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  • No sense of humor?

    This one is from a while ago, the same store I'm at now, but before I switched over to suits. I was working the register in the mens department when this guy, who is apparently VERY proud of his wife, comes in to make a payment on his store credit card. It is a very large payment, larger then any I had seen at that point. Now, this was a while ago, so I'm not exactly sure of the whole conversation, but I'll try to get it as accurate as possible.

    H = I, who else?
    PM = The very proud husband

    H: "Wow, making a big payment."
    PM: "Yep, I like to make sure to pay it all off, so my wife can use it."
    H: "Ah, yes, pay it off so she can run it up again." (Said as a joke. I banter with my customers, and most get it, and joke back...but this guy, didn't. Wish I would have realized earlier.)
    PM: "What do you mean?"
    H: "Well, you know how it is with women and shopping." (another joke. And before anyone gets on me, I have many female friends, and they all love to shop.)
    PM: "My wife always makes sure to pay off her card when she uses it." (I, mistakenly, thought he was bantering back to me here...oh how wrong I was..."
    H: "Oh really? Then why isn't she here doing so?" (Big mistake on my part... >.<)
    PM: "Excuse me!?"
    H: "Um...I...asked why she isn't doing this...you said she always pays it off...it was a joke, sir." (I am not realizing that this guy isn't the best person to be joking with.)
    PM: "I don't like what you are inferring. My wife is a good customer, and she always pays off her card!!"
    H: "I'm sorry, sir, it was a joke. I thought we were joking back and forth."
    PM: "Well, we weren't. Where's you supervisor."
    I point over to J, my sup at that time, then repeat that it was intended as a joke, and it obviously went farther then I thought it would. He looked at me with the stink eye, then did that "Uh huh, right..." type of nod at me, before walking away.

    Anyone else have this? A customer so proud about something they just can't take a joke? Or you mistake an agitated reply as a 'witty banter' type of reply, and go a little too far?
    "Ohhh, they're so greedy." John Steed, the Avengers.

  • #2
    See, I know something similar has happened to me, and I back-pedalled so quickly that I could have set land speed records. But I can't recall the specific incidents.

    I DO remember that sometimes, the person pretended to be offended, and killed themselves laughing at my panic. I was not amused. -_-
    Ba'al: I'm a god. Gods are all-knowing.

    http://unrelatedcaptions.com/45147

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    • #3
      Yeah, when it comes to working with customers.. I've found it's best just not to joke around at all unless you are 100% positive they're reciprocating it. I know that sucks, I'm a huge jokester myself, but it's best to just err on the side of caution. Not faulting you (the guy sounds like he has the personality of a dead fish) but after he said, "Yep, I like to make sure to pay it all off, so my wife can use it," you should have said, "Oh, that's nice," and stopped there.

      When I'm ringing customers up, I usually don't initiate conversation other than the usual pleasantries ("Hello," "How are you?" etc.). If we do get into a conversation about whatever random topic, I make sure that I don't say anything that could even be remotely construed as offensive. It sucks it has to be that way - I can't stand tight-assed people! I think if I didn't see the humor in situations constantly, I'd go frickin' crazy. Humor makes the hardships of life easier to deal with.

      And yes.. women do tend to spend more money shopping than men, especially on clothing/accessories. When you see something cute.. it's just SO hard to resist! Men will never understand.
      Last edited by RammsteinGirl; 11-14-2007, 03:26 AM.
      My Myspace, add me!

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      • #4
        Quoth RammsteinGirl View Post
        Yeah, when it comes to working with customers.. I've found it's best just not to joke around at all unless you are 100% positive they're reciprocating it. I know that sucks, I'm a huge jokester myself, but it's best to just err on the side of caution...
        It works both ways; I hate it when customers joke around with me only because it's often the second thing out of their mouths (after "hi") and I haven't been able to gauge personalities, intent, etc., and I assume the same of customers (but some always slip through the cracks). I figure that unless the customer is in frequently I won't joke around with them, especially since I deal with so many elderly people, and a lot of times they just plain don't like sarcasm like I do.

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        • #5
          I've bantered with customers before, and I've stuck my foot in my mouth, Elliot Reid from "Scrubs"-style more than once. But I still think a bit of humor on the job keeps your day from being boring.

