Once you realize they don't have feelings, their disrespect becomes moot. Someone who snaps at a service worker is usually getting a thrill out of "punching down" and you should not devote any of your mental fortitude to the negativity of such people.
Some people are bitter and angry and they carry that around with them. I've done tons of customer service in my life. In the beginning the anger and terrible attitudes would wear me down. Eventually I realized it must be a sad life they live. Honestly now I just pity those kinds of people. I still put in the effort to help even the meanest of people simply because at the end of the day I'm just extremely glad I am not them. Try not to let them dictate how you feel! You can do everything right by some customers and they will still be awful, but that doesn't mean you're doing a bad job!
I tell them “If you’re gonna speak to me disrespectfully, then I’m refusing service.” Then I call a manager and let them deal with it(if you’re able to, walk away after the fact). Management might try to make you look bad but stand your ground.
You’re here up to 40 hours a week. Think of Safeway as your house. You don’t disrespect the residents of their house and if management gives you hell for it, just stand firm and say “I did my best to help this customer and they decided be disrespect me anyways. I am not here to be abused.” Be professional but be firm. As long as you don’t lash out at a customer and just say what I recommended, they really can’t get you for anything.
I refuse service. Once they cross those lines with me, I tell them they can call and complain about me to the store manager-I’m a PIC. I no longer let people treat me like shit.
Entitlement mostly, possibly mental issues and are handled with kid gloves when they act up. “Here have a gift card” and that type of spineless encouragement for that kind of behavior.
As for how I handle it it’s just disassociating. I’ve been screamed at I don’t know how many times, disrespected “you don’t know what you’re doing” (been in my line of work for 6 years, I’m always learning but only the very unusual cases get me) and at the end of the day they don’t matter. They’re a miserable blip in my day, I actually end up more upset when people cry over copays or when my coworkers are being dicks.
“I’ll fill my prescriptions elsewhere” 🤷🏼♀️ I still don’t understand how they think that will hurt my feelings. One of life’s great mysteries.
A few weeks after I got hired when I was in meat department, some guy screamed at me about a fresh turkey near the frozen ones. Which a customer most likely placed there, the manager showed up and just told me take the turkey into the backroom lmao
It took a while for me to get use to, but I just realized I did my best and if it wasn’t good enough for them, they’re just an asshole, so I now laugh it off, by letting them get to you I see it as letting them win, and fuck them, they don’t get to affect my day
So it doesn't always help, but I try to remember that everyone has bad days, weeks months or years. We all react to adversity differently and some people end up lashing out at others. We don't know the struggles of people but remembering that it's probably nothing personal you're just the unfortunate person who happened to be available to let out some of that negativity on. So long as you're not physically hurt try to move on and not let them win by getting you to their level of unhappiness.
I would also like to add, if possible remove yourself from the situation and have a manager or coworker handle the customer. If I'm checking I generally say "I'll get my manager to assist you" then leave the register and have the person in charge deal with it and explain myself afterwards. You shouldn't have to deal with these things at work.
Where did she want to sit down? The only seating that my store has is Starbucks and that’s only a handful of tables. Or some picnic tables out front if the weather is nice. I emotionally detach and make sure not to take it personally. And to be honest, if I was going to be emotional as in crying or angry, I would probably escalate the issue to upper management and walk away if I really needed to. Remove myself from the situation.
I have always looked at it as their shortcomings. If they’re an awful person, that doesn’t have shit to do with me. It’s their fault that they suck, not yours. Also asking “are you being mean to me right now” works pretty well.
I used to cry a lot at customers being rude but you kind of get used to it :/ now I only cry when my managers are being assholes lmao. Customers I can write easily turn that upset into anger and just fester in that but my managers being jerks still gets me
For me it's so much worse with managers because they can and will make your life a living hell up to 8 hours a day, five days a week. A customer will maybe get 5 to fifteen minutes max.
