I don't want no guff from you! LONG

[Knightmare]

Closed last night, got off at 11:00 p.m.
Had to open this morning, bright and early at 6:00 a.m.
Needless to say, I wasn't in the cheefullest of moods. I don't care if "cheerfullest" is a real word or not. It's in print, so to speak, so it is now a real word.

Anyway, we open at 7, so I have an hour to putter around and get my area cleaned up for this super-big head-honcho meeting that is going to take place in our store.
I do what needs to be done, and get ready for the customers.

Started off light at first. Then we got more thunderstorms. Nothing like the previous night, but pretty awe inspiring. So do you think we slowed down? Nope. We actually got busier! People were coming in in droves, wanting paint. Why? Why do you all want paint when it's raining? Stay inside and keep warm and dry, dammit! But, I have to admit, I love it when I am super busy. I hate standing around. My mood cheered up considerably when the orders started rolling in.

So, lonesome me, got to deal with a line of about 10 people, all wanting gallons upon gallons of paint, people needing help with this product or that product, and sometimes the dreaded paint sample. Paint samples are a huge pain in the butt, because the machine rarely works correctly. It also takes way too long for such a small amount of paint, and the color is usually off about 60% of the time.

I'm working on a customer's order (3 gallons) and have about 7 orders more ahead of me. I thought I had every customer in line taken care of, but I apparently overlooked a 50ish year old man. Well, he can wait. I don't have any more room to put any more color chips, and am busy enough as it is. Besides, he hasn't been there as long as the others; only a minute or two. And he can see how busy I am.

Then it starts. Keep in mind, all his statement are being yelled, while mine are louder than normal, but not angry, because of all the machines going around me.
SC: "Hey! How long do I have to wait before I get my paint?!"
Me: (Turning to look, but not moving away) "Sorry, sir, I'll get to you as soon as I can."
SC: "I've been waiting a long time! I was here before some of these other people!"
Me: "Sorry if I took someone before you. I'll be with you in..."
SC: "I don't want no guff from you, boy! I want my paint made now!"
Other customers are now backing away, gawking, saying . You know how they are.
Me: "..Boy? Did you just call me "Boy?""
SC: "Yeah, I did. What are you going to do about it?"
Me: "Make you wait longer, for one thing. I'll be with you as soon as I finish up these orders."
SC: "What!? Boy, I'm gonna..."
And this is where it got worse. Instead of him shouting, he actually came behind the paint desk. Normally, I don't mind, but I don't want this lunatic behind my counter. I turn to him and say:
Me: "Sir, please get in front of the counter. Associates only back here."
SC: "I can go where I want."
Me: "Okay."
I pull out my phone and dial the MOD and tell them to come here, quick! SC has a crazy smile on his face for some reason. I wasn't afraid of him, because I stood about 7 inches taller than him, and probably outweighed him by 30+ pounds, but I don't want to take any chances.

MOD comes over, asks what's going on. SC butts in and says I deliberately took other customers instead of him, I insulted him, I'm a horrible person, and demands I make his paint RIGHT NOW, DAMMIT!
I tell MOD my side. SC butts in again, calling me a liar. Customers who have stayed are backing me up. We are now a spectacle in the store. People from other departments are coming over to see what is going on.
SC: (to me) "Any trained monkey can do your job, boy!"
I shouldn't have, but I did.
Me: (stepping aside): "Here you go! Let's see you make your own paint."
SC turns red and comes at me. Good thing I was about six feet away. Also a good thing I had the MOD and some customers around. MOD grabs the guy; I back away, just in case.
LP and another zone manager come over and escort the deranged guy out of the store.
Then I got the shakes. It's amazing how you can be totally calm one minute, and then after the conflict is over, you start with the shaky, nervous energy.
MOD comes back, tells me to come see him. I tell him I have paint orders to finish up. He gets someone to fill in for me, and after I tell the replacement what goes to whom, I go into the break room. I pace back and forth, and punch the door to the supply closet. Ouch. I shouldn't have done that. But I had to release some of that energy. Then head over to the office.
MOD sits me down, asked what happened, how I was doing, etc. He told me that some of the customers backed me up, that I in no way provoked the guy. He also told me the SC was banned from the store, and that I wasn't in any trouble. Then I just calmly blurted out:
Me: "It's a good thing you were there to stop him."
MOD: (chuckling) "I don't think he would have hurt you."
Me: "No. I would have hurt him. With everything that's been happening to me lately, he probably would have gone away in an ambulance."
SC probably would have, too, if things escalated any further.
MOD tells me to calm down, go take a break.