          Still, I know you didn't mean to offend, and some people are just too damn sensitive. Don't even worry about it.
          "I used to be Snow White... but I drifted."~Mae West

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          • #6
            Man, what a tight-bum! He could stand to loosen up a little.

            Quoth RammsteinGirl View Post
            And yes.. women do tend to spend more money shopping than men, especially on clothing/accessories. When you see something cute.. it's just SO hard to resist! Men will never understand.
            Don't even get me started on shoes!
            Jim: Fact: Bears eat beets. Bears. Beets. Battlestar Gallactica.
            Dwight: Bears don't eat bee... Hey! What are you doing?
            The Office

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            • #7
              I love to joke around with customers, but have learned that most people cannot take a joke at all! So now, I only joke around with the regular customers. It does suck to have to restrain myself, every great once inawhile I slip though. You can tell when a customer is a "tight-ass" because if you look at their expression it looks like they have been sucking on lemons.

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              • #8
                Quoth Shabo View Post
                Don't even get me started on shoes!
                "Oh my Gawd! Shoes!"
                "I call murder on that!"

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                • #9
                  Actually, it's not a very good topic to joke about. I mean, I personally HATE shopping, shoes, high heels, dresses, skirts, pink/bright colours, and basically all that's generally considered girly.

                  It's no better than joking about black people stealing/doing other criminal stuff or other stupid generalisations. Just because most of the women you know or heard about are girly and loves to shop, doesn't mean that everyone does. And the ones who don't are likely to be offended if you just assume they're like that, based on a stereotype.

                  I'd personally be pissed if a clerk made some joke about me having spent all my money on shopping if I went in to pay off a credit card. I'd find it extremely un-funny at best.

                  I'm sure this man has a wife who's careful with her finances, and was thus offended when you assumed she was some shopaholic with no sense of responsibility. A big mistake on your part. A customer isn't sucky just because you joke with the wrong people

                  Generally, it's not a good idea to joke around unless the other person starts.
                  Last edited by GyroKat; 11-14-2007, 02:10 PM. Reason: I didn't mean that all the black people I heard of were criminals. it was just an example at a stupid generalisation.

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                  • #10
                    While I like to think I have a good sense of humor, I also realize that not everyone does. The best rule of thumb is allways error to the side of caution. Any thing that could potentialy cause an issue like that is best left unsaid. Now if it was a regular or a friend who you know wouldn't be offended then I would say its OK.

                    For example, I have a customer who I've been dealing with for many many years. He's a great guy who has a hard job, he's an attorney who deals with both family court (Children's rights) as well as criminal defense. He has to joke to deal with the stress from the bullshit he see's and hears on a daily basis. We always joke back and forth when he comes in, and it always pushes the envelope of bad taste. But we both find it funny and have no problem with it, I know he's always kidding and its just his way of releaving stress. Plus if theres ever anyone around the comments immediatly cease.

                    Now I would never joke with most of my other clients the same way, but each one is allways a different case. You just have to use caution.

                    A good rule of thumb, if you are unsure. Imagine what your DM or company owner/board member would think or say if you made the same comments to them. Its just a simple take on the old "never say anything that you wouldn't say to your grandmother concept". You should usually be safe if you feel that you could say it to a high ranking company official (unless Lewis Black happens to be a VP at your company, then just ignore this idea).
                    My Karma ran over your dogma.

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                    • #11
                      I like to joke around with customers.

                      Look at my handle. Duh.

                      But anyways, I DO joke around with them, and most of them love it and many have come back to my establishment because of me and my wit and sense of humor. This is not bragging, this is simply fact.

                      But yes, even I on occasion have misread a tight-assed humorless stick in the mud as actually having a sense of humor, and have had one or two complaints about me. Generally speaking, management's answer has usually been something along the lines of "Jester is a good server, and he was only trying to joke around with you. We apologize if you took it the wrong way, but we assure you, he meant nothing disrespectful by it."

                      And even with those few complaints, I am not going to stop making jokes. It is what I do. It is one reason I don't think I want to work in fine dining, or at any place that takes itself too damn seriously.

                      I do NOT agree with the people here who say you should never make jokes at work, or that you should keep it to the bare minimum of conversation. If you are someone who jokes around, continue being yourself, by all means.

                      One caveat: I DO work in the food service industry, and that is somewhat different than retail, so keep that in mind. That being said, I will often make a joke/smartass crack right at the beginning of the customer's time in my station, before I may have had a time to properly read them. Invariably, those are the ones that have gotten me into trouble.

