Stupid pommy bastard!

[Rsmacker]

Rock on! Book me and Wilksy-Baby the Honeymoon Suite, mate! (I'm going to mate with his little pink arse)

[dg]

As for the OP, that guy was way out of line. Any good traveler should learn the customs of the places they visit and respect them.

In the US, it varies a lot depending on the region. Generally, you get a lot of "Sir" & "Ma'am" in the South, along with a lot of small talk like "How are you?" and "Thanks! Have a great day!", and quite a bit less or even none of that as you go North. I don't think they're necessarily less nice, it's just different because the pace is faster or whatever. One of my friends is a network engineer for an Alabama-based company that does business all over the country, and he told me that they almost lost an account at a huge law firm in NY because they thought he & his crew were mocking them when they said "Sir" & "Ma'am". They actually had to have a meeting to clear everything up.

Overall, though, I think we tend to have quite a bit of snobbery here no matter where you go. The idea that this is a classless society has always been bs, but I think it's getting worse.

[atomic charvel guy]

endy,
the reason your country has the worst customer service is due to it
being 200 degrees below zero all the time, that kinda takes its toll
on people, so i give your countrymen a pass on the worst customer service tag, they've earned the right to be that way if you ask me.

[Tekky]

A radio DJ I used to listen to back in the day used to play a song that went something like... "The world is fulll of a**holes... there's one right over there" (it would be better if I could find a copy of it but I'm sure you get the gist), just blow off the steam and don't let it ruin your day. I know it's easier said than done, but that's just about all you can really do nowadays.

I used to work in a high-pressure front facing job for 5 years. Directory Assistance, information, 4-1-1, whatever... I used to get these kinds of jerks all the time. After a while I became pretty good at either a) ignoring them or b) insulting them without their knowledge.

When I worked D.A. it was prior to any Yellow Page databases being available for operators. This made searching for things relatively difficult if the customer didn't have the name.

I once had a call where a lady asked for "the beauty salon at 71st and Exchange". (streets ad-libbed due to a time/memory error) I questioned her for the name of the place. She said she didn't know the name but assured me it was there.

So, I searched for any business with the words "beauty" or "hair" in the name. Which honestly, given my training, was WAAAAAY above what I was supposed to have done. This search turned up nothing and so I came back to her and said, "I'm sory ma'am, I've made a search for any business with 'beauty' or 'hair' in the name in that area but I find no listing."

Slightly indignant, she continued to tell me that it was there. So I responded. "I'm not doubting it is there, however my database searches by name. I've made a search for a business with 'beauty' or 'hair' in the name in that area but I find no listing."

At this point she wants to speak to my supervisor. So I transfer her. Normal procedure is that I let her go once I initiate the call to the supervisor, but out of curiosity about how a supervisor would handle it, I held on to the call and put myself on mute. While waiting for the supervisor, the lady says to a friend in the background... "He 'finds no listing', I know it's there! Whatch, I'm going to get him fired!" (actual quote)

So my supervisor gets on the call, the lady proceeds to tell her that I cursed her upside and down the other and wouldn't give her the number. At that point I dropped the call. Took myself offline and walked into the bathroom. Once I was in the bathroom, I punched the wall.

I returned to my station and started taking calls again. A couple seconds into the first call, my screen showed that the supervisor was calling me. I answered the call. The supervisor asked, "What was that 'bang'?"

I responded, "Oh, you heard that out here? I was blowing off some steam because the lady said that she was going to get me fired. I went above and beyond for her and still her life was that horrid that she wanted to make someone's worse."

The supervisor came back and said, "She said you cursed her out. You know as well as I do, that you'd never do anything like that. You may throw out a back-handed insult, but you'd never go as far as to curse someone out. Let it go, there was no report on it."

I responded 'OK' and went about the rest of my day. It was honestly a relief to know that someone had my back in that situation.

[Endrik]

In the US, it varies a lot depending on the region. Generally, you get a lot of "Sir" & "Ma'am" in the South, along with a lot of small talk like "How are you?" and "Thanks! Have a great day!", and quite a bit less or even none of that as you go North. I don't think they're necessarily less nice, it's just different because the pace is faster or whatever.

