Blog Catalog Discussion: Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude?

msbaby on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

msbaby — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 09:12:14 -0600

"The most demanding, complaining and abusive people I deal with at times are those who are not "rich"

The less fortunate probably have more to gripe about than rich people which might make up for the lack of a feeling of entitlement.

Do we consider poor people trying to stand up for themselves as being demanding and unreasonable?

CrankyChick on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

CrankyChick — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 20:08:23 -0600

Oh MSbaby, not necessarily. The most demanding, complaining and abusive people I deal with at times are those who are not "rich" It is as though complaining about something will give them an entitelment to get something that is not the norm for the rest of folks out there. For instance (and please no offense to anyone ) but people with HMOs (have to use in network doctors) They complain and whine how they pay a lot (acutally HMOS is the cheapest insurance) and how they should see so and so... I have insurance that allows me to see any provider but those who are out of net cost more. What do you think happened to me when I went to the ER recently for a kidney stone? Not only did the doc not help much but he was out of my net so I had to pay extra. Being in pain in the ER and of course with one attending doc do you think I called and cursed and complained to my insurance? Nope! I knew that is the possiblity so like a good girl I wrote out my check. Westerners have the sense of entitlement and are quite short sighted. But on the other hand I think each person is on a different development level moraly, mentally and spiritually so ....

msbaby on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

msbaby — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:54:41 -0600

"People are rude when they feel they have a right to demand something"

I believe that you just shed some light on the sense of entitlement problem mentioned by another person on this discussion. Perhaps more rich people than poor ones believe they have the right to be demanding?

CrankyChick on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

CrankyChick — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:40:18 -0600

Oye vei, I hope not to go on and on now. ANYONE can be rude. I work in a call center and let me tell of the 55+ people I talk to ("professionals and clients) how many of them curse, yell, blame, just the horror thinking of it gives me PTSD. People are rude when they feel they have a right to demand something (wheather or not that is justifiable, when they grew up w/o manners, when they are miserable themselves and displace that onto others, when they think/believe they are not getting what they should be getting (no matter if that is realistic or not) etc. I just hope people act civil. That is my little expectation of the "human race" at this time.

skepto on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

skepto — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 19:17:49 -0600

Rudeness can result from misunderstanding between parties involved. It's better to always listen and try to understand each party to make communication lines better. We all have our own bad days although it's not good to bring it to the workplace but it's inevitable. We can not change people the way they are but we can try to switch every unpleasant experience into our benefit if we only have an open-mind.

HollytheHousewife on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

HollytheHousewife — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:43:08 -0600

huh? sorry little slow. It's a ms thang.

msbaby on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

msbaby — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:36:40 -0600

What? No Sunday afternoon, dinner on the grounds style sweet tea is available north of the Mason Dixon Line? No wonder the service people are crabby! ;-)

HollytheHousewife on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

HollytheHousewife — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 18:15:42 -0600

I will tell yall what to do. Move to ms,al,georgia. I just can't stand
to freakin cross the mason dixon line. You already know what ur in for.
No sweet tea and rude,rude, people. I guess that is just the way things
are though.

ps. I forgot to say THE BIG TN BABY. CAN'T LEAVE THEM OUT.

msbaby on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

msbaby — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 17:05:51 -0600

There are some or I would not have started this thread. I will have to get you to explain what an attitude of entitlement is before I comment on that. What exactly are the symptoms of that?

msbaby on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

msbaby — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 13:08:06 -0600

Perhaps the answer is not to leave a tip and to tell them why. Of course the results to this tactic might be that you might find yourself covered in the lasagna that was ordered by the customers at the next table.

So, what is the remedy to this situation? If treating our servers, contractors and sales personnel with the same respect and courtesy as we ourselves would expect to be treated isn't working, what do we do to eliminate the rudeness and lack of professionalism?

Jeunelle on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

Jeunelle — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:25:42 -0600

To answer your question if they are polite and say things like thank you, you're welcome.
HELL NO THEY ARE NOT. Not in Boston, where I live.

