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People Are Cracking Up At These 31 Funny Lies Service Workers Said To Customers In Uncomfortable Situations
There are two types of people in the world: the ones that have worked in the service industry and the ones that have approached the cash register only from the customer’s side. The latter will never understand the struggles service workers have to deal with every day, even if most of those struggles have to do with the said customers.
And sometimes for their own mental health, service workers have to come up with little lies and hacks that help not upset customers and make them more lenient towards them. For example, Twitter user @makaylathinks shared that she once worked with a person who told the customers it was their first day when they had messed up.
Image credits: makaylathinks
In response to this tweet, people were sharing their own stories of when they lied to customers and these are just hilarious. Do you have experience working in retail? What do you think of this strategy of telling little lies to customers to avoid confrontation? Have you ever told a lie to a customer to not admit that you made a mistake? Share your stories in the comments and upvote the lies that you liked the most!
More info: Twitter
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It seems that the situation Makayla tweeted is very relatable, as more than 800k people liked it and most of the comments were applauding the coworker for such a genius idea, or people were saying that they did exactly the same thing and it always has worked like a charm.
But lying about being new isn’t the only lie service workers say. Twitter users let others in on many secrets they have used to try to get out of situations they don’t want to be in with customers, or if they have to cover up something they did wrong.
So these tips and little lies are tried and proved to work. If you work in the service industry, maybe they could help you once in a while when you’re having a bad day.
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#2
Just a girl with a brain 4 years ago
This is introverted kids when they say their parents won’t let them when they don’t wanna hang out with someone
Allan Breum 4 years ago
Well, she is her own boss then, so technically she was telling the truth.
moeless 4 years ago
I mostly stumbled through the first US citizenship ceremony I conducted and probably forgot some things. At the end I told the audience it was my first time. Huge applause I would have never gotten without the explanation. Plus, they were now US citizens regardless of my failings.
Ryan Bitzer 4 years ago
I would totally do this too if I were an owner of an establishment for the service industry!
Tim Haight 4 years ago
Sounds like the line Freddy Prinze would say in Chico and the Man (Its not my job man)
Calypso poet 4 years ago
People who claim to know the owner are amazingly stupid. I worked for a place that the owner was wonderful because she trusted her managers. She would be like, "I'm just the owner, they run this store!" Unfortunately she retired and turned it over to her son who may have had a degree in business but had no clue on how to run a business or deal with people. They had to sell the business after he ran a couple stores into the ground.
Looking from the outside customer service doesn't appear that hard. Most often, it doesn’t require a degree or specific qualifications, which is why so many young people work in this industry. You can learn everything on the go and there are plenty of job offers.
According to Pew Research Center, 107.8 million people in the United States (71% of all nonfarm payroll employees) worked in private service-providing industries, which include trade, transportation and utilities (27.8 million workers), followed by education and health services (24.3 million), professional and business services (21.5 million), and leisure and hospitality (16.7 million).
Even though the skills required for customer service specifically are easily learnt while on the job, probably the most challenging part is dealing with angry or dissatisfied customers. It seems that they forget that service workers are people too and that they can make mistakes even if it’s the second year they’ve been working the same job. Of course, you would expect them to be professional, but who doesn’t slip up once in a while?
If you are looking to improve your customer service skills, there are many other tips on how to deal with angry customers that don’t include lying. For example, Business News Daily suggests these 10 tips when dealing with difficult customers: listen, build rapport through empathy, lower your voice, respond as if all of your customers are watching, know when to give in, stay calm, don’t take it personally, remember that you’re talking to a human, and if you promise a call-back, call back and let the customer know what to expect.
If you are looking to improve your customer service skills, there are many other tips on how to deal with angry customers that don’t include lying. For example, Business News Daily suggests these 10 tips when dealing with difficult customers: listen, build rapport through empathy, lower your voice, respond as if all of your customers are watching, know when to give in, stay calm, don’t take it personally, remember that you’re talking to a human, and if you promise a call-back, call back and let the customer know what to expect.
#13
Nikki Sevven 4 years ago
Everyone who speaks English is "still learning English." There are always words you've never heard before.
#15
#23
#29
#30
AzKhaleesi 4 years ago
same if I accidently forget to email someone back in a timely manner I'll always be like, I am so sorry it's been crazy here and had a bunch of legal calls etc to deal with. Works like a charm.
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What do you think ?
Sasy 4 years ago (edited)
I want to fire everyone. So many of these are disgraceful, have pride in your work, try knowing stuff instead of pretending you aren't trained yet, be considerate of not only the customers but those who pay you to do a job, if you don't want to do it properly,let someone else have it. Sure some jobs suck, some bosses suck more, but you don't have to... this post made me angry. (edited because I left the R out of angry)
Small Galaxy 4 years ago
It's to avoid belligerent customers. If people treated customer service workers with basic human decency, then they wouldn't need to use these excuses to avoid being harrassed for 7.25 an hour.
Load More Replies...
