Are they for real?

[Redsoil]

I quite often read the stories on "Not Always Right"  http://notalwaysright.com/

Some of them can be amusing, others make me shake my head at how rude people can be.  However, I do wonder how much the stories are embellished, especially given the over-the-top language and very abrupt sentence structure used. 

Given that it's a predominantly US site, can others enlighten me?  Do people really speak in such an abrupt, rude and demanding way to service staff?  In particular, I tend to think the stories where someone is conveniently arrested by an officer who just happens by, and the stories where staff are hit in the face/shoved/have items thrown at them have to be figments of over-active imaginations!  Then there are the "happy endings", where a poor defenceless female ends up bullied by a customer, and crying, then a knight in shining armour swoops in and rescues her ("and we're now married, dating etc").

Or am I just overly cynical?   

[Reika]

I take some of the stories with a grain (or shaker full) of salt. However, I've worked in customer service for way too long, and yes, people really are that rude and abrupt.

A former co-worker of mine at a supermarket did get a frozen turkey thrown at her, so sadly, I can believe some of that stuff happening.

[ThatGirl]

I'm a big fan of that site and I've wondered the same thing - I've noticed lately there's been a spate of 'happy ending' tales or ones where customers get immediate and appropriate comeuppance for their behaviour, and some of them just don't quite ring true. As a UK resident, I also notice when a story from the UK reports the customer service person calling the customer 'Sir' or 'Ma'am', which isn't common over here - but I suppose they rewrite the submissions into a 'house style' of sorts perhaps?

[iridaceae]

Oh some of that langauge is very accurate. When I worked fast food I got called about every name in the book because I was a fast food employee. I had 12 year-old boys call me the b word.

Hotel work isn't much better; I think I have gotten more verbal abuse working the front desk than I ever have in fast food. Because it's apparently perfectly okay to be verbally abusive when you are staying in a hotel. 

But yeah, I think a lot of the stories are way too neat and "ha! karma!" on that site for them to be real.

[blue2000]

Having salespeople punched, shoved or things thrown at them is not unusual. Neither is temper tantrums, vandalism, drunks, druggies, thieves, liars, etc. (on a side note, boy have I been in retail way too long!!! ).

I haven't seen many cutesie happy endings IRL, so I'm a little suspicious of those, but it is possible.

[Redsoil]

Wow - so people really DO act like that?  Glad I don't live in their world - sounds miserable.  We do get the odd patient who can be somewhat testing, but nothing like the stories I've seen on that site!

[Amava]

I think the rudeness, aggression, assaults and foul language really happen, but most of the happy endings and "clever comebacks" are embellished. Not saying that there are no good managers who stand up for their employees and throw a customer out on the curb, or that other customers never speak up to defend an employee, or that no employee ever thinks of a clever retort on the spot - but sometimes it sounds very much like wishful thinking of "what should have happened" or "what I wish I had thought of saying at the time". 

[Giggity]

I doubt 95% of the stories there. Especially the ones that end with the story teller chastising the evil doer, then the next customer in line approves of her verbally, then said customer asks her out and they live happily ever after.

(My trolldar is pinging a lot more than usual lately, on here even. Lots of newbies with stories that fit a template and check off details.)

[Thipu1]

I sometimes read Notalwaysright but I do so with a bit more salt than a prudent diet would allow.

What makes the site suspicious to me is that the posts are identified only by type and location of business.  There are no names and the posts have a strange flatness about them. You don't get the feeling of a real person behind the stories.

'Customerssuck' is a similar site that I find much more believable.  Like Ehell,  the posters have names, personalities and distinctive writing styles.  For example, we know that Jester is a bartender in Key West and that Gravekeeper works for a multi-client phone center in Vancouver.  Information like that gives more human interest to the site. Although some stories do seem over the top, on the whole, they ring true.

[bonyk]

After I read this story:  http://notalwaysright.com/try-our-new-three-slice-pizza/13020 , I never believed anything on that site again.  If you don't want to click, it's the old joke about cutting the pizza in 8 slices instead of 12, because 12 is far too much to eat.

[VorFemme]

After I read this story:  http://notalwaysright.com/try-our-new-three-slice-pizza/13020 , I never believed anything on that site again.  If you don't want to click, it's the old joke about cutting the pizza in 8 slices instead of 12, because 12 is far too much to eat.

Sadly, having worked at a pizza place in college - I believe that one.

Some people really don't seem to realize that the 1/8 slice is a "different size" than the 1/12 slice - they seem to think that they are getting 8 of the 1/12 slices or that the 12" pizza will be smaller for being cut in fewer slices.

How they get to that point in their "logic" I don't know....

But they really seem to think that all pizza is "issued" in a standard sized slice....I've gone to a counter place where the pizza is cut in six slices and you get a slice and a drink for a special price (under $3 USA - two different chains) - people have to LOOK at the pizza to make sure that one slice is big enough.....at least the first time they go to the place.  They may order two slices because one won't be big enough.....two is too many.  One and a half might be nice for the teenaged boys - but two is 1/3 of a pizza and a LOT of food!

[siamesecat2965]

After I read this story:  http://notalwaysright.com/try-our-new-three-slice-pizza/13020 , I never believed anything on that site again.  If you don't want to click, it's the old joke about cutting the pizza in 8 slices instead of 12, because 12 is far too much to eat.

Sadly, having worked at a pizza place in college - I believe that one.

Some people really don't seem to realize that the 1/8 slice is a "different size" than the 1/12 slice - they seem to think that they are getting 8 of the 1/12 slices or that the 12" pizza will be smaller for being cut in fewer slices.

How they get to that point in their "logic" I don't know....

But they really seem to think that all pizza is "issued" in a standard sized slice....I've gone to a counter place where the pizza is cut in six slices and you get a slice and a drink for a special price (under $3 USA - two different chains) - people have to LOOK at the pizza to make sure that one slice is big enough.....at least the first time they go to the place.  They may order two slices because one won't be big enough.....two is too many.  One and a half might be nice for the teenaged boys - but two is 1/3 of a pizza and a LOT of food!

There is a new pizza place near my office where I had the same experience. I usally can eat two slices, but these are slightly larger than usual, so when I ordered two, it was a lot, and I ended up bringing some back!

[Shoo]

I don't believe most of the stories there.  I read it for entertainment only, and usually end up rolling my eyes, thinking to myself, "Yeah.  That didn't happen."

[atirial]

I can believe customers act that badly, but sadly I have more trouble believing the 'good' stories with happy endings. I think many of those are embellished, or include a lot of wishful thinking and things the writer wishes they have thought of at the time.

[Hillia]

I also doubt many of the stories, but not the language or behavior of some customers. When I worked customer service for an internet provider/web host, the day wasn't complete until I'd had either a bomb threat or some guy threatening to wait for me outside the building and kick my behind.  I was called every name in the book, and had one of my employees called the n-word.  That lovely customer had his account immediately locked by me, and terminated the next day as soon as I could get approval from the right person.

Edited to remove a clumsy attempt to circumvent the filter