topic Re: Dealing with the public 😹 in Community Chat

Dealing with the public 😹

QVCkitty1 — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:12:46 GMT

I just saw a skit online that made me laugh. It's a young man responding to an annoying ( or worse) customer the way he would like. It is all funny , but my favorite is when the customer demands a manager, he responds " I would like to speak to your mother, she would be so embarrassed." When she asked if there was any more in the back, he replied " what do you think is in the back , Santa' workshop?" Before you say that this fellow is rude, try working with the public, it's not always pretty.

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

Imaoldhippie — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:18:35 GMT

Amen!

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

LTT1 — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:24:07 GMT

@QVCkitty1 @Imaoldhippie

On Reddit, I giggle a lot at the humorous comments there!

I learn a lot too!

There is an entire subreddit (specific topic) dedicated to Starbucks. People discuss their interactions with customers here...it is funny but also kind of tragic how the "baristas" are treated by many of the general public!

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

QVCkitty1 — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:26:00 GMT

Can I add one more ? The customer invokes the " customer is always right saying," The young man responds " You're shopping Susan, you're not infallible." Ok now I'm done.

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

Carmie — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:34:20 GMT

@QVCkitty1 Tell me about it. Every job and career I ever had was working with the public.

Sometimes,I personally knew the person on the phone, but they didn't recognize me. When I answered the phone and gave my name, they weren't listening. They were ready to pounce and they did.

I had a neighbor tell me she and her husband were starving and had no money. In reality they just built a new four bedroom house down the street from me and drove a new BMW. She was trying to get her insurance premium reduced.

You would be surprised how some people act and what they say to Customer Service Reps.

I once had an older women in her 80's curse me out and call me " lady of the night" names. I had to keep from laughing. Her daughter finally got in the phone to apologize, she was so embarassed.

I had a man call who said something in a soft breathy voice but I couldn't understand what he was saying. So I asked him to repeat...several times. I kept saying, I don't understand. Can you speak louder?

Finally, I got it. It was an x rated call! I disconnected and started to laugh so hard I had tears in my eyes. My call was being monitored and the mod came running to my desk.

She thought I was crying and tried to comfort me. That call was recorded and shared with with the company.

Oh, the stories I could tell. I could write a book. You got to have a good sense of humor when dealing with people.

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

Love my grandkids — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:41:41 GMT

@QVCkitty1 LOL!

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

CelticCrafter — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:43:09 GMT

I honestly don't know how people that have to deal with the public on a daily, ongoing basis do it.

If I ever had to go out and find a job again, put me in a cubicle, all alone without a phone and let me push paper.

Actually I'd rather clean bathrooms than have to deal with the public!

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

spent2much — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 19:49:43 GMT

@QVCkitty1 wrote:
I just saw a skit online that made me laugh. It's a young man responding to an annoying ( or worse) customer the way he would like. It is all funny , but my favorite is when the customer demands a manager, he responds " I would like to speak to your mother, she would be so embarrassed." When she asked if there was any more in the back, he replied " what do you think is in the back , Santa' workshop?" Before you say that this fellow is rude, try working with the public, it's not always pretty.

@QVCkitty1 Where is it? I need a laugh today! {*_*}

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

lgfan — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:11:30 GMT

@CelticCrafter wrote:
I honestly don't know how people that have to deal with the public on a daily, ongoing basis do it.
If I ever had to go out and find a job again, put me in a cubicle, all alone without a phone and let me push paper.
Actually I'd rather clean bathrooms than have to deal with the public!

After a while you develop a thick skin and are able to deal with it on a daily basis. I have been yelled at, cursed at and threatened all in a day's work. Went home and forgot about it and it starts all over again the next day.

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

We rescue cats — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:12:35 GMT

LOL!!! An old airline story from 20 years ago:

A crowded United Airlines flight was cancelled. A single agent was rebooking a long line of inconvenienced travellers. Suddenly, an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk front. He slapped his ticket on the counter and said, "I HAVE to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS." The agent replied, "I am sorry, sir. I'll be happy to try to help you, but I've got to help these folks first, and I'm sure we'll be able to work something out."

The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?" Without hesitating, the agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone: "May I have your attention, please," she began, her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal. "We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to Gate 14."

With the folks behind him in line laughing hysterically, the man glared at the United agent, gritted his teeth and swore "/F*** you!"
Without flinching, she smiled and said, "I'm sorry, sir, but you'll have to get in line for that, too."

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

lynnie61 — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:17:50 GMT

@QVCkitty1 @Carmie Hmmm maybe we could collaborate on a book. I worked the last 20 years of my career in customer service. The stories we could tell. Carmie -that is a good one. Starving and a new home and BMW.