Well, that's my SC story for the day. Sorry it was so long. But I'm still wondering what set that guy off in the first place?

[BookstoreEscapee]

Yikes! Glad it didn't go any further. Never had a physical altercation with a customer but had some pretty mad and yelling. Remained perfectly calm (although my voice gets a little shaky when I'm being yelled at) but once they're gone I'd go in the back to collect myself and just start shaking.

Boy. I hate when people think they can talk down to me cuz they think I'm young. Trust me folks, I'm a lot older than you think! Customers always assumed I was in college still. I'm 31 and graduated 10 years ago (). At least no one ever called me "girl."

I used to joke with one of my friends I worked with about taking "guff" but I've never actually heard anyone say it in all seriousness

-ams-

[Becks]

SC: (to me) "Any trained monkey can do your job, boy!"
I shouldn't have, but I did.
Me: (stepping aside): "Here you go! Let's see you make your own paint."

I just might've said the same thing. I KNOW I would've thought it.

[georgiab]

I worked at the same store you are referring to...GOOD FOR YOU! I dealt with individuals like that each and every day I worked there. I to stay calm and then I get those "shake"...like something just takes over your body and you can't stay still for anything.He had NO right speaking to you like that and you did what I would have done.....

[chainedbarista]

Boy. I hate when people think they can talk down to me cuz they think I'm young. Trust me folks, I'm a lot older than you think! Customers always assumed I was in college still. I'm 31 and graduated 10 years ago (). At least no one ever called me "girl."

well, bookstore, i get this treatment from all the soccer moms; these wenches somehow think that because i work there, i'm some sort of mentally challenged lowlife who deserves their mistreatment.

i'd love to take them out for a 'chat,' just to clear up their misconceptions...

[AZangel]

I despise it when the customer thinks they can do your job better than you can. Sometimes you just wanna lean over the counter and tell them to have at it. I'm glad you didn't get into any trouble for doing it

[DarthRetard]

But, why in blazes were you so slow with the paint man?????

*runs*

[TNT]

Life in a call center can be pretty diddley sometimes, but it will always have this advantage: I don't ever have to actually see my customers. When they start to rant and rave and go psycho on me, it's comforting to know there are three locks -- requiring two different passes -- between me and them.

[Arcade Man D]

What is it with customers thinking they can threaten/attack customer service personnel when they don't get their way? I've gotten threatened twice, and been attacked ((though it was just a plastic army guy being thrown at my head, and I have thick hair)) once in the 7 months I've worked at the arcade.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

SC: (to me) "Any trained monkey can do your job, boy!"
I shouldn't have, but I did.
Me: (stepping aside): "Here you go! Let's see you make your own paint."

/channeling Jeff Spicoli

AWESOME! TOTALLY AWESOME! ALL RIGHT KNIGHTMARE!

[BookstoreEscapee]

Life in a call center can be pretty diddley sometimes, but it will always have this advantage: I don't ever have to actually see my customers. When they start to rant and rave and go psycho on me, it's comforting to know there are three locks -- requiring two different passes -- between me and them.

hehe...I don't HAVE customers any more!!

I miss them ...sometimes...well...no...

[Simply Amazed]

I just might've said the same thing. I KNOW I would've thought it.

I would have said something similar. I'd have said "you've got a point. Why don't you show us what an untrained monkey is capable of." Then I'd have stepped aside and pointed him to the machine.

[XCashier]

SC: (to me) "Any trained monkey can do your job, boy!"
I shouldn't have, but I did.
Me: (stepping aside): "Here you go! Let's see you make your own paint."

Now THAT took moxie!

Then I got the shakes. It's amazing how you can be totally calm one minute, and then after the conflict is over, you start with the shaky, nervous energy.

That's likely the adrenaline wearing off. That happened to me after I had chased down a shoplifter.

I'm glad your manager banned the jerk and didn't write you up, and glad the other customers backed you up as well. Maybe they were scared the crazy geezer would go after them as well, but they still did the right thing.

[Worker-Intellectual]

Your manager is awesome.

[BookstoreEscapee]

If I had to make my own paint, all my rooms would be white...