                      I also think that the SC in the OP was getting bent out of shape over a pretty much harmless joke about a fairly common stereotype, whatever you may think of the stereotype. Two guys joking about women spending all their money is nothing new, and does not denote either guy as chauvinistic or derogatory, in my opinion. It is no different than two women talking about guys being slobs, even though not all guys ARE slobs.

                      Quoth RammsteinGirl View Post
                      And yes.. women do tend to spend more money shopping than men, especially on clothing/accessories. When you see something cute.. it's just SO hard to resist! Men will never understand.
                      Um, put me in a bicycle store, magic shop, music store, or book store, and TRUST me, I DO understand!

                      "The Customer Is Always Right...But The Bartender Decides Who Is
                      Still A Customer."

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                      • #12
                        I'm a bald man (not entirely true, I have hair on my head, but it is such an obviously pathetic attempt at hair on the part of my scalp that I don't even acknowledge it and shave my head every other day), so I often play with bald jokes and I NEVER get offended by them.

                        Yesterday I went to see a Peridontist to get some work done (my gums cover too much of my teeth and need to be cut back a bit). While I was there, the following exchange took place:

                        During the exam, the doctor is telling me that they are only going to be removing a millimeter or two of gum line, and although it does not sound like much, a millimeter goes a long way with regards to teeth. She tells me as she is writing notes, "People will notice a subtle difference, they'll notice a change."

                        And I deadpan back, "Like if I had done something different with my hair."

                        She replies, "Exactly!", then looks up at me and her face goes from a smile, to a shocked look, and then, she sees my smile and just loses it after a second.

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                        • #13
                          Yes, I have had this happen before, and the last time was many, many years ago. I do not attempt to joke with any customers, let alone establish any kind of rapport with them, unless I have spoken to them for a few minutes to discover their personality.

                          One time, many years ago, when I was a toll operator at Bellsouth, I had this young lady who called in on a pay phone. She was not in terrible distress, but had stated she was trying to call her parents' home and had lost her money trying to do so.

                          Me: Operator, how may I help you?
                          SC: You can help me by putting me through! (Already, sounded like a young teenaged girl who should be slapped).
                          Me: OK, I'll need the number you are dialing and twenty-five cents!
                          SC: I lost my money and you need to put me through. I know you need the number.
                          Me: All right, maam, I was not aware of that.
                          SC: I know you weren't aware of it. (Pause a long time)
                          Me: Maam, I need the number you want to call.
                          SC: You should have said that before. It's .........., and I need you to be sure my call connects.
                          Me: Not a problem, and I'll make sure you get through.
                          SC: I know you're going to put me through! (sarcastic, not a leap of faith)
                          Me: Yes, maam. That's the thing with these pay phones. Sometimes they just cut you off for no reason.
                          SC: What are you talking about? I already know this. Put me through.
                          Me: I'm doing that. I just wanted to be sure I could resolve this being these things happen with some pay phones, usually bad weather.....
                          SC: Look, put me through and shut up!

                          After that comment from her, I did not wait for her call to connect, and I told her to have a nice day before moving to my next call. Now, usually with adults, many would be glad you're trying to pacify them, trying to calm down an upsetting situation. Others, of course, if I can tell they are bitchy and not in the mood, I wouldn't bother. This one cut the cake, and since then, I make no effort unless the customer is the first to make jokes, or small talk. This young lady though, if I had been her father and was spoken to like that, I would have grabbed her through the phone and smacked her silly.

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                          • #14
                            Quoth GyroKat View Post
                            . A customer isn't sucky just because you joke with the wrong people

                            Generally, it's not a good idea to joke around unless the other person starts.
                            I kind of agree with the last sentence, as it's better to be safe than fired.

                            But I really agree with the first part. They were sucky because after it was made clear that it was a joke, they still complained, rather than handling it with the OP. A GOOD customer would have said "I found that quite offensive. You say you were joking, but you shouldn't make jokes like that with someone you don't know."
                            But that only applies if they were actually joking, which is usually obvious. If they were just being a prick, report them.
                            Ba'al: I'm a god. Gods are all-knowing.

                            http://unrelatedcaptions.com/45147

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                            • #15
                              You shouldn't joke around with customers cause you have no idea how they'll react. Best to keep it cordial. Better safe than sorry.

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