Don't you know who I am!? I'm IMPORTANT! or "I know the owner!"

[Limescale]

The owner at one of my previous places had a rather ingenious plan for determining who was a true friend of his or the other executives, and who was just a freeloader: all true friends were instructed not to drop names to a sales associate if they wanted a discount, but to go to the corporate offices (which were located across the street) and ask to be issued a special discount card which was signed by whomever it was they were friends with.

Basically this meant that if someone had to say they knew the owner or someone else important they were pretty much admitting right there and then that they were lying through their teeth.

[EricKei]

Back at AccountingFirm, we were instructed to just pass any "friend of the boss/owner" calls straight to his voicemail, even if he wasn't busy -- especially if they asked for him by name. Most of them just hung up as soon as we forwarded the call People who actually WERE his friends just called his cell.

RK: if u dont date me i can delete ur account
Me: Seeing as Ownersname's son is 2 years old.
Me: You know what? Go for it. Delete my account. Right now.
RK: i wudnt because i like u to much

...Well, he TYPES like a two-year-old, he might be telling the truth ^_^

[Sapphire Silk]

As it stood, our stock options weren't worth the paper they were printed on.

Being a shareholder means you own part of the company, but it doesn't entitle you to anything other than to vote at shareholder meetings.

I have some Apple stock. It would not get me a discount at the Apple store. It probably wouldn't even get me a warm hello, or a cold go to hell.

We sometimes get "celebrities" in the ER. Once we had the son of the hospital administrator, there for drug detox (a sad situation actually, since the admin was actually a pretty decent guy). I've had several local TV personalities and been told to give them the red carpet treatment. Whatever. I treat them like any other patient, which is pretty much the red carpet treatment unless you are a douchenozzle to me.

A couple of years ago, I get to clinic with my students and find the president of my college is a patient there. I don't assign a student to him, for the student's peace of mind more than anything else. Student nurses tend to be pretty much nervous nellies most of the time anyway, and I didn't think having the president of your school would make you less nervous.

A couple of hours later, one of my students is getting ready to pass meds, and I'm quizzing her on what she's getting ready to give. The President steps up to the nurses station and notes she's from his college, and says, "I'm the President."

The student looks startled, and does a very nice, "Oh, that's very nice," that says I don't believe you but I'll be polite and agree with whatever you're saying to me.

Pres: No, really.

Student:

Me: This is Dr. So and So, President of Our College.

Everyone got a good laugh out of it.

[Jester]

Sapphire's story reminds me of a comment my friend Frank makes from time to time as part of his magic show...

"I performed this trick before President Barack Obama....was elected." And yes, I've stolen the joke myself.

[Jay 2K Winger]

There, fixed it for you.

With the LEMONS!!

[Dadeo]

As a matter of fact, I do know the owner. I would take tech survey crews to lunch there and directors to dinner, I throw business his way whenever possible, I recommend his place to anyone looking to eat in that area and I take my family to brunch and mother there whenever she's in town and I even had my wedding reception there. But I have never, ever asked for a discount. (That being said - he did knock about a thousand bucks off the bill for the reception, most of which went to our servers)

[MoonCat]

Back at AccountingFirm, we were instructed to just pass any "friend of the boss/owner" calls straight to his voicemail, even if he wasn't busy -- especially if they asked for him by name. Most of them just hung up as soon as we forwarded the call People who actually WERE his friends just called his cell.


...Well, he TYPES like a two-year-old, he might be telling the truth ^_^

Beat me to it.

I haven't had anyone claim to be a friend of the owner, but I've dealt with local celebrities (TV & radio personalities). Most of the were jerks or close to it. Only one guy, who used to be a TV weatherman, was extremely pleasant and polite on the phone.

[Jester]

There is nothing wrong with knowing the owner, as Dadeo does. The problem is, of course, those asshats that DON'T know the owner, or who met the owner once or twice, and tries to get special privileges or prices by waving this particular piece of bullshit around for the staff to see.

The owner WILL occasionally give discounts or special prices to people they DO know, as evidenced by Dadeo's experience, and by what I personally have seen with the owner of the two bars I work at, among other examples. But that is their right to do, as the owners of the businesses. It's the leeches that ask for it based upon nothing that just gall me.

SC: "I know Owner."
ME: "So do I. He signs my paychecks."

And yes, I really do say this. Often.

[Eevie]

I had a woman come into our school office trying to drop off... something... Front desk wouldn't take it so I can't imagine what it could've been. When they wouldn't take it, she fired off, "I'm the Superintendent's wife!" The Superintendent's wife in question had actually died of cancer not even a month prior. (May the sweet woman rest in peace!) Front desk lady looked at her and said, "Cindy, you're alive!!! It's a miracle!!!" Cue imposter running out the door faster than lightning!

[PepperElf]

my favorite was one that was told to me about a tactical gear store.

After a customer came in and said to the owner, "I know *Owner's name*. Can I have a discount,"... he was so amused he actually put it on some shirts for a while.

[Victory Sabre]

Sadly no one has played the "I know the owner/boss" card.

I wish it would so I can ask them how they know me .

[Jester]

There have been many instances of restaurants and bars being named after the owner's child(ren) or grandchild(ren). Wendy's is probably the most famous example of this; Dave Thomas named his burger chain after his daughter.

I am sure this has happened, but I would love to see it when some self-important entitlement whore marches into such a place and says that they are good friends with [Person's Name on the Sign], and that they deserve a discount. At which point the owner (or his great staff) would inform them that [Person's Name on the Sign] is actually the owner's three year old grandson.

[pzychobitch]

"Your gas prices are 10 cents higher than the (gas station) across the street! I'll have words with the owner over this!" Yeahh.... have fun taking a plane ticket from Florida to Jersey to bitch at the CEO of the company...

[mjr]

"Your gas prices are 10 cents higher than the (gas station) across the street!"

Well, then get in your car and drive across the street!

[Dilorenzo]

Had one of these recently, with a customer who is a... problem. They've been given a lot more leeway than I would like to give them, because of their history. We've finally been given the mandate to clamp down on them, regardless of history - and thus there was much rejoicing from me. I didn't have the pleasure of dealing with him directly, but, we did get an email I've read a few times.

"We've been in business with you for over 30 years!" was trotted out. Correct, but you used up the goodwill that had earned you by being consistently late in paying, and generally being a horribly past due account.
"Don't your people have anything better to do than to go through our account all the time? Surely they have jobs to do!" We are doing our jobs. Getting you to pay is our job.
Finally, of course, there was "That's it! I'm going to have our boss C call your boss G!"

Really? I read that in a "my dad can beat up your dad" voice, too.

"They have been friends for years, and you will do things as we say!"

Go ahead, we said. Have C call G. While it's entirely true that they had a relationship for years - business, not friendship, from what G has told me - the sorry fact is that he has not been in charge of our department for 7 years. He's actually with an entirely different part of the company, and has no call on what we do in ours anymore. Sure, he could ask and we might do him a favor, but your Boss, C, has called on him so many times there are no more favors left.