Yes. Don't take it personally. You don't know why or what has caused this person to be rude. When they come across rude, still be professional and friendly. If you don't have tough skin, you don't belong in any public sector positions. I had 1300 employees, customers calling VERY upset, and somehow they always end up (the customers) asking for me! Treat others like you want to be treated and you will never go wrong. Don't zoom in on their rudeness or unhappiness. Something is causing them to react this way, but you can change their frown to a smile. THAT'S when you know you're good! Treat the customers as a "challenge". Bet you can make them calm down and even smile. Just listen and assist. It works 99.9% of the time. Smile when you greet them. Shake their hands and wish them a wonderful day. There's a lot I can say here, but it would take this whole page and some. All I can say is" WINNERS NEVER QUIT, AND QUITTERS NEVER WIN:)

Don't quit. I make a game of it... the more rude they are the harder I smile and the nicer I get. It burns them up inside and I actually get to crack up at the situation. You never let anyone push your buttons and control you. You stay in control. Remember YOU are the CEO of YOU Inc. As long as they are not touching you what they say means nothing!

Don't quit your job. We had this conversation on the phone earlier today and if you quit your job where you going to work at?

I have encountered the same thing With me. It makes me ask. What is Wrong with me. They do that because They what to fight. Don't talk. They go Away. Try my way. Sue

Hi. Retail business is like that. You cant take anything personal because remember our customers human being too. Like all of us we go through hard times or may be bad moments and of course it showing on our mood and reaction to the world. So just keep doing what you doing dont give up and dont take personal anything.

Brian, it happens to everyone, and not just those in retail. People look at you as the schmuck with the crappy job that is supposed to put up with their crap, so they sling it and sling it hard. Yet, they are they the same ones who probably do a terrible job and their own jobs. They are probably the ones we as customers complain about because they treat their customers the same way they treated you when they were the customer. NEVER LET THOSE TYPES BRING YOU DOWN, PERIOD.
You have to laugh it off, think to yourself how sorry a life they must have to act that way and remember the customers that treat you well. Do all you can for them, be kind beyond kindness, nice beyond niceness and when the day is done, you hang out with your best buddies, vent to them and tell them how stupid these people are and move on to the next day. Don't let anyone ever control how you look at life and where you work. They just aren't worth getting frustrated over. They are just too pathetic.

For me it's not so much the customers as it is my bosses being verbally abusive to my co-workers and I. This weekend i plan on going to corporate, but I'm kind of scared because i need this job and I feel that they would do anything they could to fire me after that...

Hi, i'm Mike Gallagher,i know what you mean.from 2006-2013 i worked in a bar/liquor store for 8yrs. as a cashier/maintenance/stock person.and i can tell you i put up with some crappy customers. what you do in that situation is you don't get uppetty with a customer you try to be calm.if things really get out of hand you can call the cops if you get excited ,they will!.

I know what you mean. The whole climate of retail has changed and not for the better. But not every customer is nasty you just have to buck up and get a thick skin.

Hey Brian,

I used to work as a Manager for the Lumber Department for a lumber/hardware chain that went out of business sometime after I left; and I can empathize completely with your sentiments; while most of my customers were always quite gracious courteous and appreciative of my efforts to resolve their problems: there was always one who no matter how hard you tried to help them never quite appreciated your effort. I had a customer once who came into our store for a product that was advertised on sale. Unfortunately, by the time she came in to make that purchase, we had run out of that item. She calmly spoke to me; and I said, I'll call another location and see if they have some left in stock. I found another nearby location that said they had plenty in stock: I asked them to set one aside as I was sending that customer to their location to purchase that particular item. He Said; "No problem, I'll have it at the courtesy counter for your customer. I relayed that information to this customer; she thanked me, and off she went to the other location about five to seven miles away. Well, long story short: by the time she got to that other location, sure enough they too had sold out. So, she proceeds to call from that other location claiming that I was incompetent : and should be fired because by the time she arrived at the other location they too had run out.

I apologized for her inconvenience, but told her that I have no control over how quickly certain items sell: I also told her that I was relying on what the salesman at the other locations assertion that "they had plenty in stock" prior to suggesting that she go there. She continued to rant and rave, claiming that it was such an inconvenience; that she was having car troubles; and on and on, she hung up the phone stating that she was going to call my boss and have me fired for being incompetent: I tried to calm her down relaying to her that the cause of the problem was due to the employees at the other location; and not me. When I told this to my boss: he said, "Oh well, that's the retail game." Thankfully, that was the worst occurrence I ever experienced, there were some other minor ones: however, generally, my experience in dealing with the public was mostly positive.

Most people are merely coming to you for your help, experience and expertise: most are looking to you to help them solve a problem or fulfill a need that they may have.

So long-story short, I can wholeheartedly empathize with you: it is also a major reason why I got out of the retail racket.

It is one of the biggest; in my opinion reasons why retailers cannot keep good people on staff. The others are the lousy hours coupled with the inadequate compensation. I feel your pain!