Dealing with the public can really %&*&*)%*) me sometimes. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Hatterasguy · #1 01-19-2005, 12:54 PM

Well since I am in school I am still stuck in $8 an hour bs jobs. Right now I work in a deli at a small supermarket. I actually kind of like this job, the people I work with are cool and my boss kind of let's me run the deli on my own and stays out of my way. However certain customers can be real &%)^) and their is nothing I can say or do about it. I have to sit their and take their crap because if they complain I can get in trouble. The stupid stuff doesn't bother me I don't care if I am talked down to, or they give me a hard time. But certain customers really like to talk for a long time about crap. For example, their is this creepy older guy that thinks he knows everything about everything in the world. He also likes MB so when he found out I had one, now he talks to me constintly about them. But he knows nothing about them, he just thinks he does. He is such a royal *^_(&( dictating to me about this and that. He won't take the hint when I ignore him that I don't want to listen to him for 1/2 an hour. I also feel bad for the girls I work with, he is way to interested in their lives.

I just needed to vent, what is the best way to deal with people like him? I just pulled a Trump on him the other day, he started to talk and I said excuse me I have to work in the back. But he still doesn't take the hint.

boneheaddoctor · #2 01-19-2005, 01:19 PM

Once upon I time I was working in the Service center of microcenter.....some short fat guy was being very loud and abusive towards a nice large black lady working there....well she supported 3 kids (widow) and was afraid for her job....I was a temp and knew any day could be my last.....she was crying a long line of people were there. I could hear everything in back.....to say I was upset is an understatement.....I walked out and told the guy to turn it down a lot.....and lay off the derogitory comments.....well he got smart with me saying HE was a CEO and he had more important things to do with his time than deal with (rectums) .............that sent me off. Told him this woman deserved the same respect he would expect.... he uttered a few more comments my way...that I no longer remember so I told him if he said one more word I was going to rip his head off and (poop) down his neck...

and that in a calm tone of voice I asked just exactly what his problem was..........

He demanded to see the manager....told him I thought that was a great idea.....I would go get him myself.....which I did....He procedes to go off on the manager the same way.......security was called and he was forcible removed from the store. And told if he returned he would be arrested......

Definately not diplomatic.......but effective.

Nobody that was in that line raised their voice that afternoon. And I was there for 3 more months till I found the job I have now.

GermanStar · #3 01-19-2005, 01:19 PM

I guess you had a special appreciation for the Quiznos list...

BobK · #4 01-19-2005, 03:54 PM

Hatty, just ask the old guy if he wants to loan you some money to buy some way overpriced classic (since he realizes you are a student and he is bound to understand the value of said classic MB). Most folks run when you put the touch on them.

boneheaddoctor · #5 01-19-2005, 04:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobK

Hatty, just ask the old guy if he wants to loan you some money to buy some way overpriced classic (since he realizes you are a student and he is bound to understand the value of said classic MB). Most folks run when you put the touch on them.

I like that idea...................

engatwork · #6 01-19-2005, 05:45 PM

My oldest son (soon to be 16) works at a local grocery store bagging groceries. He has learned the "gift of gab" because he converses alot with all the elderly people that come in and gets about as much in tips from them as he does take home pay. He told me that if you talk to them about whatever they want to talk about they tip very well. This is a lesson he can carry on throughout life and I told him that he should follow through and take up a career in dealing with people (or sales) and he should be very successful. On a side note he gets quite a few ladies phone numbers asking him to call them.

#7 01-19-2005, 05:53 PM

Hatters, did you check the quiznos thread? You might find it helpful.

Hatterasguy · #8 01-19-2005, 10:57 PM

I don't mind talking to people, I will do that all day. Just a few people are jerks and I don't want to talk to them. Their are 3-4 nice old ladys who come in every day and I will talk to them about whatever. Nobody tips here but I don't care.

Hot girls do not seem to come into this store.

I have been selling boating stuff to people since I was 15, I like dealing with people at the boat yard. Hopefully I will be selling houses in a few years.

Off to find the quiznos thread.

#9 01-19-2005, 11:02 PM

I liked my high school job as a grocery store cashier for the most part. On the other hand, this one guy started throwing his own groceries at me one day because I wouldn't cash his check for $200 over the amount. Yeah, pick on the big scary sixteen year old cashier, tough guy. His wife and kid looked on silently the whole time, and wouldn't even look at him. I just know that guy was a wifebeater

azimuth · #10 01-19-2005, 11:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by webwench

......... I just know that guy was a wifebeater

ha ha. for a second there Web, i thought it read,"I just know that guy was a wife eater".

i think the apple cider i'm drinking has gone hard....

