to not want to be treated like an idiot just because I work in a shop!

[zisforzebra]

I'm currently working in a shop. Before I started working there I had no idea just how rude people can be. Lots don't say please or thank you and some don't acknowledge me at all and practically throw the money at me. But the worst are the ones that treat me like I have no brain at all.

A woman came in today and said she wanted to learn to crochet and that she wasn't very good at knitting. She asked me if I could crochet and I said yes. Her response was a sneery "Well if you can do it, I'm sure I can". I wanted to say that I'm a bloody good knitter and not bad at crochet either and she should just bugger off with her judgements but I just smiled and sent her in the direction of a library for a book on crochet.

AIBU to be very pissed off?

You get a whole other level of rude customers if you work in a call center. It's like because they can't see you, they think they can be even ruder!

Those were the ones who got told to reboot their computers then call back - mainly because I couldn't stand talking to them anymore!

Why tsc? How odd.

I worked one day in telesales when I was 17.
I came home and cried, I didnt get major abuse because I was phoning companies trying to sell advertising space but it was just plain exhausting I couldnt imagine how those who phone households manage, they must have the thickest skins ever.

Worked in retail from when at school in supermarkets, wh Smith and pubs mainly. Never got over how some people would POKE from behind to get my attention. Excuse me would have worked wonders but POKING me with their pointy finger!!

Haven't worked with public for many years but am always nice and try to be pleasant as know how horrible some customers can be.

How rude!

Yes, but tsc, have you considered that working in a call centre is a pretty shitty job which you'd only do if you didn't have much of a choice? No matter where the call centre is, the person on the other end isn't trying to annoy you- they're trying to earn a bit of money to live on. If that's the job they're left with, then that's what they have to take - particularly the centres out in India.

I don't natter to cold callers, but I'm always polite. I say 'sorry', and just hang up. Otherwise it's just like all the people who slagged me off for daring to sit behind a till and scan their groceries.

TSC, that's kinda how I feel about the Jehovah's Witnesses. Since the time I pointed out to them they had just woken my teething baby and me, and that I was not likely ot convert to their religion based on a short chat on my doorstep Would they kindly LEAVE ME ALONE!!

Haven't seen 'em since.

I think GoldenSnitch is talking about a support call centre, though, where the customers ring her for IT support.

Yes, I never cold called anyone - they called me for help.

Then they'd be rude to me even though I was helping them fix their PC cause they couldn't do it alone.

Even I am short with telesales staff. We're registered with the TPS so if they're ringing me then they're breaking the rules. Have reported more than one company for that!

I have worked in a shop and of course it is difficult when people are rude, aggressive or ask for something plainly ridiculous.
You probably are better at knitting and crochet than her-just assume she was in a hurry...

It's just as easy to say 'no thankyou' politely though. I do agree it's rude to disturb someone's home with an uninvited phone call but I don't think it's OK to be rude in reponse.

I feel duty bound to point out that the drunken wanker I was talking about TRIED to put his cigarette out on me...he didn't account for me having trained for years in martial arts....(disclaimer, am 5ft2 and not very fit any more...more fat than fit... but it's amazing how much of your old training comes back when you need it...). And the knife man did get lifted by the police, although I did serve through the night hatch for about a week afterwards...

And RAA! to the pokey people! WTF is with that?? I did actually poke one of them back once...she'd been doing it to me 3 times a week every week for 9 months...when I'd handed in my notice, but was still working, I took GREAT pleasure in poking her...

I work in a village shop and have been poked alot too. Trouble is the regulars expect me to know exactly what they want becasue they have it every time....i can't tell most of them apart....they all merge into one after a while...

Oh god telesales! years ago I turned up for a temp reception job only to discover they wanted me to cold call internet companies (it was 1999 - I didn't own a computer much less have a clue about ISP's which as I recall I needed to for this particular gig)

I worked my way through a list of directors and CEO's of major companies. Most didn't take my call, those that did were almost without exception vile.

However one man, clocked my cluelessness immediately asked me why I was doing the job and what he would have to do to ensure I got my commission (thank god I was on an hourly rate!) he was very senior in the field in which I was studying and randomly we became friends. He is something of a mentor ten years on and despite all his achievements and qualifications I respect him most for the kindness he showed to an out of her depth girl who was seriously floudering.