How you treat customer service representatives can truly change your experience.

If you’re nice, the customer service rep might be more likely to help you out, but if you’re rude, they probably won’t be as helpful.

Read how one Redditor gives this unruly customer a little dose of honesty after their bad behavior.

See the full story below.

“ma’am, I don’t control the company”

So, it’s a slow Thursday, and I’m in the back, organizing and putting up stock when I hear a call on my radio.

“Guest service line one,” I answer the phone with the standard, “Thank you for calling [blank] at [blank] this is [blank] speaking. How may I help you?”

Lady: “Hello? Yes, I’m looking for 20 lb bags of black oil sunflower seeds.”

Me: “Alright, let me take a look at see what I have in stock, and I’ll get right back with you.”

Bad news.

Me: “Hello? Ma’am, unfortunately we don’t have any in stock. Let me check my warehouse and see if I can bring some in for you.”

Lady: “Okay, fine.”

Me: “Ma’am, from the looks of things the entire company cant get any in. [Blank] is having trouble with our distributer right now, but I can offer…

The customer didn’t care what she could offer.

Lady: “THAT’S OUTRAGEOUS! I’M A REGULAR THERE, AND YOU PEOPLE NEVER HAVE ANYTHING IN STOCK!! THIS IS LUDICROUS. IT’S BEEN 2 WEEKS AND YOU HAVEN’T GOTTEN ANY IN.”

Me: “Ma’am, that’s not my store’s problem. There’s a shortage at the warehouse. No one in the region can get any right now.”

The woman’s response? Irate, to say the least.

Lady: “THAT’S NONSENSE!! JUST ORDER SOME!!

Me: “Ma’am, I don’t control the company. My hands are pretty much tied here.”

Lady: “THIS IS JUST NONSENSE!! I’M NEVER SHOPPING AT YOUR LITTLE STORE AGAIN!

But, this worker had a secret up their sleeve.

Me: (Now, I’m usually not this rude but, I was 4 weeks from quitting to go to college at that point) My “false smile retail persona” slipped, and my deeper more “manly” voice [came out]. I firmly said: “Good. Don’t.” And slammed the phone down.

What she doesn’t know, is that I was about to offer her two 25lbs bags of a higher quality seed for the same cost, her loss.

What does Reddit think about this scenario? Have they had customer interactions like this before? Let’s read the comments below to get a better idea.

One Redditor had noticed a joke.

Another said a lot of customers didn’t realize the key was being nice.

Someone else had to crack a joke.

And finally, wise words from a Redditor with experience.

This lady could’ve scored some good seed if she had just been nice.

If you liked that story, check out this post about a group of employees who got together and why working from home was a good financial decision.