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Guy Shares A Client Interaction He Had That Still Creeps Him Out, Inspiring 35 Others To Share Similar Tales
Interview With Author
Working in retail, restaurants, hospitality, and the like is always… definitely… something.
Besides the long work hours, the tedious duties, and the very often inadequate pay, there’s all these clients to deal with, and not all of them are pleasant and civilized. That’s not say they’re the polar opposite, necessarily, but they are surely far far away from what makes a 5-star client because of their aggression or awkwardness or just flat-out bizarreness.
Image credits: TheBlackNerd
Whatever the case may be, there are loads of stories of less-than-favorable clients from people working in these industries, and one former Starbucks barista has sparked a bit of a story-fest with his tweet recalling a customer interaction that still haunts him to this day.
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#2
Writer, reviewer, and host of the @LowStakesShow, Terence Wiggins, also known as The Black Nerd, went to Twitter to share an interaction with a customer he won’t forget anytime soon because of how haunting it was.
Back when he was working at Starbucks, one day he was cleaning the restrooms and knocked on the women’s restroom door to check if anyone was inside. Lo and behold, there was, but instead of casually saying it’s occupied or something among those lines, he got a very angry “WHO IS IT?”
He also asked folks who worked similar jobs to share their haunting conversations with clients. And boy, did Twitter deliver!
“I usually check my Facebook Memories first thing in the morning and I'm constantly reminded of the years I spent working at Starbucks,” Terence explained the origins of his tweet in an interview with Bored Panda. “I don't remember which memory made me ask the question but I'm sure it was something bad.”
Needless to say, when the tweet started racking up likes left and right, Terence was very surprised when the counter nearly reached 10,000 for both quoted tweets and likes. While he does have a modest follower base, the tweet went beyond the usual metric.
“It just exploded and I started seeing replies and quote-tweets from celebrities,” elaborated Terence.
#10
Grace Walker 3 years ago
Definitely. I have Epilepsy, and I would punch someone if I found out if they said something like this while I was having an episode
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Mattewis88 3 years ago
However long it takes to drive to the next Blockbuster, because you're not getting it here you sociopath.
Seanette Blaylock 3 years ago
"In your case, as long as it takes you to go somewhere else. You know that sign about reserving the right to refuse service? I'm refusing service to you. GTFO my store."
Mushroomlover 3 years ago
I work at a store and have for several years so the owner allows me and one other employee who’s been here a long time too use our discretion but we are allowed to kick people out. I would’ve kicked him/her out and told them to never come back. I’ve only ever had to kick 2 people out of my store and both times it was men who inappropriately touched me, unwarranted just because they were ‘drunk.’
Lucky2BAlive 3 years ago
Ohhhh my answer to this would have contained so much profanity it would STILL be hanging over the restaurant. Hope your colleague was okay.
Trisha Howson 3 years ago
I would told her I would not give her any service she can f*****g leave
Denise Hansen 3 years ago
How rude & immature was that customer!! A nurse had a seizure in the OR while I was having a baby. Medical attention was diverted momentarily and me and my baby were and are fine!
Ashley Sigurdson 3 years ago
Once when I was a supervisor at Tim Hortons one of my employees had a seizure in the doorway. Customers were trying to step over her to go get coffee when there was another door on the other side of the building. It was ridiculous.
Emma Brown 3 years ago
I think she's incredibly lucky there wasn't a good few of us stood within earshot....my son also has epilepsy amd no matter how often it happens, its still scary to see. Some people really are just a waste of a good human liver.
Bayou Billy 3 years ago
I know exactly how you feel. I know everyone talks about internet tough guys ... But there are also those of us who know the store employees won't rat... You just have to leave before they show and avoid going there for a bit(also pay in cash). Cops shrug their shoulders. They don't care when an ass gets a knuckle sandwich. Especially if you keep it to one or two and walk away. Clean record 😉👍
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Nothing Fancy 3 years ago
Welp...I'd have lost my job. I don't think they would consider, "F**k OFF!", to be good customer service.
AzKhaleesi 3 years ago
Had this been me the story would've ended "So I finished the call, and promptly walked over to the customer thanked her for "patiently waiting" and punched her in the face.... anyway that's how I got fired from Blockbuster, Anyway... my friend was fine and the lady got her nose taped when the EMTs got there."
Nadine Bamberger 3 years ago
Sometimes it's very hard not to wish bad things on people because this one is testing me. I really hope that prick gets compassionate help if they ever need it and feel s**t for the way they acted in the past.
Brian Bennett 3 years ago
Well sir, if you place your purchases on the counter - and get the hell out then you sir have been served!
Alana Voeks 3 years ago
If I'd been a customer there at the time, I would have dragged that customer away and slapped some manners into them.
L.a. Williams 3 years ago
Right after I deal with this emergency. You can always go to fill in name.
Samantha Leggio 3 years ago
I would tell that woman to get out and ban her (doesn't mean much since Blockbusters don't exist anymore but you know what I mean). I would love it for her to explain to customer service airing out her "grievances", how she demanded service while my co-worker is laid out having a seizure. That woman was Karen-ing at a college level.
Daniel LaDue 3 years ago
I don't want to even think of the things that I would say in response. I'd be surprised if I didn't get fired.
Chamber Laine 3 years ago
I would've thrown them out & banned them from coming back. There's no excuse for that kind of ghastly behavior. Seizures are no joke &are terrifying.
Bettina Moore 3 years ago
That's not that unusual. I run an ER. Puerile see us taking an obvious emergency back (think amputation, gasping for air, or unconscious limp child in a frantic parent's arms) and then the triage nurse gets yelled at because "I was here for my wart first!"
Nothanks L. Walk 3 years ago
Take her picture, write BANNED on it, and hang it at the cash register. Repeat as needed for every Karen you encounter. Oh, and throw that entitled b***h out on her a**e.
Betsy Novack 3 years ago
Good thing ambulance on the way mam, just step up so I can whack your head with the phone.
