Customer Service:

“The customer is always right.”
Who came up with this frightfully inaccurate phrase? I will bet that most people, especially those that completely abuse this policy are ignorant to its original source. In fact, when asked several people whom never worked in retail, admitted they could not say where it originated but can recall that it has always been assumed. Allow me to educate you:
“In the USA it is particularly associated with Marshall Field's department store in Chicago (established in the late 19th century). The store is an icon of the city, although it is set to lose its name in 2006 when, following a takeover, it becomes renamed as Macy's. In the UK, Harry Gordon Selfridge (1857-1947) the founder of London's Selfridges store (opened in 1909), is credited with championing its use. The Wisconsin born Selfridge worked for Field from 1879 to 1901.
Whether the phrase was coined by Field or Selfridge it is fair to call it American. What we can't do is credit us with the idea behind it. In 1908 César Ritz (1850-1918), the celebrated French hotelier is credited with saying 'Le client n'a jamais tort' - 'The customer is never wrong'. That's not the phrase that people now remember, but it can hardly be said to be any different in meaning to 'the customer is always right'.”

(Source: http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/106700.html)

This little trip down memory lane brings me to my biggest peeve in terms of customer service. The notion that people think they are entitled to anything they want based on the phrase that they are always right. You coming in demanding discounts because the sale yesterday ended today and you were going to pick up that shirt but did not and you threaten, if we want to keep you as the great “loyal” customer that you are, then we will give you the discount because you are right and we are in the wrong…No. It does not work like that you stupid bitch and the confusing part of it all is you already know that. You coming in and acting like a chicken-head over a ripped bag you "purchased" in December (it is now August) with no receipt, no fucking bag by the way and you have the audacity to come in and sqwak about us doing something for you? Really? How about this: Stop expecting people owe you shit just because you don't know how to properly treat your property. You come in eight months after you purchase the bag, not from our store, with no receipt (a receipt is also known as proof of purchase just in case you were not aware, No, showing us a Orange County bag does not prove you purchased it from us you dusty ass......) And you expect to be accomodated?! For what? Your negligence? Guess what? Sucks to be youuuuuuuu...!!! CLUCK CLUCK BITCH!
When asked what my second biggest peeve is in terms of dealing with the general public is the dreaded question: “Do you work here?” Instinct wants me to say, “No….”naturally. But then I think about it some, I look around me as I hold a mannequin’s arm in one hand, a shirt in the other and pins in my mouth. Oh, and the lance around my neck with the placard inside the plastic sleeve stating “Ask me how you can save 20%”………Now, let’s go back to the question: When you go into a store and see someone working, why would you ask them if they work there? Who do you know goes into department stores and changes the mannequins, walks behind the cash wrap, wears the store’s logo on their shirt, (enter obvious signs of that said person and their probability of working there here.) It’s really not that fucking difficult to figure out people! I was at The Gap and some guy walks in as I was shopping and just as I was refolding a shirt he bellows out to me, “Where you’re t-shirts at?” I looked at him and said, “I don’t work here.” His girlfriend laughed while he stared at me like he didn’t believe me. She then said, “It’s because you’re dressed so nice.” Oh, I get it! You walk into a store and the first person you deem inferior to you (me, the fag who obviously works in a clothing store to you, the breeder who obviously works a more manly job in blue collar) is justified to bellow at and bark orders to. No, I fucking got it bitch, loud and clear and it had nothing to do with the fact that I dress better then your Neanderthal boyfriend or your “Juicy”-imprinted ass. By the way ladies, wearing Victoria Secret loungewear is not street wear; you all look trashy and I don’t care what size you are.

Let me break it down for you: People who get great customer service, earn it. We are not paid to be your bitch, your door mat, or treated anything less then civil just because we are on the other side of the cash register. We are paid to assist customers to and with our products. We are paid to maintain the appearance of the store (no, this does not mean cleaning up after you or your disgusting brats you chose to bear into this already over-populated world). We are paid to merchandise the store to the best of our capabilities and most importantly, to keep the sales rolling in. Customer service is a two-way street: Treat me nice and with decent mutual respect and I will do my utmost best to have you come back to the store again by time and time again giving you great tips such as sales, coupons, etcetera. But be an ignorant dirty bitch and/or a raging psycho, then I will do one of two things: Walk away and leave you and report you to every store in the area as the ignorant dirty bitch/ raging psycho you are or give it right back to you with a customer-pleasing-eat-shit smile. You should ultimately understand that we who work retail are people too and while there are a great number of fresh-out-of-high-school kids working in your store, there are an even greater number of people going for their college degrees and even have degrees that out number yours. The reason people work these horrible paying, joy-sucking jobs varies on the person. I work retail because I am in school obtaining my degree to teach and no one likes to hire a college student because we do not have set schedules. I am a little older then a typical college student and this will be my second degree I am going for. I know one guy who has four degrees and he just doesn’t know what to do in life so he stays in school and he happens to be the most intelligent person I know. So just because we work retail and you have a great office job does not mean you are better then us. Walk into a store with that kind of attitude and you will be least likely on having a great customer service experience. Nobody likes to be anywhere near others that make them feel like shit.