To feel sorry for people who have to work with the public?

[SomeoneStoleMySausageRoll]

Last week I was in a cafe and I was queuing up for the hot drinks and to pay. There was a woman in front of me who seemed to be in a bit of a bad mood anyway as she kept tutting and sighing.

When the woman got to the till she asked for just a black coffee. The lass at the till charged her £2 for it and this is when she got a bit stroppy and pointed out the sign in front of her and snapped "it says it's £1.50 there for an espresso, are you trying to rip me off?" The cashier then explained nicely that an espresso was just a tiny shot of coffee and if she wanted a full coffee it was an americano and that was £2. At which point she started raving and ranting away at the cashier telling her "it was a bloody rip off!" and "you should make it clear!". Still the cashier remained polite and cheerful throughout.

Then when she got her coffee she snapped "where's the bloody sugar?" and again the person at the till pointed out politley where it was (it was right in front of her) but instead the woman picked up her tray and went to the other till to look for the sugar. And again when she couldn't find any (there was more sugar on that side, again right it front of her) she again snapped "where's the bloody sugar?" only this time she sounded much more aggressive.

Then when again the girl pointed out nicely where it was, the woman then stormed back over to her, picked a handful of sugar up and threw them in her face before storming off to sit down with her coffee. The poor girl was like this and so was I.

She did tell me though that this wasn't the worst she'd had to put up with either.

My sister used to work in retail and the amount of abuse she had to put up with was astounding.

Seriously, how do you cope with all the idiots?

It's so hard to hold your tongue with these people at times. I had to laugh at the poster who said her her DH recived abuse because the supermarket he worked in had run out of Turkey's late on Xmas eve. When I worked at Argos I witnessed several idiots who'd left all of their Christmas shopping (gifts for children) until last minute on Xmas eve.

In my experience the rougher "chavvy" type customers were always the most pleasesant, whilst posh people were usually rude. Likewise young people were nice and OAPs entitled and stroppy.

I've worked in a cafe and had a cup of tea thrown at me. Managed to side step it but she was escorted off the premises pretty quickly. I was a shy teenager so didn't say anything to her myself. Would be a different story now.

This week I started a pt evening job at a well known fast food chain and was put on the drive through within the hour! The majority of customers were lovely but one idiot threw an empty drinks bottle am me!!! Why do that?
It actually sounds funny now but I was so shocked how some people behave.

Also, years ago, working as a claims handler for a major insurer (telephone based ) I was threatened by a man who said he would find out where I was ( we had about 5 regional offices ) and would come and kill me.

When I worked frontline grumpy or sweary/shouty people didn't bother me, it's just a job, it's not personal and most of the ire is about the company/management/procedures/set up etc. (like suggesting the prices should be clearer or the the sugar isn't obvious in the OP) whether justified or not. I had a few people protest that I had got things wrong, but they were always wrong so I wasn't really phased by that either. I was never really sure what to do about shouty/sweary customers though, because they upset things for other customers, but getting them to behave or kicking them out causes even more fuss usually. It's tricky.

But if someone had ever thrown something at me that would have been entirely different - I would have been outraged and expected my manager to do something about it. That was absolutely appaling.

I'm on the verge of giving up clinical dentistry for this very reason. Just today I had a patient who constantly questioned me, when I asked if he had any allergies "why would YOU need to know that" are you taking any medication? "What an ODD question" and so on.

He was then deliberately obstructive when I tried to examine him and then he made a written complaint about me, saying I have no empathy.

It's like the whole thing only works one way, when you are getting a service people think they can say or do whatever they like, when you're giving it you have to be ultra extra polite. Also, IME, the cheaper the service, the less respect people have for those delivering it.

I wear a uniform when out and about. The amount of abuse from random people I've got nothing to do with is staggering. They wind down their car windows to shout at me as they drive past - why would you even do that?

Some members of the public are twunts! In a summer job whilst at university I worked in a cafe one day a gentlemen spilt his scolding coffee over me! This was obviously very painful I had a little cry and the lifeguard from the pool next door came and sorted me out! In the mean time the man and his wife went mental that I was upset and said I was causing a seen and the women said oh so pleasantly "it isn't even that hot"! It was through gritted teeth me and my friend waves them off! I didn't replace the coffee I did leave them coffeeless minimum wage doesn't cover being scolded!

I work in a dr's surgery and have previously worked in a department store and a pub. Having worked with the public for 17 years straight now nothing fazes or shocks me but I used to get v v upset. There are loads of pleasant people but my absolute pet hate at the moment is something which seems to be happening more and more. When you are asked a question face to face or on the phone and the person tuts and walks off/disconnects phone when I am smack bang in the v middle of a sentence (usually if they dont like the answer). That, imo, is damn rude.