Kathy McMahon 3 years ago
I would have said "Galaxy Video is having a 'rent 1\get 2' right now. You don't want to miss that.
creeds00 3 years ago
At the call center I worked in we would help get the victim in a safe position, clear out the work pods around them by asking the techs and sales people to transfer their calls. Then, we would surround the area to give them privacy. We would clear the halls while the paramedics transported the patient. Due to my EMT training I was called several times for medical issues from heart attacks to cuts and burns. It was over 400 people working in a wide open space. And you know how call centers get paid by the minute from their clients. So, yes indeed that customer was way out of line.
Sarah Mettler 3 years ago
I woulda smacked a b***h with the phone! What is wrong with people these days .?
Bex 3 years ago
This reminds me of this: I was on my way to a shopping mall in the centrum of Gothenburg a sunny Saturday, when a very drunk (older man) fell forward and really hit the ground. Me and another woman rushed to him to help. A group of girls (late teens) passed by and screamed “why are you helping him? He’s just a f*****g drunk”. I got so pissed of, it felt like I was boiling.
James Gilmartin 3 years ago (edited)
My spouse has sever Epileptic seizures. Yeah i would have gone to jail. I would have KOd her entitled a**.
Nicole Gallant 3 years ago
I actually had the exact same thing happen to me.Some people just suck at being humans
Liane Jones 3 years ago
I'm a server and we once had a lady pass away in the restrooms. EMS had the drink stations blocked, and we were all kinda standing still, more out of respect. The amount of people who complained about not being able to use the restroom or get a refill was disgraceful. It honestly made me mad.
Brian Amerine 3 years ago
What a d**k hopefully karma get his ass or someone he knows that's just f****d up to say the least
Theresa Coviello 3 years ago
And thats when I say. As long as it takes you to get the f**k out of here and find somewhere else to eat fuckface..
Sefra Wilson 3 years ago
I'm sorry we're permanently closed to assholes !! On another note sure miss blocker buster days
Catherine Johnson 3 years ago
That's f****d up. I worked for Blockbuster in Nashville Tennessee after hurricane Katrina.
Erika 3 years ago
Lovely. I was delivering groceries for Whole Foods/Amazon in the mountains in the snow. I delivered to home and the guy ran after me as I was trying to get out of his driveway. He pushed a $30tip into my hand (on top of digital tip), so, awesome. I did almost fall off the mountain as I turned my car around. My next stop was 15 miles up a dirt road. It was too dangerous so I contacted Amazon to let them know I couldn't do it since I didn't have 4wd. I messaged the customer to ask about state and length of her driveway. She didn't bother to get back. I made executive decision. Half hour later, I was down the mountain to return her groceries to whole foods and the woman calls me raving. "Where are my groceries!?"I said I was already back in town and had almost fallen off the mountain and couldnt accommodate her tonight. She said, "You bring them back!" I said, "You are a terrible person and don't deserve your groceries." These calls are supposed recorded, but I did not get in trouble.
Redwood Rebelgirl 3 years ago
I would have said "how much longer until you grow a conscience & a Soul?" followed by "GET TF OUT, NOW"! That's what that trifling dog water DESERVED to hear, anyway. .
Nicole Harnischfeger 3 years ago
People have to do better. I can’t believe so many people out there are this cruel. I’m so disappointed in half of humanity 😖
Kim Nguyen 3 years ago
I fainted at the register one night when I was working at Starbucks and was helping a customer at the time. The one I was helping started panicking screaming I had a stroke or something while my manger and coworkers rushed to pick me up. The women standing behind the first customer, annoyingly snaps at my manager saying she wanted a nonfat chai!!
Marco Conti 3 years ago
"When she either snaps out of it or she dies. Then I'll walk over her cooling cadaver and come take your order"
Lynn Gable 3 years ago
Maybe perhaps as soon as there isn't a medical emergency, Karen. Sit down.
Briana Landers 3 years ago
"When y o u start seizing and someone steps over you" not that id wish harm on anyone but dayum woman needs to walk in someone elses shoes
PebbleBoy Gaming 3 years ago
You worked at a blockbuster? Dang I'm surprised someone over 100 is on the internet.
Stories from workers in retail, restaurants, and the like often circle around customers from hell as most of these places are very accessible to anyone and so the chances of running into a difficult clientele are high. But that’s not the only reason, as explained Terence:
“I think there's a certain type of person who views customer service workers as less-than or someone that they can boss around without any consequences. It's really not most customers, 90% of customers are fine but there's a 10% that have a brain that's a jar full of angry bees and they have to let it out on someone who can't do anything about it.”
#11
As mentioned previously, Terence’s tweet inspired quite a lot of people to share their experiences.
These included everything from exposing mistresses to customers discussing wounds to elderly people shouting gun violence hypotheticals.
And then there was this 6-tweet story by a guy who used to work at a Taco Bell and had a client who was described as a satanic cowboy who took half his order before storming off, then returning after about 20 minutes, getting upset about his other half of the order, which he wrongly remembered, and then chanting in Spanish, while his bodyguard counter-chanted something as well. That one also received over 8,000 likes.
#19
Now, in some cases these difficult customers might just have interesting personality quirks or could just be tired, but in other cases they could also be inherently angry, sad or straight up weird if they act that way in public. So, we asked Terence what his take on this was, and he had this to say:
“I think it could be both. There's harmless people who have weird personality quirks or are tired or some such thing and they will definitely say something weird that'll stick with you. On the other hand, there are people who have some inherent anger or sadness that they've decided to take out on other people and that other person is usually an employee getting paid minimum wage and can't possibly fight back.”
OK, PSA time.
“Employees are people. They have about as much power in the situation as you do and unless the employee is being an a-hole for no reason, just cool your jets about small things. Your food or drink will eventually get made, you'll eventually get that product you want, there's no such thing as the mythical ‘back room’ where we're just hiding products from customers,” said Terence.
If anything, be kind to your waiters, store clerks and everyone else who makes your life easier.
You can check out everything we talked about in context here, and you can also take a look at Terence’s socials like his Twitter account and his Low Stakes Show podcast as well as his Ko-Fi shop.
