Somebody asked retail workers about the pettiest things they’d done to annoying customers – 21 well-deserved little victories
In a world of Karens who are desperate to speak to the manager, working in retail is hard. However, some employees are getting a little bit of their own back with some small but satisfying acts of resistance. Over on the AskUK subreddit, user AffectionateBall7151 asked:
Retail workers, what’s the pettiest thing you’ve done to a customer?
Shop assistants across the country were happy to demonstrate the little ways they have fought back.
1.
‘Served them decaf. I’d never do it the other way round, because some people would get really ill with caffeine, but if someone tries to bully me or my staff, they don’t get proper wake up juice.’
–Opening_Barf
2.
‘I had a rude customer who was being extremely difficult and petty through out the call, so I replaced the A in their last name to an O. From then all they kept getting referred to as ‘Mr. Porker’.’
-Working-Hat4932
3.
‘Not strictly retail but call centre for Boots so guess it is. On a Friday, I promised a rude, demanding customer who was chasing a late parcel a call back on Sunday. She said if I didn’t call, she’d complain about me. Friday was my last day. The thought of her calling up to complain about me gave me such joy!’
–Important_Lychee6925
4.
‘Had a full on American-style anti-vaxxer in yesterday and I mentioned to her that yes, those YouTube videos (she was showing me on her phone) often prey on vulnerable people. She did not like that, haha.’
–ClaryClarysage
5.
‘Someone was on the phone while they were paying for something at the till (which always really annoyed me) so I made sure to interrupt his call to ask every question I could think of – would you like a receipt? Would you like a bag? Do you want the receipt in the bag? Would you like to sign up to our mailing list?’
–levezvosskinnyfists7
6.
‘An American was rudely complaining on behalf of his friend/lover (who was being perfectly polite) and kept pointing his nicotine stained finger in my face.
I was genuinely resolving their problem but told him that if he did it again, I would walk away. Two sentences later, he did do it again, and so I did walk away, leaving him to continue his rant in the middle of the showroom to absolutely no one.’
–yesbutnobutokay
7.
‘The honest answer is enforce the rules. There’s tons of incredibly dumb rules we’re meant to follow that I’m lax on, and have allowed staff to be lax on, to keep the peace (and because I just personally don’t agree with all of them). If you’re rude I will do everything in my power to do as little as possible for you within the rules of my job.’
–Drath101
8.
‘I worked at McDonald’s, when I was in a shit mood I would draw a penis with the chilli sauce on the sweet chili delis/wraps.
If I had a rude customer they would get all their change in 5ps. Sometimes if somebody was rude and they ordered three or more Happy Meals I’d make sure I gave them all the same toy except one so it would cause arguments lmao.’
–PM-ME-YOUR-DIGIMON
9.
‘Many moons ago worked in a BT call centre, dealing with business customers. When it came to allocating their phone number, if they’d been nice I would spend time looking through the number lists to find them the easiest, most memorable number I could. If on the other hand they’d been difficult, I’d actively choose the most random, all digits different number there was.’
–thebudofthebud
10.
‘Customer threw paper money at me rather than handing it to me. I threw metal change at them.’
–eselex
11.
‘Was my first day and I was getting training on a till from the manager. As she is talking me through it (quickly telling me what to press etc.) this old baggage was tapping her foot and huffing in front of us. I watched the manager smirk and then do the whole transaction at a snails pace. Even handing her the receipt in slow motion.’
–Wednesdayspirit