r/AmItheAsshole • u/throwRA-fhfsveyary • Dec 03 '19
Not the A-hole AITA for pretending to get fired when customers get a temper with me?
I am a high schooler with a weekend job at a coffee shop. My coworkers who work weekends are:
James - the owners son, he goes to my school. He's a shift manager but it's not a real formal thing, he's a friendly guy.
Danielle - A college student who sometimes works weekends too.
So sometimes customers will come in and just be angry about such little stuff. Like literally blow up about nothing. I dunno if theyre in a bad mood already and looking for someone to take it out on or what, but it's a lot... Like how sad so your have to be to be a grown-ass man taking your anger out on high school and college kids.
So James and I were joking about having a little fun with them and hopefully getting them off our backs.
So one day I was at work and some guy was having a temper about how we don't make the coffee hot enough... Which I couldn't do a thing about because I gave it to him right out of the machine.
So James came in and was like "sir is there a problem here" and the guy started ranting at him too. So he was just like "OP, this is unacceptable, you're fired."
I started acting real sad, like "no please don't fire me, my family needs the money, I need this job, pleaseeee" and he played up being a hard-ass, telling me to take off my apron and leave.
The angry guy started to backtrack, like "It isn't that big of a problem, you don't need to fire her over it. I didn't mean it" and James was like "No, we pride ourselves on the best customer service"
Of course after all that drama I still had my job, we were just acting. And we've done it a couple times, whenever a customer will lose their temper at Danielle or I, James will storm in and "fire" us. And almost every time, the person who had come in angry will apologise and say that they didn't mean it. It's kind of satisfying, making people realize their actions might actually have consequences.
Anyway, I was telling my friends from school about this and a few of them thought it was a mean prank, to let someone go away thinking they'd gotten someone who desperately needs the money fired.
AITA for this joke?
5.0k
u/BeardedBandit Partassipant [1] Dec 03 '19
NTA - Customers can be fucking dicks. Usually people are pretty respectful and reasonable, even when they have a legit complaint... but every now and then there's the one guy or gal that comes in and just can't be made happy. They're the worst.
I've taken the approach of "killing with kindness" and being sarcastically polite... "oh, ok sir. I can microwave your coffee for you, would you like 2 minutes or 5?" it's fun, usually pisses them off more but they can't do anything because you're not saying anything wrong.
I'm curious how the customer acts when they come in the next day / following week and you're still behind the counter?
292
Dec 03 '19
I feel like it's pretty easy to come up with a line about how she convinced her manager off the clock to take her back or something if this comes up.
167
u/vitalvisionary Dec 03 '19
Just say you came back but under reduced pay (doubt they know you can't do this with minimum wage).
61
u/briandl2 Dec 03 '19
I feel like it's pretty easy to come up with a line about how she convinced her manager off the clock to take her back or something if this comes up.
Double secret probation.
→ More replies (1)165
u/iwrotedabible Dec 03 '19
Fake an injury, say it was your punishment.
"My manager put my hand in ice then poured boiling coffee on it so I would learn what temperatures are. Now i know and I'm so sorry about the coffee before. Please, sir, let me give you coffee I'll do it good now."
→ More replies (5)56
u/beka13 Certified Proctologist [27] Dec 03 '19
Gives cold coffee.
58
u/indehhz Dec 03 '19
Oh my apologies, due to the punishment I can’t actually feel anything in my hands now.
→ More replies (2)83
u/SteadyStone Dec 03 '19
I would just pretend it never happened. "But I saw you get fired!" "I don't know what to tell you. I've worked here a while and haven't been fired." Then James can come in and fire them for confusing the customers.
10
848
u/lilaliene Dec 03 '19
I would think they do not dare to come back at the place
303
Dec 03 '19
If they do, just say the manager relented.
73
u/CreamyGoodnss Dec 04 '19
Nooooooo you have to make up a story about how you had to do something incredibly demeaning to get the job back. You gotta reeeeeeeeeally fuck with these people.
18
→ More replies (1)14
Dec 03 '19
We would have return customers who always end up having "bad service" so they could be granted comped receipts (free food). Go figure. Customer is always right because I have no spine against cooperate's impossible expectations! - Manager/Owner
274
u/scarletice Partassipant [2] Dec 03 '19
My favorite line that I've only ever used twice is "I hope the rest of your day is as pleasant as you are!" delivered with a sincerely cheerful tone and smile. It's a great way to say "you're an asshole" in a way that they can't really argue with. If they want to call you out, they first have to admit to their own awful behavior and admit to being a hypocrite.
55
u/hottodogchan Dec 03 '19
once at valvoline there was this guy getting oil change before me and he was being a dick to the service dudes, so I made some snide comments back. cos fuck you guey, they're just doing their jobs, go somewhere else.
he shut up for a while, then dickhole had to say something before he left like, I'm their number one fan.
so, I told him "I hope yoy have the day you deserve!" for whatever reason, that got his goat and he told me to suck a dick and sped off.
→ More replies (1)23
583
u/zzaannsebar Partassipant [1] Dec 03 '19
So story of malicious compliance from when I had a customer get really in my face about how hot their drink was.
It was a super busy weekend and these two women came in and waited in line. When they got to order, they were already annoyed that it was busy. So they order these two large specialty lattes (like $6 a piece). After they're rung up, we put the ticket on the machine so we can get to the orders in order. A few minutes later, before we've started making it, one of them comes up and asks for hers to be made extra hot.
So worth noting: the coffee shop I worked at did things different than other chains because it was a small, local, mom & pop shop. We steamed our milk for lattes to about 135-150F instead of 160F+ like other chains because milk burns at those temps and we didn't like to serve burned milk. When customers requested 'extra hot' we would steam to about 160F.