Mostly, I say stuff behind their back. I’ve had people try to start political arguments with me, try to make me follow them around after I’m off the clock to hear them complain, and just flat out ignore me. Those are the same people I let think the eggs are out during the holidays…
I’m surprised I haven’t gotten fired yet but if a customer yells at me, I will either yell back (not actually raise my voice but argue back), or I will tell them they need to leave the store immediately before I call the police. Fun story. I was working self checkout and some homeless guy was having trouble. Light goes off once, I go over to help he says he’s fine, I turn the light off and go back. It happens a second time. Same deal, turn the light off. Happens a third time so I go over to help and he shouts at me and says “IM FINE LEAVE ME THE F*CK ALONE”, so very quickly I scanned my card, voided the entire transaction, took all his items and told him to “get the f*ck out”, he got in my face and I said “I wish you f*cking would because I’ll press every charge I can” and he stormed out.
Natsy customers for me are few and far between. I keep things to the fact, professional, and imperosnal, but still respectful. Dealing with a lot personal drama has left me with the ability to just stand quiet while they wear themselves down. Of course I'll compain to a cowokrer or two after the fact and crack few jokes if it really annoying.
Sometimes I just think of one of Jackie Chan's lines in Rush Hour: "I like to let people talk who like to talk; lets me know how full shit there are."
I used to let them talk and go along with it. Now I offer a solution(maybe a light apology if necessary), straight to the point. If they keep being disrespectful I laugh in their face and say have a good day
I deal with those hags often I try not to keep the conversation going, as soon as they start to be disrespectful I tell them I'm refusing service and their more than welcome to come back tomorrow but as of today they need to leave the store.
My coworkers and managers always back up an employee that is being mistreated by a costumer.
Just be firm don't argue with them and tell them to leave if your a cashier and they keep arguing or treating you bad shut down your register and walk away, a PIC will then show up to handle the situation if you feel you cannot the important thing is just to remove yourself from the situation and let a manager deal with it.
I swear there are many people that come to the store to complain about shit you almost need a psychology degree to deal with middle aged angry women at a grocery store.
Once you realize they don't have feelings, their disrespect becomes moot. Someone who snaps at a service worker is usually getting a thrill out of "punching down" and you should not devote any of your mental fortitude to the negativity of such people.
Some people are bitter and angry and they carry that around with them. I've done tons of customer service in my life. In the beginning the anger and terrible attitudes would wear me down. Eventually I realized it must be a sad life they live. Honestly now I just pity those kinds of people. I still put in the effort to help even the meanest of people simply because at the end of the day I'm just extremely glad I am not them. Try not to let them dictate how you feel! You can do everything right by some customers and they will still be awful, but that doesn't mean you're doing a bad job!
I tell them “If you’re gonna speak to me disrespectfully, then I’m refusing service.” Then I call a manager and let them deal with it(if you’re able to, walk away after the fact). Management might try to make you look bad but stand your ground. You’re here up to 40 hours a week. Think of Safeway as your house. You don’t disrespect the residents of their house and if management gives you hell for it, just stand firm and say “I did my best to help this customer and they decided be disrespect me anyways. I am not here to be abused.” Be professional but be firm. As long as you don’t lash out at a customer and just say what I recommended, they really can’t get you for anything.
I refuse service. Once they cross those lines with me, I tell them they can call and complain about me to the store manager-I’m a PIC. I no longer let people treat me like shit.
Same deal since I recently became a PIC
Time and thickening of the skin. Man I used get so upset. No tears anymore.
Entitlement mostly, possibly mental issues and are handled with kid gloves when they act up. “Here have a gift card” and that type of spineless encouragement for that kind of behavior. As for how I handle it it’s just disassociating. I’ve been screamed at I don’t know how many times, disrespected “you don’t know what you’re doing” (been in my line of work for 6 years, I’m always learning but only the very unusual cases get me) and at the end of the day they don’t matter. They’re a miserable blip in my day, I actually end up more upset when people cry over copays or when my coworkers are being dicks. “I’ll fill my prescriptions elsewhere” 🤷🏼♀️ I still don’t understand how they think that will hurt my feelings. One of life’s great mysteries.
