Before my husband died, the cancer paralyzed him from the waist down. After bathing, dressing, lifting in and out of a chair to get him to the car and then driving somewhere to find no handicapped spaces – was torture. You already had to work so hard just to get to the hospital, doctor or wherever you were going but then to be forced to navigate curbs, and walks across a lot…people have no idea how inconsiderate it is to take a space from someone who really needs it.

Though I can’t find the relevant link right now, around that time we were given ADA guidelines for handicap seating in performance venues. If I remember correctly, the gist was that companion seats are to be ‘reserved’ until a few minutes before showtime, and if anyone is sitting in them before that time they can be asked to move. I did my fare share of relocating people — often very disgruntled people who threw tantrums over giving up their good seats to the companion of someone in a wheelchair, because they ‘were there first’! I assume these are the same folks who are cavalier about parking in handicap spaces, or wherever they like whether it’s a proper space or not.

One other thing I learned from the theatre experience that I forgot to mention in the previous comment: some of these jobs can be downright dehumanizing because customers just don’t bother to make eye contact or even acknowledge the people helping them. The worst was working as an usher tearing tickets. I would estimate that less than 30% of customers do more than mutter ‘thanks’ — if even that — while brushing past an usher; maybe one in ten bothers to smile or make eye contact. It’s a virtually invisible position. Next time you go to the movies, remember that these poor folks don’t have an easy job so much as an extraordinarily dull and unfulfilling one! Nobody wants to be the usher. Do try to brighten their day a little.

P.S. The handicap thing really, really pushes my hot button. Grrrr!

A hero’s cheer to all those who will. I am always polite to shop assistants, waiting staff, fast food servers. I wouldn’t want to do it, but I certainly don’t belittle those that do work in those jobs.

Bless my mum, she was a classic ’supermarket check-out staff are miserable for no reason’ believer, until she got that very job. She then discovered the joy of random abuse, unreasonable behaviour and outright rudeness that the customer brings to the store with them.

She was serving one guy and one of her colleagues, implementing company policy to the hilt, asked cheerily if he would like any help with his packing. He told her to “f**k off”.

I agree with Emily. Poor customer behaviour sometimes goes beyond the pale, and at that point they should be tossed out and banned for life!

Sue

I’ll admit that I was something of a mother hen to my staff. We weren’t as stringent on the ‘customer is always right’ policy as many business are; we enforced our policies strictly, even in the face of argument (and there was nothing my first boss liked better than to face down someone trying to bring in outside food). I always attempted to enforce policies as firmly but politely as possible — *unless* the customer was abusive to my staff. That was the one thing I would NOT tolerate.

On a daily basis I dealt with customers insulting and attacking my staff for doing their jobs properly and then complaining to the manager when the staff refused to be bullied into breaking the rules for them. I have heard customers tell ushers that they ‘must be stupid’ or else they wouldn’t be working in a movie theatre. (The vast majority of my staff consisted of students, artists and musicians who needed a steady paycheck but liked the flexibility of our schedule. And the free movies, of course.) On more than one occasion I gave the customer a refund on their ticket and asked them to leave, and at least once I asked that the customer never return. (This particular customer was convinced that the lights were brighter than usual over the handicapped companion seat, where he insisted on sitting, though he had no limitations that obligated him to do so. When the sweetest, most intelligent, most diplomatic box officer I have ever known explained that this was not the case and suggested he move to a different seat the customer proceeded to abuse him and call me over so that he could complain to me about my staff.)

I honestly believe that, in order to enforce the appropriate level of customer responsibility, those in supervisory positions need to be willing and able to discern when the customer is NOT right and to stand up for their employees against this kind of abuse. I’m not sure if my approach made me a good manager or not, but I can assure you that my staff were happier and more productive — and gave generally better customer service — when they knew there was someone there to watch out for them.

Thanks for the link too, Naomi is a hoot so I know this will be good!

What a fine reminder. I’ve worked in fast food, too, and I remember the enormous disdain of enormously self-important people. I had more confidence than this poor girl, but I saw a lot of kids wither when customers treated them like dirt. Do people not remember being younger, poorer, but still just as human?

The size of a person’s paycheck should not determine the level of respect they receive from other human beings.

That is the best way in the world to describe the solution.

So funny reading it, because I’d prepared a post for today based on something similar at my favorite bagel shop, then realized I did the bagel shop thing earlier in the week and put it into drafts to hold for later. When I do put it up, I’ll be linking to this post. You put a great spin on it.

Oh, and just to be devil’s advocate on the sleeve (NOT on the attitude): for the decades when we went without them, coffee came in styrofoam. In paper, it kinda hurts your fingers if it’s hot. The sleeve is supposed to harm the environment a lot less (along with the paper cup), but still keep your digits happy.

Friar,

Because I never forget anything, here’s that post:
http://ittybiz.com/get-out-of-my-fcking-shop/

It’s very funny and so true, just like Karen’s experience today.

Regards,

Kelly