Last week I had a visit to SSA, and the guy was the rudest rep ever. People like me make their jobs sooooooo hard because I came to his office, and I should have been at another. I did NOT say this, thought it, Last I heard, you are a federal worker. Clearly states on every online, SsA guide, you can go to any office. I can guarantee you, I was not rude. I took maybe 3 minutes of his time. This office was 20 minutes further, but in a safer part of town. He went on and on about why was I there. He did get even ruder when I asked his name.

We could all make some people laugh. My funniest story is a customer called to say his product arrived, and smelled like sh*t. It was a product that was used in food products. I started to laugh (I know, irresponsible). Are you LAUGHING about this? No sir, and again, belly laughing to myself. Well, he arranged the truck, it was NOT us choosing the carrier. Still, our plant probably should have not loaded in their terrible smelling truck. Anyways if he didn't scream sh*t 10 times, I probably wouldn't have laughed. I went into my bosses office, because I was sure he was probably going to report me. I told my boss the story, and he LAUGHED also.

I do know that the public seems to get ruder all the time.

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

on the bay — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:22:45 GMT

@We rescue cats,

that is so funny! and all stars for that agent! Way to go!

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

on the bay — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:26:18 GMT

@lynnie61 ,

I feel like I am there because I am laughing too!

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

Spacrazy — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:26:40 GMT

@We rescue cats Thanks, I needed that... can't stop laffing!!!

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

lynnie61 — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:30:33 GMT

@We rescue cats wrote:
LOL!!! An old airline story from 20 years ago:

A crowded United Airlines flight was cancelled. A single agent was rebooking a long line of inconvenienced travellers. Suddenly, an angry passenger pushed his way to the desk front. He slapped his ticket on the counter and said, "I HAVE to be on this flight and it has to be FIRST CLASS." The agent replied, "I am sorry, sir. I'll be happy to try to help you, but I've got to help these folks first, and I'm sure we'll be able to work something out."

The passenger was unimpressed. He asked loudly, so that the passengers behind him could hear, "DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHO I AM?" Without hesitating, the agent smiled and grabbed her public address microphone: "May I have your attention, please," she began, her voice heard clearly throughout the terminal. "We have a passenger here at Gate 14 WHO DOES NOT KNOW WHO HE IS. If anyone can help him find his identity, please come to Gate 14."

With the folks behind him in line laughing hysterically, the man glared at the United agent, gritted his teeth and swore "/F*** you!"
Without flinching, she smiled and said, "I'm sorry, sir, but you'll have to get in line for that, too."

Many years ago, a friend worked for US air. Always some rude passenger wanting this, that, me first, upgraded,etc, etc. He was quite rude and pushy. She did not get upset, she tried to be kind. She wasn't going to let him upset her. He was going to Europe, and she marked his luggage on a flight to China. And, she wished him a good day. Ok - so don't tick your airline agent off.......🤣 a true story.

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

on the bay — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:34:45 GMT

Before I knew better I worked at customer service (over the phone in those days) for one of the largest companies and 2 others.

I have a notebook of all the very funny unintended interactions with customers.

2 of my favorites-

a guy was asking how to ship some legs. I said legs?!!

Thinking it was some maniac or mafia guy wanting to ship body parts. When he explained table legs!! repeating it loudly and he realized why I was laughing so hard, he started laughing too and then we just couldn't stop.

Another time, a customer asked "Are you on drugs? Because if you are, I want some!"

I just really did have a good time with my customers lol! But with the management there were times I wished I did have something stashed away dontcha know.

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

Etoile308 — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:51:34 GMT

Dealing with customers is dealing with people. You have to go into with the proper mindset. Don't take anything personally. People want to feel they're being heard. People want to feel they're being respected while being heard. Some people want someone to blame. Some have difficulty graspings things - we all function at different levels. Some we meet aren't at their best due to self medicating.

Dealing with the public can be a mixed bag, but the public comes and goes. Dealing with fellow coworkers or supervisors can be the real PITA. Often you endure them for an unfixed amount of time. Smile, think things to yourself, and keep moving forward.

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

We rescue cats — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 20:54:52 GMT

@lynnie61 Bwahahahahaha, the last laugh is best!!!!

@on the bay LOL!!!!!

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

deepwaterdotter — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 21:05:00 GMT

While I was waiting in line to pick up my dry cleaning, a lady asked the attendant if she was on drugs. The attendant replied, "No, you got some?"

Re: Dealing with the public 😹

croemer — Tue, 13 Aug 2024 21:22:01 GMT

@QVCkitty1 wrote:
I just saw a skit online that made me laugh. It's a young man responding to an annoying ( or worse) customer the way he would like. It is all funny , but my favorite is when the customer demands a manager, he responds " I would like to speak to your mother, she would be so embarrassed." When she asked if there was any more in the back, he replied " what do you think is in the back , Santa' workshop?" Before you say that this fellow is rude, try working with the public, it's not always pretty.

I worked with the public for years...I get it. It was a RUDE answer...but funny.