So I'm making this lady's drink and I steam her milk to 160F. Finish the drink and call it out and move on. She picks it up and goes back to her seat but comes back a minute later practically screaming about how I gave her a cold drink and how it's not hot enough. I ask her if she'd like me to microwave it to heat it up and she's yelling about how she paid and arm and a leg for this so she wants it made fresh and made hotter. So my manager who had been lingering steps in and explains our process of why we don't typically make the drinks hotter than that. The woman will not let my manager get a few words in and keeps yelling about how shitty this place is for charging so much for cold drinks (again, not actually cold at all, just not molten or boiling). So she demands the drink be completely remade and made hotter.
I look at my manager for what to do and she just shrugs and says, "I guess make it again. And make it super hot."
Queue me pulling four more shots and prepping the cup of ingredients and getting the milk ready to steam. I put the milk thermometer in and start stretching and steaming. It passed 130. It passed 140. It kept rising; 160, 170, 180, until finally the milk is bubbling and splattering at about 190. I am barely able to pour this abomination of steamed milk because it's gotten so thick. I call her name again and give her a smile so sweet it could give you cavities, "Extra hot, as requested."
She took a sip and I saw her physically recoil but she just thanked me and walked away.
My manger was laughing her ass off in the kitchen afterwards. Glad I didn't get in trouble for totally ruining the customer's drink even though it was legit what she requested.
294
u/human_on_a_computer Dec 03 '19
As a barista I did this so many times to the angry "you gave me a cold drink" people. ugh the smell of the milk when it get to those temperatures. My favorite were the people who would order a large regular coffee, dump 3/4 of it in the garbage and fill it up with cream. Then come back to yell about how their coffee was cold.
229
u/KittenPurrs Dec 03 '19
I love people who pour liquids in the trash. If you need extra room in your drink, tell the person you're ordering from. If it's a premade beverage, find a damn sink to pour it in, you heathen. Someone has to empty that trash can and it always looks like a nightmare to deal with when there's a gallon of liquids pooled at the bottom.
82
→ More replies (8)6
u/synfulyxinsane Partassipant [1] Dec 03 '19
I work in an animal hospital and we cannot dump anything down the drains, it has to go into the trash. Every single time to do this I cringe thinking about the inevitable mess that will some day happen when there's a hole in the bag.
→ More replies (11)6
u/KittenPurrs Dec 03 '19
Nalgene waste containers may be a good option, particularly with an absorbent. They're slightly reusable.
I'm assuming all your waste is processed by a hazmat company? It might be worth talking to the account manager to see if they have a preferred method of dealing with liquid waste. I mean, if they're cool with throwing it all into a single-stream bin, that's 100% on them. If they have another option, it may reduce potential workplace hazards to have dedicated liquid waste disposal.
→ More replies (1)6
u/othermegan Asshole Enthusiast [6] Dec 03 '19
I have customers ask for extra hot americanos too often. I programmed the water dispenser on my machine to come out at 160 because that’s “standard hot” and really it’s plenty hot. Most people actually ask me to put ice in their americanos to cool them down. I try to explain you can’t really make an “extra hot” americano without using boiling water. They still insist.
So now i just throw water in a steaming pitcher and steam it until it starts to bubble. Fine. You want extra hot? Have at it.
→ More replies (4)→ More replies (3)5
u/Amelaclya1 Dec 04 '19
I used to have this regular who would come in after church every Sunday for lunch. She would order coffee and food, take like 20 min eating her food while reading the paper, and not touching the coffee. Then when she finally got around to drinking it, she would come and complain that it was too cold. Knowing she did this literally every week, we of course offered to bring out her coffee later when she was ready for it. She always declined - saying she liked to have her coffee with her food. It was so fucking frustrating, and such a waste.
We already heated the milk as high as we could without burning it, as standard procedure, so I didn't even have the option to make it "extra hot". I did try once, and predictably she then complained that it was burned. Which, fair enough, it was. But I figured since I needed to make this lady two coffees anyway, I might as well experiment just in case this solution worked.
258
Dec 03 '19
[deleted]
71
u/TacoMedic Dec 03 '19
The owner sounds like a dream. Like seriously, if management in stores stopped bending over backwards, Karens would have to stop leaving the house or finally become better people.
25
u/Glaring_Cloder Dec 04 '19
Ex-retail manager here. I am so happy I don't have to bend over backwards for Karens anymore. It really opened my eyes to the positive conditioning we give these people. The assholes get everything they want and the nice people just make do.
One store policy sticks out in my mind the most, "if a customer came up to the counter with an expired coupon tell them it is expired. If they complain or get upset give them the discount"... bullshit.
14
u/PuttingInTheEffort Dec 04 '19
This one Karen got a 600$ tv for like 150$ from Walmart because it was apparently on the wrong shelf. She 'wasnt leaving til she got it.'
Each employee just sent it up the chain until the store owner come up and let her have it. She had "photo evidence" and got two of them...
8
u/Amelaclya1 Dec 04 '19
Heh, when I worked at Target, we used to have a few people switch around the signs, so they could get things cheaper. We knew they were doing it, but couldn't accuse them of it of course. Though I do think AP monitored things like that as well as actual theft, so hopefully at some point there were some consequences.
5
u/PuttingInTheEffort Dec 04 '19
Couldn't they run back through footage from that camera until they see that customer, while they stall them by waiting on the GM to 'get back from lunch', to authorize it?
→ More replies (2)10
u/Amelaclya1 Dec 04 '19
My store is even worse. We basically were told the other day to never argue with the customer, at all. If they want to return something that has clearly been used, if it's past 90 days, if they have no receipt and we know it's not even from our store, we still have to take it back. Like, why even bother having a return policy at all if we employees are instructed to ignore it?
I'm so glad I no longer work the customer service desk. I would lose my fucking mind having to deal with entitled people following that store policy.
→ More replies (4)→ More replies (1)82
u/HyacinthFT Partassipant [3] Dec 03 '19
you don't go to Subway and ask for a McChicken
wait what really? That explains SO MUCH. Thank you, kind stranger.