#29
Bedlamite 3 years ago
I was in the hospital after appendix surgery, there was another woman in the same room, she was nice enough, but Sunday came around and a whole gaggle of Church ladies came to see her. I was trying (pretending) to sleep until one of them came over to me and laid hands on my head while praying. I'm non-religious, and don't have anything against people who are, but keep your bleeping hands off me. I felt so violated. That was over 25 years ago and I still get pissed when I think about it.
#31
Claire Stanfield 3 years ago
Had a regular who would send back the first side of fries claiming they were 'greasy'. We prepared another side of fries exactly the same way, and they were fine. Every time.
#32
Francesca Annoni 3 years ago
I worked for years in a shop... an Italian luxury underwear brand.. You don't know how many time we had to tell the customers you must try the bottom piece of underwear and swimwear OVER your own underwear... and sometime I found underwear stained..why try underwear if it's this time of the month? Without your underwear?? It was unbelievable ...and disgusting...
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Heather Sterling 3 years ago
I worked at a car dealership as the night receptionist during college. One night, this lady calls me furiously shouting about how one of my cars is parked in her private parking spot and I need to come get it immediately. Assuming it was one of our loaners I asked for the license plate. She said it didn't have one and so I asked her how she knew it was our car. she replied because the licence plate bracket around the TEMPORARY REGISTRATION TAG had our dealership logo and number on it. After attempting to explain to her 5 times that someone only purchased the car from our dealership and it is their car NOT ours and I can't do anything to come get the car from her parking spot, she let loose the longest string of insults and curses I've ever heard. In the middle of her insult rant, my manager says to me over the phone in the calmest voice, "you can hang up the phone now". No idea that he was listening in on the call, but I'm glad someone else witnessed her ridiculousness.
MikeWheelerFan 3 years ago
How rude! I wonder what kind of private spot she meant though…it was at night so I would assume apartment.
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Michael Borden 3 years ago
I worked part-time at Petco for two years while going to school full time for my B.S. degree in Anthrozoology. On one of my days off, I decided to head up to Petco while bringing my 4yo American Raven for the ride with me. (Legal here in Florida w/proper permit). So I walked into Petco with my Raven perched upon my left shoulder. As I was talking with some coworkers & introducing my bird to them, this older lady approached me with a look on her face that could freeze the balls off a stone monkey. This lady started to get angry & accuse me of practicing the dark and how crows are "Servants of Satan", and how dare I put peoples souls in danger by bringing it to my place of employment. She called the police telling them I was threatening her & others with an exotic "Rabid" bird. (Rabies is a mammal exclusive disease btw folks). I finally had enough and jokingly told the officer I'm pressing charges on her for sheer stupidity, contagious ignorance, and for feeling my IQ drop around her
HWillheums 3 years ago
Off topic, If you had a docile Raven on your shoulder in front of me, I'd just been in awe and stare.... gorgeous creatures. I'd have so many questions....
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D20 Games 3 years ago
I worked retail for 26 yrs. All of the above and then some. I've caught couples, that's right, plural, having sex in the store. I've been (saved) a few times. My last time I told the lady I was a pagen. She looked pole axed. I've found weed 3 times. I've had crazy pregnant chicks, wanted waited on hand and foot, because they were carrying a fetus. Felt bad for the dudes, they looked miserable. Had people tell me they don't believe in global warming, something the government made up to control us. Y'all get the drift. I could tell 1000s of stories.
DocD 3 years ago
When I was a bartender, was serving this over 50 married couple right at the bar. They were enjoying themselves and as they were leaving, the husband asks me if I would like to come over to their house and hang out. I declined, and then he tells me his wife wants to have sex with me. I declined again and they leave. An hour later the husband comes back, tells me his wife will be pissed if he comes back without me, and then offers me $2k - still declined...
DS Mom 3 years ago
Working as a security guard at a factory. One of the big guys comes in, I look up, give a half smile and then look back down. He stops, comes back and starts yelling at me that if I can't give him a full smile then I should not smile at him at all. I apologized and said that I had just lost a loved one. He would not let it go. He kept ranting on about fake people with fake smiles. Okay, whatever you say dude. 🙄
MARS 3 years ago
I use to work as a receptionist in a physical therapy office. I was also an aide. This woman comes in and starts screaming at me about her surgery and pre-op. I don't know anything about this. I explained that we are a physical therapy clinic and don't do pre-ops and the surgeons are in THIS office and not the one she is in. She is screaming at me about it and I tell her straight up, "Lady, I don't know what you are talking about. Stop yelling at me!" I called some staff to come in and she starts going off on "This idiot doesn't know what she is doing!" This "idiot" doesn't work in preop or surgery! Even multiple supervisors came in and told her she was in the wrong place and I wasn't who she needed to talk to. She insisted I was the person. I got up and said, "I'm over this, I'm taking a break." And walked to my car and blasted some music for 10 minutes then came back. The lady was gone and my manager told me, "she was in the wrong place." And didn't even apologize.
Celesta 3 years ago
Another fun Target tale. I was working cashier and had the hiccups. A male customer was next in line with his wife. Without me noticing he left the line, went around behind me and grabbed me from behind yelling. His wife immediately laid in to him and his only response was "but see, her hiccups are gone". Unbeknownst to him, I had been the victim of a violent assault less than a year before, and robbed at gunpoint working at a video store about 3 months earlier. My hiccups were gone, but I was also borderline catatonic from full blown PTSD panic attack. His wife apparently chewed him out the entire time my mamager rang them up and all the way out to the car. I had to be helped to the break room and don't really remember much else.
Celesta 3 years ago
I was working at Target. I had a coworker who was deaf, he worked in the backroom and didn't really walk the store much. Well he was heading back from the break room (front of the store) and I was at the Fitting Room. I hear a woman shrilly saying "EXCUSE ME!" repeatly while stomping after him (passing at least one other worker) to which he's obviously oblivious too. I go over, ask whats wrong. She starts ranting about how she'd been following him from the front of the store, wanting help but he was "ignoring her". I explained he wasn't ignoring her, he waa deaf, so he couldn't hear her. Her response "Well he should have to wear a sign".