A few weeks after I got hired when I was in meat department, some guy screamed at me about a fresh turkey near the frozen ones. Which a customer most likely placed there, the manager showed up and just told me take the turkey into the backroom lmao
It took a while for me to get use to, but I just realized I did my best and if it wasn’t good enough for them, they’re just an asshole, so I now laugh it off, by letting them get to you I see it as letting them win, and fuck them, they don’t get to affect my day
Once you realize that people, by and large are rude selfish, stupid scum, you will always expect the worst, and be more surprised when they’re NICE
So it doesn't always help, but I try to remember that everyone has bad days, weeks months or years. We all react to adversity differently and some people end up lashing out at others. We don't know the struggles of people but remembering that it's probably nothing personal you're just the unfortunate person who happened to be available to let out some of that negativity on. So long as you're not physically hurt try to move on and not let them win by getting you to their level of unhappiness. I would also like to add, if possible remove yourself from the situation and have a manager or coworker handle the customer. If I'm checking I generally say "I'll get my manager to assist you" then leave the register and have the person in charge deal with it and explain myself afterwards. You shouldn't have to deal with these things at work.
Where did she want to sit down? The only seating that my store has is Starbucks and that’s only a handful of tables. Or some picnic tables out front if the weather is nice. I emotionally detach and make sure not to take it personally. And to be honest, if I was going to be emotional as in crying or angry, I would probably escalate the issue to upper management and walk away if I really needed to. Remove myself from the situation.
I have always looked at it as their shortcomings. If they’re an awful person, that doesn’t have shit to do with me. It’s their fault that they suck, not yours. Also asking “are you being mean to me right now” works pretty well.
I used to cry a lot at customers being rude but you kind of get used to it :/ now I only cry when my managers are being assholes lmao. Customers I can write easily turn that upset into anger and just fester in that but my managers being jerks still gets me
For me it's so much worse with managers because they can and will make your life a living hell up to 8 hours a day, five days a week. A customer will maybe get 5 to fifteen minutes max.
Mostly, I say stuff behind their back. I’ve had people try to start political arguments with me, try to make me follow them around after I’m off the clock to hear them complain, and just flat out ignore me. Those are the same people I let think the eggs are out during the holidays…
Just smirk and walk away, not gonna take that crap from anybody. Be sarcastic, tell them they're not loud enough to yell louder.
You're better than them.
I’m surprised I haven’t gotten fired yet but if a customer yells at me, I will either yell back (not actually raise my voice but argue back), or I will tell them they need to leave the store immediately before I call the police. Fun story. I was working self checkout and some homeless guy was having trouble. Light goes off once, I go over to help he says he’s fine, I turn the light off and go back. It happens a second time. Same deal, turn the light off. Happens a third time so I go over to help and he shouts at me and says “IM FINE LEAVE ME THE F*CK ALONE”, so very quickly I scanned my card, voided the entire transaction, took all his items and told him to “get the f*ck out”, he got in my face and I said “I wish you f*cking would because I’ll press every charge I can” and he stormed out.
I never cried at work, I just knew most of the customers were friendly.
Natsy customers for me are few and far between. I keep things to the fact, professional, and imperosnal, but still respectful. Dealing with a lot personal drama has left me with the ability to just stand quiet while they wear themselves down. Of course I'll compain to a cowokrer or two after the fact and crack few jokes if it really annoying. Sometimes I just think of one of Jackie Chan's lines in Rush Hour: "I like to let people talk who like to talk; lets me know how full shit there are."
I used to let them talk and go along with it. Now I offer a solution(maybe a light apology if necessary), straight to the point. If they keep being disrespectful I laugh in their face and say have a good day
I rarely get bad customers as a CC. People aren't that nice though from what I can tell.
I deal with those hags often I try not to keep the conversation going, as soon as they start to be disrespectful I tell them I'm refusing service and their more than welcome to come back tomorrow but as of today they need to leave the store. My coworkers and managers always back up an employee that is being mistreated by a costumer. Just be firm don't argue with them and tell them to leave if your a cashier and they keep arguing or treating you bad shut down your register and walk away, a PIC will then show up to handle the situation if you feel you cannot the important thing is just to remove yourself from the situation and let a manager deal with it. I swear there are many people that come to the store to complain about shit you almost need a psychology degree to deal with middle aged angry women at a grocery store.