Can't we all just be nice?

saracelica

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saracelica
No question sac more a rant.

I work retail. I love it most of the time. Some of the customers are just rude. Feel like I should have a button on my short that says 'I'm not getting welfare working for the money " I know not everyone is rude but next time you go into a brick and mortar store think of me.. Smile be friendly to the workers

On the same note just be friendly it you're out among other humans. Your smile may just make someone's day. When at work and people ask how am i... I smile and say good thanks for being a part of it " some people are like what the hell? Others smile and say that's pretty good response. Am I always happy at work? No. A smile is contagious. Read a story online about a girl that bought a homeless guy a cup of coffee and talked with him. At the end he claimed he was going to end his life but the girl made his day. Other stores of people just being friendly to others.
 
I have always thought it should be a requirement to work retail at least once so you can see what a bunch of dbags the general public can be. I do my best to treat anyone who serves me food nicely. but if u cross me I will cut you. and if you deny me entry to the bravo, fuhgedaboudit.
 
Reasonable people usually don't do things that would be considered rude by reasonable people. However, there are a lot of unreasonable people in the world. :)
 
Thanksgiving I very reluctantly succumbed to the siren song of the really really really good early Black Friday deal advertised at walmart Thursday night. Wife said since you're going anyway, please get some milk and a few other things.

Didn't get the TV, but got the other things. As the cashier gave me my receipt, I told her "Thank you for working tonight." I think I made her day with that comment.
 
I find it very difficult to be genuinely mad at people but sometimes, in trying to be nice to someone else, other people have to be sacrificed.

For example, I NEVER get mad at retail workers because they're not the ones at fault. However, I ordered my cute little nieces some Christmas presents back in November, was told they'd arrive by 12/7 and somehow, my order was "lost." I emailed the company probably six times and called another three without hearing one word of response. Last week, I decided to write a much more strongly worded email which finally got their attention. They overnighted a new order for me immediately.

But you see, I just wanted to be nice to my nieces... I didn't intend to be mean to anyone but you gotta do what you gotta do... :redface:
 
I worked at Target for 4 years in high school and college, it's amazing the way people act at times. Think it helped turn me into the cynic I am today.

It's also the reason I refuse to go shopping on Black Friday. I know what those workers go through, and they don't get paid any extra for dealing with your crap on that particular day.
 
My standard response when asked "How are you today" is "Mostly all-right, nobody is chewing on my ass and all the kids are out of jail at the same time."

Usually gets a smile and a chuckle.
 
I think the worst behavior is at airports. The way people disrespect gate agents and flight attendants is unconscionable and embarrassing. Usually they're a little more reserved towards the pilots, but not always. I know it's frustrating when flights run late for whatever reasons, but most of the time it's not the crew's or gate agents fault. Fire away! :lightning::lightning::lightning:
 
Anything dealing with open public customer service just isn't my thing. I don't think you could pay me enough to work retail or food service. Maybe as a cook in the back. I would probably make a good cop because I've been trained to shoot a gun and kill people. On the other hand that would probably make me a bad cop I guess.
 
Most of the time I'll chat up the cashier. In real life I'm fairly outgoing and friendly. I just come here to grouse.
 
I worked at Target for 4 years in high school and college, it's amazing the way people act at times. Think it helped turn me into the cynic I am today.

It's also the reason I refuse to go shopping on Black Friday. I know what those workers go through, and they don't get paid any extra for dealing with your crap on that particular day.
Actually we do get paid more for black Friday!
 
I have always thought it should be a requirement to work retail at least once so you can see what a bunch of dbags the general public can be. I do my best to treat anyone who serves me food nicely. but if u cross me I will cut you. and if you deny me entry to the bravo, fuhgedaboudit.
I agree, everyone should do their time. I learned a lot about people and a lot about myself.

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I've worked retail, and I work hard to always be polite to retail workers. The one exception to that is pushy salespeople (you know the type). They get one nice, polite "no thanks," and after that I can get a little rude.
 
I've been in retail 12 years I don't care if someones nice to me or not. I just wish they'ed realize frontline employees are essentially powerless to do anything.
 
My opinion is that many have recognized that being nice just does not pay. The louder you are, the higher the probability of you getting your way. Even if to just shut you up.

"Nice guys finish last..."
 
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One of the many things I like about my job is I never have to deal with the public. That said, I try really hard to be nice to everyone. I mostly succeed, too. But I've a genetic predisposition toward happiness, so I suppose its easy for me.
 
I think the worst behavior is at airports. The way people disrespect gate agents and flight attendants is unconscionable and embarrassing. Usually they're a little more reserved towards the pilots, but not always. I know it's frustrating when flights run late for whatever reasons, but most of the time it's not the crew's or gate agents fault. Fire away! :lightning::lightning::lightning:

I can't even tell you how many free drinks I've gotten from FAs just for being polite.