I always say "thank you" but they always say back to me "uh huh" or "Yup"?
I mean what the hell "uh huh" and "yup"?
I was brought up to be polite and say "thank you", "you're welcome", "can I help you"
or even "may I help you"? You know common courtesy?
That is lacking anywhere I go, not just from customer service reps.

One thing that pissed me off the most was I called a taxi to get me home with a lot of groceries
during a snow storm that came down unexpectedly, the cab driver came out but parked his cab far away from me and failed to pull up where my grocery carriage was to make it easier for me to put the groceries into his cab back trunk. I had to ask this idiot everything, including would you please pop the trunk open so I can get my stuff in there?

He offered any help, he never pulled up, so I had to walk the whole way to get to the trunk with each bag, load the trunk and then he finally drove off to get me home, I wasn't an ass like him, I showed him I was respectable and paid him and even gave him a tip though he deserved none and still he didn't provide me any assistance to help me with some of the bags. A complete idiot who lacks the understanding of customer service.

cranelegs on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

cranelegs — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:13:55 -0600

that's pretty funny. you're kidding right?

furniture27 on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

furniture27 — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:08:50 -0600

the average worker in America is poor with little work ethic, no courtesy, and an "entitlement attitude".

cranelegs on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

cranelegs — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 19:04:15 -0600

i look at it this way.
sometimes the service person is incompetent.
sometimes the customer is unsatisfiable.
combine the two and you have a catastrophe.
the only thing that works is a competent provider working for a satisfiable customer.

you sound like you are stuck in the middle somewhere.

msbaby on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

msbaby — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 18:53:27 -0600

Even if you don't deal directly with clients I suppose there's always equipment failure and other stuff to drive you wild.

For the record, I now have calls into not only one but three different plumbing contractors and my sink is still clogged.

BLaineK on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

BLaineK — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 13:09:58 -0600

msbaby has a great point...just part of the job, unfortunately. However, in my experience...the good customers far outweighed the bad ones.Maybe you would be a better fit for something that didn't require direct customer contact, if those things bother you that much? However, all jobs are frustrating at times, even ones you enjoy.

msbaby on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

msbaby — Wed, 14 Jan 2009 10:46:15 -0600

I can see why that would be frustrating. But unless you are working on commission, isn't that just part of the job? If I were working on sales commission only my head would probably explode wasting time as you described, but if you are working by the hour...dealing with difficult people is just killing time. Right?

Or does the boss ream you out because you didn't close the deal?

acousticguitarist on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

acousticguitarist — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 21:16:49 -0600

no it doesn't but they take that right, until someone complains

i live in the country, it's so easy to communicate with people.

In the cities it's ghastly, even if I ring companies in the city. However, one of the towns near me is full of people that feel they are so cool, that if you aint one of them you don't fit. I didn't move there because a lot of them think it's ok to smoke dope in front of kids.

msbaby on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

msbaby — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:17:41 -0600

We all need to read an experience like this every once in awhile to keep us from pulling the trigger on our tempers until we have all the facts. You know, the truly rude and guilty get off light many times and the innocent get blasted because they are in the wrong place at the wrong time when the last straw hits the camel's back! Am I right?

harmony0stars on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

harmony0stars — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 20:10:45 -0600

msbaby... if only it were that simple, but a customer will veto a half dozen books and still expect more recommendations. I've spent over an hour with some people because they don't know what they want; it isn't what I'm offering, but that doesn't mean they're ready to let me go. I've also spent over an hour with people who loved all my recommendations but didn't buy a darn thing because they're going to go think about it. Then they forget the titles, come in a month later, and expect me to remember.

HollytheHousewife on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

HollytheHousewife — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 14:35:07 -0600

I don't know about up north. I really don't care either.
I like it down here. No matter what the majority of people do
give you the benifit of the doubt. When you are in the boondocks driving along. You are always gonna get that little lift of the hand off the steering wheel for a wave.

