Public incompetence

[jaretac]

Okay, this thread is for everyone in public or customer service who has had to deal with the public stupidity first hand.

Let's hear the stories.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cb4BthGDlsc]YouTube - Crazy Cat Lady Calls Police[/ame]

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

That call is great.

I know this sounds like one of those urban legends but it actually happened to me. I was working nights years ago. About 1 hour before shift end a user who was just starting for the day calls and says they can't get into one of the mainframe applications.

So I log into it just fine. She then tells me that she doesn't even get the logon option from her terminal and of course she can't tell me her terminal address. So go out and check the IBM 3174s and they all look right. Now I start displaying network nodes and everything looks ok there. So after a while I decide to cycle the controller.

So I power down the controller and reboot it. Vary the nodes back online and everything still looks fine. I call her back and ask her if she can log in now. She says no. I tell her what I have done and that I am pretty confused because everything looks good and that I really need to know her exact terminal so I can display that particular node. She then asks me if it might have something to do with the fact that there were no lights. I ask he if the power is off on the second floor and she says yes. I told he to call the building engineer and hung up.

Why would you call the computer room and say you can't get into an application while you are sitting in the dark and your computer won't turn on because there is no power?

[CycloneErik]

I had a few good ones working at Sears. One couple called to say that their lawnmower (which I had sold them) was broken. I asked what the problem was, and over the conversation, it came out that the blade was bent upwards about 90 degrees, so they wanted to exchange the mower. I explained that we could get them a new blade, which is what we ended up doing. I put it on for them in the parking lot. It was awesome.

[jaretac]

I liked the lady that called us wanting us to tow a car out of her spot in UV. It turned out that it was actually her neighbors spot and that she had been parking in it all winter because there was snow in her spot. We told her we couldn't tow anyone out of that spot because it didn't belong to her and she lost it.

[CycloneErik]

I had a customer that wanted to return a Christmas tree she claimed to have purchased a year or so previously. The "trunk" of it was snapped, so she claimed a manufacturing defect.

She didn't have a receipt, but refused to believe that we couldn't just give her an exchange based on her word. So, she and her partner staged a sit-in on the lawn tractors. This lasted about 2-3 hours, while my manager continued to call and ask if they were still there, so he could avoid the situation.

Finally, she got her new tree.

[Mr Janny]

When I was in high school, I worked at Hy-Vee. One time I was stocking shelves, and a middle aged woman tapped me on the shoulder. I asked if I could help her.

She seemed fairly upset, and after about 10 or so seconds just blurts out, "Your seafood department is terrible!"

I thought maybe someone was on break and maybe she hadn't been able to get served, so I said "Oh, I'm sorry, is there nobody back there?"

"I wouldn't buy anything from your seafood department!" she was pretty angry, "It smells like fish back there!"

That took me back for a second and I was like "Excuse me?"

"You heard me! Your seafood department smells like fish! It's not supposed to do that!"

I was pretty much at a loss at this point, as I realized that I was dealing with a crazy person. Luckily, out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Jim, the shift manager. I called out to him, got him to come over, and explained that this lady had a concern. He was very polite and asked, "What seems to be the trouble?"

The lady responded very slow, deliberate, and really angry. "YOUR SEAFOOD DEPARTMENT... SMELLS LIKE FISH!!!"

I think I will remember the look on Jim's face as long as live. It was a combination of politeness, anger, weariness, and humor. I've never seen the same thing since. I'm sure he wanted to unload on this nutjob with both barrels, but to his credit stayed calm and just said, "Well, what would you like it to smell like?"

The woman went off again about how seafood shouldn't smell like fish.

Finally, Jim just said "I'm sorry, but our seafood department smells like fish. Perhaps our store is not suited to your needs at this time." Then he just walked away. The lady didn't say anything more. She just left the store.

[GeronimusClone]

I went to a gas station in Ames to get quarters for laundry because the change machine was broke. I bought a Coke, gave her a ten and asked for a dollar of my change to be in quarters.
"We don't sell quarters."
Hmmm. "I realize you don't really sell money. But I was thinking, the change you were going to give me anyway would still be a dollar, just in a different form."
"I told you, we don't sell quarters."
I rolled my pop across the counter asked for my ten back and left.

[Wesley]

I had a few good ones working at Sears. One couple called to say that their lawnmower (which I had sold them) was broken. I asked what the problem was, and over the conversation, it came out that the blade was bent upwards about 90 degrees, so they wanted to exchange the mower. I explained that we could get them a new blade, which is what we ended up doing. I put it on for them in the parking lot. It was awesome.

YOu mean you just not bend in back into place?

[CycloneErik]

YOu mean you just not bend in back into place?

I hadn't eaten yet, so my strength was down.

[GeronimusClone]

My boss yesterday was asked a question by a gal I work with.
Question: "If Glenn is spelled with two 'n's does that mean it's a woman's name?"
Answer: "Depends on her last name."
She was dead serious.

[Cyclonepride]

I can think of 535 of them, all in one building even.

[djcubby]

One of my favorite stories I know of from working at Hy-Vee is that one of my co-workers was working in the dairy department and this older women asked if we carried a certain type of milk that she wanted and he regretably said that we did not. She went off and reamed him for a few minutes and then finally got fed up with it and said "look lady, I don't get paid enough to listen to you ***** (rhymes with itch)" and went into the back room. A shift manager overheard the whole thing and actually backed my co-worker.

[CYKID]

I worked for Menards and managed the returns counter. I had a guy ask me if I had a good dental plan because he was going to knock my teeth out if I didn't give him his cash back.
I also had another guy threaten to get his shotgun out of his truck and shoot me if I didnt return his water heater.
I also had several people hand me their cell phones and say "my mother(or husband) is on the phone and your not gonna like it now"
Some people are so irrational when they don't get their way. I'm sure I didn't help my case because I really don't let anything like that bother me . Would you really shoot someone over a return?

[CyDude16]

Working at Hy-vee theres too many to tell. But the people that really irk me is when they blame me for stuff being out. Like its my fault that there wasn't sufficient amount being ordered or it sold out faster then they thought.

[Mr Janny]

Working at Hy-vee theres too many to tell. But the people that really irk me is when they blame me for stuff being out. Like its my fault that there wasn't sufficient amount being ordered or it sold out faster then they thought.

At the Hy-Vee where i worked, there was an incident with an old woman who lost control of her bowels while walking up and down the aisles. We must have caught her after Thanksgiving, because the "trail" went on for about 4 aisles. It would have been impressive had it not been so gross. The shift manager ended up cleaning it all up because every one else refused.