First off, reverse discrimination is not a crime, in and of itself. But, then again, niether is discrimination itself. Acts against a minority (discrimination), and acts against you as a member of the majority (reverse discrimination) based off race, are civil matters and not criminal. The one exception is that if an act that is a crime by iteslf without discrimination (for instance, assualt) is commited on a victim and is done for reasons that are discriminatory. Therein comes the term "hate crime", of which most states (and the federal government) can add as either an element to the other "normal" criminal charge or as an added offense to it. Just acting as a jerk or running your mouth in a discriminatory way against somone is not a criminal offense, albeit it should be (but, that could be a dangerous use of the law in itself IMHO - discrimation from police and prosecutors enforcing it). For discrimination to be illegal, the acts they commit have to be criminal already, rather or not those acts were against another race or were done for reasons of discrimination.
Now, I'm not saying go jump into this advice without talking over the situation with your boss first. You may work in
for-hire-at-will state, and enough customer complaints could lead you into trouble with the boss. It becomes a matter of protecting you versus keeping customers from complaining about you. That said...
If I were you, I'd determine when I think I could passify them enough to just get the sale done and them out the door. Even if they leave mad, completing the sale is better for the company (and they like you better for it), than loosing the business by sending customers away. However, some folks (and some crap they dish out
) simply is not worth it (What is your job worth to you, since you can find another, if it came to that?). In that case, as we used to say, "Show them the door." Ask them nicely (yes, kiss-*** to a jerk, easy said, hard to do...but be the "bigger man" in the situation) to leave, and not to come back unless it is during so-an-so hours when the boss is there. This does a few things:
1) They go, and your problem is solved for the time being...now, get your butt back to dealing with those never-ending lines of other customers :hehe:
2) You did say they could come back when the boss was there, right? Assuming they do (many won't..some will just to "get you into trouble with the boss"), then since it is better then you just telling them "never" to come back, you have this as a partial defense to your boss, should they complain. Rationalize to boss, if need be, that you don't have a problem with him/her dealing with or hearing from the customer, but that you couldn't under the circumstances.
3) It puts you in a much better position with the law (and cops, especially). Should they not leave, or they return, remain quite (bite tongue :p ) and call your local boys in blue. A cop isn't listening to someone who is a "backstreet lawyer" (one who thinks he knows the law and doesn't). But criminal tresspassing is a cime that a cop can't ignore. Note here: Cops may only ask them to leave, instead of arresting them, but it goes along way when the cop hears you had already asked them more than once to leave and they didn't in the entire time it took for the cops to arrive - makes cops more likely to think they need to take a ride downtown, especially when he determines they were being jerks in the first place.
Always...ALWAYS talk to your boss, ASAP about such events. Catch the boss before some complaining customer has the chance too. Regardless (not that I advocate lying at all, mind you!) of what they are told about a story from two sides, most folks will more likely believe the first version they hear, especially when there is no direct proof to the contrary or when they would otherwise have no reason to suspect either person telling thier "version" is lying.
They are?
We call them and the response is always "nothing we can do"".
When they get enough calls to a place, and it turns out there isn't infact any actual crime commited alot of the times, they get frustrated. Cops are
NOT referrees, especially considering you are in a "customer relations" business.
One time we called and after FOUR hours of noone showing we called back and they finally came. I asked the officer that came AND the next day the manager of 911 why the first call was never answered and noone knows and noone will look into it.
You pay much attention to the news nationwide about 911 systems' failures? And was this life-and-death, versus just a jerk running his mouth?
I try to inform the cops of stuff I over hear or see going on and I am always told "I dont care, less work for me".
You know who hates "snitches" worse than crooks? Cops do. They take it as you tying to play "Mr. Goody TwoShoes". Unless it is a serious crime (felony were damage occurs, property is taken, or someone gets hurt), they see it that they have better things to do (not that I said that, but that alot of cops would think that). That reply, "I dont care, less work for me", however, is a worthless cop :o
I have told 4 different officers about a truck that goes by the store EVERY morning between 3 am and 5 am thats going so fast that if he was to hit someone he would KILL them. Yet the same truck keeps on speeding by every morning. I know they cant just stake out for one speeder but come on, if you are just driving around and theres no calls go park and watch...