Phyzzi 3 years ago
A decade ago I drove city bus and one trip two people were a bit sloppy getting on the bus. As per my training I asked them "just wanted to check where you are getting off in case you fall asleep". "Don't worry, we aren't drunk, we are on cocaine, we won't fall asleep". Needless to say, dispatch was called, I "had to pull the bus over for a few minutes" and these dudes didn't have a clue what was going on until the police got there.
TheWeeb 3 years ago
I have two stories come to mind. First, a guy walked up to my manager and told her "You smell good enough to r@pe, would you call the cops if I raped you?" He was a regular, came every morning. Second, same place, we started serving lunch at 10am but continued serving breakfast until 11, so we kept our signs on breakfast. Someone came through almost at the end of breakfast and said "I want a cheeseburger and bacon cheeseburger" with a couple modifications. That's what I rang him up for. He got to the window and got his food and told me it's not what he wanted. He then specifically said he wanted "number 1 and 2, not these" I was already frustrated and told him that's not what he ordered and payed for, and those weren't cheeseburgers. He tried to complain "well, the signs still say breakfast" and I told him "cause we are still serving breakfast" and he kept b!thing over it. I just walked away from the window and told him someone else could deal with him
Mry Cstl 3 years ago
My DIL works on the phone. She has a white name. She has to talk to people. Sometimes people will start talking to her about things. Sometimes people rant to her about illegals and African Americans .and they go on and on. And they'll say you know what i mean. Not having any idea my dil is Hispanic.
Edward Smith 3 years ago
Worked at telemarketing in the 90s calling people who had cancelled their America Online and tried to get people to reactivate their accounts. I started with our script on one call when the guy on the other end of the phone cut me off. "America Online!!! My wife left me because of someone she met on there! Why in the hell would I sign up for that!" Knowing it was a lost cause, I replied "It is a great place to meet new people." After the profanity and the hang up, I heard my floor manager laughing from across the room. He had been monitoring my call.
Lynn Hixson 3 years ago
As a summer job in high school, I worked in the office where we renewed people's driver's licenses. One day, a man comes in and says he's there for his license. He gave me his name which I thought sounded vaguely familiar, but couldn't quite place. I checked the file for the card for renewable licenses, no card - no license. He insisted, so I looked again. I could see that he was beginning to get frustrated and something in this man's demeanor, or maybe it was my intuition, was giving me a really bad feeling. The Circuit Court Clerk was in court that day and I wasn't supposed to leave the office, but I went to the door to see whether any of the other clerks were on their way back in from lunch. Imagine my relief when I saw the Clerk heading toward the door! She whispered for me get in the back office, that she would take care of the man. Anyway, turned out that, the summer before, he had walked up behind his mother while she was hanging clothes out and shot her with a shotgun.
Phyzzi 3 years ago
(nesting this so they stay together): #2 He'd just been released from the mental hospital, the state had taken his license, and he wasn't supposed to get it back
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Dayna Jennings 3 years ago (edited)
I worked for a popular beauty supply store several years ago. Had a man come in looking for hair removal wax. Told me his dominatress likes it bald down there. I tried real hard to keep a straight face while pointing out the best wax to use.
Hales M 3 years ago (edited)
I had a customer ask me to hold her baby for a moment while she ran to the washroom... it threw me but i tried to be nice and decline but i eventually agreed because she needed to go urgently. She went to the washroom then left the building. My manager told me to wait in the staff room... I held the baby and waited for the cops, flabbergasted that she had left her kid. She got back before the cops got there (about an hour)... she apologised and confessed that she had realised she had forgotten to raise her credit limit so ran to the bank. She was like"She was asleep in her arms and I didn't want to wake her but it took longer than I expected"...my manager (dad of 4) was like "YOU LEFT YOUR NEWBORN WITH A STRANGER FOR OVER AN HOUR!! THE COPS ARE COMING NOW, WE CAN'T LET YOU LEAVE." She tried to snatch her but I kept the baby from her (at my manager's request so that she didn't leave before the police got there). Police took the kid until the father came and arrested her.
Pam Dworshak 3 years ago
I was working the graveyard shift in a convenience store, it was around 2:00 and this guy comes in buys some condoms and asks me if I would like to try out the condoms. I tell him he needed to leave and then says he really needs to use the bathroom and was persistent about it. I tell him to use it and then to leave. When I went to do the restroom cleaning, he had taken care of himself and left his nastiness behind on the floor. I got out the bleach and used about 1/2 gallon to clean it up. The other male customers who used the restroom that night came out and their eyes were watering, but after I explained why they were happy to know that I made sure nothing remained living from the sick SOB.
Amanda Alexandre 3 years ago
Were you alone? Who worked front desk while you cleaned? It must be terrifying to be alone at night with such a creep
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Zoë Butler 3 years ago
I have some crazy customer interactions from working in the grocery store, but the one that will stick with me forever happened recently in my corporate job. I do customer service in grocery distribution now, so I know most of the people that call, but sometimes get an assistant manager or vendor. I answer the phone, and it's a very elderly gentleman on the other end saying he needs to file a life insurance claim for his wife who died in August. It took me about 5 minutes to get him to realize he called the wrong number and there was nothing I could do to help. It was really difficult to navigate, being firm and compassionate, trying to navigate a sad situation I could do nothing to help with. I hope he found the right number. He wasn't a creep, but the situation gave me the shivers, knowing my grandparents are up there in age and will someday have to make the same call...
Lisa Shaw 3 years ago
I worked customer service for a US cable company, the worst one I had was, after a tornado went through an Island community in Texas. Guy calls up and complains that his cable is out, I explained that due to the natural disaster that just occurred and no power on the island there was really nothing we could do to assist him. He went on to explain that he had power because he had a generator and insisted that we send a tech out, which couldn't be done since all but emergency services were barred from getting onto the island. He further explained that the cable box for his street was in his backyard, lines and poles are gone. Told me people all over his property all day, turns out his neighbour had not been seen since before touch down, they were looking for the body and all he was worried about was missing his tv shows! This one still bothers me all these years later.