JD Samel 4 years ago
And nobody's ever got caught? I mean, if you say "sorry I am new" for 3 years straight, it seems doubtable that yoy didn't say it two or more times to the exact same person. It is true that some are rude and don't even look you in the face or simply won't remember you, but nobody at all? I think the "sorry I am new" excuse is a very short-sighted one if used this much, you will get caught and you will piss off the customer. I am a CS and always try to treat my fellow CS/servers with the utmost respect, but if you are clearly bullshitting me then I will get pissed.
John Louis 4 years ago
Does it bother anyone that these people are lying to the very customers that allow them to have a job?
Vicky Z 4 years ago
No! I'm bothered when entitled customers feel that i owe to them that i have a job and treat me like s**t! These are survival techniques! If you are nice you will not have this behaviour!
Load More Replies...
pusheen buttercup 4 years ago
Customers will ask if I'm being genuine. I say yes because it makes them happy and no one wants to know the truth- my feet hurt, I'm tired, and I'm having a horrible week. Please don't ask, my only options are lie or make you miserable
Bored Birgit 4 years ago
I'm really sad that workers have to use these tricks to survive their jobs and deal with customers. We all are customers nearly every day, so, please, let us treat workers with all the respect they deserve.
Craig Silberman 4 years ago
A variation of it is in there several times, but I found that saying "I wish I could do that for you, but my boss would fire me if I did" worked wonders. They're not going to understand the truth, and it sounds like I'm on their side so they stop arguing with me.
Sharnell Dural 4 years ago
Where I work we tried be nice to customers but it backfired on us. The sale starts in Wednesday and we put the new items out on Tuesday night. Wednesday customers get pissing mad in the morning. Good morning how you doing ? Do you want some coffee?
Load More Replies...
Mad Mar 4 years ago
I worked over 30 years in retail/customer slaverery...I mean service. I will never go back. I was very good at it and with people. It's the job itself and bosses that make us hate it. Long hours, small breaks. Being forced to push club cards when people are buying a pack of gum. But I always treated customers well. It's not them (usually) that makes a job horrible. But I'll remember these posts if I ever ever ever have to go back. Lol
Monica Pryts 4 years ago
I work in the public eye and can't pretend I'm new. But I will hang up on you if you start swearing at me. I don't get paid enough to deal with that.
Jane Alexander 4 years ago
There's some truth on both sides, but these days it seems both are reacting to problems before the fact.
Kristin Ingersoll 4 years ago
So... a bunch of people who claim they're new when they're not. What a fun, interesting list!!! Well worth the time reading it. Golly, I'm glad someone took the time to gather the same response over and over and create a BP post!!! <>
Paradise 4 years ago
It's like the whole "ice cream machine is broken" being code for "It doesn't get cleaned and I don't want to report it and get another job where they have better standards, so I'm just as much of the problem enabling this. I can argue I'm scared I can't get another job, but I really can because it's McDonalds."
Bob Belcher 4 years ago
All of these post where the person just says "sorry" is a huge no in an insurance company. I worked as a claims rep for a large insurance company and we were always told to never apologize or say sorry for anything as it can be construde as an admission of guilt. Never tell the customer sorry.
Catherine Hicks 4 years ago
I used to work at a fancy steakhouse and one of my coworkers (when she forgot to turn in her order) would tell the customer that the lobster they had ordered had "crumbled." She would explain that this was a rare phenomenon but would happen occasionally and they were lucky to be spared from biting into what would have been a foul tasting crustacean. She pulled this many times and was often very well tipped for "sparing" her diners.
JayWantsACat 4 years ago
My department has a ton of minute details to learn so we can't train new hires on everything little thing. So, aside from encouraging them to always ask us questions about things they don't know or understand, if they make a mistake I literally tell them to tell the clients that they're new here for a good 3-4 months. I dont know why people are hesitant to just let them know that since it's both true and most of out clients are pretty understanding.
Bender Bending Rodríguez 4 years ago
I have used and still use everyone of these excuses listed here except once relating to restaurants.
Fred Burrows 4 years ago
Or maybe folks could work a bit at learning their job and customer satisfaction . Take some pride in being a problem solver.
Bender Bending Rodríguez 4 years ago (edited)
Nah, its people who can't call asshole an asshole and idiot an idiot because they are on clock inventing other polite ways to get out of the situation. When you work long time with customers you know when bullshit is coming your way and adjust what to say according to that. If people were little bit more understanding we won't have to use these excuses. Why get screamed at for speaking the truth and ruin your day when you can make excuse and get away with it without enduring any abuse. Let me give you an example, when customer ask you to check in back for an item, you go to back, you know where item is kept, you look at that area and there's none, you go right back out to tell customer there's none left. Guess what Karens will say you just went and came back you must have not even looked and get complaint, hence comes go in back and spend some time doing nothing to avoid abuse. You live and learn my friend. There must be some who’ll take advantage of it but most just do to keep their sanity.
Load More Replies...
Sasy 4 years ago (edited)
I want to fire everyone. So many of these are disgraceful, have pride in your work, try knowing stuff instead of pretending you aren't trained yet, be considerate of not only the customers but those who pay you to do a job, if you don't want to do it properly,let someone else have it. Sure some jobs suck, some bosses suck more, but you don't have to... this post made me angry. (edited because I left the R out of angry)
Small Galaxy 4 years ago
It's to avoid belligerent customers. If people treated customer service workers with basic human decency, then they wouldn't need to use these excuses to avoid being harrassed for 7.25 an hour.
