Why do some customers think its okay to act rude to employees?

Question

I used to work in a super market and in retail where you try to help people out as much as possible and they still act rude to you. Why do people think its okay to treat employees at a store like c**p?

Answer 1

Of the people I've known that treat service people like that, it's usually some kind of weakness or mental sickness.  As a method of compensating for a rotten life, they displace their self-loathing upon others.  Others simply aren't socialized well enough.  Then there's the 3rd group: adults that never grew up.  These spoiled children, usually from the 60's generation, seem to think the world is a movie starring them.  When I worked at a Walmart, when these rude schmucks would lean on me, I'd intentionally "not find" the item they were looking for.  Even if we had a dozen in the stockroom, they were no-were to be found.  If they had a question I could answer, I would pretend not to know.

Now that I'm no longer in that soul-draining field, I go out of my way to make service industry employees feel better.  A waiter asks me "how are you doing today?"  I make sure to say "I'm doing fine, thank you.  How are you doing today?"  Sometimes a waiter is startled when the customer actually cares about him, and you'll get a "I'm fine, thank you for asking."  I know how much customers wear them down, and I always try to say something uplifting like "thanks and have a good evening."  Even to the cashiers whose job it is to move you along as fast as possible.  I like to think that my well-wishes can help carry them through the day.  

And often, a waiter will respond to a customer's interest and gratitude with superior service.  Ever notice how bad, jerky-assed people tend to consistently get bad service?  They p**s off the waiter before they get their food/drink, and the waiter no longer has the drive to do the job well.

Answer 2

Because they cannot resolve their inferiority complex in a different way

Answer 3

You're always going to run into unhappy or mad people like that - and they are the ones you will remember when you go home that night - not the 50 who were kind, the 1 who was rude.  Try to shake it off or offer it up and know that it's their problem, not yours.

Answer 4

I guess some people are just rude. I am never intentionally rude to people who are not rude to me, no matter what their job. On the other hand, it seems like most of the clerks or salespeople I run into these days are downright nasty. I think respect goes both ways, and everyone needs to just be nice.

Answer 5

Some peolpe are just like that they just so rude  but its really hard cause you can't say anything to them because the customers are always right. it sucks i know.

Answer 6

You know I used to ask that question when I worked retail too. I guess some people feel like they are above the retail worker or grocery clerk? I never took anything they said or did personally. I knew it was them not me, because I have pretty good customer service skills.

Answer 7

Dealing with the public is not easy.  You have to have a thick skin.  Plus you have to put your self in a good mood.  The better the mood you are in, the more they will mirror you.  The opposite is true.  In America the customer is always right and they know it.  If customers can't get what they want from you, they will just go down the street and KEEP going down the street.

If you like customer service or sales then learn to have a good attitude and to shake off negatives.   If you learn to protect your self you can have a nice career.  Other than that, try and get something where you won't be helping clients.  You would be doing them and you a favor.  

Good luck to you!

Answer 8

i do work in a customer service field and i think most employees bring it on themselves.  NOw customers are a******s , like myself, but most employees are too busy gossiping and talking among themselves and act like the customer is bothering them at the same time.  Lets not forget its fun to mess and p**s off the help sometimes.  But is a no win situation for either.  Customers should be more friendly but employees are told from the start over and over again that this does happen, so to me its part of the job