I went on a run with my husband one time. We got to go through "THE NEW YORK CITY". I was in awe until we got lost. Not only did we get lost in an
18 wheeler I literally thought people were gonna drag us out of the truck
and lynch us right there in NEW YORK gridlock.
The police had to be called to escort out of the city. Except they only led
us to another low clearence bridge that we couldn't make it under.

Had something like that happened down here in my neck of the woods.
I would not have heard the word F*** so many times.
people would have gotten out of their cars and helped. The po po's never would have been called.
I have so much more respect for my husband after that little experience.
I have so much respect for all truck drivers after that experience.
Those people who cussed us out in soo many different languges still to
this day don't realize where all of their necessities come from. All the way from their tooth brushes to their automobiles.
You can't argue with the rutheless thouhgh. They think it is their "right" to have all of that stuff.
They belive in the whatever I want I get fairy. Instead of the hard working
americans trying to meet their Quota's!
Holla!
hollyb27.blogspot.com

carrieburrows on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

carrieburrows — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:56:07 -0600

Dealing with the public day in and day out can make anyone surly.

BLaineK on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

BLaineK — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:49:08 -0600

Ditto! It could also have been worse...he could have not had it written down on the napkin and you would have had to double your work by constantly going back and seeing if he was ready to order!

As for contractors-I have worked with many over the years for work, almost all of them were very courteous. Yes, I was frustrated if they were extremely late. But, I also understand problems arise. If you ever have done DIY home improvements, you know how it is. Fix one thing, something else may break.

lotusb on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

lotusb — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:31:31 -0600

Not really. Most of the service workers are pretty rude. Of course it depends on where you go. When I go to nice resturants I get excellent service...$100 tip excellent. But when I go to the bookstore or to the BBQ spot, I don't expect nor recive five star service. If I was making $10 an hour I'd be grumpy too...what are ya gonna do?

HollytheHousewife on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

HollytheHousewife — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 12:13:01 -0600

I waited on a guy once. When I got to his table to take his order. He had a phone glued to his ear. He handed me a napkin that had his entire order written down. I was furious. I thought "o my lord" he isn't even gonna acknowledge my exsistence. That is what I thought. Even though I was furious I still gave him service with a smile.
It came time to settle up the ticket. I went to his table to give him the check. He was crying and finally had hung up the phone.
He looked up at me and said "IT'S A BOY,IT'S A BOY"!!!!
He was in town for business and witness the birth of his first child
from a cell phone. Needless to say I felt horrible. He also tipped me 50$
on a meal that cotsted 8$.

So it does go both ways. So if I'm in a grocery store or anywhere for that
matter I try not to let it get to me. You never know if that rude waitress
had been cussed out right before you arrival. You don't know if that customer on the cell phone is attending to a family emergency.

I think we should just give people the benifit of the doubt sometimes.

msbaby on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

msbaby — Tue, 13 Jan 2009 09:06:19 -0600

But I ask you, is it too much to ask for them to call and give you an estimated time of arrival? Many people have to stay home from work to wait to give repairment entry to do their work. So not only do they get the bill for the work, their pay may be docked at work.

As far as the shoppers who expect people working in the bookstore to know their grandparents' taste in reading material, I would think the answer would be to recommend a popular book and let that be that.

So long as you know the book that you recommended is worth reading you have done your job. If granny or granddad don't like it, let the shopper who didn't do their homework face the consequences. The owner of the bookstore that hired you is happy because you made a sale, the shopper is happy (for the moment anyway) because their gift shopping is behind them and the service person avoids the frustration of trying to pull information out of the customer. Is this a reasonable suggestion or am I off base?

harmony0stars on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

harmony0stars — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 19:35:53 -0600

I can't say that I am polite to everyone, but I pride myself on being polite and helpful to those who treat me like a person. Nothing sours my mood faster than people who treat me like dirt right from the getgo or assume that I am their personal shopper, fulfilling their wildest dreams with a snap of my fingers. I work in a bookstore and yeah, I'm an avid reader, but I absolutely hate people who come in an act as if I should know what their great grandfather would like to read without any more information than that. Throw me a bone people. I really couldn't guess what topics might interest an 84 year old man if you can't tell me what he likes.