Rich
 
hard for me to be nice right now when my flippin rental got flippin cancelled because it's down for flippin maintenance but wasn't taken off the flippin scheduler and after I booked the flippin plane I booked a non-refundable hotel thru priceline. flippin awesome.
 
My standard response when asked "How are you today" is "Mostly all-right, nobody is chewing on my ass and all the kids are out of jail at the same time."

Usually gets a smile and a chuckle.

Come on, you should just make something up.
 
I can't even tell you how many free drinks I've gotten from FAs just for being polite.

Rich

Was on a UScare flight a few years, seated in mid-section exit row, chatted up one of the FA's on what was probably the last run of the day for him, helping to make fun of the clueless drones who try to get all their worldly possessions in the overhead.

Halfway through the flight he comes back with a couple cold ones. And no, Bryan, I don't think he was trying to get me drunk. Plus he wasn't my type.
 
If he was a male and a flight attendant, you have good odds that he was trying to pick you up.

Sorry, all you male FA's out there, but you have to admit there is a statistical anomaly in that profession, no?
 
I worked in a couple of different retail businesses. One was a landscape garden and flower shop. Most times, people weren't too bad. But then, that was over 40 years ago and I was a teen. Last retail was a software store, part time, supplementing my full time salery. Most of the customers were reasonable, knew what they wanted, and not generally difficult. This was about 25 years ago.
I certainly would not want to be on the register side of the counter today. Customers are seriously rude. They act like the sales person or server is just a cardboard cutout. Half the time they are screwing with their smart phone or worse, yacking on it. Please and thank yous have gone out the window. They act all entitled, privileged. And why do stores have to put up a sign stating NO CELLPHONE USE. Give me a break.
They need a good Jethro Gibbs smack!
 
I agree, everyone should do their time. I learned a lot about people and a lot about myself.

I think being a ramprat counts. I spent about year being a ramprat during my freshman year of college. The job gradually made me hate aviation until I finally quit and moved on to better engineering jobs. I'll never forget what that was like and now I treat line guys great and try to tip when I can.

Netjets pilots are universally the biggest azzhats I've ever met. NEVER tipped and required all of the services "right F***ing now".

Saw one Netjet pilot on the ramp, there were kids (maybe 10?) with a disposable camera taking pictures of the jet on the other side of the fence. Pilot goes over, yells at them and demands their camera and throws it on the ground stomping on it... I dont know how he got away acting like that. :yikes:

I lied... they tipped... once. The crew gave me a $10, wanting change for it... so I go into the FBO, get a $5 and 5 $1's... she took it, reached into her pocket and gave me a quarter... to split with 4 people... that was just outright insulting.

There was also a cirrus pilot that wanted fuel to the tabs, but would watch you, and while he watched he leaned on the wing. I filled it to the tabs, he released pressure on the wing to check (which dropped the fuel level because the gear was no longer compressed) and I got a "are you trying to F***ing kill me?"... long story short some of y'all can be azzhats sometime... try to be nice at the FBO.
 
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Sometimes it pays to be nice. I remember many years ago I had to fly to a corporate meeting. I was in line to get my boarding pass and the guy in front of me was being very rude and belittling the attendant. Once he left, I told the lady not to let that guy ruin your day; he was just a colossal jerk. I was very nice to her because I felt bad about how she was treated and I knew what it felt like to be in her shoes. She handed me my boarding pass and I told her to "have a nice day" and she responded "Well, I know you will". I thought the response was a little odd until I boarded the plane and realized she bumped me to first class, which was exactly what the jerk demanded and was refused. Made my day!
 
Over the summer I work for a company dealing with tourists and really try my best to smile, talk, make people laugh, and just make there vacation that 1% better, but in a group of 50 customers 1 or 2 bad apples can make it a struggle. Especially towards the end of my 12-14 hour day in the sun with only a 15 minute lunch break some days. So when Im on the other side of the desk or register I really do my best to make up for the bad apples.
 
Humans are what you have to wade through on the way to the airport, or deal with when paying for fuel or maintenance. Best to avoid interaction with them, unless it's necessary; if they can grunt an affirmative or negation, make change, and use a toilet, that's about as good as it's gonna get. . .I find it works best to stare at them without blinking during interaction, and use short, declarative sentences. If they don't cower right away, add in a little twitch, or speak to an invisible friend. . .
 
I cut my chops in the restaurant industry as a young lad.
1st as a "Saute Cook". That was my title. I just grilled chicken, ribs, and pasta at Outback Steakhouse. Later I was a server.

I over tip, and I don't complain unless something is really wrong.

I have a stupid game I play at retail places.
Try to say "have a great day" before they do.
That whole little personal challenge is dumb but I try to get in first.

They think I am being nice but I just bested them! :yes:
 
I worked a photo minilab eons ago (when they still existed as a viable service commodity) . . . and probably the most maddening question I've ever been repeatedly asked was "Which one is better?"

Glossy or matte? Singles or doubles? I dunno; which one is better?

This is probably one reason why I took up learning gutteral languages like German or Klingon. :rolleyes2:
 
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