I used to be a receptionist in a vets - i was at how people treated me. Most of our clients however were lovely and im a bit of a mother hen so they all loved me of course But some of them, RUDE?? I would just grin and be really nice to them, im sure it drives them nuts but you can't sound off at someone who is being so annoyingly nice to you!!
Funny things that happened re this were:
There was one client used to come in on a sat morning (i only did sat mornings) he would come in, put his poncy cat food on the counter - pay, leave - not a word, not a smile nothing. You would be forgiven for thinking he was mute. Anyway, i was part time at the vets, full time PhD student. It was my first year - was at uni one day and who should i see walking in the corridor?? "oh, hello, what are you doing here he said - looking puzzled" me "my PhD!" "oh" said he - funny, after that he always found time to make conversation when he got his cat food!
After i finished my PhD and after i had DD2, i went back to work at the vets one afternoon per week. A woman, who knew me from there a long time, enquired after a worming product, i had only just returned and i wasn't familiar with it - so i collared the vet and asked him to explain it to her (and me of course). She then said to me and the vet "funny how your brain goes to mush after a baby" Thankfully my boss was pretty proud of me and he said well actually, my receptionist is more highly qualified than i am, she has come back to help us after her doctorate - the woman didn't know what to do with herself! Oh, how we laughed.
People just assume that if you are in a service type job that you are daft!
I think we are all guilty of assuming things - i tend to "see" - Mums and students on the checkout - but of coures, thats just my assumption.