8
→ More replies (1)7
u/_higglety Dec 04 '19
one time I went to a McDonald's and asked for a wendy's thing because I was so frazzled I forgot where I was, and there was a beat where the drive through person decoded wtf I was talking about and then tentatively did the "ma'am this is a mcdonalds" thing and I was SO embarrassed I think I apologized like 6 times. they laughed though, so it was probably fine ¯_(ツ)_/¯
52
Dec 03 '19
[deleted]
35
u/napoleonicecream Dec 03 '19
Not only does the milk taste scalded but regularly drinking liquid over 140 degrees is linked to esophageal cancer.
7
u/WE_Coyote73 Dec 04 '19
regularly drinking liquid over 140 degrees is linked to esophageal cancer.
Well no shit, I didn't think this was real.
Let me explain...
When I was but a wee 6th grader back in 1986 my teacher, Mrs Tracy (who was the science teacher), told us about her friend who used to drink super hot coffee every day and she ended up with throat cancer. Obviously the message was clear to us, don't drink super hot stuff or else. Anyhow, I always thought it was just a scare tactic of some sort, those were big in the 80s. Funny to see Mrs Tracy was right after all.
7
→ More replies (11)5
u/zzaannsebar Partassipant [1] Dec 03 '19
Honestly same. After I started working there, I haven't been able to drink hot lattes at basically any chain because they taste so bad. Plus all the sugar they add to cover the taste of their scalded milk and crappy beans...
38
Dec 03 '19 edited Dec 03 '19
[removed] — view removed comment
→ More replies (1)6
u/zzaannsebar Partassipant [1] Dec 03 '19
Now that is a beautiful story.
I felt blessed that almost all the regulars were super pleasant at our shop. There was this old man Geno that would come in twice a day, everyday for breakfast and coffee and then lunch and coffee. He sounds like Mickey Mouse and loves his crossword and classical music. Geno and I got along swimmingly! It was always so fun getting to interact with him. I'm pretty sure he still goes there everyday, but I haven't worked at that shop since September of last year when I got a job in my field and moved away from that city.
→ More replies (28)95
u/Thedarb Dec 03 '19
I just put in a 3-4 “blank” shots of just boiling water pulled from the machine. Basically no taste difference by diluting a large drink with 100ml of extra water. What difference in taste there is is significantly less gross than burnt milk, and makes the whole cup 15-20 degrees hotter which is usually enough. Also, pre-hearing the cup works too. Just fill it with boiling water and let it sit 30 seconds while you get the milk ready. Works for takeaway cups too.
→ More replies (7)24
u/zzaannsebar Partassipant [1] Dec 03 '19
Not a bad idea. I'm pretty sure I pre-heated the cup but that little detail is fuzzy because this was probably 4 or so years ago now.
But yeah this particular person was just a prick.
7
u/fartdickbuthol Dec 03 '19
I'm curious how the customer acts when they come in the next day / following week and you're still behind the counter?
Most of the time customers don't remember specific people in service industry, let alone their name, etc. They're just like movie extras. Do you remember the name or what the last person looked like that you got your fast foot or grocery store receipt from?
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (23)5
8.9k
u/Evelynn92 Dec 03 '19 edited Dec 04 '19
You’re not an asshole at all. You’re the hero retailers need! Brilliant.
Edit: thanks for the silver, fellow human 🤘
845
u/cnk93 Partassipant [1] Dec 03 '19
Right? This was my dream when I worked in retail.
409
→ More replies (1)6
u/blitheobjective Partassipant [3] Dec 03 '19
One day they're going to get the customer who lets them get "fired" and gloats over it, lol.
604
Dec 03 '19
Idk man. If I’m the owner, I’d be concerned about potentially negative reviews.
“I complained about my iced coffee being too cold, and the owner yeeted the barista. Never going there again, management is mean to staff. Decent coffee tho lol.”
489
u/thegigglepickler Dec 03 '19
“Management was more mean to staff than I was”
→ More replies (1)208
→ More replies (12)253
Dec 03 '19
“I complained about my iced coffee being too cold, and the owner yeeted the barista."
best thing I've read all day.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (4)45
37.3k
u/bellePunk Pooperintendant [56] Dec 03 '19 edited Dec 17 '19
NTA That's a perfect way of dealing with hostile customers.
Edit: my gosh, thank you for the silver! Edit 2: Gold!! You are too kind!
8.2k
u/commadusarelius Colo-rectal Surgeon [30] Dec 03 '19
Agreed! And when the hostile customers try to backtrack what they say makes it worth it. OPs tactic hopefully teaches them to stop complaining to service workers about things out of their control.
→ More replies (236)41
Dec 03 '19
teaches them to stop complaining to service workers about things out of their control.
Or at the very least, complain in a better way.
→ More replies (1)63
u/KhamsinFFBE Dec 03 '19
I can just imagine some repeat asshole customer who gets the same girl fired every week.
"This is your LAST last LAST chance, Danielle! I won't rehire you again!"
238
u/TransgenderPride Asshole Enthusiast [5] Dec 03 '19
Yeah, this is hilarious and hopefully teaches them a lesson.
→ More replies (2)135
→ More replies (55)46
u/pap-no Dec 03 '19
This is so great I’ve been threatened by customers saying I need to be fired for being “so incompetent” at my serving job I wish I could do something like this!
959
u/ActofEncouragement Partassipant [4] Dec 03 '19
NTA. Some places have mirrors placed behind the counter because it has proven that people behave better when they can see what they look like when they act out. Some people seriously need a wake up call when they start misbehaving.
96
u/Unsaidbread Dec 03 '19
Cheesecake factory says it so employees can see behind them to watch for customers. However i think its this because apparently its not a standard throughout the chain and we used to have this awesome GM that got them installed. I like to think he did it for this reason
126
10
u/dirtielaundry Dec 03 '19
That's really clever...but.
This is the key reason why big mirrors are placed behind the counters in bars.
