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Helping customers save money should be simple, but relatives can make an easy visit much harder.

What happens when someone starts yelling before hearing what the employee is actually offering?

Before this phone consultant could finish explaining a cheaper plan, the couple’s daughter launched into an angry speech.

Read on for the full blown public meltdown.

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.

Needless to say, I have gotten pretty used to dealing with difficult customers yelling and cursing at me.

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

The day started off normal enough.

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?

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.

All things considered, these customers were actually pretty pleasant.

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.

The employee didn’t see any problem with this, so he agreed.

ME: Yeah! Go right ahead!

I started to ask the husband about what he liked and 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…

The customer wondered if he wouldn’t mind just taking over.

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

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

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

ME: Hi, this is [name].

Here’s where things really start to go off the rails.

Daughter: (screaming) HOW THE H*** 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-***** salespeople… (5 second pause)… I—

This retail employee could hardly get a word in edgewise.

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

Daughter: (Even more ticked) 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.

If she would just slow down to listen, she would realize that this employee was actually offering her parents a really good deal.

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.

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 to.

I’ll 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!!

This employee just wants to say anything to get her off the phone now.

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.

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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.

The older couple is now ready to get out the door.

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 minutes away for lunch.

They said they would be back tomorrow.

I can’t believe the nerve of some people.

This employee was just trying to do a service to these people, but their daughter let her wild temper get in the way.

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 to.

This lady should have listened more and screamed less.

What did Reddit make of all this?

When customers think they’re always right, they rarely behave well.

This interaction would have been a whole lot better if the daughter hadn’t gotten involved.

This commenter wouldn’t have tolerated this kind of behavior.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a lifeguard who saves a child only to be confronted by parents angry about the paperwork.

It appears some customers just want any excuse to yell at someone.

This phone consultant was lowering the couple’s bill and offering new phones when their daughter suddenly accused him of cheating them.

Her long rant used up their available time, so the polite couple left without receiving the exact deal she wanted for them.

She spent ten minutes fighting the discount she called to demand.

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Author

Chris Allen