Money vs Niceness
I have a client like that right now and at first I thought "She's not so bad, people are exaggerating..." Well, they werent. She is mean and nasty. I dont care if you did spend $50,000.00 dollars on your crappy laundry room, that is no reason to play prima dona, treat my installer like a personal handy man, DO your laundry in the construction zone and expect Tony to work around your maids, yell that its dusty, and change your mind AFTER the cabinets are ordered and 3/4 of the way installed....."What Hollis wants, Hollis gets" isnt working for me any more....it isnt cute. Treat a construction zone for what it is....AND if you have THAT much money, go stay in a hotel!!! You mean, mean lady!! Thank you, Im done. |
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| We all need to vent sometimes Darcy... but, part of any job that deals with people is that the customer is always right. At least they need to feel like they are....lol.... that only goes so far though, she has no right to degrade you or the crew. Good luck! |
Grrr. I'm sorry Darcy! That is so frustrating and it seems like there is nothing you can do but tolerate it (if you want to continue to have her business). 
I guess you just have to think that maybe they are that evil because they have something(s) missing in their life and they take it out on other people. I was working right after college at Nordstrom and was ringing up a customer (I worked in a woman's section, but this was a man and his son, obviously buying something for mom) and he was so rude. I can't remember now what exactly was said to start it, but he ended up telling his son, Don't worry son, she's only a cashier, she doesn't matter. I almost quit right there because we aren't allowed to yell at customers, but I was SO close...For one thing, who cares if someone is 'just' a cashier...it's a perfectly good job and no less important than any other job...and second, I had graduated college with 2 majors and this man just presumed I was not intelligent or of value, JUST because I was working as a cashier. (Can you tell, 4 years later it still bothers me!!). What mostly bothered me about this was the attitude this man was instilling in his 10-12 year old son...Soon he'll be part of the next generation of rude jerks...and think it's normal... Sorry, rant over... |
| Rant away, ladies! That's what we're here for! Better to rant to us than to the customers!
Chris |
| But once the installation starts, it's "So sorry, but I can't return them, so you'll just have to pay for them...can I install them in your garage instead?" Then charge her double for installation..... |
| Since I travel alot, my pet peeve is the people who treat waitstaff and flight attendants/gate agents badly. I feel bad for waitstaff and airline employees in particular because they have little or no control over the things that happen, but are on the front line taking the flack. I don't know what it is about high level jobs and/or money that causes people to believe that they have the right to be inexcusably rude.
My clients are really demanding, but they're buying a product that costs a lot of money so I expect that! Fortunately they're rarely rude. Although I did have one client who wouldn't let me take a sick day when I was conducting a training session. I had been to the emergency room over the weekend for a bad flu that lodged in my chest, and could barely talk, but she wouldn't let me take a sick day because it would throw her schedule off a day. These software implementations can take a year or longer, and that project is more than a day off schedule now  But not because of me LOL! |
| Let's hear it for the cashiers, since I are one. And I've had my share of negative "compliments. Yes the customer is always right; even if they're wrong. Thank God for the ones that ask me about Barney and Maggie. |
As one who works everyday with the public I know how difficult it can be. I try not to let it show however....one day an older man called me a bitch because he wanted to use a coupon that had expired over 2 years before and I couldn't take it. My reply? "Wow, you're really a quick judge of character, it usually takes people awhile to realize I'm a bitch" Then I smiled sweetly at the guy  He kind of stammered and left. He turned into a regular customer and still comes in more than 5 years later. |
| If he still comes in 5 years later, I hope you're still turning down those 5 year old coupons....
Great answer! When I was growing up, my next door neighbors told my parents a story of how they were driving and accidentally cut someone off, who drove up along side and yelled "A****le". The wife looks at the husband and says: "Normy, they know your name!" |
Now that's a great answer  |
| Darcy,
I think I know your client ! When I was a pediatric nurse giving immunizations to children all day, I prided myself on attempting to take the fright out of the situation. So I had a soft sell approach, and a safe but swift technique. I remember your client because her introduction of me to her child was: "Here's that mean nurse who is going to hurt you with the shots" The poor kid jumped off the examination table and ran to the corner of the room. (Who wouldn't?) We had to reschedule him to another day because according to mother he was difficult and "you're father will have to bring you in" There's always one in every crowd. |
| I don't really buy the customer's always right stuff. That's for people that need every customer for business to thrive. People don't have a right to be the customer. People should be grateful for services rendered by others. I think you always have to treat the customer with respect but that doesn't mean you need to cave into every whim and tolerate every insult. But you have to be nice when you show them the door. . . I've actually written a bunch of letters this year terminating customers for abusive hostile behavior. . . . The letters were nice, of course, but the message was clear. |
valerie wrote: I've actually written a bunch of letters this year terminating customers for abusive hostile behavior. . . . The letters were nice, of course, but the message was clear. Wow... what business are you in? |
| Shocking, isn't it? Turning customers away? Competitive telephone service. I spend alot of time coaching our people on being nice to customers (even troublesome annoying ones) but some customers exact too great a toll on the morale of the customer service reps or generate too much activity from the frequency of calls, made-up issues, and needless escalation of trivial questions. Just not worth it. . . |
| Hmm, writing letters to people saying they can't be customers anymore. Can I do that where I work?