Nicole A 3 years ago
In high school and college I waitressed. I was horrible - clumsy and forgetful. One day this big executive comes in to close a business deal and I was struggling to open the wine by the table and ended up banging the bucket of ice water onto his lap. I think I was either 15 or 16. I was embarrassed and young and naive. I start scooping the ice off his lap then take the tiny cocktail napkin I had and was trying to rub and pat his upper lap dry. Suddenly he grabs my wrists and says to me in a pained voice to stop. Looking back I realized I was giving this guy a hand job in the middle of a business merger. I was so embarrassed I asked another waitress to take over. Lost out on a huge tip. At least he was decent enough to stop me - I had plenty of very grown men slipping me phone numbers in my apron while out on dates or with their wives.
Amanda Alexandre 3 years ago
Oh, I'm sorry. Sometimes we do everything comes in our mind to fix situations, without thinking it through. I can def6 understand the feeling.
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Jo Choto 3 years ago
I return to my idea that everyone working in customer service should be armed with a taser, and allowed to use it. I think it would radically change the way people behave.
Rocky Mom 3 years ago
Silly. Workers in customer service aren't immune to possibly being irrational, insane people themselves. Same reason why teachers shouldn't be armed.
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Katherine Boag 3 years ago
The OP isnt even that weird, like the number of times people have knocked on the toilet door, ive said 'occupied', and then THEY JUST OPEN THE DOOR ANYWAY im this close to going straight to angry WHO IS IT
Heather Heaston 3 years ago
My first job out of college, I did historical research at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark in Birmingham, AL. My job was to compile comprehensive stories on multiple topics related to the plant, its owners, its workers and their families, but everyone who worked there had to take a turn in the visitors' center now and then. A previously lovely German couple had come in and asked me a lot of questions before heading off on their self-guided tour. On their return they asked some stuff about other stuff to do in the city. Things took an ominous turn when they asked for the location of the Confederate cemetery. I told them there wasn't one. They began to get angry. I explained that the city of Birmingham was founded because of the iron and steel industry AFTER the civil war (my earlier job description's point being I KNEW this aspect of the city's history). They didn't believe me. They said I hated Germans and stormed out.
Brian Bennett 3 years ago
I think all people in retail should get "Danger Pay", you know like they do working on oil rigs and lumberjacks! They only have to deal with mother nature. Retail workers have to deal with the most ignorant, stupid, moronic, uncouth Son of a bitches that walk the earth!
Pamela Sigman 3 years ago
Once while working security at a major league baseball stadium in California, I had a 92 year old lady try to bring in her loaded 45 mm gun into the stadium. It was a sold out game and the lines were long. I felt bad telling her the reasons why guns were not permitted into such a venue and that she'd have to take her gun back to the car and wait in line again to go through bag check. She replied, "can't I just leave it with you until after the game?" Eventually, she took it back to her car... I did give her a hand stamp so she didn't have to wait in the hour long line to get back in...
Anne Duval 3 years ago (edited)
I used to work at a call center answering tv repair calls for circuit city many years ago. I had one caller who had issues with his tv call and I managed to troubleshoot the issue and get it going again. After the tv was fixed he proceeded to tell me his life story and after telling me that he just got divorced for the fourth time he asked me if I wanted to be wife number five. He said he liked my voice and how smart I was. He also asked where I was and under our company policy we have to let them know where our office is located and we also have to tell them our full name so I told him. Not long after that he told me that he was going to go on a trip and come see me. I was terrified that he was going to track me down because he didn't seem like he was all there.
Shreeky 3 years ago
I used to work at Walmart 1st shift as a fresh stalker. One morning after I came in from my 15min break some girl stopped me & asked where she can find the tuna. So I took her to the tuna & looks at them & freaks out cause she wanted the ones with the pull tab. She kept whining about it & tells me to go get some from the back. I told her I would have to find the person who works in groceries to look for her that I worked in a different department. That's when I noticed she kept digging in the back of her shorts scratching her ass. She noticed that I had my nose wrinkle up in disgust, so she tells me her ass won't stop itching & to hurry up on the tuna that she's hungry. When I started to walk away she was smelling her hand that she was scratching with. (Found out she was tweaking & she had to be escorted out she was caught stealing panties🤢) Then a year later I got pennies thrown @ me when I was putting meat out in meat dept cause of another tweeker (my stupid brother unfortunately)
Simon Murray 3 years ago
Once had an old man return an electric kettle. As was policy I had to test it before exchange. I opened it up and it was coated in lumpy black stuff. I asked what it was only to be informed it was beans. He explained his wife was away and he wasn't allowed to used the cooker so he figured, the kettle gets hot. This man was at least 75! Unfortunately I couldn't exchange it and he had to buy a new one
Lindsey Morris 3 years ago
I normally love every Bored Panda article, but this one was so weird. 90% of these were in no way “haunting?”
Lynn Hixson 3 years ago
#2 He'd just been released from the mental hospital, the state had taken his license, and he wasn't supposed to get it back.
kaileesi 3 years ago
What the? 99.9% of these aren't even creepy. OP specifically asked for creepy customer service encounters. I guess reading comprehension surpasses many people.
Amanda Alexandre 3 years ago
The comment section is creepier than the post
Load More Replies...
Dl James 3 years ago
I worked in a shoe store in high school and college - same company, different locations. The high school store (late 1970s) was not in the best part of town, but thankfully never experienced harm. One evening a trans woman came in looking for shoes. My managers were both making very derisive comments about her. I was 16/17 y/o and completely embarrassed by their behavior. I happily went to help her & we found 3 pair of shoes she really liked. She asked if I worked on commission. When I answered no, the look on her face was priceless! For the next year or so, when I worked she'd come in and buy several pair of shoes every few months. I also found out that she would ask if I was working & if not, she would not shop there. btw-that company is no longer in business
Emmett O'Brian 3 years ago
Never threaten a public utility. Working in a call center for the phone company. Guy calls up complaining about his bill. Talks to a manager and threatened to fire a rocket launcher at our office. We eventually ended the call with the guy calmed down. A month later a lady called in wanting to cancel her service. It was in her husband's name so he had to cancel. She answered "he can't, you put him in jail!" We looked into the records and it was the guy that threatened to blow us up! We had no idea anyone knew about that call or that the FBI pressed charges.
