Should customers have to apologize?

Question

I was, shall we say, less than courteous to a customer today. He was making my job more difficult and I was trying to tell him that this would take longer how he wanted to do it, with a bit of edge in my voice (it was 9 pm on a weekend). He berated me for my "attitude" so I apologized (genuine apology) and mid-apology he says "Well I don't give a d**n about u! I want to talk to your manager now." I actually got my supervisor (a level lower), I promised to be more courteous (like a good little robot). But then I got to thinking, "Why is it okay for him to cuss me out but if I don't treat him like king, there's something wrong with me?"

Yes, I know I need a new job - I'm working on it.

Answer 1

HECK YAH! You are supposed to try your best to serve a customer, but if in the end, the customer is being insulting to you, you don't have to take the insults and abuse.  I've worked in customer service for years.  Tell him he's welcome to go to someone else if he wishes and that you refuse to help him any longer in he is going to be insulting to you.

Answer 2

You never have to tolerate someone cussing you out.  I will say though that, generally speaking, customer service has eroded terribly over the last 10-15 years... I can't remember the last time I called for help and wasn't forced to wade through a marathon of voice and/or button prompts before (90% of the time) being outsourced to someone (usually young sounding, with a foreign accent) who isn't capable of handling my issue.  I've actually had to write on an occassion or two due to being unable to sucessfully navigate the phone help options.  While none of this justifies the guy you delt with acting like a primate... it may have played a factor in possibly placing him on-edge.  I don't envy any of the good folks left in customer service jobs... you've got a jaded and testy public to deal with!

Answer 3

Customers don't have to apologize, but neither do you. I work in the service industry, so i deal with people like this everyday. Stick to the rules; policy is policy. You might apologize for any inconvenience he is experienceing due to the establishment policy, but inform him that you don't make the rules. You have every right to tell anyone that cusses at you that you as a human being do not have to tolerate rude and inappropriate behavior, and that you will be glad to let your supervisor know that he is unhappy. But that you are also going to let your supervisor know that he is behaving irrationally, and that too will be addressed when your supervisor comes to assist him. If your supervisor does not back you up, then you're right, you do need a nw job.