my customers, and if I am not being treated like they care about my business, then I will speak up.