Bursting into tears over customers...

[Saturdayx]

So ive been working as a cashier for a retail store for several months now. I have taken alot of harsh words and even sexual harrasment (from the men) at this job, but this one customer I had the other day trumps every god-awful experience I have ever had.
So this lady comes up to my till, she throws her item on my till and says "just this" I say ok, and proceed to ring her item through, and ask if she needs a bag. She says no, and already has her card out and ready to put in in the machine. I assume shes in a rush since she doesnt seem very friendly so I let her put her pin in and before she even takes her card out she says with a belittling tone "You better stay in school, because you have absolutely no future in any customer service job" I shrug that rude remark off assuming shes had a bad day. But then she goes directly to customer service and asks to speak to a manager. My manager comes about a minute later, and I have a new customer. This woman then proceeds to scream and yell directly at me while my manager is there, and while im ringing another woman through, my customer had left because there was no barcode on one of her items and she volunteered to go find another. So im standing there while this woman is saying every hurtful thing she could think of. Not only is this drawing a crowd but then another woman jumps in and says "theyre all horrible here, theyre so rude" At this point im still keeping my composure but then she screams" I DO NOT RECOMMEND HER FOR RE-HIRE, I HAVE NEVER HAD SUCH AN AWFUL CASHIER IN MY LIFE!!" my manager is just standing there listening and then she points to me and says how rude i am and how "if this job is so below me I shouldnt be there", and she suggested my boss fire me. But my breaking point was when she pointed directly at me with a psychotic look in her face and said " She is absolutely pathetic" I turn around trying not to cry, but I couldnt stop. Then when my manager tells her that what she is doing is not appropriate and how she needs to stop because im crying she says very angrily "I DONT CARE IF SHES CRYING, YOURE TAKING HER SIDE?!" I then left because I couldnt stop crying, and she contined as I was balling my eyes out in the washroom. It was completely embarassing, this woman was utterly dreadful, and the worst part? I wasn't even remotely rude to her.

[Slayer]

*big ass super wide hug*

In 7 years, I've only cried twice from SCs because they made me so upset I cried afterwards. When I'm angry, I practically vibrate until it just comes out in tears.

But I've never had that kind of experience before. I have no idea what her mental deficiency is, but it had nothing to do with you. You did nothing wrong.

[Sandiercy]

My boss at that point would have thrown her out of the store and banned her for life. People really should not treat others like that. I grew up with the Golden rule, you treat others how you would like to be treated.

[bainsidhe]

Some people are just...vile. I've only had two customers get me teary (strangely enough, neither one was in retail), and both happened because I was sincerely trying my best to help the customer, while they talked down to me and questioned my ability to do my job properly. Normally I have a pretty thick skin against rude/upset customers, but once in a while a comment is made that really cuts deep.

I'm sorry that happened to you. There's no reason the manager should've allowed these horrible woman to storm back over and berate you in public.

[Iced Coffee Man]

Sorry you had to experience that.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I don't cry.

I slam doors. I punch boxes.

Fear me, SCs.

[Plague*Star]

"She is absolutely pathetic"

Well, she was certainly right about one thing, she *is* absolutely pathetic. As they say, projection isn't just a river in Egypt...or something. I'm sorry you had to endure that undeserved abuse. Would it make you feel any better if I pointed out to you that you only had to live with her for a few (unpleasant) minutes? *She* has to live with herself 24/7...I don't know if anybody else bothers with her, she's so mean and nasty. I hope venting about it at CS will help you feel better. Welcome!
P*S

[Food Lady]

What?!?!?!?!? First, you did absolutely nothing wrong and she completely flew off the handle! What is her problem????? Second, your manager should've stepped in waaaayyy sooner. I am so incensed I want to get up in that SC's face and tell her off. And I stopped doing that because I was really good at using words as weapons. My blood pressure is rising. Don't tick off Big Sister Food Lady! OK, I gotta do some deep breathing now....

