Customers and Work: Offended

Offended

By Anonymous - 04/09/2009 04:31 - Canada

Today, a customer came in who only spoke Spanish. I speak Spanish rather well so I helped the customer. She ended up buying $2300 worth of stuff. I got written up because not speaking English apparently "has the potential be offensive to other customers if they are not able to understand you." FML

I agree, your life sucks 60 168

You deserved it 3 507

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Same thing different taste

Communication Breakdown

By rosie - 08/03/2021 13:59

Today, I was unable to communicate with a customer who only spoke French. As a result, my boss called me a "monolingual idiot." I speak Spanish, German, and Japanese. FML

I agree, your life sucks 1 113

You deserved it 69

By Smittynumerouno - 28/10/2016 03:13 - United States - Amarillo

Today, I had an old man yell in my face because the boxes in our store only had Spanish words on them. I spent 15 minutes apologizing and trying to explain that the English was on the back side. He stormed out before I could even show him. FML

I agree, your life sucks 10 824

You deserved it 917

By anonymous - 15/02/2015 22:39 - United States - Valdosta

Today, while working at Subway I joked with a customer asking him if he was going to order in Spanish. The women in front of him began yelling about how I was being racist and told my manager that I needed to be fired. The customer I was joking with was my Spanish teacher. FML

I agree, your life sucks 40 977

You deserved it 2 908

America, **** yeah

By BrazilianGal - 12/08/2021 02:01

Today, a lady at the clothing store told me to, “Stop speaking 'Mexicano', this is America!” when I was talking on the phone. I actually speak Portuguese. When I pointed this out, she verbally tortured me and threatened to, “Call the cops” if I didn’t leave her store for, “making her feel threatened.” FML

I agree, your life sucks 1 264

You deserved it 148

By Username - 28/02/2011 16:26

Today, my assistant manager was arguing with a customer. I interjected letting the customer know that "we want everything to be copacetic." After the customer left, I received a write up for using "big words." FML

I agree, your life sucks 29 890

You deserved it 5 400

By Anon - 26/05/2009 17:45 - United Kingdom

Today, I was at a mall. A woman stopped by me, said slowly and loudly, in Spanish "baño?" Knowing a bit of Spanish, I nodded and pointed the restrooms out for her. She then mutters about "dang Mexicans and their inability to speak English". I'm not even Latina. I'm Irish-American. FML

I agree, your life sucks 70 083

You deserved it 4 168

By people suck - 28/03/2015 04:16 - United States - Oakland

Today, while at work, a customer refused to speak louder, despite me asking her to do it several times. As a result, I took her order incorrectly. The customer then finally decided to raise her voice, but only to yell at me about my poor listening skills. FML

I agree, your life sucks 32 375

You deserved it 2 513

By PuddlePirate - 07/09/2012 16:23 - United States - Mountain Iron

Today, my co-worker and I were having a conversation in Russian. Our boss overheard us talking, shouted, "I know you're talking about me! I speak Spanish too!" and threatened to fire us. FML

I agree, your life sucks 30 640

You deserved it 3 434

By Anonymous - 07/03/2012 06:46 - United States

Today, at work, we had an extremely rude customer who started cussing at us, and my coworker started cussing back. I jumped on the register to quickly bring down the line, and apologized to everyone for the scene. A secret shopper was in the line and claimed that I was rude. I got written up. FML

I agree, your life sucks 29 899

You deserved it 2 474

Differences

By Anonymous - 17/06/2014 15:28 - United States - Saint Louis

Today, I almost got written up for insubordination by my boss. All I did was explain to him that I couldn't help a tourist out because I speak Japanese, not Korean, and that it's not in fact "the same Asian shit" as he seemed to think. FML

I agree, your life sucks 48 792

You deserved it 3 323

amdm 0

Friday 4 September 2009 12:07

Yeah, I get that a lot... And the stupid part is? I was hired BECAUSE I'm bilingual.

24788 6

Friday 4 September 2009 12:13

Well, your in Canada... They have many people who speak French. This one doesn't sound right to me.

Comments

Boat4373 0

Tuesday 8 September 2009 3:14

respectfully, FAKE. no retail business which has the potential to sell 2300 dollars to one person would take part in descriminatory practices.

asilex 0

Thursday 1 October 2009 19:33

Not the business. But if your supervisor is a douche and just wants to FYL then he will. It has happened to me and it's completely ****** up! Your job when you work in costumer service is to give good service. Don't understand why you should get written up for giving a costumer EXTRA good service by speaking to them in a language they understand.

DynamicDave 11

Tuesday 8 September 2009 3:29

I work at a Walmart and I've had to speak Spanish to customers several times. If I got written up for it I'd have to bust some heads lol. @OP: I agree, your life is f'ed

Ursa585 0

Wednesday 9 September 2009 9:40

I don't know how old this is, but the truth is basically everyone here is right. Spanish has slightly more NATIVE speakers than English: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most_commonly_spoken_Languages_worldwide English is the most widely spoken language in the world OVERALL: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_languages_by_total_number_of_speakers It is my personal opinion that it's only polite to learn the language of the country you move to. However, the F(ed) up part of this situation was the management's response, not the Spanish speaker

_YouDeservedIt_ 0

Thursday 7 January 2010 22:28

YDI for being mexican

Compass 0

Wednesday 20 January 2010 3:44

That's gay. Defend yourself, OP. So what if you're speaking Spanish to a customer? Your higher-ups need to understand the importance of tending to customers with special needs. Como dije: defiendete.

Compass 0

Wednesday 20 January 2010 3:48

Honestly, if there is truly one language everyone on Earth should know, it's Latin. Why not? Science uses it, and it's fair to almost everyone.

F3n0m 0

Tuesday 20 July 2010 6:31

two words... "I quit".. or "**** u""

Chocolate_Chunk 2

Thursday 12 August 2010 9:07

You kinda deserve it. People who move to another country and don't lern the official language there are assholes and you shouldn't enforce their failure to do so by speaking with them in anything but the official language. Only exception are tourists and they're easy to spot. Around here, it got so bad that official documents have to be given out in about 20 different languages because all the immigrants just wont even try to read them if they were not in their native language (wrong decision, IMHO, they should just be given out in the official language, screw the assholes who don't read them. Oh, you decided to ignore all the reminders that you still have taxes to pay? Have fun with Bubba then)

KB616 11

Monday 2 May 2011 19:41

I think I would have quit. **** that shit.

Robert595 0

Friday 6 May 2011 0:00

the united states does not have an official language. So for all of you out there that say its an immigrants fault for not speaking english, its not. And as for english being a hard language? IT IS. I'm taking spanish in high-school... its sooo much easier than english! English has no real patterns or discernible rules. Look at the plurality of nouns, fox goes to foxes moose? stays as moose. Goose? stays as goose. Both my parents are foreign language teachers. My dad grew up in Italy, moved to America, and knows English Spanish French and Italian fluently. He says that English remains the hardest as it has little structure. And just look at your comments! The grammar on this site is atrocious! You guys can barely speak english yourselves!