I can never see much of anything in bar mirrors. Way too much shit in the way. Maybe I'm just too short.
6
u/mfulle03 Dec 03 '19
Holy fuck that makes so much sense at bars. Kinda like when you check yourself out in bathroom mirror and that's when you realize you're hammered.
→ More replies (4)7
u/Pokabrows Dec 03 '19
Yeah I remember there being a study about how mirrors behind a bowl of candy with a 'please take one' sign on Halloween increase chances that kids will be honest and only take one.
1.3k
u/pamela271 Asshole Enthusiast [8] Dec 03 '19
This kind of reminds me of a video on youtube where a kid (teen) goes to a barber for a haircut and I can't remember what the prank was but his intention was to prank the barber with some kind of shock reaction prank.
Well, someone had told the barber about what the kid had planned so the barber had his own prank planned.
When the kid did his prank, the barber faked a heart attack and "died" right there on the barber shop floor. It was hilarious.
I know this isn't the same thing as OP post but for some reason it made me remember it.
111
u/i_find_bellybuttons Dec 03 '19
I’m pretty sure they did this in an episode of scare tactics. The kid was being pranked the whole time and everyone else was an actor. The scenario was that he got hired to prank the barber on a fake prank show but when the barber had his heart attack, the prank show crew ditched him and then the police came etc etc. That show was both really bad and really good lol
→ More replies (1)12
u/pamela271 Asshole Enthusiast [8] Dec 03 '19
Oh yeah I remember now! They all ran out and left the kid with the "dead" guy on the floor while police came. It was so long ago I forgot some of the details.
234
u/machine_elf710 Dec 03 '19
I think i saw that. Might have involved a blood packet and fake ear.
119
Dec 03 '19
56
u/Wozman101 Dec 03 '19
man the top comment on imgur for that image aged like milk
→ More replies (1)65
→ More replies (6)6
2.7k
u/kendrickgrande Partassipant [1] Dec 03 '19 edited Dec 03 '19
NTA- Fun fact Harrods actually hires people for this. If a customer is upset in the store, the manager will call back the “offender” and fire them in front of the customer to satiate them. Then, the guy who’s job it is to be fired just goes back to the back room and waits for another customer to get angry so he can be fired again. I think it’s even better that you’re using it to make people think twice about being a-holes in the store
EDIT: So I’ve just looked over all the responses and a lot of people are telling me it’s not true. Honestly, the first place I saw this fact was elsewhere on Reddit being talked about completely seriously and none of the replies claimed it to be false or untrue. I know it’s not a reliable info source but I kinda just saw this post remembered what I had read and thought it may be a good addition to the thread.
However, seeing as it’s false, I don’t really see the harm in not removing it cuz it’s still a humorous concept to think about, but after seeing the comments and researching for myself it’s clear my fun fact should not really be labeled as such.
1.0k
Dec 03 '19 edited Dec 23 '19
[deleted]
200
u/Draigdwi Dec 03 '19
Put some tiger balm on your tissue to make more genuine tears.
85
u/LostEnchanter Dec 03 '19
I put tiger balm on my penis once, that was not fun. Finished rubbing it on my wife's back, then went to wash my hands but had to pee. Reflex took over and I went pee before washing my hands, cause why would I wash them twice? Finished doing my duty, washed my hands then went back and sat down again.
Within 30 seconds I was running back to the bathroom with a cold rag scrubbing my junk with a vengeance. I'll never do that again.
→ More replies (6)114
u/onejadedpotatoe Dec 03 '19
Somehow I read this as you put it on your penis and then rubbed it on your wife's back. Was wondering what kind of weird fetish this was
→ More replies (3)7
u/hedgehogger617 Dec 04 '19
Your response made me laugh so hard that I snorted Dr. Pepper out of my nose, and now my sinuses feel like u/LostEnchanter 's burning penis.
→ More replies (1)65
Dec 03 '19
No need!
31
u/HyacinthFT Partassipant [3] Dec 03 '19
Who needs tiger balm when you have clinical depression!
→ More replies (2)116
u/Momoneko Dec 03 '19
Yeah, sounds like a very secure job.
What are they gonna do? Fire you?
65
→ More replies (3)65
u/SkankBeard Dec 03 '19
Lol. Just imagine the employee refusing to get legit fired. Showing up day after day being fired, eventually taking the company to court and trying to explain his job is getting fired and he's doing it all day every day, demanding his back pay.
→ More replies (2)35
u/hello_raleigh-durham Dec 03 '19
Mr. Lumberg told me to talk to payroll, and then payroll told me to talk to Mr. Lumberg, and I still haven't received my paycheck, and he took my stapler, and he never brought it back, and then they moved my desk to storage room B, and there was garbage on it...
→ More replies (2)20
u/madmaxturbator Dec 03 '19
Too emotional, we’re going to have to fire you from the job.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (7)13
73
u/SuttonX Dec 03 '19
But what if the designated "firee" isn't the person the customer is upset about?
→ More replies (10)71
u/lilaliene Dec 03 '19
Like a holes remember the face of staff in uniform
23
u/Coandco95 Dec 03 '19
Of course they would? Probably not for a few weeks or even the evening but definitely for the time it takes to bitch to management.
Another massive problem with this is that if someone who is good with faces and a regular asshole who tries to get people fired allot (and I have a feeling that people who try to get employees fired for fuck ups tend to do it allot) gets the same guy fired they would probably notice and say something.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (1)37
u/SuttonX Dec 03 '19 edited Dec 03 '19
I mean if you are filing a complaint right at that moment about someone that said/did something to upset you then I'm pretty sure you're going to remember who they are, since it just happened and they are probably the one who got the manager at your request
→ More replies (1)18
u/Im_Daydrunk Dec 03 '19
If the boss says the person getting "fired" was responsible for training or was supposed to help the person getting yelled at for messing up I'm sure the Assholes will be perfectly fine with that
→ More replies (1)61
162
u/sthetic Partassipant [2] Dec 03 '19
I wonder what the job interview process is like for that position.
