Swearing customers, do you have any problem with it?

[Hotwire]

My wife works at a Wal-Mart. She was at the service desk one day when a customer came over and started giving her coworker a hard time about returning something. He was cussing, being rude, and just downright ignorant. Nothing was happening fast enough for him. Finally the lady had had enough and told him that everything was going to take longer now, because she was getting her supervisor and he would have to deal with them now. Then left the customer there to wait for her supervisor.

Working in sales once, I had a customer complaining that he was not getting what he had paid for. He had his wife and young son there with him. As I was trying to explain everything to him, he kept swearing. I told him if he kept it up, that he and I were done and he would be leaving with nothing. He tried to deny swearing and swore some more. I told him we were done, and asked him to leave. He calmed down, apologized and we worked things out.

 

[Downhere]

I don't swear as a general rule, I have no problem with others doing it though (My dad swears and would openly swear even when I was very young)

But if a stranger came up to me and casually swore he/she wouldn't leave a good impression.

I'm the exact same way. I don't mind others swearing but if it's my first time meeting a person and they automatically swear, then I don't get a good impression from that person. Also, having worked in a customer oriented environment, there would be customers who swore, but I just took it in stride as I wasn't going to let stupid idiots get me upset. t:

 

[Jennifer Walters]

So wait, you would have a bad impression of a potential good person just because they swore in one of their first few words to you? That's well, that's dumb. A swear word doesn't reflect their personality, which should be the true thing that matters.

Also 6 years in retail has gotten me quite adapted to swearing and just generally rude customers. Retail treats you to people at their worst. They say the employee is what is wrong with today's retail world, but it's the customer and the customer is always right policy that is what's wrong with today's retail world.

 

[Downhere]

So wait, you would have a bad impression of a potential good person just because they swore in one of their first few words to you? That's well, that's dumb. A swear word doesn't reflect their personality, which should be the true thing that matters.

I just think if you just meet a person and the first words coming out their mouth are curse words, then I would pretty much get a bad impression of that person. Like I said, I don't mind cursing in general, but there is a time and place for that and when just meeting someone it just isn't polite to start dropping F-bombs for every other word spoken.

 

[Metamorpho1977]

swearing is usually a character flaw. sure no one's perfect, but if someone's not considerate enough to not swear the first time I meet them and care enough figure out if I'm offended by it then yeah, it affects how I look at them. I mean in the work place, you really have no control over customers doing it, but I try to ignore it.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

Eh, I feel that's a very fickle and picky thing to first judge someone on. If you had an exchange like this...

You: Hi. My friend told me all about you.
Stranger: Hey. Yeah, she told me about you too.
You: She said you saw that movie together. How was it?
Strange: Aw man, it ****ing sucked.

You're really telling me, you would think badly of this person who you've barely just gotten to know because they said one little WORD? You're going to judge their whole character on a WORD? Do you not see how fickle and flawed that makes YOU?

 

[Downhere]

Eh, I feel that's a very fickle and picky thing to first judge someone on. If you had an exchange like this...

You: Hi. My friend told me all about you.
Stranger: Hey. Yeah, she told me about you too.
You: She said you saw that movie together. How was it?
Strange: Aw man, it ****ing sucked.

You're really telling me, you would think badly of this person who you've barely just gotten to know because they said one little WORD? You're going to judge their whole character on a WORD? Do you not see how fickle and flawed that makes YOU?

I apply what Metamorpho1977 stated above, if the person isn't considerate enough to not swear the first time they meet me, then that leaves a bad impression. Sure what you posted is pretty much nothing to care about but for the first time I meet someone they could just say, "Hey, the movie sucked." Really no need to add anything other than that. Then after you get to know the person you can start saying whatever, but that first time counts and I don't really see it as fickle to want someone to be considerate the first time I meet them. Personally speaking of course.

 

[Metamorpho1977]

It's called a 1st Impression for a reason. You don't get a second 1st impression. What you do when you meet someone tells a lot about them.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

Whatever, I just don't think it's a big deal that you two are making it. I mean if they cursed directly at you that'd be different, but just in general? That's a little too fickle for me. I mean I get being considerate, but in what way is a word harming you if it's not directed at you? Really? I mean, come on.

 

[Metamorpho1977]

Whatever, I just don't think it's a big deal that you two are making it. I mean if they cursed directly at you that'd be different, but just in general? That's a little too fickle for me. I mean I get being considerate, but in what way is a word harming you if it's not directed at you? Really? I mean, come on.

It's just good manners. You don't swear in front of someone you don't really know.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

I just got ask...how old are you two, because I'm thinking this must be an age thing, because I really don't care if someone curses the first time I meet them as long as they are a generally nice, interesting, and fun person.

