As any retail worker will tell you, many customers expect service on their own terms. However, they don’t always consider the consequences.
When one rude regular tried to squash a manager’s cheerfulness, demanding they tone it down, she was left regretting the monotone, straight-faced treatment that soon followed.
Read on for the full story!
I used to be a retail manager at a convenience store and, as such, I (NOT a morning person) would have to be at work at 5 a.m.
Regardless of their own mood, this manager tried to approach their work with a pep in their step.
Knowing how I myself felt about having to be awake at that hour, I would do my best to be cheerful and make my customers smile by lightly joking a bit and telling them to have a wonderful day as we finished our transactions.
One morning, one of our regulars came in, and I greeted her brightly as she approached the counter.
But one customer found their pleasantness distasteful.
She snarled at me that she hated my cheerful demeanor and that I always told her to have a wonderful day, then demanded that I NEVER so much as smile at her again.
I apologized for my cheerfulness and told her that I would immediately, and permanently, comply with her wishes. I proceeded to do exactly that.
So the manager gave the customer exactly what she asked for.
From that day forward, I’d treat other customers in my normal, cheerful way, but as she’d approach the counter, I’d stop smiling and bantering and drop into my natural Resting ***** Face.
I would complete our transaction, then cheerfully turn to the next person in line and continue my banter.
Soon enough, the customer grew tired of the manager’s lackluster service too.
After about a month of this, the woman came back in at her normal time and complained about how much she hated that I wouldn’t banter with her like I did the other customers and how miserable it left her feeling all day.
I reminded her of her previous demands and that she was getting exactly what she’d asked for. I also reminded her that I’d said that my lack of banter with her would be permanent.
So the manager kept it up, much to the customer’s dismay.
She continued to come in every morning at her usual time, and I continued to banter with the other customers but would stop even smiling as she’d approach the counter, then turn to the next person in line and continue the banter.
She continued to look miserable.
All the customer had to do was ask nicely…
Had she simply asked me to tone it down a bit or said she just wasn’t in the mood for banter that day, I would’ve adjusted accordingly.
Instead, she got exactly what she asked for.
Mess with the bull? Get the horns!
Reddit is sure to get a kick out of this.
Customers like this are a dreaded breed in the customer service industry.
On the other hand, some customer service workers form unexpected bonds with difficult customers.
If this customer had such an issue with her service, she surely could have found another store to go to.
This commenter sort of enjoys a good chase.
When this customer banished the manager’s cheer, she clearly didn’t realize she’d be stuck with a permanent frown.
You can’t have your cake and eat it too!
If you liked that story, check out this post about a group of employees who got together and why working from home was a good financial decision.