Heather Sterling 3 years ago
I worked at a car dealership as the night receptionist during college. One night, this lady calls me furiously shouting about how one of my cars is parked in her private parking spot and I need to come get it immediately. Assuming it was one of our loaners I asked for the license plate. She said it didn't have one and so I asked her how she knew it was our car. she replied because the licence plate bracket around the TEMPORARY REGISTRATION TAG had our dealership logo and number on it. After attempting to explain to her 5 times that someone only purchased the car from our dealership and it is their car NOT ours and I can't do anything to come get the car from her parking spot, she let loose the longest string of insults and curses I've ever heard. In the middle of her insult rant, my manager says to me over the phone in the calmest voice, "you can hang up the phone now". No idea that he was listening in on the call, but I'm glad someone else witnessed her ridiculousness.
MikeWheelerFan 3 years ago
How rude! I wonder what kind of private spot she meant though…it was at night so I would assume apartment.
Load More Replies... Michael Borden 3 years ago
I worked part-time at Petco for two years while going to school full time for my B.S. degree in Anthrozoology. On one of my days off, I decided to head up to Petco while bringing my 4yo American Raven for the ride with me. (Legal here in Florida w/proper permit). So I walked into Petco with my Raven perched upon my left shoulder. As I was talking with some coworkers & introducing my bird to them, this older lady approached me with a look on her face that could freeze the balls off a stone monkey. This lady started to get angry & accuse me of practicing the dark and how crows are "Servants of Satan", and how dare I put peoples souls in danger by bringing it to my place of employment. She called the police telling them I was threatening her & others with an exotic "Rabid" bird. (Rabies is a mammal exclusive disease btw folks). I finally had enough and jokingly told the officer I'm pressing charges on her for sheer stupidity, contagious ignorance, and for feeling my IQ drop around her
HWillheums 3 years ago
Off topic, If you had a docile Raven on your shoulder in front of me, I'd just been in awe and stare.... gorgeous creatures. I'd have so many questions....
Load More Replies... D20 Games 3 years ago
I worked retail for 26 yrs. All of the above and then some. I've caught couples, that's right, plural, having sex in the store. I've been (saved) a few times. My last time I told the lady I was a pagen. She looked pole axed. I've found weed 3 times. I've had crazy pregnant chicks, wanted waited on hand and foot, because they were carrying a fetus. Felt bad for the dudes, they looked miserable. Had people tell me they don't believe in global warming, something the government made up to control us. Y'all get the drift. I could tell 1000s of stories.
DocD 3 years ago
When I was a bartender, was serving this over 50 married couple right at the bar. They were enjoying themselves and as they were leaving, the husband asks me if I would like to come over to their house and hang out. I declined, and then he tells me his wife wants to have sex with me. I declined again and they leave. An hour later the husband comes back, tells me his wife will be pissed if he comes back without me, and then offers me $2k - still declined...
DS Mom 3 years ago
Working as a security guard at a factory. One of the big guys comes in, I look up, give a half smile and then look back down. He stops, comes back and starts yelling at me that if I can't give him a full smile then I should not smile at him at all. I apologized and said that I had just lost a loved one. He would not let it go. He kept ranting on about fake people with fake smiles. Okay, whatever you say dude. 🙄
MARS 3 years ago
I use to work as a receptionist in a physical therapy office. I was also an aide. This woman comes in and starts screaming at me about her surgery and pre-op. I don't know anything about this. I explained that we are a physical therapy clinic and don't do pre-ops and the surgeons are in THIS office and not the one she is in. She is screaming at me about it and I tell her straight up, "Lady, I don't know what you are talking about. Stop yelling at me!" I called some staff to come in and she starts going off on "This idiot doesn't know what she is doing!" This "idiot" doesn't work in preop or surgery! Even multiple supervisors came in and told her she was in the wrong place and I wasn't who she needed to talk to. She insisted I was the person. I got up and said, "I'm over this, I'm taking a break." And walked to my car and blasted some music for 10 minutes then came back. The lady was gone and my manager told me, "she was in the wrong place." And didn't even apologize.
Celesta 3 years ago
Another fun Target tale. I was working cashier and had the hiccups. A male customer was next in line with his wife. Without me noticing he left the line, went around behind me and grabbed me from behind yelling. His wife immediately laid in to him and his only response was "but see, her hiccups are gone". Unbeknownst to him, I had been the victim of a violent assault less than a year before, and robbed at gunpoint working at a video store about 3 months earlier. My hiccups were gone, but I was also borderline catatonic from full blown PTSD panic attack. His wife apparently chewed him out the entire time my mamager rang them up and all the way out to the car. I had to be helped to the break room and don't really remember much else.
Celesta 3 years ago
I was working at Target. I had a coworker who was deaf, he worked in the backroom and didn't really walk the store much. Well he was heading back from the break room (front of the store) and I was at the Fitting Room. I hear a woman shrilly saying "EXCUSE ME!" repeatly while stomping after him (passing at least one other worker) to which he's obviously oblivious too. I go over, ask whats wrong. She starts ranting about how she'd been following him from the front of the store, wanting help but he was "ignoring her". I explained he wasn't ignoring her, he waa deaf, so he couldn't hear her. Her response "Well he should have to wear a sign".
Phyzzi 3 years ago
A decade ago I drove city bus and one trip two people were a bit sloppy getting on the bus. As per my training I asked them "just wanted to check where you are getting off in case you fall asleep". "Don't worry, we aren't drunk, we are on cocaine, we won't fall asleep". Needless to say, dispatch was called, I "had to pull the bus over for a few minutes" and these dudes didn't have a clue what was going on until the police got there.