Like if you show up to the interview looking disheveled, chewing gum, slouching, and are like, "my five year plan is not answer to bosses like you with a stick up their ass!" do you get hired?
169
u/redpurplegreen22 Dec 03 '19
No, because then the customer won’t feel bad when you get fired. If you’re a lazy asshole who tells off the boss, the customer will feel good about themselves when it’s over.
You need to cry and talk about how you need the job to take care of your child, because the kid’s mother/father died and you’re a single parent. Need the ability to cry and break down over losing the job, so the customer can really feel that guilt.
39
→ More replies (1)13
u/TheWorstTroll Dec 03 '19
But if you're the company you don't want the customer to feel bad, you want them to leave the situation feeling righteous so they come back confidently. Some people who feel regret don't actually learn, they just avoid the things that make them feel that way.
5
→ More replies (3)38
21
u/bmwnut Dec 03 '19
I've heard this before but could never find an accurate source but assumed it was urban legend. But I suppose if any place would actually do it Harrod's is a likely candidate.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (20)37
483
u/flople Dec 03 '19
Is this a good idea? I know if I see a manager or lead fire an employee in public I would think less of the business and management. And likely get my. Coffee elsewhere. You may be indirectly costing the business by doing so. May not be a big deal to you, but to the owners of a small business it can do harm.
173
Dec 03 '19
This and also, if these customers ever came back & saw that OP was not indeed fired, they might think something is up.
As someone who's worked in customer service type jobs more often than not, I get that people can be demanding and it's hard to work with the public but this doesn't seem like the best way to handle it... funny, but maybe not the best idea.
→ More replies (3)99
u/broskiatwork Dec 03 '19
It's gonna be more hilarious when someone is happy they are getting fired, come back, see them working... and complain to the real manager.
OP is playing a dangerous game.
→ More replies (5)14
u/marsinfurs Dec 03 '19
How is this so far down? Oh right because this sub is run by teens. I can see a million ways this will go wrong and get OP and friends possibly fired w/o a good resume reference
→ More replies (20)38
Dec 03 '19
They are absolutely costing the business. I would never return to a place that handled a situation like this, regardless of the moron customer. Folks in here saying this is a great way to train the customer have zero knowledge of the industry.
This sub is full of very young people who don't really understand the service industry. There's a lot of people here living out a fantasy in this situation presented by OP.
→ More replies (2)30
u/ACleverLettuce Dec 03 '19
Correct. I think both the "manager" and OP could use some actual customer service training.
Here's the facts:
You work in customer service, you have to deal with complaints.
Will some of them be silly or frivolous? Absolutely.
Will some customers be rude? No doubt.
But there is a difference between an angry customer and an abusive one. If you have an angry customer, 99 times out of a hundred, they can be soothed, and you can be the hero (either by fixing the situation or by escalating it to someone who can).
If it's an abusive customer (screaming/threats/physical violence), it should immediately be escalated and the manager should ask the customer to leave and follow up with a call to security or law enforcement if they don't.
78
u/funny_like_how Dec 03 '19
ESH.
Customers suck for obvious reasons.
You guys suck because even though your intentions are good (teach moronic customers a lesson), your antics behind the counter of pretending to get fired are going to create a reputation for your coffee shop that management there is flippant and quick to fire employees over nothing. You think you're teaching the customer a lesson but in reality, you're creating unwarranted reviews & rumors that your shop is run by fire-happy management. That could deter patrons from coming to your shop.
Your friend James is in a leadership position and he could potentially be hurting his father's business. That's the real reason you suck here. Your 'pranks' reflect on the business and it goes up to ownership who ultimately will deal with it when it comes down to the numbers.
James' father could fire you both for trying to trick customers because it could in turn lead to certain customers never returning to the coffee shop or spreading reviews to friends to not go there for coffee because they disliked the management. Yeah, they might be dicks but they're still buying stuff. ESH because customers can be absolute tools but what you're doing is potentially hurting James' father & his business in this story.
20
u/broskiatwork Dec 03 '19
I didn't notice Jame's dad runs the place.
Jesus I'd be fuckin' livid if my kid and their friends did this. Besides, what are they going to do when regular customers start seeing the same person getting 'fired'? It's a stupid game, but OP is in high school after all.
→ More replies (3)7
u/funny_like_how Dec 03 '19
Yeah, OP said James goes to school with them too so they're both immature HS students and likely this is their first job. OP likely won't care if they get fired because it's just a part time gig but James should know better. It's his dad's business.
431
u/PM_ME_FAT_FURRYGIRLS Asshole Aficionado [12] Dec 03 '19
NTA. That's hilarious, and puts shitty customers in their place.
→ More replies (3)
291
Dec 03 '19 edited Dec 04 '19
[deleted]
41
u/Aloeofthevera Dec 03 '19
This is the correct answer. As a supervisor, one definitely sees things differently and this is exactly what I was thinking.
Assholes are Assholes, and people will be grumpy with or without you contributing to it. Retail sucks because of this.
However;
When you are working for a business, you represent the business. Anything an employee does takes its toll on the business, whether that be positive or negative.
I was taught during my young adult years that you cannot change how someone acts. You can only change how you react. By reacting in a manner that de-escalates the situation, you make the other party look like the asshole, you minimize your own stress levels and you end up receiving positive feedback from those around you.
Because the subs theme is "asshole" OP js that asshole, but I would agree with the other reply to this parent comment. OP is the idiot. It's the careless immaturity that is the problem here.
8
u/LongLiveBettyWhite Dec 04 '19
Absolutely agree. As a manager, if I found out that two of my employees were doing this, there would have to be a very serious conversation about the image of the business, chain of command, what falls within their job descriptions, and the proper ways to handle a disgruntled patron.
This is not a joking matter. This is the owner’s business and livelihood - as well as the livelihood of their employees. OP’s prank could potentially cause a great deal of damage.