Exactly, pretty much everywhere (except for posh parts in London from my experience) is like that, the faster and more crowded the environment is, the less time you have for bullshit.

endy,
the reason your country has the worst customer service is due to it
being 200 degrees below zero all the time, that kinda takes its toll
on people, so i give your countrymen a pass on the worst customer service tag, they've earned the right to be that way if you ask me.

That too but the customer service in Nordic countries is a lot better and they are on even higher latitude but then again they are wealthy while over here the folks are underpaid. Don't get me wrong, the service over here doesn't bother me as I've grown up with it.
I also have experiences with horrible customers as well. I think my dad can be the worst customer on the planet but mostly due the service being crappy. If everything is ok, he starts cracking jokes but when something bothers him you better run for cover. He's perfectionist at his own trade and expects everyone else to be the same. He's also a very loud alpha male who will get "justice" on the house no matter what. My mom is often afraid to go shopping with him but I always got to laugh my ass off.
I'm sure my personality was a bit of an headache for the folks in US too.

[atomic charvel guy]

you were fine, you didn't drain on my narcotics supply whatsoever,
totally fine sir-lol

[wilkinsi]

Book Rslicker a one-way flight, then feed him to the crocks or bull sharks. I'm not fussed which.

[Endrik]

you were fine, you didn't drain on my narcotics supply whatsoever,
totally fine sir-lol

The effect of your narcotics supply on some cats drained on my brain cells though, still can't believe some of the shit I saw.

[Rsmacker]

Book Rslicker a one-way flight, then feed him to the crocks or bull sharks. I'm not fussed which.

Oh, sweetie, whassamatta? Come and give Daddy boo-boo a big kissy wissy on the bell end. I'm sorry I've been neglecting you, I have had big boy grown-up things to do. Never mind though, I'm back, so how's the Fistula?

[VitaminG]

fistula? is that some kind of kitchen utensil?

[metalmania408]

Yup, when he was leaving you should have said in a very earnest fashion, "You have a great evening mate!"

LOL....that would of ticked him off even more. Woulda been funny to see the look on his face!!


Seriously though, it amazes me how some people due to social status or whatever, feel they're in a class all their own. Even in the corporate world, I run into a handful of these types, to this day. Generally, everyone's pretty approachable regardless of what position they hold. You'll always get a few who think their sh1t don't stink. Don't let this few get to ya and keep up the great customer service man. It's the folks who appreciate good customer service who you should be more concerned about. Keep doin' what yer doin' bro!

[Rsmacker]

Come on, let's have a bit of balance here. I refuse to believe that all of the people posting replies are fine, cheerful people, rooting for the poor working man. Maybe the Pom just had a bad day?

What happens when you stagger into the supermarket on the way home from a monumental piss-up, all sweaty, maybe you've followed through on one of those beery farts you've been rasping since dawn, looking for a tin of Andrews and a tin of Nurishment for your breakfast?

Some cheery cunt says "Hi, how are ya mate?" , totally out of the blue...... I'd tell him to fuck off. In fact, I repeat that I'd be expecting trouble if someone addressed me just like that, without me initiating contact.

Wherever I've been in the world, if someone with a smile on his face addresses a stranger, in such a fashion, it's a big danger sign, it's a way of testing someone. A vulnerable person is suddenly exposed as being at a disadvantage, the wolves start to circle after that. When the stranger looks up and gives a load of verbal back, he asserts his confidence and looks less like a victim. It's not about aggression or arrogance, it's about telling people to back off and keep their distance.

Put it this way, go to the Colosseum in Rome, and when someone shouts "Hey, mister, you ok? Hot?" you've probably just lost your wallet. At the very least, you'll not shake the other person off for ages as he tries to hustle you for tours, sunglasses, cans of coke, trinkets, etc etc. When you stand up and tell them to fuck off or you'll rip their head off and shit down the hole, they leave you well alone.

OK, so if this rogue Englishman was looking around, caught Terry's eye, and then started having a go, well, yes, he was out of order.

[Rsmacker]

fistula? is that some kind of kitchen utensil?

No, you are thinking of a "EndoRectal Advancement Flap".

[wilkinsi]

I was talking about you, not to you shithead. Drop the stupid ghey fantasies. Its getting boring. Save yourself time and stick your head in a concrete mixer.

[RacerX]

You're just revvin' him up, man