Picture them in their underwear; it'll make you laugh.

That, and picturing yourself beating them silly won't help as much as you think.

And maybe talking about it afterwards with your co-workers or even your supervisor might help. Besides being bonding, you might get some reassurance about your own reaction, or even some advice that's more useful than my silliness. :-)

Huh you're not silly!!! Oh, my supervisors are mean so that's a big nono!! All the co-workers do complain to each other but it really doesn't help... I still come home like this:mad: I just don't understand how people can be so ignorant.. One day a customer even made me cry really bad in front of everyone. It was awful. Being on the cash register till thingy is the worse because the whole queue stares at you the whole time and it's just horrible:(

Wow, that is tough, Invisible. But, malign does make a good point about seeking feedback from co-workers and supervisors concerning your performance. It demonstrates that you care about the quality of your effort, and may encourage others to share in your focus. They may even be able to give you advice in dealing with these difficult customers. Even if they do not have any support or advice to give you, just make it clear you care. The experience at the till is definitely intimidating, but you will learn how to hold your own.

As for those troublesome customers, remember that you are the provider of a service. This does not make you any more or less human than the customer, so you deserve a modicum of respect that even strangers on the street are entitled to. If the comments directed to you are true and you cannot refute them, immediately agree with the customer, apologise, and tell them what you are going to do about it.

“This is ridiculous, your service is slow, I want to see the manager!”

“Yes, you are right, service is very slow and I apologise. I will call the manager immediately.”

When you do this, the customer has one less reason for continuing on a tirade as you agree with his comments, and by telling him what you are going to do to address his comments he can either offer his own suggestions or wait patiently for the results. Further, by telling him what you are going to do, you give yourself the next step to take to remain in control. If you feel hurt by these comments, I can only suggest that you do your best not to. Despite best efforts, if someone decides that I am slow, I cannot change their minds. But, I can tell them what I am going to do about it to diffuse their frustration.

Kaudio offers excellent advice. I have worked plenty of customer service jobs and the most important thing you can do is remember it's not personal. I know when they say mean things to you it's hard not to take it personally. Most customers don't see the cashier as a person. You are the easiest person to take a day's worth of frustration out on. Just smile, nod, assess whether you can fix the problem, if not then get a manager and move on. I know it sounds easier than it really is but trust me you can do this. People annoy the hell out of me so if I can paste a phony smile to my face and do this then just about anyone can:D.

Thanks guys, it sounds so easy when ye put it like that:) I don't think I'll ever get used to how intimidating it is on tills though...I've been doing it 3 years now and it's as bad as ever! Oh well! It just frustrates me that stupid customers has the power to change how I feel..

Why give them the power?

If the queue stares at you, you could always stare back ...

I worked a cash register for a while at a large drugstore in my 20's, smaller than a grocery store but still busy. Back in the Dark Ages before barcode scanners, so you had to read the price off the merchandise and key it in. If there was no price tag, you had to call someone to check the price for you. Of course, to the customers it was your fault if the price check took a long time ...

For a while, I worked at the pharmacy counter. There are no crankier customers than those who are feeling bad and have to wait while a pharmacist does his magic behind a counter where no one can see him. Who do they see? Poor helpless you.

It just takes practice; now I could stare down a statue. :-)

Haha I've never been good at staring contests. I don't like people looking at me atall! I start shaking if I know someone is looking at me:o Most of the time our barcodes don't scan so we have to call the manager like every 2 seconds. Did you do any drawing after?

Ah! I'm looking at you right now! :-)

In later years, working for the same drugstore after the switch to barcodes, guess who was in charge of keying in all those numbers so they would scan in the registers? :-)

It meant I could work with computers in the back, instead of being stared at.

"After"? Yeah, 'finding' is a harsh task-mistress; she had me slaving over drawings for hours (probably while she stared at me from behind.) :-) Nah, I'm kidding. It was a lot of fun, really. I would probably never have put my mind to the task if it hadn't been for her encouragement (and staring.) I'm not sure whether I'm an "artist" yet, but I can say I tried.

What I do invisible, is be as passively condescending as I can manage, with out losing my cool, and wait for them to curse at me, than I have them. I tell them that when they can speak to me like an adult I would be more that happy to help them, (I work in tax collection, and believe me, I've never met a happy tax-payer)

Star, you've got me laughing, now.

You've just explained sooo much about places like the Department of Motor Vehicles ... :-)

yeah, they put you through a class on how to properly do this

Classes!

We should have known ...

Haha that's funny:D - I'd probably get fired if I told anyone to act like an adult!!! It's cool that you're allowed to do it. I wish we got classes like that... I've decided that the next time a customer misbehaves, I'm just gonna smile and walk away - They can go check out their own clothes and see if they're any better at it!!! One time last year this woman came up to my till to pay, got really frustrated because whatever she was buying wasn't the price she thought it was so she decided to take it out on me by throwing a pair of spandex leggings at my head..that was kinda funny though!!! She was a very aggressive lady.. Then the security guard threw her out:D:D

Cool cat avatar, Invisible! I got royally chewed out by some customers because of the directions I gave them over the phone for getting to our business...poor souls didn't know that NO ONE should listen to directions I give:eek:. The most memorable chewing out was when I worked a hotel and the guest came down in the morning livid because I did not warn him the place was haunted!! He even claimed the ghost tried to kiss him, and he was entirely serious and shaken. It was tough to know what to say....

Thanks, that was a photo I took of my little baby "junior" when he was alive. One day he seen a bird on the roof of the house and decided to get up after it...we couldn't get him down for aaaaaaaaages:eek: We still don't know how he even got up there.. That's funny about the ghost:D

I was wondering if that was him:(

What kind of music do you listen to over there?

At the moment I'm listening to a lot of Muse. I listen to a lot of depressing music:)

What about you?

Now I'm listening to Muse on youtube... is there a U2 influence?

I listen to the Chieftains! I also love African Bushmen music, French accordion, Dar Williams (now there's some music from the place of depression-- cool stuff though-- heard of her?) lots of stuff really. I like ancient music too.

I hope not - I hate u2!! I've never heard of any of them but I'll look them up on youtube tomorrow. The house is so quite now and everyones asleep:eek: I think I'm still running on Tennessee time!

Sorry!!! What do I know?

try to paste this in????

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TywZyET3ktY&feature=fvst

As Cool As I Am, Dar Williams

It isn't her really depressing stuff. If I find it, I'll send some to you!

The link doesn't work;)

Oh wait it's ok I found her on youtube. I'm listening to a song called "After all" - Is it the right Dar Williams?

That's it!!!!!!

How'd you do that? You are amazing... that's the one I wanted you to hear.

No way!! maybe I read your mind!!! I like it, it's relaxing. She's really pretty:)

There, I fixed the link back a few posts!

Enjoy, I've gotta hit the hay. Hope you can sleep tonight!