TheWeeb 3 years ago
I have two stories come to mind. First, a guy walked up to my manager and told her "You smell good enough to r@pe, would you call the cops if I raped you?" He was a regular, came every morning. Second, same place, we started serving lunch at 10am but continued serving breakfast until 11, so we kept our signs on breakfast. Someone came through almost at the end of breakfast and said "I want a cheeseburger and bacon cheeseburger" with a couple modifications. That's what I rang him up for. He got to the window and got his food and told me it's not what he wanted. He then specifically said he wanted "number 1 and 2, not these" I was already frustrated and told him that's not what he ordered and payed for, and those weren't cheeseburgers. He tried to complain "well, the signs still say breakfast" and I told him "cause we are still serving breakfast" and he kept b!thing over it. I just walked away from the window and told him someone else could deal with him
Mry Cstl 3 years ago
My DIL works on the phone. She has a white name. She has to talk to people. Sometimes people will start talking to her about things. Sometimes people rant to her about illegals and African Americans .and they go on and on. And they'll say you know what i mean. Not having any idea my dil is Hispanic.
Edward Smith 3 years ago
Worked at telemarketing in the 90s calling people who had cancelled their America Online and tried to get people to reactivate their accounts. I started with our script on one call when the guy on the other end of the phone cut me off. "America Online!!! My wife left me because of someone she met on there! Why in the hell would I sign up for that!" Knowing it was a lost cause, I replied "It is a great place to meet new people." After the profanity and the hang up, I heard my floor manager laughing from across the room. He had been monitoring my call.
Lynn Hixson 3 years ago
As a summer job in high school, I worked in the office where we renewed people's driver's licenses. One day, a man comes in and says he's there for his license. He gave me his name which I thought sounded vaguely familiar, but couldn't quite place. I checked the file for the card for renewable licenses, no card - no license. He insisted, so I looked again. I could see that he was beginning to get frustrated and something in this man's demeanor, or maybe it was my intuition, was giving me a really bad feeling. The Circuit Court Clerk was in court that day and I wasn't supposed to leave the office, but I went to the door to see whether any of the other clerks were on their way back in from lunch. Imagine my relief when I saw the Clerk heading toward the door! She whispered for me get in the back office, that she would take care of the man. Anyway, turned out that, the summer before, he had walked up behind his mother while she was hanging clothes out and shot her with a shotgun.
Phyzzi 3 years ago
(nesting this so they stay together): #2 He'd just been released from the mental hospital, the state had taken his license, and he wasn't supposed to get it back
Load More Replies... Dayna Jennings 3 years ago (edited)
I worked for a popular beauty supply store several years ago. Had a man come in looking for hair removal wax. Told me his dominatress likes it bald down there. I tried real hard to keep a straight face while pointing out the best wax to use.
Hales M 3 years ago (edited)
I had a customer ask me to hold her baby for a moment while she ran to the washroom... it threw me but i tried to be nice and decline but i eventually agreed because she needed to go urgently. She went to the washroom then left the building. My manager told me to wait in the staff room... I held the baby and waited for the cops, flabbergasted that she had left her kid. She got back before the cops got there (about an hour)... she apologised and confessed that she had realised she had forgotten to raise her credit limit so ran to the bank. She was like"She was asleep in her arms and I didn't want to wake her but it took longer than I expected"...my manager (dad of 4) was like "YOU LEFT YOUR NEWBORN WITH A STRANGER FOR OVER AN HOUR!! THE COPS ARE COMING NOW, WE CAN'T LET YOU LEAVE." She tried to snatch her but I kept the baby from her (at my manager's request so that she didn't leave before the police got there). Police took the kid until the father came and arrested her.
Pam Dworshak 3 years ago
I was working the graveyard shift in a convenience store, it was around 2:00 and this guy comes in buys some condoms and asks me if I would like to try out the condoms. I tell him he needed to leave and then says he really needs to use the bathroom and was persistent about it. I tell him to use it and then to leave. When I went to do the restroom cleaning, he had taken care of himself and left his nastiness behind on the floor. I got out the bleach and used about 1/2 gallon to clean it up. The other male customers who used the restroom that night came out and their eyes were watering, but after I explained why they were happy to know that I made sure nothing remained living from the sick SOB.
Amanda Alexandre 3 years ago
Were you alone? Who worked front desk while you cleaned? It must be terrifying to be alone at night with such a creep
Load More Replies... Zoë Butler 3 years ago
I have some crazy customer interactions from working in the grocery store, but the one that will stick with me forever happened recently in my corporate job. I do customer service in grocery distribution now, so I know most of the people that call, but sometimes get an assistant manager or vendor. I answer the phone, and it's a very elderly gentleman on the other end saying he needs to file a life insurance claim for his wife who died in August. It took me about 5 minutes to get him to realize he called the wrong number and there was nothing I could do to help. It was really difficult to navigate, being firm and compassionate, trying to navigate a sad situation I could do nothing to help with. I hope he found the right number. He wasn't a creep, but the situation gave me the shivers, knowing my grandparents are up there in age and will someday have to make the same call...
Lisa Shaw 3 years ago
I worked customer service for a US cable company, the worst one I had was, after a tornado went through an Island community in Texas. Guy calls up and complains that his cable is out, I explained that due to the natural disaster that just occurred and no power on the island there was really nothing we could do to assist him. He went on to explain that he had power because he had a generator and insisted that we send a tech out, which couldn't be done since all but emergency services were barred from getting onto the island. He further explained that the cable box for his street was in his backyard, lines and poles are gone. Told me people all over his property all day, turns out his neighbour had not been seen since before touch down, they were looking for the body and all he was worried about was missing his tv shows! This one still bothers me all these years later.