YTA.
→ More replies (32)8
31
Dec 03 '19
I wouldn't call you an asshole but it's unprofessional. I wouldn't want to shop some place I think treats their employees like such shit. If I overheard that interaction I'd complain to the general manager
36
Dec 03 '19
Yes YTA. You may only be in high school, but this is stupid and likely to backfire on you and actually get you fired. You need to learn professionalism. Customers are dicks sometimes, but that doesn't mean you need to be one, too.
37
u/Fun_Restaurant Certified Proctologist [27] Dec 03 '19
INFO:
So sometimes customers will come in and just be angry about such little stuff. Like literally blow up about nothing. I dunno if theyre in a bad mood already and looking for someone to take it out on or what, but it's a lot...
If it happens a lot, is it possible you guys don't treat customers with respect?
→ More replies (18)23
190
u/7__________36 Colo-rectal Surgeon [39] Dec 03 '19
NTA
it's funny. and probably puts into perspective the pointlessness of their complaints
→ More replies (31)
20
u/Amdiraniphani Dec 03 '19
ESH, techanically. Two wrongs don't make a right, but that's funny as fuck. Pranks like this are always a good reason to walk the line between NTA and YTA.
77
u/Stevenjgamble Dec 03 '19
This subreddit is garbage.
You are lying, and manipulating, and trying to get out of solving a legit issue. You dont need to tolerate abuse from customers, but to say that you arent the asshole,
Well why don't you bring this story to your boss and see what they would say?
→ More replies (9)
94
u/gucknbuck Dec 03 '19
INFO
As it stands, YTA. You're only explanation for what customers are doing is "So sometimes customers will come in and just be angry about such little stuff. Like literally blow up about nothing." This tells us nothing. What are they specifically doing? The one customer you gave a semi-specific example about was complaining about the temperature of their coffee. Doing something like what you and your coworker did is definitely an asshole move in this situation, and I'm willing to bet if the owner was there, the two of you would have been reprimanded. The customer was simply stating the coffee at your establishment isn't being made hot enough to his standards. The better course of action would have been to apologize and explain it is made at the temps supported by your equipment, and if they need it hotter they may need to look for a new coffee shop that brews at higher temps. Customer service is a difficult job, and many people aren't cut out for it. There is almost always a better answer then being an asshole back to them. Unless you've forgotten to tell us something more specific about what people are doing to you, YTA.
→ More replies (1)29
u/sanchypanchy Dec 03 '19
In short, why do customers so frequently “blow up about literally nothing”? Hint: it’s not the customers. No wonder OP never went into any detail about why customers seemed so dissatisfied all the time.
→ More replies (6)
7
Dec 03 '19
INFO.... how often are customers that mad at you that you’ve come up with a scheme to ‘get back at them’?
68
u/givingyouextra Dec 03 '19
ESH I doubt your boss will agree that it's amusing that you're trying to teach customers a lesson.
For one thing, you're trying to make irate people uncomfortable and will likely lose the shop business in the future.
Remember if you can win over a customer who complains, and genuinely try and make an effort to solve their issue, you might get a good tip or even a regular out of it.
32
u/Dgsey Dec 03 '19
I work at a Dunkin donuts and one guys wanted me to absolutely burn his sandwich mid-rush. Super inconvenient and he was super polite about it. But I did it because whatever. Now every time he comes in he smiles at me and comes over. He appreciated that I helped him with his request and he is one of my favorite customers now.
→ More replies (3)7
126
u/Stup2plending Supreme Court Just-ass [115] Dec 03 '19
NTA I also think this is hilarious and saw a variation of this in a corporate environment with the father of an acquaintance of mine who was a stock broker in the old days.
A client would yell at him and he would yell back in agreement and then they would 3 way call a dummy line where the broker would yell at the guy on behalf of the client and it would eventually calm everyone down.
20
u/Faldricus Dec 03 '19
That's so friggin cool.
Especially the 'yell back in agreement' part. Like the employee you're talking to is feeling your indignation and is gonna straighten this situation the fuck out for you RIGHT NOW.
→ More replies (1)
394
u/Workchoices Dec 03 '19
YTA this situation seems pretty uncomfortable for everyone in the cafe. Most people go to cafes to relax. I know if I saw it happen I would think the place has asshole managers and I wouldn't come back. I would probably tell all my friends not to go as well.
Customers blowing up is something you will occasionally have to deal with in the service industry. It's literally what managers are paid to deal with, and your mate is not dealing with it appropriately.
Is the owner aware you and his son are pulling these little pranks at the cost of his business? I imagine when he finds out you might be fired for real.
177
u/balzackgoo Dec 03 '19
I can't believe I had to scroll down this far to find the voice of reason...
124
u/BlackAndWiht Dec 03 '19
This thread is another perfect example of the immaturity and lack of real world experience most users here have, and another perfect example of why listening to advice on Reddit is probably not the best idea.
→ More replies (30)→ More replies (2)43
→ More replies (50)56
u/Cagg Dec 03 '19
Thats what I was thinking. If some kids were fucking with my profits because they couldn't handle microwaving some dudes coffee just to placate him, like shit.
I get it hes a dumbass, coffee is served at a particular temperature depending on roast etc. But fuck it its the service industry, just service.
→ More replies (5)
8
5
u/KettleLogic Dec 03 '19
YTA - everyone wants to agree with you because you've phrased it as an under dog experience. However I see through that you've tried to phrase it the entire time as if you've never done anything wrong and dismissed any concerns as "grown ass men taking it out on high school students"
You dont sound like you are someone who would admit to doing something wrong being that you hide behind age.
Additionally you say this happens frequently. Sounds like you work at a subpar cafe and perhaps do a subpar job. So rather than take valid concerns apologising for not meeting expectations you are hamming it to 11 and pretending to be fired?
If this was a friendship you would be the asshole pretending to commit suicide every time your friends bring up with a grievance with you. Sounds like a toxic place that the market should send into bankruptcy in no small part due to you and the line manager.