Repairmen/contractors seem to be a breed unto themselves though. I've never met one who wasn't surely and late. Of course, it's understandable that they might *sometimes* be late because they can never know quite the problem they will face until they actually examine the issue, so if they have an appointment before you, it's understandable that each stop brings with it new challenges that might mess with future appointments.

roymerr on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

roymerr — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:51:15 -0600

I have been an electrician for over 30 years now. Service people aren't any different from thier customers.

You need to hear the stories we tell about the customers.

Do you know how many times a customer of mine has answered the door with a phone stuck to thier ear. wait a sec...I could write a blog about this.

Most customers are very polite and I would guess that most service men are the same.

msbaby on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

msbaby — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:50:05 -0600

Thanks for the clarification coyoterose. I had no idea people could be so obtuse as to take their mismanagement regarding their personal finances on innocent tellers nor did I know a 12 from a 2 top.

timethief on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

timethief — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:41:14 -0600

I hear you.

foodhere on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

foodhere — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 18:39:40 -0600

There is a huge double standard. For example, "customers" are offended if I speak on the phone while working in my convenience store but they have no issue with chattering inanely into their cell phones while they toss their quarters at me.

They expect "customer service" from me and want my full attention while they debate the relative of merits of whole milk over skim but do not believe they have any obligation to be in any way civil toward me or even acknowledge my existance. They are the "customer" after all, and as such have certain demands.

Sorry - it has been a long shift and my orange vest is starting to chafe.

BLaineK on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

BLaineK — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:01:32 -0600

I agree with the not taking it out on the waitress part. Mainly because, unless the cook has the food ready, the waitress can't deliver it. So, the only way I would blame the waitress is if I saw my food sitting there...and they are still chatting away, etc. and ignoring my food being ready.(They get breaks, and others may be covering the table, so I wouldn't necessarily get upset at them for that. A courteous waitress should inform their customer of that first, though.)

KiefersCorner on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

KiefersCorner — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 17:02:05 -0600

I have been in the service business all my life, and have always lived by a simple code.

Be prompt, courteous, polite, be the best you can be at what ever you are doing.

If i ever do call on someone to do a service and they lack these qualities, i replace them.

I have heard many people say that they don’t get paid enough to do any of these things.

This is exactly why they will never move forward in life.

You only get paid what you are worth!

timethief on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

timethief — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:53:12 -0600

Are the waiters, waitresses and checkout clerks polite where you live? Do they say thank you or have a nice day?

Are repairmen, contractors and carpenters conscientious and dependable?

Yes, they are and I also converse with them as the others have said. Where I live in a very small community, it's not the service or trades people who are problematic - it's a minority of the clients and/or customers who choose to be rude and ignorant.

timethief on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

timethief — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:20:19 -0600

@coyoterose
Those people get pissed when they overspend their accounts and the bank charges them a fee for overdrawing. Then they take it out on the tellers like the tellers had anything to do with them spending their money. And these people are typically repeat offenders.

I hear you clearly. I have witnessed exactly what you have described in banks, in credit unions, in financial institutions, real estate and mortgage companies, in retail stores and in other places too. There are many ignorant and dull witted people, barely literate people with no math skills who think they are rocket scientists.

They suffer from a psychological disorder that manifests as acting superior because deep down inside they know they are inferior and don't wish too put any time and energy into becoming "whole" and "mature". These people think they can get away with attacking all kinds of service people. The service people don't come back at them because they recognize that they are dealing with stupid and disordered people people, and they are reluctant to be seen bringing them down because it's like picking the wings off flies, or kicking a cripple.