Ooh yes I love being in my uniform and being in a different shop with a completely different uniform (think mine is blue, theirs is red) When customers will go excuse me, EXCUSE ME, tap you on the shoulder etc whilst you're clearly shopping with a basket & your coat & bags etc, you turn and they say oh finally I've been trying to get your attention for ages.. where's the milk, bread, whatever, and I reply with sorry but I don't work here.. Their faces are priceless.

i've been told "call yourself an ambulance love, i'm on my way" and all sorts of crap (faults centre of a telecoms company years ago)

Some people treat others in an appalling fashion. I try to make sure my children know that it is how they treat the people who might seem not to matter which matters most of all, not how you treat the boss, instead how you treat the subcontracted cleaner who is not even an employee where you work. Last week the lady in the coffees shop said I'd left £5 last time I was in from my change. I said they were really honest to tell me and to put it in their tips box. She and her friend made out I was massively generous. I get the impression most people hardly speak to them and can be pretty rude. It is not nice to see.

Try working in hospitality once you're above student age, people think I'm the most stupid thing around. It requires more skills to work in retail and hospitality than a lot of jobs that involve sitting on your hole at a desk.

It's nearly always the people who think they're 'middle class' who act like pure scumbags, after many many years of it you just have to sort of go into a trance at work and not let any of it affect you because it can really upset you for the rest of the day/week. I love peoples' faces when they ask probing questions about what else I 'do', as in 'why do you work here, why only three days?' Because my mortgage is almost paid off and I'm not even 30 yet.

Working in a customer-facing role should be a pre-requisite to being a politician: it might bring them into the real world more. (There might even be a few more prosecutions for assault!)

A patient called me "fucking incompetent" once, because I gave her a less than smooth ride to the loo on the commode. A. Steer like supermarket trolleys and B. she had about thirty kilos on me, and I had dragged her out there about six times that morning. She should have walked anyway, most patients would after her surgery, but I felt a bit sorry for her being in pain, which she genuinely was, and I was giving her everything I could for it. Another called me a bitch as I accidentally hurt her doing a dressing. I'm afraid I said I'd rather get called one than be one. She was very difficult with me and everyone all the time. She complained, in writing, and I got in trouble. Hey ho. Having said that, 99% of patients are great. Also have to understand that people are rarely at their best in hospital, it is stressful and they are in pain often.

DD works in Waitrose. It's not unknown for customers to click their fingers at her . . . you know who you are!

I've worked in 3 different jobs dealing with the public . one was a library, There were a few awkward rude customers. As a nurse I was assaulted and urinated on, but most people were ok. I think you've got to learn to never ever take it personally.
I've never worked in retail but both my sons have/are. My eldest was working during an armed robbery (knife), thankfully no one was hurt.

I just stare with a dead pan face not even blinking until they stfu. Then I explain slowly and carefully in a monotone voice until they get it. I show no emotion whatsoever, seems to bore them so they leave!

90% of people are fine, some even really friendly. It's just the 10% that are bat shit bonkers or entitled as hell.

I once worked Christmas Day taking people on ....holiday....and barely got a 'happy Christmas' grunted back at me....just moans as we were delayed....40 mins

I used to work for a well known bakery chain and had to deal with some assholes. The strops and hissy fits that they threw when we didn't have what they wanted were pathetic. Some of the other staff were verbally assaulted, sworn and spat at. Disgusting! I served many a fucking Wanker and dealt with them by being equally obnoxious back. They didn't expect that

A vile Cuntstomer can ruin a whole shift. Fortunately there were more nicer ones than the stupid annoying ones.

After I left my last public facing job, I vowed never to work with the public again.

Some people are vile.

I used to work in a call centre. God the stupidity and rudeness of people is unreal.
I also believe everyone should work in customer service - it's a real eye opener.

I was threatened, sworn at, propositioned. Someone threatened to drive their car through our store windows. Someone also said he would stalk me.

I also swore I'd never work with the public again. My blood pressure can't cope with not being able to tell someone what a cunt they are.

My friend works in retail and once had a customer spit in her face. I'm afraid I would have punched anyone who did that to me. From what she said I think another staff member had to prevent her from doing just that.

I've worked in varying customer service roles over the years but did 10 years for BT as a customer service manager. Now i concede bt are shit, but because it was a free number the number of idiots who would ring was unreal. One woman rang me asking how to fillet the whole salmon she had won in a christmas raffle.

I really hate to generalise but doctors and reverends or lady so and so's were always the most abusive. My heart would sink when the screen flashed up their title cos invariably i'd get utter abuse and shit "with im a doctor/reverend you knowwww you stupid idiotic girl" i wouldnt mind if it was cos their phone was actually disconnected but it was always for mundane shit like not having the right friends and family discount.

Agree with both the general dickishness of some customers, and also the incredible, and worrying stupidity. Just walking people through the most basic things, i.e. "Do you have a reference number?"
"I don't think so."
"Well it should be on the letter you have." (which you have just told me you are holding in your hands)
"I can't see it."
"Up the top? Next to where it says 'Your reference number?"
"Oh yes...I thought that was the phone number."
(no...that's the number next to where is says 'Our phone number...)

and if this doesn't work.

"Okay, that's fine. I can search for you by name."
"Okay,....? Do you want my name?" Um...yes.

I just wonder who all these unpleasant people are? If I was out shopping, or for a meal with my DH/DM/friend, etc and they acted like this I'd be really shocked and like to think I'd say something, either to them, or the staff member.

Do these people only spend time with other unpleasant people and therefore never get called out on it?

Although tbh, often when I see a post on MN where the poster's only comment is something about the OP's spelling/grammar, I do think that they must be the sort.