So I was in the airport and saw a sign

[Zell]

"Threatening, intimidating, interfering with, or using abusive language towards a TSA official is a federal crime and will initiate an arrest."

Wouldn't it be great if every store could have this law?

[Becks]

It WOULD be great.

Store owners wouldn't go for it, though. "Alienating customers" or some such...

[SuperB]

It WOULD be great.

Store owners wouldn't go for it, though.

Wanna bet? Corporates wouldn't but anyone who deals with the public on a regular basis would like the idea. Signs behind my counter say things like, "If you're grumpy (etc) there will be a $10 charge for putting up with you". And "prices subject to change.. according to the customers attitude!"

[Rapscallion]

I don't know about a federal crime, but it's certainly an offence in the eyes of the law to abuse, threaten etc people behind a counter at work.

Rapscallion

[AirHostess]

We were taught that at work, any abuse from passengers and they could be arrested.

There are quite a lot of these signs/posters up in the UK...especially on public transport and in hospitals.

[LadyAndreca]

Public transit in NJ has similar signs, too. It's posted in every bus and train.

My store has a policy about that. Anyone who starts being abusive to us at guest service gets an escort outside by security. Or verbally shredded by one of my managers, that's fun to watch. One of them actually told me once, "You heard how I just talked to that guest? Never do that. Call me, and I'll come do it."

[Killer Bees]

It WOULD be great.

Store owners wouldn't go for it, though. "Alienating customers" or some such...

Sprint doesn't seem to have that trouble.

I was over on msn.com and in the money section there was an article that Sprint has sent letters to 1000 of their most annoying customers telling them they were cancelling their service because they realise they "can't meet their customers' needs".

Way to go Sprint! Looks like they got fed up with the large number of SCs.

[Gurndigarn]

I've seen junkyards with similar signs, too (the "prices subject to change based on your attitude" one). Something about most of them being owned by a guy who has a small staff, usually works with them, and has to deal with a lot of hagglers.

[RentalRacer]

Or verbally shredded by one of my managers, that's fun to watch. One of them actually told me once, "You heard how I just talked to that guest? Never do that. Call me, and I'll come do it."

Sounds like me. I know there are lots of "morons in management" but you guys would like me. I promise.

I stand behind my employees 100%. In the rare instance they are wrong, I will resolve the situation quickly, but without the customer getting the satisfaction from knowing the employee was wrong.

You want to swear at/abuse/belittle my staff? I'll do the same to you, but in a more clever way. You want to treat me the same way? Drop the F-Bomb every 3 words while refusing to become civil? I will refuse whatever credit/exception to "the policy" you are requesting. If, after all this, you still are ranting like a jackass and abusing my staff and I, I will refuse you service altogether. I will have you escorted away from my counter. Not by security, but by the Police.

So anyway, getting back On-Topic. I think the public generally feels that we as employees of company x have to take their shit, and they see it as a license to misbehave. If more Managers/Companies allowed us to stand up for ourselves a little more, and not quiver at the sight of an angry customer, the world would be a better place. I'm lucky to work for a company who does not have "the customer is always right" philosophy. Not that we don't care about customer service, we do, but it allows us a little more freedom in dealing with the asshats of the world.

[Gravekeeper]

Abusing the average employee doesn't result in a cavity search either though. THAT would cut back on the SC behaviour. After a while you wouldn't even need to say anything. Once they got abusive just pull out a latex glove and pull it on with a nice snap while they're talking.

Problem solved.

[earl colby pottinger]

But

"Threatening, intimidating, interfering with, or using abusive language towards a TSA official is a federal crime and will initiate an arrest."

They mean it, and if someone goes too far they end up arrested, they tend not to get refunds either.

And the amazing thing is they still have people getting into the TSA face and trying to push them around!

Some SCs will never learn it seems.

[greensinestro]

It would be nice if every place of employment had a sign and a rule like this. So far, the media has stated that airline employees seem to be protected by this law. On "20/20" one night, they aired a segment about unruly passengers who think there is no law when in the air, stating that a person could face federal charges for being abusive toward airline stewardesses and so forth.

My only question is why do these employees seem to be the only ones protected by federal law? Shouldn't the federal government protect all innocent employees from downright rude, ugly, nasty, and unreasonable customers?