[rose_metal_nz]

Ohhhhhhhhhhmygosh that is so absolutely horrible I'm so sorry you had to go thru that. And you manager has absolutely NO backbone to allow that. Yes, she sounds kinda bat-shit crazy but whattheHELL?! - hope he bans her from the store

[LillFilly]

I wish I had been there so I could have punched your customers into unconsciousness for you (Disclaimer: LillFillytm and Associates do not condone violence in the real world). I'm punching them in my mind for you right now! Your manager should have stepped-in way sooner; that was terrible and abusive. Sounds like all the customers themselves just drank from the well assholery today. Hope things get better for you - you should NOT be putting up with sexual harassment; even if they claim it's all in good fun or just joking. I think you should talk to your manager about how the customers' abuse compounded the harassment you've been dealing with so that he is informed. If he's a good boss he'll do something about it, and not say something like 'you're not being a team player, suck up and take it.' Good luck.

[Merriweather]

Ohhhhhhhhhhmygosh that is so absolutely horrible I'm so sorry you had to go thru that. And you manager has absolutely NO backbone to allow that. Yes, she sounds kinda bat-shit crazy but whattheHELL?! - hope he bans her from the store

I agree, the person to fire in this instance is the manager. Sure, a manager should listen to complaints - but they should never, ever, allow someone to stand there and yell insults at their staff. From what you said, she never even stated what in her tiny little mind amounted to rudeness. Even if you had been rude (which you were not), the manager should not have allowed her to scream insults at you, he should have told her she could either tell him exactly what you did that she felt was so wrong, or leave.

She's just a raving, insane b*tch who with any luck, you'll never see again. I'd be much more upset at the treatment you received from your manager by his allowing this.

I hope there's a way you can file something further up the line, stating what happened, and how your manager contributed to how badly you felt.

[Evil Cashier 411]

I'm sorry for you being in that experience. People like that SC is the reason why I'm taking martial arts classes. That way, I can pretend my attackers are the SC's being shoulder thrown into a pit of lava. I mean the katami matts.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I agree, the person to fire in this instance is the manager. Sure, a manager should listen to complaints - but they should never, ever, allow someone to stand there and yell insults at their staff. From what you said, she never even stated what in her tiny little mind amounted to rudeness. Even if you had been rude (which you were not), the manager should not have allowed her to scream insults at you, he should have told her she could either tell him exactly what you did that she felt was so wrong, or leave.

Because, of course, there is nobody above him like a district manager to whom a written or telephone complaint can be sent (and I kinda think somebody batshit crazy enough to go off like that in the store is also batshit crazy to complain higher up if he/she is put off or told to calm down.)

Yeah, it was absolutely terrible you had to go through that. But who knows; maybe the manager's had his spine and his balls removed by his bosses because they're big believers that the customer is king, the customer is always right, every customer is worth retaining, blah blah blah, and he knows being too confrontational will just get him in trouble.

It's a sick, sad world we live in.

[HotelMinion]

what a dumbass that woman was. I had many like her too when I was a cashier. I swear if I ever see a woman make a cashier cry...I'd go to jail for assualt. However I didn't cry, I just stared really angrily. The only one that made me cry was that big nasty dude who stabbed my phone with his fat, nasty finger. And that was mostly tears of rage. Crying of sadness is usually for the dumbass managers I've had. :\

[BrenDAnn]

I am so sorry you had to go through that. I nearly cried for you reading it, mostly because I've been in that position. I had a woman call the store I used to work at one night and berate me over the phone for a good 10 minutes or more, telling me how much of a bitch I am, etc. It brought me to tears, to the point where I sank to the floor and cried behind the counter after I hung up the phone. I agree that the SC bitch should be banned for life, but it sounds as if your manager is rather spineless, unfortunately. Being in management as I am now, I'm sure as hell not going to let any of my employees go through that sort of thing. Yes, I know, corporate rides the management's asses, as our dear Irving pointed out, but still...No one, and I mean NO ONE should have to go through that sort of humiliation and degradation!