Verbal/Physical abuse from customers

I am sorry you have to deal with this. Reminds me of a place I used to work at. It was a discount clothing store. My job was in the fitting room. We were physically threatened when the people were told they could not take more than 15 items in the room. They poo poo on the floor, they leave intimate things stuck on the mirrors that were used, or on the floor. We were cussed at. On occassion a cashier would be slapped because the person who purchased the items decided the bill was too high. People would blow their nose on the clothes that were on the racks on the sales floor. It was absolutely disgusting. There was even a few times one of the sales people found waste under a rounder. Someone had hid themselves in the clothes to go to the bathroom. This was a womens clothing store. Once a month we had a blockbuster sale and the women (I will not call these ladies) would line up outside early to get in. They didn't even bother to bathe before they came into the store to try on clothes. It was grosse. People are just becoming ruder and ruder by the day. It is hard to find a job you like when you have to deal with that sort of thing. Sometimes it's difficult just being in public when you are not working, hearing how people talk to one another, watching kids run rampant throughout a store or on the street. I hope you can find a position you enjoy, with people you enjoy. Retail work caused me to hate people for a very long time.

The thing of it is, you can't please them. Most of us in retail have to put up with this type of abuse. Understand that these people don't want SERVICE. The want SERVANTS, people to do their bidding. They go into stores, ask the dumbest questions, mistreat people and expect people to bend over backwards for them and kiss their a$$. Customers, guests, whatever, seem to think that people who work in the public sector are lazy idiots and are meant to do their bidding. They expect up to shop for them, read for them and think for them. Some think we are punching bags. Woe to the person that tries that with me. They tear up the store and walk away. They want servants, therapists and interior decorators rolled into one. The sad part is they don't know how to ask for help. They demand it, even if you are helping someone else. They expect you to drop that person to serve them. These people need the kind of help I am not qualified to give. I'm not a social worker nor into psychiatry.

i can fully understand where you are coming from because i am also working in a retail company and i get abuse by the customer every now and then... what my manager teach me to do is to keep my cool, don't react to the abuse and don't take it personally because the customer is not satisfied with the company in general and not with me personally... if the abuse gets under control, then i just call the security to deal with the customer... usually the customer will be asked to leave by the security... take care and have a nice day...

I have seen that type of appalling behavior several times. I'm not a shy person so I scold the offender and it seems to snap them out of it. I don't know why some people treat stock and cashier folks so badly but it's an epidemic near where I live. I don't think I'd be able to do the job you do since I'd likely verbally go off on a customer if they hit and file charges for assault on them. I am sure you nicely told the fellow that the store simply didn't have what he wanted but he was unwilling to accept that. Maybe tell him to check with the manager to see when it would be back in stock might have helped. But then again, in his case, he likely would have called them stupid. I have worked in software sales for many years and when someone starts to go off on me, I apologize and it seems to take alot of the wind out of their tirade. I'm sorry that we dont' have it in stock, I can get the manager for you if you like so that they can tell you if and when we will have it. Or you could try going to x store and they might have it in stock for you today. Might have helped. Sometimes people just want someone to verbally abuse since they had a bad day and want to make someone else pay for it. Very sad indeed that manners have gone to heck.

For me if you encounter by the customer it is cruel in you because the customer is always right even if it is wrong the only way you can minimize your heart ache is trough your burden to Jehovah God in prayers and he will fight for your customer.

I know how you feel, but a lot of times they aren't thinking, and we end up getting what ever mood they were in. I worked custmer service for six years so I got the same treatment. One costmer wanted to go as far as to try and kill me because they didn't like the fact I had to inform him we were out of something. It irked me more then anything else. Lucky for me, my boss didn't let them near me. Costmers are people, and when they go to shop, they usually aren't thinking. Some are in a bad mood and decide to take it out on the nearst person-- us. hang tough though because there are some things that you can do should it get too far.

its very hunmilating for any one you should,call some equelent person whom do you know,to counter that foolish person!

I absolutely understand where you are coming from. The reason why they verbally and physically abuse us is because they don't understand our job or aren't a retail assistant themselves, so they have no idea what we have to go through. I too have been through experiences where customers have been yelling at me in my face and calling me names such as 'stupid cow' and also comments such as 'I am useless and should have stayed at home'. Unfortunately, there is that annoying phrase that every shop and head office have to stick to ...'The customers is always right'...F*** OFF! lol. The experience happened when a customer brought 6 pairs of earrings, I explained to her before I put them through the register 'earrings aren't refundable unless faulty'..she replied 'yes, I understand because of health and hygiene reasons'. Two hours later she came back with her husband, the woman pointed at me and he started walking over to me. 'Hello Sir, How may I help?' 'Yes, I would like to refund these earrings I have a receipt' 'I am sorry to say Sir but we aren't allowed to refund on our earrings unfortunately, sorry its a policy we have to follow' 'Why's that?' 'Because of health and hygiene reasons' 'You can see I haven't took them off the card or worn them' 'I'm sure you haven't Sir, but it is easy enough to take them off and put them back on. I am sorry' 'Where is your manager' 'Upstairs...but I am sure to tell you she is going to say thing' 'Well....get here then stupid cow' Down comes the manager 'Yes Sir how can I help?' 'Your sales assistant here is telling me that I can't return on earrings' 'Yes that is correct' 'I want your head office number now' 'Yes, it's on the back of your receipt underneath the line policy is we can't refund on earrings' Husband and wife walks away and muttered under their breath stupid cows. I hate these experiences make the rest of the day worse which means you do more mistakes such as forget the customers change and so on. P.S sorry about the long response lol