And then I just completely lost it.

[marty]

I'm having terrible anxiety problems lately--a thing I have yet to get help with and I probably should. It means that I have little restraint when it comes to just saying things, and that is going to get me in trouble at work. And this time, I just snapped. (Wow I need a break.)

SC: I need to return this.
Me: Okay, do you have your receipt?
SC: No.
Me: Okay, do you know around which day you bought it?
SC: No.
Me: (of course not. I start to get irritated at this point. I visibly roll my eyes. He doesn't see it.)

So I use the SKU to look up item movement--it'll tell me if we sold the item in the last three months. We haven't. Which means he bought the item at least two months out of the return policy.

Me: I'm sorry sir, I can't return this for you, the best I can do is give you trade credit which will be less than what you paid for it. It's been well over a month since you bought this, and well outside our return policy.
SC: ARE YOU KIDDING ME? THIS IS SUCH A RIPOFF! I PAID TWENTY BUCKS FOR THIS, YOU'RE TRYING TO RIP ME OFF TWENTY BUCKS!
Me: The price tag on it says 12.99 here.
SC: DOESN'T R OWN THIS STORE!? HE KNOWS ME, YOU'RE TRYING TO RIP ME OFF! I'M GOING TO TELL HIM THAT YOU'RE TRYING TO RIP ME OFF!

And then I lost it. I completely lost it. My mind said to me, "Yeah, you weren't raised to take this kind of crap from people. Your mom raised you to stand up for yourself. No fucking way."

Me: You know what? R does not own this store; Gamestore does. You are a grown man. You are a grown man--listen to yourself. Look at how you're acting. You're supposed to be an adult. Jesus christ, you have kids and look how you're acting. Do you normally wave your arms around and yell like this? Like you've lost your mind? ARE YOU REALLY AN ADULT?!

He took his 'return,' gathered his kids and quietly walked out. And my mind said, "Holy shit. I probably just got myself fired." Yeah...I'm still kind of worried about that. And I have to go back to work tonight and god help me if someone else yells at me for a stupid reason..

[taxguykarl]

Tell me this nonsense was on video.

Get some kind of note or documentation to the manager (and corporate if possible) as SC like to change their stories.

[wraiths_crono]

There is always a time where you have taken so much crap, that your mind just loses control, I am guilty, told a customer over the phone that they needed to go back to school to learn what a friggin triangle was.


Hope you don't get fired for this.

[Lachrymose]

Oh, dear gods.

I really hope you don't get fired. But that was amazing.

[fireheart]

Tell me this nonsense was on video.

Get some kind of note or documentation to the manager (and corporate if possible) as SC like to change their stories.

Agreed. Make sure that you document and/or watch it on video. As for your anxiety problems, please go and get help for them. I've been through a similar situation, except that my end result is usually crying.

[Aethian]

Vacation time!

[Apathy]

At least the guy had the wherewithal to shamefully walk out, rather than prove your point s'more.

The real shame here is that you might get in trouble/fired for doing what I would consider a wholly justified and completely deserved act. There's really no justice in the world.

[Hobbs]

Grr, I wish I coulda been brave enough to do that (see my Mother thread). Good on ya mate, even if you do get fired (knock on wood).

[malmalthekiller]

Me: You know what? R does not own this store; Gamestore does. You are a grown man. You are a grown man--listen to yourself. Look at how you're acting. You're supposed to be an adult. Jesus christ, you have kids and look how you're acting. Do you normally wave your arms around and yell like this? Like you've lost your mind? ARE YOU REALLY AN ADULT?!

God, I can't even tell you how many times I've wanted to say that to a customer. Who thinks it's ok to start a yelling match with a college student who's just doing their job and trying to pay their rent and work through school? Apparently every adult male decides to get into a screaming match.

[poofy_puff]

The guy needed to hear all that.

Do you normally wave your arms around and yell like this? Like you've lost your mind?

I bet his kids were like, "Yes, he does as a matter of fact."

[Kiwi]

I wish more retail peons had the guts to do it. Ive only ever told off a customer once and she tucked tail to.

I think if we were allowed to stop taking crap like that, people would stop treating us as badly as SOME do.

[blas]

Very rarely did I ever say anything smart back to customers to make them think, as I was always in fear of losing my job.

But I totally understand your stress and anxiety. I mean, I haven't been in the best of moods for quite a while at work and have been snapping at people who start stuff with me, but a year ago it was even worse. I remember being just pushed to the edge because my trainees wouldn't listen, would try to undermine me, would try to make ME look like the dumb one......

[HowMayIHelpMe?]

Please don't beat yourself up too much over this. This was a moment of heroism, not of being out of control. You stopped a grown man in his tracks, and made him think about how he was behaving.

[DGoddessChardonnay]

I wish more retail peons had the guts to do it. Ive only ever told off a customer once and she tucked tail to.

I think if we were allowed to stop taking crap like that, people would stop treating us as badly as SOME do.

We would, except instead of waking up and realizing they are NOT the center of the universe and the sun shines out of their ass, they can call Corporate and make a complaint.

And, if your company is as spineless as mine is and too busy studying "connecting with the customer" then the people at corporate will just give them gift cards or certificates "for their trouble." Therefore, teaching the SC that if they whine and scream and/or lie about an incident they can and will be rewarded. . .

Thus ends DGC's lecture on "Dealing with the Management" in the "How to Survive in the Corporate Jungle: Ideals vs. Reality." at the CS University.

[otakuneko]

I donno, sometimes a firing is a blessing in disguise.





Sometimes, it's just an outright blessing.