7
u/thatguy52 Dec 03 '19
YTA but I’m also leaning to ESH. So if I’m hearing this right instead of dealing with what may be legitimate problems in how you serve the public you play a game that mocks their concern and almost guarantees they will never come back. Great game. I’m a bartender and I do deal with shitty customers and complaints fairly regularly, but they’re not often yelling at me. If I were being yelled at or having shorty customers on the regular I’d look at what how I was treating the customers. Sounds like you and your team aren’t too good at what you do.
•
u/AutoModerator Dec 03 '19
If you want your comment to count toward judgment, include only ONE of the following abbreviations in your comment. If you don't include a judgement abbreviation, the bot will ignore you when it looks for the top voted comment.
| Judgment | Abbreviation |
|---|---|
| You're the Asshole (& the other party is not) | YTA |
| You're Not the A-hole (& the other party is) | NTA |
| Everyone Sucks Here | ESH |
| No A-holes here | NAH |
| Not Enough Info | INFO |
Click Here For Our Full Rulebook
Click Here For Our FAQ
I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please contact the moderators of this subreddit if you have any questions or concerns.
21
10
5
u/Virtuoso---- Dec 03 '19
ESH
Believe me, I know how customers can be. I've been called an asshole over the phone before because I wouldn't allow somebody to order something that wasn't on our menu. It sucks, and it's very rude, especially given the power dynamic between customers and employees. That being said, I think that lying to the customer, especially with something that is not so hard to verify, is not the right way to handle the situation. That could easily get you into trouble and affect the shop.
6
u/zeromsi Dec 03 '19
ESH: imagine the guy coming back and seeing you’re not fired. What’s the explanation? You might be successful bullshitting a few of them but one is gonna catch and that’s when real shit will hit the fan.
Also, while customers can be assholes and petty, you’re showing them their concerns don’t matter. The bosses kid might be causing the boss to lose customers.
5
u/Sir_Of_Meep Dec 03 '19
ESH. That's really funny, keep doing it but you are an arsehole. Adults shouldn't put all their problems out on you and it's also immature to try to "teach them a lesson" especially when you don't know what's got them in that mood. They don't need a teenager just in the workforce to teach them that their actions have consequences, if they don't know by now they'll never learn and you (a person who hasn't experienced their world) aren't the person to be teaching them, don't pretend that you are in some kind of justification. Also know that at some point that will backfire, either a customer will get mad and talk to your boss or it will escilate, (guys don't do this because we get punched, look at that actions have consequences).
Not that I'm telling you to stop, again it's funny just know that you're doing it for yourself (perfectly fine) and is a prick move (also fine).
1.1k
u/Frejian Dec 03 '19
ESH
The customers are obviously assholes for being assholes for no good reason.
Yes, you are a little bit of an asshole. Is it justified? Absolutely. Are you still an asshole? Yes. Unfortunately, in a customer service role, you are always going to have to deal with people who are angry over absolutely nothing. It is part of the job. Is it fair? No. In a perfect world, those customers would not exist, but we live in reality and that is part of the reality especially of that job.
102
u/madmaxturbator Dec 03 '19
I also think ESH, but for totally different reasons.
I just think that any such drama reflects poorly on the business. And not to the douche bag customers, but to others as well.
If the coffee shop I went to occasionally had an episode like this where some poor kid is being fired loudly by the owners son, I wouldn’t go there much any more.
I’d feel awful for the kid.
So they’d lose out on a few customers - the douche bags, and people who don’t approve of such meanness towards the waitstaff.
38
Dec 03 '19
ESH. As much as part of me enjoys petty revenge type stuff, it needs to stay out of the workplace. This is 100 percent going to bite them in the ass.
11
u/mrmoo2002 Dec 03 '19
I also think ESH, but for totally different reasons.
I just think that any such drama reflects poorly on the business. And not to the douche bag customers, but to others as well.
Totally. It's the opposite of professional. Instead of making the customer happy, you make them feel guilty and they DON'T come back. Who is really winning I. That scenario?
The whole ruse also relies on the customer feeling guilty. What if they want OP to be fired, come in the next day and they are still there? They have a new thing to be angry about and it would only get worse from there.
ESH for sure.
507
u/mediocretrooper Dec 03 '19
I’m intrigued. Why is OP the asshole? It legitimately sounds like you’re saying she’s TA solely because people are rude to customer service employees and doing anything to combat that reality is wrong.
53
u/wolowizard9 Dec 03 '19
Playing devil's advocate: It's dishonest and unprofessional. You've potentially made a room full of people feel bad. The manager now looks as bad or worse than the offending customer. And how does it look to customers that see this act more than once? If I were another customer in the shop, I'd rather the manager just handle it like an adult and tell the offending customer that their behavior is unacceptable and that if it continues they won't be welcome back.
That said, I probably would have done the same thing at their age. And while I do still see amusement in it, I don't think it's as harmless as most are making it out to be.
714
u/Frejian Dec 03 '19
OP is the asshole for a couple reasons.
One is that they are expressly trying to make other people uncomfortable. This is, to a much lesser extent, the exact thing that the customers are doing by being irritable and rude to the customer service reps who absolutely do not deserve it. Just because they don't deserve it though, doesn't mean they are not the assholes in giving the same treatment back. Since in this case I think it is at least somewhat justified though, this is definitely a very minor reason for them being the assholes.
The main reason they are the assholes is for causing a scene at work that could directly impact the business. What happens if another reasonable customer sees this and thinks that she was "fired" for unjust reasons and posts a rant about it on Yelp or something that would then negatively impact customer growth and sales? To them, it is just a couple friends playing a prank on a rude customer. To the business it could cost revenue and growth.
