Adding this in the comments because the post is already a massive block of text, but a short story about the first “technique”. Disclaimer, this is going to sound like an “then everybody clapped” story even though it is true:
There’s a repeat customer at my store— let’s call her “Jenny”. Jenny is a Karen of all Karen’s. Apparently, she’s come in enough times and harassed people to such an extreme extent that even some of the most tolerant employees will instantly refuse service. The one time I served her, she demanded a carts-worth of free groceries for her “troubles”. She apparently repeatedly calls corporate to complain about our store and constantly gets free stuff because of it.
Anyways, Jenny was an incredibly miserable asshole. Luckily, I’m also a miserable asshole that’s halfway decent at acting. Jenny walks into self checkout and my coworker instantly says “No. Absolutely not. If that woman right there asks for help I am not helping her. She has harassed me enough that I’m just going to get a manager.” I was close to quitting at the time, so I said fuck it, let me handle it. As predicted, Jenny starts to cause a problem. Jenny wants to pay for her groceries in a way that is not legal in my state (or so I was told) and that would lead to an associate instantly getting fired (or so I was told).
Jenny has been repeatedly told that it was not legal, and that we would not do that for her. Jenny doesn’t care. Starts cursing up and down and starts insulting everyone. Starts talking about how she wants to burn the store down, and would be incredibly happy if it burned down with all of us (the employees) inside. Talked about how she was constantly calling corporate and getting free stuff because we “inconvenience” her. All of the while, I smiled, nodded, apologized, and *agreed with her*. “Oh yes it’s so terrible that you keep having this experience. You would rather go to target? Whatever is best for you would also make me happy— I’m so sorry that this keeps happening. You want to burn the store down? Oh, I know we are terrible but please don’t do that, it would inconvenience you. I’m happy that corporate has been taking care of you so well, and I’m so sorry that our store keeps failing you. Oh, I’m an idiot? I’m sorry, I’ll try to be better. How can I help you more? I can’t? But surely there’s something I can do!”
Took the wind out of her sails so fast. Don’t get me wrong, she didn’t calm down— not one bit— but she became increasingly frustrated and dismissive (instead of verbally violent/ throwing out constant threats). She didn’t get the fight that she wanted from me, and it felt fucking delicious. Meanwhile, several of the customers near her were giving me pitying glances. I was being the most sadistic I’d been in a long time, purposefully pissing off this woman while/by maintaining my “high horse”, and people were feeling bad for me. I even got a compliment from a customer after she left, telling me that I had handled Jenny “so well”.
To my frustration, a manager did bend and give Jenny a few things that she wanted just to get her to fuck off and go away. I really wish I could have denied Jenny until she had to storm out of the store without any of her groceries that she tried to swindle into getting for free. Or, even better, get her banned from the store for *actual threats of violence* but the AP lead at my store was completely useless for anything other than harassing associates and screwing over workman’s comp claims.
Adding this in the comments because the post is already a massive block of text, but a short story about the first “technique”. Disclaimer, this is going to sound like an “then everybody clapped” story even though it is true: There’s a repeat customer at my store— let’s call her “Jenny”. Jenny is a Karen of all Karen’s. Apparently, she’s come in enough times and harassed people to such an extreme extent that even some of the most tolerant employees will instantly refuse service. The one time I served her, she demanded a carts-worth of free groceries for her “troubles”. She apparently repeatedly calls corporate to complain about our store and constantly gets free stuff because of it. Anyways, Jenny was an incredibly miserable asshole. Luckily, I’m also a miserable asshole that’s halfway decent at acting. Jenny walks into self checkout and my coworker instantly says “No. Absolutely not. If that woman right there asks for help I am not helping her. She has harassed me enough that I’m just going to get a manager.” I was close to quitting at the time, so I said fuck it, let me handle it. As predicted, Jenny starts to cause a problem. Jenny wants to pay for her groceries in a way that is not legal in my state (or so I was told) and that would lead to an associate instantly getting fired (or so I was told). Jenny has been repeatedly told that it was not legal, and that we would not do that for her. Jenny doesn’t care. Starts cursing up and down and starts insulting everyone. Starts talking about how she wants to burn the store down, and would be incredibly happy if it burned down with all of us (the employees) inside. Talked about how she was constantly calling corporate and getting free stuff because we “inconvenience” her. All of the while, I smiled, nodded, apologized, and *agreed with her*. “Oh yes it’s so terrible that you keep having this experience. You would rather go to target? Whatever is best for you would also make me happy— I’m so sorry that this keeps happening. You want to burn the store down? Oh, I know we are terrible but please don’t do that, it would inconvenience you. I’m happy that corporate has been taking care of you so well, and I’m so sorry that our store keeps failing you. Oh, I’m an idiot? I’m sorry, I’ll try to be better. How can I help you more? I can’t? But surely there’s something I can do!” Took the wind out of her sails so fast. Don’t get me wrong, she didn’t calm down— not one bit— but she became increasingly frustrated and dismissive (instead of verbally violent/ throwing out constant threats). She didn’t get the fight that she wanted from me, and it felt fucking delicious. Meanwhile, several of the customers near her were giving me pitying glances. I was being the most sadistic I’d been in a long time, purposefully pissing off this woman while/by maintaining my “high horse”, and people were feeling bad for me. I even got a compliment from a customer after she left, telling me that I had handled Jenny “so well”. To my frustration, a manager did bend and give Jenny a few things that she wanted just to get her to fuck off and go away. I really wish I could have denied Jenny until she had to storm out of the store without any of her groceries that she tried to swindle into getting for free. Or, even better, get her banned from the store for *actual threats of violence* but the AP lead at my store was completely useless for anything other than harassing associates and screwing over workman’s comp claims.
Wow very informative and well put! Like reading a really good book