Load More Replies... JD Samel 4 years ago
And nobody's ever got caught? I mean, if you say "sorry I am new" for 3 years straight, it seems doubtable that yoy didn't say it two or more times to the exact same person. It is true that some are rude and don't even look you in the face or simply won't remember you, but nobody at all? I think the "sorry I am new" excuse is a very short-sighted one if used this much, you will get caught and you will piss off the customer. I am a CS and always try to treat my fellow CS/servers with the utmost respect, but if you are clearly bullshitting me then I will get pissed.
John Louis 4 years ago
Does it bother anyone that these people are lying to the very customers that allow them to have a job?
Vicky Z 4 years ago
No! I'm bothered when entitled customers feel that i owe to them that i have a job and treat me like s**t! These are survival techniques! If you are nice you will not have this behaviour!
Load More Replies... pusheen buttercup 4 years ago
Customers will ask if I'm being genuine. I say yes because it makes them happy and no one wants to know the truth- my feet hurt, I'm tired, and I'm having a horrible week. Please don't ask, my only options are lie or make you miserable
Bored Birgit 4 years ago
I'm really sad that workers have to use these tricks to survive their jobs and deal with customers. We all are customers nearly every day, so, please, let us treat workers with all the respect they deserve.
Craig Silberman 4 years ago
A variation of it is in there several times, but I found that saying "I wish I could do that for you, but my boss would fire me if I did" worked wonders. They're not going to understand the truth, and it sounds like I'm on their side so they stop arguing with me.
Sharnell Dural 4 years ago
Where I work we tried be nice to customers but it backfired on us. The sale starts in Wednesday and we put the new items out on Tuesday night. Wednesday customers get pissing mad in the morning. Good morning how you doing ? Do you want some coffee?
Load More Replies... Mad Mar 4 years ago
I worked over 30 years in retail/customer slaverery...I mean service. I will never go back. I was very good at it and with people. It's the job itself and bosses that make us hate it. Long hours, small breaks. Being forced to push club cards when people are buying a pack of gum. But I always treated customers well. It's not them (usually) that makes a job horrible. But I'll remember these posts if I ever ever ever have to go back. Lol
Monica Pryts 4 years ago
I work in the public eye and can't pretend I'm new. But I will hang up on you if you start swearing at me. I don't get paid enough to deal with that.
Jane Alexander 4 years ago
There's some truth on both sides, but these days it seems both are reacting to problems before the fact.
Kristin Ingersoll 4 years ago
So... a bunch of people who claim they're new when they're not. What a fun, interesting list!!! Well worth the time reading it. Golly, I'm glad someone took the time to gather the same response over and over and create a BP post!!! <>
Paradise 4 years ago
It's like the whole "ice cream machine is broken" being code for "It doesn't get cleaned and I don't want to report it and get another job where they have better standards, so I'm just as much of the problem enabling this. I can argue I'm scared I can't get another job, but I really can because it's McDonalds."
Bob Belcher 4 years ago
All of these post where the person just says "sorry" is a huge no in an insurance company. I worked as a claims rep for a large insurance company and we were always told to never apologize or say sorry for anything as it can be construde as an admission of guilt. Never tell the customer sorry.
Catherine Hicks 4 years ago
I used to work at a fancy steakhouse and one of my coworkers (when she forgot to turn in her order) would tell the customer that the lobster they had ordered had "crumbled." She would explain that this was a rare phenomenon but would happen occasionally and they were lucky to be spared from biting into what would have been a foul tasting crustacean. She pulled this many times and was often very well tipped for "sparing" her diners.
JayWantsACat 4 years ago
My department has a ton of minute details to learn so we can't train new hires on everything little thing. So, aside from encouraging them to always ask us questions about things they don't know or understand, if they make a mistake I literally tell them to tell the clients that they're new here for a good 3-4 months. I dont know why people are hesitant to just let them know that since it's both true and most of out clients are pretty understanding.
Bender Bending Rodríguez 4 years ago
I have used and still use everyone of these excuses listed here except once relating to restaurants.
Fred Burrows 4 years ago
Or maybe folks could work a bit at learning their job and customer satisfaction . Take some pride in being a problem solver.
Bender Bending Rodríguez 4 years ago (edited)
Nah, its people who can't call asshole an asshole and idiot an idiot because they are on clock inventing other polite ways to get out of the situation. When you work long time with customers you know when bullshit is coming your way and adjust what to say according to that. If people were little bit more understanding we won't have to use these excuses. Why get screamed at for speaking the truth and ruin your day when you can make excuse and get away with it without enduring any abuse. Let me give you an example, when customer ask you to check in back for an item, you go to back, you know where item is kept, you look at that area and there's none, you go right back out to tell customer there's none left. Guess what Karens will say you just went and came back you must have not even looked and get complaint, hence comes go in back and spend some time doing nothing to avoid abuse. You live and learn my friend. There must be some who’ll take advantage of it but most just do to keep their sanity.
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