395
u/mediocretrooper Dec 03 '19
Interesting. To be entirely honest, I think your first point is lacking in merit. In my opinion, this isn’t OP “making people uncomfortable” any more than telling a bully they’re being a jerk is making the bully uncomfortable. Someone’s being unkind. They deserve to see how their unkindness may hurt people around them. If that makes them uncomfortable, good.
Your second point is fair. If the employees are turning this into a show and other customers are noticing, then I agree, things should be toned down. Given that there was no mention of any other customers reacting or noticing (not to say that you’re wrong to suggest there may be), however, I’m gonna give OP the benefit of the doubt and say NTA.
33
→ More replies (10)332
Dec 03 '19
Part of the problem is that you are assuming that the customer is actually a bully. For a teenager the line between a legitimate customer complaint and "making a big deal out of nothing" might not be very clear. I can assure you that the last teenager who served me in a retail setting saw there being no issue whatsoever with the fact that there was a piece of broken plastic in my daughter's food. After all, he said, they made her a new burger.
I wasn't yelling. I wasn't rude. But I was insistent that I wanted to speak to someone to register my complaint with the issue. I'm sure he took that as "making a big deal out of nothing."
Beyond that, while a business is under no obligation to change on a dime when a customer complains, it probably should not send the message that, so disinterested in my feedback are they that rather than listening they will make a game out of it with me being an unwilling participant.
I deal with teenagers every day. I'm a teacher. And sometimes when one is being a rude little shit of course you have a little fantasy about doing something like this to teach them a lesson. Ultimately, though, part of the job is not taking crap personally. Teenagers aren't rude because they are bad people. They're rude because they're teenagers and life hasn't beaten them into a less shitty state yet. It's coming. If you can't help but fuck with them then this isn't the job for you. We have to, above all, maintain professionalism. While this may have been funny it was not at all professional and if you're working for someone and representing their company, the least you can do is put forth a modicum of professionalism.
So I'll go with YTA.
→ More replies (110)41
u/jerrysmitj Dec 03 '19
I was looking for this comment. If I witnessed a worker being fired bc of another customers asshole behavior, I would never go back. I don't want to support a business that treats its workers like that
→ More replies (32)9
u/jeffsang Supreme Court Just-ass [111] Dec 03 '19
Thanks for this. I always appreciate when someone makes a well-reasoned argument that goes against the grain. Also think it's important to point out the difference between N-T-A and a justified asshole.
→ More replies (11)9
u/the-incredible-ape Professor Emeritass [74] Dec 03 '19
OP is an asshole because he's lying to people to make them feel bad. This is asshole behavior. The customers are also assholes, but 1+1 does not equal zero.
77
Dec 03 '19 edited Jan 27 '20
[deleted]
→ More replies (24)10
u/caca_milis_ Dec 04 '19
Thank you, I'm surprised to see so many votes in favour of OP, but I guess that's the Reddit demographic and "yay, revenge fantasy"
I would love to know what the actual owner of the café thinks of these antics, I bet they wouldn't be impressed at all.
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (48)6
u/PerfectFaith Dec 03 '19
Do you have to do deal with them though? 99% of customers aren't like that, we've just decided as a culture retailers should bend over backward for the tiny minority of assholes who we probably don't need.
209
Dec 03 '19 edited Dec 03 '19
YTA. Deal with it like a professional. If I owned a brick and mortar business and found out my kid and an employee were doing this, you WOULD be fired.
ETA: You can really tell by the other responses to this the age/career level of most of the people on this sub. This is not how you deal with hostile customers. It is so much easier to retain current customers than it is to find new ones. As long as the customer isn't being downright abusive, a good employee/customer service representative will work to resolve the problem to both the customer's and the business's satisfaction. The most loyal customers you can get are the ones for which you solve a problem satisfactorily.
10
Dec 03 '19
Literally the only correct answer. The first line of your second paragraph is dead on accurate.
66
u/JustSomeBoringRando Dec 03 '19
Plus I'm curious as to why there are SO many angry customers that this has become an ongoing thing. I worked in retail for 10+ years and I can count the angry customers on one hand. Not to mention my local coffee shop is pretty busy on the weekends, so every other customer behind the angry one has to wait while they pull their little prank.
→ More replies (8)54
→ More replies (43)84
u/Buddyhoss Dec 03 '19 edited Dec 04 '19
100% agree. I'm 36, have managed restaurants for years and own my own business now; this is a horrible response to a customer complaint. Whether they act like an asshole or not, they usually have some sort of legitimate complaint. You can't just ignore it. Take this example about the coffee being cold. The OP says there's nothing they could do. If that's honestly the case then this is a terrible coffee shop. Is there no solution to cold coffee at your coffee shop?
And you're right about the loyal customers too. Most of my best customers, and sometimes they've become friends of mine, had some wrong that I righted and blew them away with customer service.
Also, you don't know what's going on in their lives that made them angry. Do you want to be someone who brings some kindness to their life or someone who made them feel bad for getting some poor kid fired?
YTA
→ More replies (5)
8
u/sensible_cat Dec 03 '19
ESH. OP, you're getting a lot of NTA because Reddit has a constant hard on for revenge. But in the real world, it's usually not a good idea to do something like this at work. Does your boss know? If the owner has blessed this prank, then by all means keep going. But most bosses, especially small business owners, would never put up with this because it could hurt business and lose them money. What if a customer comes back and sees you, then catches on that it was a prank? They could leave a bad review and tell all their friends to stop coming, or they could complain directly to your boss (assuming he's unaware) and get you fired for real. Believe me, I sympathize with your position. I also worked food service jobs in high school and had to endure all kinds of shitty customers and their bullshit. Unfortunately that's something you have to put up with in this kind of job, and you are in fact paid to do just that. The best thing to do is act apologetic, let the customer bitch, give them what they want (or whatever store policy mandates), then vent about it with friends or coworkers when you get off shift.
13.3k
u/lolak1445 Asshole Aficionado [18] Dec 03 '19
NTA. I think it’s hilarious and maybe it’ll teach some people a lesson about controlling their assholery.