Sometimes high velocity lead poisoning seems like a great answer to people's 'troubles'. |
| I wish I could wright letters to some of my customers
Tanya |
| As always Im the last one too read a good thread like this.My boyfriend works for his uncle who owns a drywall company.They do it all.Frameing,hanging,tapeing,painting,you name it.My BF HATES going too do repairs,or finishing someones basement,due too the whole "DONT get my floor dirty!!"UHMMMMMMMM...lady Im putting up drywall mud,some will end up on the floor.I know for Bob(my b/f)he ALWAYS scrapes the floors before he he says he is done. Being a nurse,I have run into some real doozies myself!!I did in home care for a few yrs,I went in and did assements on people who needed medical care but didnt want too go into a houseing situation.Alot of the private pay people have/had alot of money,and feel they could make the nurseing assistants do everything and anything.When i 1st started doing assesments I wanted too make the new client happy so Id say,"Ok Ill put that you would like breakfast @ 8am in bed,and while your eating they can clean your closets out Ill put it in your care plan."Well altho i knew cleaning closets was in no way the CNA's duty,I wanted too make mrs.Smith happy .Well BIG mistake!!!My CNA's were not happy by any means!!!!Once it is in the care plan they have too do it.I learned I better make my CNA's happy before I make the clients,if my CNA's arent happy,then whos going too go out and take care of the clients.Altho alot of people tried haveing the CNA's do the silliest things for them,I made it clear too the clients the CNA doesnt HAVE too do the little things for you.If they have time and want too then its fine.(usually those CNAs got bigger pay checks)Yes the clients paid the CNAs but w/o anyone working whos going to care for the clients.It was a catch.Too me if a disabled/elderly person ask you too please straighten out the shoes in their closet IF you have time whats the big deal?BUT then again if you start doing that well they expect it all the time?I know when i had too go do cares if my CNA was sick or whatever reason I would do the little things they asked.I soon got tired of bickering w/ the CNAs/clients because I understood both parties so I went too work in Mpls HCMC in the ER depart..Usually no one is asking for any extras!!LOL!! Kill em w/ kindness is what i usually say.Ive been told "oh your "just a nurse,your NO dr.!!"My responce was "Well do you want this nurse too save your life,OR do you want too wait for the dr. who is in emerg. surgery?Your choice big guy!!"I got,sorry for that...hehe!!!Some people!!MAN!!!Darcy,wouldnt you just love too tell people to shove it up their bums some times?????hehe!! |
zahra wrote: Darcy,
I think I know your client ! When I was a pediatric nurse giving immunizations to children all day, I prided myself on attempting to take the fright out of the situation. So I had a soft sell approach, and a safe but swift technique. I remember your client because her introduction of me to her child was: "Here's that mean nurse who is going to hurt you with the shots" The poor kid jumped off the examination table and ran to the corner of the room. (Who wouldn't?) We had to reschedule him to another day because according to mother he was difficult and "you're father will have to bring you in" There's always one in every crowd. Ahh - that's a way to scare a child! I always tell my boys that the nice nurse is going to poke them and then give them a cool band-aid and a balloon since that's what our pedi's office gives out. My 3 yr old has to go in next week for a shot... Crazy kids love going to the pedi now! Probably helps that I go to the store and buy them a treat if they behave themselves, lol |
| Tanya, You bet I would love to tell them a thing or too, but I just cant do it. My Mom taught me "If you cant say anything nice, dont say it at all." So I just bite my tongue...ouch, it hurts sometimes....but ohh the thoughts that run through my mind...lol |
| LMAO@Gail!! I do the same thing w/ my 9yr old!!!!We are push overs!!!LOL!! Ive learned if I even get the slightest thought of having too bite my tounge,I usually stick some gum in the ole mouth....some people!!!GOSH!!  |
I'm so glad I came back to this post because I'm dealing with a very, very demanding client this week and on through next week). Not a nasty person, but extremely controlling and detail oriented, and subject to changes of mind. I guess I just need to take a deep breath and realize that I'm not alone 
The things we have to put up with for the money to buy dog toys! |
| I love that answer!!! Quote: Wow, you're really a quick judge of character, it usually takes people awhile to realize I'm a bitch" |
Bailey's Mom wrote: I'm so glad I came back to this post because I'm dealing with a very, very demanding client this week and on through next week). Not a nasty person, but extremely controlling and detail oriented, and subject to changes of mind. I guess I just need to take a deep breath and realize that I'm not alone
The things we have to put up with for the money to buy dog toys! Here's the prescription, I worked with a psychiatrist for many years, and he loved to tease us nurses. He said someone at a dinner party asked him one day-- Doctor, how do you do it ? For years on end, day after day, you listen to everyones stories and worries. His response: So who listens? |
| Over the years I've tried all the different responses to difficult people; being rude, being mean, ignoring them, confronting them, turning around and walking away. I've finally discovered that the one way that seems to work the best (for me) is to kill them with kindness. By going "overboard" (WAY OVERBOARD) with the "nice" MOST obnoxious people USUALLY get the message that their behavior is childlike and stupid. I don't work myself up into a frenzy and they wind up with egg on their face feeling a bit like an idiot (and who can complain about someone being "too nice"). |
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