When you work in retail or customer service, you have to get used to customers behaving badly and refusing to listen.

What would you do if you were trying to give a customer the exact thing that they asked for, but their daughter called and just kept yelling at you because they assumed you weren’t going to give her parents the best deal?

That is what the phone salesmen in this story had to deal with, and the customers ended up leaving before he could give them what they wanted.

Too busy to come help your parents with a phone, but had time yell at me for 10+ mins over the phone?

I am a consultant at a wireless phone retailer. My job consists of selling phones, adjusting plans, and of course… a ton of customer service.

Sadly, lots of customers are very rude.

Needless to say I have gotten pretty used to having to deal with difficult customers yelling and cursing me.

However, this takes the cake for the rudest thing I have experienced in my many years of retail…

Let’s see what could be so bad.

It was a fairly busy day at work. At the time, all of our employees were helping other customers, so we had a few customers waiting for a rep to open up. I was the next rep available so I went to the floor to assist the couple that was waiting…

ME: Hello, how are you guys doing today?

Excellent, should be easy enough.

Couple: Great! we actually just got back from vacation and came in to get new phones.

ME: I’d be more than happy to help you do that today! Follow me to my desk and we will get started by looking at your account.

So far, so good.

We went back to my desk and I began to look up their account and write out some options for them. While I was doing this we were talking about their vacation.

They were a super kind and polite older couple, and we had a good conversation while I was putting together options for them. I was just about done when the wife asked if it was alright to call her daughter quick to remind her of what she had told them to mention (I was thinking it would be about a coupon or rebate).

ME: Yeah! Go right ahead!

He is even lowering their bill.

I started to ask the husband about what he liked/disliked about his phone while his wife was talking to their daughter. She was on the phone for a couple of minutes and by this time I was telling the husband the first of a few pricing options for what they were looking for.

I was breaking down a new plan and told him what his new monthly bill would be $$ ($30 cheaper a month) when…

Yeah, sometimes it is best to just talk directly to someone.

Wife: Is it alright if you talked to her? It might be easier for you to understand what she it saying.

ME: (chuckle) Sure, let me talk to her.

What could go wrong?

She passes me the phone (let me remind you I have only been talking to this couple for 4 minutes, just started to explain options, and thought her daughter would be asking about a promotion).

ME: Hi, this is [name].

Wait…What?

Daughter: (screaming) HOW THE HELL COULD YOU TREAT THESE PEOPLE THE WAY YOU DO?! I know you can get them 2 phones for $ because I called in to corporate and they made it so I only pay $ for my service and they are paying $$$$$ for theirs!! All of you people are money-chasing-greedy-scum salespeople… (5 second pause).. I

ME: (Just as she was saying “I”, thinking she was waiting for a response) I agree they are paying way to much and I am going to reduc….

If she would let him talk, he would tell her she is right.

Daughter: (Even more mad) Don’t interrupt me!!! How dare you!!! I heard you say $$! There is no possible way customers for over 10 years should be paying that much for 2 lines!

ME: Ma’am I understand your frustration. I agree completely, and am here to try and get them the best deal possible. The price I mentioned would save them $30 a month and it would also get them 2 brand new/ just released phones for essentially free.

She is not listening at all.

Daughter: (completely ignoring me) I hope you are okay with losing customers to your competitors. I will take them right now to switch their providers if I need too. Ill tell your manager that the reason we switched is because of your rude and greedy actions. I’m going to come down there right now and report you. Hopefully you get fired so that they can fill the position with a more coherent rep!!

He is maintaining his professionalism surprisingly well.

ME: (absolutely appalled) You are more than welcome to come in and speak to me or a manager. I also want to let you know that I really do appreciate you and your parents business. I hope we can continue to serve you in the best way possible, but you do have the freedom to switch to a different company if you choose to do so.

I hand the phone back to the wife. They then apologize and say that they were hoping to get new phones today but don’t have anymore time because they have to meet their daughter (the one on the phone) and son at a cafe 10 min away for lunch. They said they would be back tomorrow.

I don’t know if I would even want them to get a phone, let that daughter go deal with another company.

I cant believe the nerve of some people… I could’ve just drastically lowered their bill, got them free phones, and sent them out the door as very happy customers….

But you had to spend all their available time yelling at me (not knowing the situation at all) for doing exactly what you wanted me too..

Some people really just can’t help but be rude to retail workers, even when the worker is giving them what they want.

Oh well, let’s see what the people in the comments have to say about this all too common story.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a customer complaint that led to them losing their VIP status.

Customers should be asked to leave when they do this.

No need to endure abuse like that.

Some people think they know everything.

Why are some people like this?

This is a good way to handle it.

This is the type of customer that no business really wants.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a barista whose keen eye uncovered a customer scheme for free coffee.