My patience is wearing thin <longish>

[Ghengis51]

I've worked some form of customer service for 13 years, 8 of those at my current job. Needles to say I'm becoming a bit short of patience when dealing with certain types of people.

Last Saturday at my job was fairly busy. We had several b-day parties in at the same time and then a group of teenaged boys came in as guests, which requires the filling out of paperwork to get them in. As they're milling around filling stuff out one comes up to me and I could tell he'd be a pain in the rear right away.

SC: "How much does it cost?"
Me: "$8 for anyone 13 or older" boy definately looks to be in his mid teens
SC: "Oh well I'm 12" the he is
Me: "oh have you ever been here before"
SC: "Yeah I have"
Me: "Just to let you know, when I'm entering these in the computer I will be checking your age, if I find you lied to me to get a cheaper rate, I will kick you out and not let you back in today"
SC: <looking startled> "uhm I'm over 13"
Me: "I thought so"

A few minutes later I hear him talking to his friend. "I can't believe they charge this much." "The Y's* only $4, we should go there." and so forth which led to this short exchange.

SC: "just to let you know you guys are gonna be losing business, the Y only charges half what you guys do"
Me: <looking him dead in the eyes> "Then go to the Y."

What really got me is after all is said and done, this little douchenozzle wasn't even paying, his friends father paid for all of them. So he was just doing all this to be a pain in the butt.

*YMCA

[SapphireSky]

Ah yes, how I remember the time I used to believe the best in people. I honestly used to think that people were inherently good and honest. HA! I think we all know now that's not true. I'm glad you told the little lieing brat to go to the Y if he didn't think the fee was fair.

[Ghengis51]

I already figured out how I'm gonna get fired from this place. Someone's gonna pull the race card on me (13 years and never had that happen to me) and say "you're doing this because I'm (insert race/religion/sexual orientation)." and I'm gonna look them in the face and say "No, I'm doing this because you're an asshole"

How bad is it that I want to own my own business so I can treat customers the way they deserve to be treated.

[AccountingDrone]

How bad is it that I want to own my own business so I can treat customers the way they deserve to be treated.

I think everybody on this board would like to be able to do that ...

[Gerrinson]

How bad is it that I want to own my own business so I can treat customers the way they deserve to be treated.

If you're interested in working at a hotel, I'm sure Evil Queen will be happy to have some help getting her's started.

As a matter of fact, sign me up too!

[Gabrielle Proctor]

I think everybody on this board would like to be able to do that ...

Kevin and I are thinking about opening a business soon, maybe a sub shop. Discounts to CS members! And rapscallion eats free!

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

My plan for my own business is to open up a shop offering a swift kick in the ass for $1.

Business will be poor, but I will learn a valuable lesson from it: People pay for what they want, not what they need.

[TheComputerError]

My plan for my own business is to open up a shop offering a swift kick in the ass for $1.

Business will be poor, but I will learn a valuable lesson from it: People pay for what they want, not what they need.

Advertise a BOGO sale and you'll see business pick right up.

Lesson learned from that: People will buy anything if it's on sale.

Anyone who wishes to work at my future ice cream bar would be more than welcome. Just make sure you're of legal age to serve alcohol.

[depechemodefan]

I want to own my own business doing what I do at work, making copies from the newspapers.

I see people emailing us for obituary copies, and I go to their website and see they are researchers, charging $35-$100/hr to find info. for people,

So, the library (gov't agency) that I work for charges $3 for a copy of an obit. The researcher turns around and charges maybe $35 for that one obit (if not more). And our library has a subscription to Ancestory.com, so and patron can look for date of deaths, births, etc, for free. The researcher will charge $35 + to look in Ancestory.com for a dod.

Yeah, need to my own research business as soon as possible.

[Rapscallion]

And rapscallion eats too much!

Edited for my amusement and for reasons of accuracy.

Rapscallion

[wagegoth]

My plan for my own business is to open up a shop offering a swift kick in the ass for $1.

One of my all-time favorite Calvin and Hobbes strips!

I also love the Snowman House of Horrors. Actually, I love all the snowman strips.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Kevin and I are thinking about opening a business soon, maybe a sub shop. Discounts to CS members! And rapscallion eats free!

You may not make a profit then. Raps will eat us out of house and home. He's already eaten all the rules except for one, which remains in the CS vault and there's only one with the combination.

[Tigress]

How bad is it that I want to own my own business so I can treat customers the way they deserve to be treated.

Heh. In the short time I've had my business, one thing I learned VERY quickly is how to say "no."

I've had one client demand (not ask, demand) that I bring down my commission rate to what a Chinese dealer charged. I did the math and realized I'd only make $4/hour. After buying the materials, making the costume and shipping it out to him, I would have just broken even. Not happening buddy. If you think the dealer is a better deal, go to him. Have fun paying $60 extra on shipping, BTW.

A couple have asked I make a costume in two weeks, despite my stating very clearly on my website that I require at least two months' advance notice if you have a deadline. (Time to do research and price everything out. Time to get the materials, either via a trip to Jo-Ann's or ordered online. Time to construct it. Time to mail it out to you.) Again, not happening. Especially when you want me to char and/or paint a suit for your Two-Face costume in time for Halloween. I actually had to turn down an offer from a fellow costumer to take some commissions off him because I knew I wouldn't have enough time to do them before Halloween.

And I will not give you step-by-step instructions on how to make your costume. If I'm feeling nice, I'll point you in the right direction or give you some tips. But if you want me to hold your hand throughout the process, you might as well pay me to make it for you.

Yes, I did make that chick's awesome costume at cost. Because she's my best friend. And she lets me use her name and pictures in my advertising. And asked me to give her some of my business cards to hand out because she loves my work. And she made some jewelry for one of my costumes in exchange. No, I won't do the same for you, complete stranger I just met and to whom I owe nothing.

[Kirkygirl]

Heh. In the short time I've had my business, one thing I learned VERY quickly is how to say "no."

Good for you. That's really tough for me to do sometimes. But I'm learning how.

Yes, I did make that chick's awesome costume at cost. Because she's my best friend. And she lets me use her name and pictures in my advertising. And asked me to give her some of my business cards to hand out because she loves my work. And she made some jewelry for one of my costumes in exchange. No, I won't do the same for you, complete stranger I just met and to whom I owe nothing.

Oh how those little words can mean nothing to the minds of dumb people. It's amazing how, just because you run a service, people suddenly think you're a deity or an owner of a workshop full of people who do nothing but make costumes. I hate it when people think that they can pull that sort of thing on me when I'm working in the bakery. -_-* I feel your pain.

[RootedPhoenix]

What is it about people that makes them not realize that stuff takes time and resources to do, and that you do not possess a key to all time and space?