Once I had a job as an executive assistant at a large financial institution and some employees were being picked on by these idiots every day. My boss asked me to spend a month heading up their section and "cleaning house" so to speak. A month later the b*tchers, whiners, moaners and complainers had all left and I returned to my own job. I got a handsome bonus for teaching staff how to deal with idiots firmly but politely.

HollytheHousewife on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

HollytheHousewife — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 16:00:22 -0600

@ coyote
I feel ya hunny. Next time get that expo out there. I found when I was serving if I tipped out the expo a 10 on slow night and a 20 on a busy
night you will never have to touch a tray again. Plus be a good server
and make some awsome chedda.

HollytheHousewife on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

HollytheHousewife — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:55:25 -0600

You almost had it summed up. you forgot rabbits,frog giggan,grabeling,mud bugs(crawfish)and brim fishing. So yea u are pretty sol in ms if you want anything done at any time of the year. On the other had we in the south w/our manners we can throw a hella field party.

CoyoteRose on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

CoyoteRose — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 15:02:41 -0600

Thats not what i was saying at all. There are certain people in this world who seem to think that it is the banks job to manage their money for them; I.E. balance their checkbooks and not let them use their debit card/checks when their are not sufficient funds in their accounts. Those people get pissed when they overspend their accounts and the bank charges them a fee for overdrawing. Then they take it out on the tellers like the tellers had anything to do with them spending their money. And these people are typically repeat offenders.

A two-top is a table with two people. A twelve-top is a table with twelve people, etc.

msbaby on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

msbaby — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 13:04:52 -0600

So, it would seem that people with poor math and organizational skills have a bit of a temper and want to lay blame on others? That is ridiculous.

On the restaurant experience, I first have to ask what a two-top (2-top) is?

When I see an overworked waitress, I blame the establishment for not having sufficient help to keep the tables covered. The last thing I would do is take it out on the waitress unless I see her standing outside taking a smoke break or chatting up a friend when I've been waiting hours for my food.

CoyoteRose on 'Consumer complaints. Why are Service People Rude? '

CoyoteRose — Mon, 12 Jan 2009 10:52:36 -0600

I've worked as both a waitress and a bank teller and people in general are a pain in the ass to wait on. I could be as sweet as cherry pie to some people and they would just be rude or short with me. I used to get yelled at all the time by people at the bank because they overspent the money in their account and were incurring fees. Or because they improperly balanced their checkbooks (or didn't balance at all). What was worse was the people who thought they were entitled to things because they knew a branch manager at another branch of the bank i worked for. Or because they had such and such amount of money in our bank. I was just a teller all i did was cash checks and make deposits. If they didn't like the way the bank was run yelling at me wouldn't help them.

Waitressing was a different story. I was a perfectly nice waitress. I had no problem talking to people and being very polite, and i made good money doing it. But i didn't appreciated when people acted like they were the only table i had, or thought they could treat me like dirt just because i was waiting on them.

True story: I was waiting on a group of 18 people by myself on the breakfast shift at my restaurant, when the hostess sat a two-top next to them. I got the two-tops drinks and order and the food for the 18 top came out. As i'm taking out these 18 peoples food, which takes along time because they ordered alot of food. The two-top asked for drink refills (they hadn't been there 5 minutes yet). So as i go up to get another tray of food i ask my manager politely to refill the 2-tops drinks, which he does. As i'm handing out the food the two-top waves at me, and i say "it will be just a moment, sir." As i run back up to the counter to grab the last tray of food for this 18 people. The guy at the two top starts cussing me out at the top of his lungs in front of the entire restaurant because my manager accidentally brought him sweet-tea instead of unsweet. The restaurant got so quiet you could hear a pin drop. I was in such an amount of shock i didn't even know what to do. I kinda ran back to the counter and told my manager i wasn't waiting on that guy anymore, while getting the next tray of food.

So next time someone at a restaurant isn't as pleasant as humanly possible, remember that they have probably been dealing with jerks like that all day and could just use some slack.