Plantman · #11 01-19-2005, 11:42 PM

Having a 71 year old father who likes to talk, I have often noticed that the younger generation has very littel patience and moves at a much faster pace mentally and physically than older ones.

It takes a great deal of patience and undersanding to have conversations with them. They just don't move as fast as we might like. Also, most retired people are in no hurry and are looking for someone to talk to.

But if you take the tiem to listen, you'll always learn something valuable.

I learn crap from my Dad every day.

What's funny, is when he tries to teach, he comes off as condascending and I try to one up him. When he just talks, I get more out of it

Hatterasguy · #12 01-19-2005, 11:50 PM

Well "old" is subjective. They guy I am talking about is probably in his mid to early 50's and a creep. He is was to interested in the girls that work with me, (yes they are hot

) he also comes off as someone who is lonely. He also is a know it all for example:

"those little MB's are junk, they have tons of problems"
Last I checked the 190E and C class are about as reliable as you can get.

"those early 90's E class cars were cheap, light doors"
Really? Last I checked those were the best years of the W124.

"euro cars were cheaper they had light doors"
Come on.

"MB got cheap when Chrysler took them over"
me "MB bought Chrysler and fired all of the Americans in charge, quality problems have nothing to do with Chrysler"
him in an annoyed tone " Yes I know that"

Need I say more? I worked in the back today when I saw him come in, I didn't feel like listening to his bs today.

wbain5280 · #13 01-20-2005, 01:24 AM

I worked at a Radio Shack one summer. It was a small store near Tysons Corner in Northern Va. It was the highest grossing store in the area. I can't figure why. Anyway, there was a DC cop who hung out at the store during his off shift. He must have been friends with the manager.

We also took in electronic rapairs and sent them out to a local repair shop. This guy brought in a receiver for repair. It needed a new transformer and there wasn't one to be found anywhere. The guy came in and wanted to know why his equipment hadn't been fixed. This had been going on for a couple of months. I didn't know and he asked for the area managers name and number. I figured Radio Shack was on the hook for getting his stuff fixed, so I gave the name and number to him. The area manager located the transformer and the equipment was fixed in a few days. I was told never to do that again.

Another summer, I worked at the McDonalds in McLean. There was a day manager and his assistant, and a night manager and his assistant. During the day, they were all there, all giving countermanding orders to the staff. We would all get really pissed off at that. My brother-in-law is a McDonalds magante in Chicago, So is my ex-sister-in-law.

boneheaddoctor · #14 01-21-2005, 05:27 PM

I've found that joe average is the biggest pain to deal with......they all think they are special.....at least in my current job I deal only with professioals...

A few think they are special too......But in 11 years I can count those on one hand.

My hat is off to the guy who can deal with petty SOB's day in adn day out without blowing his cool. Becasue that takes a special kind of person......

DslBnz · #15 01-21-2005, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hatterasguy

Well "old" is subjective. They guy I am talking about is probably in his mid to early 50's and a creep. He is was to interested in the girls that work with me, (yes they are hot

) he also comes off as someone who is lonely. He also is a know it all for example:

"those little MB's are junk, they have tons of problems"
Last I checked the 190E and C class are about as reliable as you can get.

"those early 90's E class cars were cheap, light doors"
Really? Last I checked those were the best years of the W124.

"euro cars were cheaper they had light doors"
Come on.

"MB got cheap when Chrysler took them over"
me "MB bought Chrysler and fired all of the Americans in charge, quality problems have nothing to do with Chrysler"
him in an annoyed tone " Yes I know that"

Need I say more? I worked in the back today when I saw him come in, I didn't feel like listening to his bs today.

I tend to speak my mind, a little too often. I come off being a pompous know -it-all in person. But I can't stand blatent ignorance. Instead of shunning him off, engage him in conversation. Test the depths of his knowledge. See how far he wants to take it. And be sure to point out the errors in his conclusions.
Smother him with information and tech specs. He'll either lose interest, or become an avid Mercedes enthusiast. Both good things.

I can understand, a little, about each of those comments. Although they need to go into further detail for analysis. However the first one is really foolish.