I AM the Manager!!! (not really)

[Boxofficehellhole]

Here's a little background on this one.

Our movie theater has a box office in the front of the building, it's a big picture window with these crummy one-way microphones, and a speaker on the inside and outside. One-way meaning that if I'm talking to the customer, I can't hear them until I stop talking and they respond. It takes a second for the customer's mic to kick in, so we don't hear what they say half the time because of those crummy mics.

This one Friday night, I was working with my manager (who happens to be a really good friend of mine outside of work) in the box office.

If it wasn't for the fact I would have gotten arrested and the company would have gotten sued, and I was behind a pane of glass, I would have kicked the living crap out of this guy.

Here's how it panned out, and yes, it is a TRUE story.

ME=Me, myself & I
EP=Elitist Prick (late to his movie, which is NOT my fault)


ME: Can I help you, sir?

EP: I need two adults, three kids. (at least that's what I thought he said)

ME: What movie?

EP: Harry Potter

ME: (rings up tickets) that will be $17

EP: (Hands me a 20)

ME: (Print up the tickets and give him $3 change back) There ya go sir, enjoy your movie

EP: Wait a minute, this isn't right... It should be $15.

ME: Oh, I'm sorry, did you need 2 kids tickets or 3 because I rang up 3 kids?

EP: I needed 2.

ME: OK, sorry about that I thought you said 3 kids, give me back one of the kids tickets and I'll refund it for you, just a second.

NOTE: ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE

EP: (As I'm refunding the ticket the guy completely looses his mind and starts yelling at me.) Will you hurry the hell up? I don't have all night, we just want to get into our damn movie!

ME: Do not get an attitude with me, sir, I am trying to fix it, the computer's acting up, one minute.

EP: (Very snobby, confrontational tone) Do you need a calculator? I mean, come on, it's simple math, Give me a pen and paper and I will write it out for you.

ME: (At this point I've had enough with "Mr. I'm-better-than-you" and I blow up on the guy) YOU MOTHER F***ER!

EP: (Still snobby) Oh, that's real professional, come on, give me my damn refund.

(By this time I am so furious with the guy for pretty much calling me retarded, I'm shaking so bad it looks like I'm having a seizure)

ME: (In a VERY deep pissed off voice) Once again, do NOT get an attitude with me...

EP: Since I'm a mother f***er, I should see my movie for free. Where's your f***ing manager?

ME: I AM the f***ing manager!!! (I'm not really, and my actual manager who was standing next to me the whole time loses it and starts laughing.)

(The EP looks over and sees our cop on security duty standing there with her hand on her tazer, and had heard the whole thing, his tone changes quickly)

EP: OK can I please have my refund...

ME: (computer finally works) $3 dollar refund, that makes your total 15 and makes it even. Kiss my a**!

EP Walks away.

After that rush was over, my manager said that was the greatest thing he'd ever seen happen at our theater. I told him to write me up if he had to, and he said don't worry about it since it wasn't my fault and the guy was a complete prick.

[Rapscallion]

I don't think you handled this one particularly well. Sure, the guy was impatient and everything, but calling him that? You lost the moral high ground at that point. I'm reading into this that the situation was worse than it reads here, since your manager backed you up, but from what I can see you weren't really acting in your best interests in that encounter.

Rapscallion

[Boxofficehellhole]

No I didn't handle it very well... and I know that. I even talked to my manager about it later.

However, it would never had gotten that far if the guy hadn't gotten personal by insulting my intelligence. That's what set me off... I don't deal well with those kind of a-holes... never have and never will. I'm not saying it's completely his fault... maybe he was an abused child or something, but yes I should have handled it differently.

It never should have gotten that far out of hand. On the other hand, 6 bucks an hour isn't enough to make me just sit and take that kind of abuse from anyone. Nobody should have to. If something is directed at me personally, I'm not just gonna shrug it off, I will retaliate and defend myself... it's just my nature.

What gives people the right to treat people like crap or judge them as stupid because they work a dead-end crappy job? It was an honest mistake and I was civil about it until he insulted me.

So yes, I agree with what you say, it could have been handled differently.

[kibbles]

I gotta agree with Raps here, it seems as if you escalated the situation more than it needed to be.

[whitskees86]

Did he handle it the best way he could have? Probably not. From the way I read it however, it sure seems as though the customer in question was doing something extreme on his side as well. I doubt the phrase "All Hell broke loose" would be used if the customer had merely been chirping at the OP. I myself have worked in a theater, and have dealt with this kind of ass hattery-specifically where someone late to a movie (already irritated) takes something small and turns it into a personal war.
And personally, its trash like that which brought a new meaning to the phrase "cleaning the theater".
You stood up for yourself-and while you may not have used the best vocabulary to do so, the situation resolved itself well: he got his money, saw his movie, you didn't get written up, and..honestly, you have a great story to tell.
Kudos buddy.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

However sucky the customer may have been, calling him a "motherf" can and should have got you fired on the spot. That's what would happen to me if I ever did it.

And I think I'd steer clear of an establishment where management condones that sort of thing.

Now of course the customer was an absolute jerk. But two wrongs don't make a right. Try to keep your cool next time.

[Talon]

Remember folks, do not rise to a fool's challenge just to become a fool yourself.

[Estil]

I don't mean to sound like a nag, but dropping f-bombs (especially as a first strike in your case) is simply not appopriate in a family theather (especially with children present). Though I will agree the "customer" had no right to treat you like that and I'm glad to hear your boss did the right thing.