Nicole A 3 years ago
In high school and college I waitressed. I was horrible - clumsy and forgetful. One day this big executive comes in to close a business deal and I was struggling to open the wine by the table and ended up banging the bucket of ice water onto his lap. I think I was either 15 or 16. I was embarrassed and young and naive. I start scooping the ice off his lap then take the tiny cocktail napkin I had and was trying to rub and pat his upper lap dry. Suddenly he grabs my wrists and says to me in a pained voice to stop. Looking back I realized I was giving this guy a hand job in the middle of a business merger. I was so embarrassed I asked another waitress to take over. Lost out on a huge tip. At least he was decent enough to stop me - I had plenty of very grown men slipping me phone numbers in my apron while out on dates or with their wives.
Amanda Alexandre 3 years ago
Oh, I'm sorry. Sometimes we do everything comes in our mind to fix situations, without thinking it through. I can def6 understand the feeling.
Load More Replies... Jo Choto 3 years ago
I return to my idea that everyone working in customer service should be armed with a taser, and allowed to use it. I think it would radically change the way people behave.
Rocky Mom 3 years ago
Silly. Workers in customer service aren't immune to possibly being irrational, insane people themselves. Same reason why teachers shouldn't be armed.
Load More Replies... Katherine Boag 3 years ago
The OP isnt even that weird, like the number of times people have knocked on the toilet door, ive said 'occupied', and then THEY JUST OPEN THE DOOR ANYWAY im this close to going straight to angry WHO IS IT
Heather Heaston 3 years ago
My first job out of college, I did historical research at Sloss Furnaces National Historic Landmark in Birmingham, AL. My job was to compile comprehensive stories on multiple topics related to the plant, its owners, its workers and their families, but everyone who worked there had to take a turn in the visitors' center now and then. A previously lovely German couple had come in and asked me a lot of questions before heading off on their self-guided tour. On their return they asked some stuff about other stuff to do in the city. Things took an ominous turn when they asked for the location of the Confederate cemetery. I told them there wasn't one. They began to get angry. I explained that the city of Birmingham was founded because of the iron and steel industry AFTER the civil war (my earlier job description's point being I KNEW this aspect of the city's history). They didn't believe me. They said I hated Germans and stormed out.
Brian Bennett 3 years ago
I think all people in retail should get "Danger Pay", you know like they do working on oil rigs and lumberjacks! They only have to deal with mother nature. Retail workers have to deal with the most ignorant, stupid, moronic, uncouth Son of a bitches that walk the earth!
Pamela Sigman 3 years ago
Once while working security at a major league baseball stadium in California, I had a 92 year old lady try to bring in her loaded 45 mm gun into the stadium. It was a sold out game and the lines were long. I felt bad telling her the reasons why guns were not permitted into such a venue and that she'd have to take her gun back to the car and wait in line again to go through bag check. She replied, "can't I just leave it with you until after the game?" Eventually, she took it back to her car... I did give her a hand stamp so she didn't have to wait in the hour long line to get back in...
Anne Duval 3 years ago (edited)
I used to work at a call center answering tv repair calls for circuit city many years ago. I had one caller who had issues with his tv call and I managed to troubleshoot the issue and get it going again. After the tv was fixed he proceeded to tell me his life story and after telling me that he just got divorced for the fourth time he asked me if I wanted to be wife number five. He said he liked my voice and how smart I was. He also asked where I was and under our company policy we have to let them know where our office is located and we also have to tell them our full name so I told him. Not long after that he told me that he was going to go on a trip and come see me. I was terrified that he was going to track me down because he didn't seem like he was all there.
Shreeky 3 years ago
I used to work at Walmart 1st shift as a fresh stalker. One morning after I came in from my 15min break some girl stopped me & asked where she can find the tuna. So I took her to the tuna & looks at them & freaks out cause she wanted the ones with the pull tab. She kept whining about it & tells me to go get some from the back. I told her I would have to find the person who works in groceries to look for her that I worked in a different department. That's when I noticed she kept digging in the back of her shorts scratching her ass. She noticed that I had my nose wrinkle up in disgust, so she tells me her ass won't stop itching & to hurry up on the tuna that she's hungry. When I started to walk away she was smelling her hand that she was scratching with. (Found out she was tweaking & she had to be escorted out she was caught stealing panties🤢) Then a year later I got pennies thrown @ me when I was putting meat out in meat dept cause of another tweeker (my stupid brother unfortunately)
Simon Murray 3 years ago
Once had an old man return an electric kettle. As was policy I had to test it before exchange. I opened it up and it was coated in lumpy black stuff. I asked what it was only to be informed it was beans. He explained his wife was away and he wasn't allowed to used the cooker so he figured, the kettle gets hot. This man was at least 75! Unfortunately I couldn't exchange it and he had to buy a new one
Lindsey Morris 3 years ago
I normally love every Bored Panda article, but this one was so weird. 90% of these were in no way “haunting?”
Lynn Hixson 3 years ago
#2 He'd just been released from the mental hospital, the state had taken his license, and he wasn't supposed to get it back.
kaileesi 3 years ago
What the? 99.9% of these aren't even creepy. OP specifically asked for creepy customer service encounters. I guess reading comprehension surpasses many people.
Amanda Alexandre 3 years ago
The comment section is creepier than the post
Load More Replies... Dl James 3 years ago
I worked in a shoe store in high school and college - same company, different locations. The high school store (late 1970s) was not in the best part of town, but thankfully never experienced harm. One evening a trans woman came in looking for shoes. My managers were both making very derisive comments about her. I was 16/17 y/o and completely embarrassed by their behavior. I happily went to help her & we found 3 pair of shoes she really liked. She asked if I worked on commission. When I answered no, the look on her face was priceless! For the next year or so, when I worked she'd come in and buy several pair of shoes every few months. I also found out that she would ask if I was working & if not, she would not shop there. btw-that company is no longer in business
Emmett O'Brian 3 years ago
Never threaten a public utility. Working in a call center for the phone company. Guy calls up complaining about his bill. Talks to a manager and threatened to fire a rocket launcher at our office. We eventually ended the call with the guy calmed down. A month later a lady called in wanting to cancel her service. It was in her husband's name so he had to cancel. She answered "he can't, you put him in jail!" We looked into the records and it was the guy that threatened to blow us up! We had no idea anyone knew about that call or that the FBI pressed charges.
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