The nicest person in the world can swear like no tomorrow, and you guys wouldn't know it, because you wouldn't let them get past that first impression, because of a word and more than likely not even a word directed at you? Do you not see how that seems to be going overboard?

 

[Downhere]

I just got ask...how old are you two, because I'm thinking this must be an age thing,

Just a couple years older than you.

 

[Metamorpho1977]

I just got ask...how old are you two, because I'm thinking this must be an age thing, because I really don't care if someone curses the first time I meet them as long as they are a generally nice, interesting, and fun person.

The nicest person in the world can swear like no tomorrow, and you guys wouldn't know it, because you wouldn't let them get past that first impression, because of a word and more than likely not even a word directed at you? Do you not see how that seems to be going overboard?

That's a very self centered thing to say. I'm 33. I don't have a problem with swearing in general. It's people who think it's ok to do just because everyone else does it.

 

[Jennifer Walters]

I was not being self centered, I just assumed you guys had to be in your 50s at least. I mean I was taught manners, but really to me swear words are just that words. They don't dampen my impression on someone at any time they use them unless they use them directly towards me or someone I care for deeply.

 

[terry78]

If the customer service person is cursing in a somewhat jovial manner, I might do it back and we might laugh or something, but that's the extent of it.

 

[Wolfwood]

It bothered me when costumers would swear around children. Now that I work at an elementary school, cussing is especially frowned upon.

 

[CrashNburn]

My wife works at a Wal-Mart. She was at the service desk one day when a customer came over and started giving her coworker a hard time about returning something. He was cussing, being rude, and just downright ignorant. Nothing was happening fast enough for him. Finally the lady had had enough and told him that everything was going to take longer now, because she was getting her supervisor and he would have to deal with them now. Then left the customer there to wait for her supervisor.

Working in sales once, I had a customer complaining that he was not getting what he had paid for. He had his wife and young son there with him. As I was trying to explain everything to him, he kept swearing. I told him if he kept it up, that he and I were done and he would be leaving with nothing. He tried to deny swearing and swore some more. I told him we were done, and asked him to leave. He calmed down, apologized and we worked things out.

I really think you handled it perfectly. It kills me the amount of power the customer thinks he/she has where they thing its okay to swear and belittle the person behind the counter. Trust me, I dont think there's such thing as good customer service these days(which is another subject to be discussed) but there's no reason that guy should have used foul language with you.

 

[Prison Mike]

I loved it when customers would swear at me. I thrived on their anger and rage.

 

[terry78]

You're like a Red Lantern.

 

[E-Man]

I think first impressions are highly overrated. I never think twice about them, because I know a person is much more than what they present at first. People are full of lies and **** when you first meet them, so first impressions don't mean much to me. The only time that they possibly matter is in the business world, and even then they're overrated. Recruiting managers know that you're full of **** too.

 

[CrashNburn]

Wow, you really need to meet better people E-man! lol

 

[terry78]

That just means you have to learn to ******** with the rest of them.

 

[CrashNburn]

Hahaha, Terry has a great advice!

 

[Hound55]

I think first impressions are highly overrated. I never think twice about them, because I know a person is much more than what they present at first. People are full of lies and **** when you first meet them, so first impressions don't mean much to me. The only time that they possibly matter is in the business world, and even then they're overrated. Recruiting managers know that you're full of **** too.

Truth.

 

[Kelly]

My wife works at a Wal-Mart. She was at the service desk one day when a customer came over and started giving her coworker a hard time about returning something. He was cussing, being rude, and just downright ignorant. Nothing was happening fast enough for him. Finally the lady had had enough and told him that everything was going to take longer now, because she was getting her supervisor and he would have to deal with them now. Then left the customer there to wait for her supervisor.

Working in sales once, I had a customer complaining that he was not getting what he had paid for. He had his wife and young son there with him. As I was trying to explain everything to him, he kept swearing. I told him if he kept it up, that he and I were done and he would be leaving with nothing. He tried to deny swearing and swore some more. I told him we were done, and asked him to leave. He calmed down, apologized and we worked things out.

I almost cussed out a Wal-Mart customer service lady in pick up....I was waiting to pick up a recliner I ordered. She past me behind the counter 5 times. There were no other customers, all she was doing was walking around. But, instead of cussing her out, I stopped her on her 6th round and asked to speak with her manager. She asked why, I said that was between me and her manager...

I spoke with him 5 minutes later and within 5 minutes the recliner was in my truck....and I was driving home.

She, by the end of my 30 minutes there, was not a happy camper...