To wonder why this lady acted like this, or does she have a point?!

[serendippity]

I work in a busy town in a tourist info office. We sell tickets for some attractions slightly cheaper than the attraction itself.
To cut a long story short we had a small electrical fire in our computer and, obviously, it had to be unplugged so therefore we couldn't sell anything, but remained open to help people with advice etc.
About 3 hours after the computer started smoking a lady walked in and enquired about tickets for an attraction. I explained we had had a fire and we couldn't sell anything, apologised and explained politely we would have to wait for the computers to be fixed and was unsure when this would happen. her exact words were: "well that's disgusting. Why should families miss out and have to pay more money?" I was taken aback I admit and my words back were "We had a FIRE. This morning. I'm sorry but I can't help that!"
She then responds (very loudly but not quite shouting) "Yes, I understand that, but I've visited your town, seen on your website that you sell tickets and I'm now going to be out of pocket. It's very poor"

I mean...Really? For the record I probably didn't respond brilliantly, but I couldn't believe what I was hearing. Disappointment I can understand, but outright anger?

I think some people do need to hear "Shit Happens" sometimes.

When our ski slope was burning down, multiple fire engines present, large flames leaping from the roof etc. we still had people turn up and be DISGUSTED that we hadn't phoned to cancel their lesson.

Um, all the records, including phone numbers are alight right now.....

I worked in a call centre once. When we had a fire alarm, we all had to log out of our phones and evacuate. One time, someone forgot to log out and so calls kept coming through to their phone (unanswered). When we got the all-clear and returned to our desks my first call was a rather irate gentleman who tried to argue that someone should have stayed behind to answer the phones ('and risk burning to death to tell you your bank balance?' I recall saying to him). I just don't think he could comprehend.

Bloody hell skiing kind of puts my fire into perspective! I just cannot understand people sometimes!

One of my jobs in call centres, we had a bomb alert and the person I was on the phone to DEMANDED that I stay on the phone and clear up her (exhaustively trivial) issue. Hahaha click

Lol at your response to your gentleman Felyne.
It's totally the attitude of people thinking they are the most important thing ever that gets me. Incidentally, I love my job and go the extra mile for people on a daily basis, but we've had people throw things at us when they can't get served quick enough, spit at us when they don't get answers they like and generally think they can behave how they like. Incredible really.
We do get amazingly lovely customers tho most of the time :)

Ioethe - I worked in a call centre as a student. People are so bold when don't have to talk with you face-to-face.

serendippity I wouldn't have blamed you even if you had been sarcastic after that word being used, it really bothers me! Sounds awful, people spitting at you. That's assault, and can be reported to the police.

Let's see, I've been called incompetent, an idiot, an imbecile, and my personal favourite: "don't you fcking dare put me on hold again, you stupid fcking b*tch". I think you need a certain mindset to deal with the public, as it just amused me, in most cases when they insulted me.

You do get many nice people though, who realise that some things are beyond anyone's control, and that their minor issue (which can often be easily fixed) isn't a valid reason to start screaming and crying at someone.

numanoid that word gets my hackles up every single time, I'm very glad it's not just me.
How do people think they will be helped by someone when they are as abusive as you described above?!
You're absolutely right about having the right mindset to deal with the public. I normally never take things so personally, we get a difficult one and we deal with it, have a quick moan to each other and it's done. But this one...Well I'm whinging about it on MN aren't I...

Could you not have taken a written record of the sales then logged it on the computer later? It's what supermarkets do in a power cut.

serendipity the really annoying thing is that I think people behave like that precisely because it works. They ring a call centre or whatever, give hell to the person they're talking to because they can't do what is asked, demand to talk to their supervisor who tells them the same, so they demand their manager. If they get far enough they'll find someone spineless who will override everyone else and do whatever they want, and then rub salt in the wounds by making the lower down staff (who were only following company policy in the first place) apologise to the customer for being unhelpful. I think if it didn't work they wouldn't bother doing it

serendippity Don't worry about it, I think everyone has those days when they get bothered by a rude customer. I remember DP's eyes glazing over as I ranted about the particularly rude ones.

treaclesoda That's why I just won't raise my voice at a call centre worker (not that I would have before, anyway), because I remember how nasty some people could be. The only time I'll complain (in the sense of asking to speak to a manager, or saying I'm unhappy), is if the person has been rude to me, or just isn't listening and not even trying to help.

Lougle alas no, we need to physically print the tickets off. Plus, even discounted the tickets aren't cheap, so a lot of people use Credit cards, which was also out of action.
treaclesoda You are right, and like numanoid I try and always be kind to call centre workers!

Tsk, fires! They're just not good enough, eh?