The biggest time spent by most cops is on this same issue (speeding). The majority of folks speed from time to time, and cops (as you yourself said) can't stake-out for one driver. Cross your fingers his luck runs out (cop-wise) before someone else's (the ones he may hit). And, who's to say, unless all four of those officers said something to the contrary to you, that one of them hasn't on occassion atleast made a conscious effort to watch-out in that area a bit more, when they had the time?
Nah its just that we get all the A-holes thinking they can order us around. I dont know how many have told me they could pump $5 into 4 cars at the same time and NOT go over the $5 and have to take money out of THEIR pocket.
OK, I admit, I'm writing this, as I'm having my morning coffee :yell: You have me confused on that one :lol:
Or how about the person that comes speeding in and almost hits the pumps, car so loud that you cant hear them, and they just want $1 in gas and do it fast because they are in a hurry!
You have to look at things with a sense of humor, and for the irony in events....$1 in gas..LOL..Atleast they won't speed like that far :hehe: Almost hit the pumps? Can we say, "accident waiting to happen, car totalled, and probably no insurance"? Music so loud? Chalk it up to ignorance. H's so deaf, he can't hear himself think...assuming rational thought is something he is capable of in the first place.
Or the one that comes into the store and demands a "pack of my smokes" while you are already waiting on someone and theres 5 others waiting in line.
Forget those other customers, for just a split second. Grab his smokes, and SlOwLy (so he notices) lay them on something behind you, and continue waiting on the rest of the customers. He makes comment? Put him "on the spot", saying loud enough everyone can here, "I'll ring these smokes up first, if all of these nice folks are willing speak up and allow you to cut infront of them." - Most will upset you on purpose, few will start that kind of argument with a whole group of strangers.
Or what about the one that comes in and sees you counting money yet they cant wait and just yell out "I need a pack of ****" then toss money at you.
Keep counting, and kindly say "Sorry. Just a moment, PLEASE.". Comment? Reply, "Sorry, but I have to have this right. If you want me to miscount your change, like your asking me to miscount this store's money, then I can arrange that too, if you are in such a rush." - Say this with a smile..Pause, then after a second, say "Sorry to keep you waiting.". Its OK to show a fool he is a fool, or a jerk that he is a jerk. Just do it nicely :gl:
Or the one that comes in and buys the same pack of cigarettes each day, you tell them $3.17 and they argue that it is not, that they only paid $3.10 for it yesterday. You tell them no its been $3.17 for over 4 months yet they tell you youre wrong. Then theres the ones that ALWAYS say, oh it must have went up today!
Yep, and for those that are so forgetfull, it might go up tomorrow too.
Then theres the ones that KNOW what they buy is say $5 yet they come in with $4 and ask you to let them got for that or for you to give them the other $1. When you tell them no they start b*tching at you and say you are ignorant.
"Sorry, but if I do it for one, I'd have to do it for all...SOME FOLKS
{emphasis with nice voice...don't forget smile...always smile} work to be able to pay full price for everything. I work too hard to just donate, sorry. Now, IF I had just won the lottery, I'd even buy them for you. But, seeing as that hasn't happened, like I said, sorry, can't help you there." - Make it fun (your sanity is your most prized possession), while being nice, yet being crystal clear you won't be abused.
SpareDomains had good idea...vacation or new job (noted to self this isn't first posting you've made complaining about such)
chulium mentioned cops "doing thier best". They may or may not have been. But, what is right veruses what is wrong, and the law, do not always agree. Justice does not neccessarily equate to legal, and injustice does not always equate to illegal. Cops have that sometimes tough line to walk.
peaches - Look forward to reading it
iNod said:
You probably understand who Support Reps feel like now.
Amen to that one
We could go on and on...Think point made, simple enough, however.
