8.24.2006

Is there anyone left on the planet with MANNERS?

I work in an industry that requires face to face interaction with customers on a daily basis. Most of the time people are in and out so quickly you don't really have to worry about things. Other times, like today for instance, you get stuck dealing with people that treat you like it's your job to smile and eat whatever shit they hand you. Is there anyone teaching their children manners anymore? Or are all children growing up with this sense of instant entitlement?

Today a young woman walked into the store. I smiled and greeted her, asked how we could help her. She said she wanted to get a phone activated. Okay...used phone activation, usually takes five to ten minutes all total. IF the phone is able to be activated. Hers wasn't. I polietly told her that the phone still had account activity attached to it and that customer service or one of the corporate stores would have to take care of that before we could do anything. She snarls back at me "I was PROMISED by the store in Salt Lake that you would do this for me." Again, I try to explain that under normal circumstances it takes less than ten minutes to do, but that because the phone is still active on another account, we are unable to proceed. She snarls at me again, "Then call someone and fix it." I try to explain that calling customer service will lead to them telling me the same thing I just told her, but I call anyway, I even verify that the number I'm scanning is the one showing on the account. I have them check notes to be sure that there was no error, I have them check to see if it's only a matter of waiting a little longer....nothing. The phone is still showing active and therefore...you guessed it...I can't do anything.

At this point Miss Huffy-Puffy says, "Fine, then let me use your phone to call my mother in Salt Lake." Now I let her use a BUSINESS phone to make a long distance call and she dials about six numbers before she reaches her mother. She tells her mother that I won't LET her activate the phone, so I correct her by saying, "It's not that I won't let you, it's that I am unable to." She huffs into the phone and I say, "If you'd like I can speak with your mother to explain what needs to be done so we can activate the phone for you." She turns around and snarls at me, "You don't have to be a bitch to me." I say, "I'm not." She snipes back, "Yes, actually you are. You're rude." Then she snipes into the phone to her mother, (who I'm sure I'll be hearing from soon because heaven forbid I don't pander to her snippy little girl) "Yeah she's got a serious attitude problem, "(hand ove phone and talking to me) "What is your name?"

I tell her my name and then she starts bitching to her mother and at that point I ask her to please hang up the phone and leave the store.

Yeah..people like that annoy me. I can't wait to get the phone call, or even better, the visit, from the mother. Joy abounds!