So I’ve been working in retail for a while and seen my share of odd and rude customers, but today I had my very first “Karen”, and he was american also. (I’m not, and I’m in Australia).
The store I work for doesn’t give their bags for free, we charge for them. This guy picked an online order and then threw up a tantrum and demanded to speak to a manager when I refused to give him a bag for free. Another team member (more experienced) just gave him the bag and he just left.
That does it I guess, but it’s giving in to rude demands what sustains this kind of behavior imo. I’m not trying to protect the interests of the corporate I work for- it’s just a stupid bag ffs, perhaps ask nicely? I’ve been called off both for giving away bags for free before as well as calling for the manager to deal with “minor issues”.
So I’m asking, in general, how do you deal with these types of customers?
I’ve been in customer service in various roles for over twenty years. I’ve spent the last six in different positions in animal shelters, veterinary clinics, and am currently at a pet food manufacturer. Anything involving people’s pets leads to highly emotional situations, especially when things don’t go the way pet owners are hoping. I’ve dealt with people on some of the worst days of their lives. This leads to a lot of heated interactions.
You’re absolutely right, your coworker’s choice to give in to this man’s tantrum is not how that should have been handled. It rewards Karen’s nasty behavior, and it sends the wrong message to other customers. Staying calm, explaining policies simply, and not becoming defensive or arguing points that don’t matter is important. My golden rule is to avoid letting a customer get a reaction out of me by all means necessary. I usually tire them out with calm kindness and repetition, because they’re used to making people uncomfortable to get their way. I’ve got all day, Karen. At least I’m getting paid for this, while they’re wasting their own time.
I resonate with this answer. I should practice more that “repeat calmly I got all day” strategy.
I’m glad it was helpful! Staying zen in the face of an irate or confrontational customer isn’t easy, but it’s the most effective way I have found to manage these types of situations. Rules and policies are in place for a reason, and I’m not going to be bullied into unfairly breaking rules for an asshole. If people are nice and respectful I will do everything in my power to assist however I can, but entitled people need to stop being catered to. The fact that their behavior gets them what they want is exactly why they treat people this way.