In Japan, it’s said that “The customer is God.” But sometimes God is angry, and no one can quite understand why.
Japan’s amazingly high standards of customer service have become legendary, and much of it is due to a mindset in shops and restaurants that pleasing patrons is of paramount importance. On the other side of the equation, customers generally respect and appreciate the efforts being made on their behalf, and refrain from trying to take advantage of the balance of power that’s often tipped in their favor.
Still, no matter how hard you try, there’s just no satisfying some people, especially the ones starring in these tails of baffling customer complaints as relayed by Japanese service sector workers.
Can’t have dessert without dinner first, right?
Customer: “How come you guys don’t have tempura?”
Me: “Because we’re a cake shop.”
Be careful what you ask for, because you just might get it
From when I worked at a casual restaurant in high school.
Customer: “Hamburger steak with fried egg, please.”
Me: “Coming right up.”
I bring him his order.
Me: “Here’s your hamburger steak with fried egg.”
Customer: “Huh?”
Me: “Huh?”
Customer: “I pointed at the hamburger steak with fried egg on the menu, but couldn’t you tell what I really wanted was the hamburger steak with cheese?”
Maybe he should trade with the guy above.
Customer: “Cheeseburger.”
Me: “Right away, sir.”
Customer: “Hey! Why is there cheese on this?”
Me: “Sir, you asked for a cheeseburger…”
Customer: “But tell me why there’s cheese on my cheeseburger! Take it off!”
Bill, we need you at the service counter.
Customer: “This PC isn’t working, so can you fix it soon?
Me: “Actually, it looks like it’s going to take some time.”
Customer: “Then get me the guy who made this ‘Windows’ thing right now!”
(Cute) Kids eat free?
Customer: “My kid just loves parfaits.”
Me: “Oh, really?”
Customer: “Sooo…give us one for free.”
Me: “Why should I do that?”
Customer: “What?! Are you saying my kid isn’t cute?”
Me: “Why would I say that?”
Customer: “What?! Get me the manager!”
Me: “I’ll go get him right away.”
Don’t worry, sir, I’m a trained professional.
Working the register at a convenience store, I turned the customer’s bag of bread upside down to scan the barcode on the bottom.
Customer: “Hey, be careful! If you do that, I can’t eat it, right? Would you turn shortcake upside down too?”
But it’s NOT shortcake.
Then how am I supposed to activate the Flux Capacitor?
Customer: “When the car hits 150 kilometers (93 miles) per hour, the steering wheel vibrates.”
Me: “Then slow down.”
Hmm, puzzling.
Customer: “I bought something here, but when I opened the box, the product was all in pieces.”
Me: “Oh, I’m terribly sorry! We’ll exchange it for a new one right away. What exactly did you buy?”
Customer: “This.”
Me: “…Sir, you’re aware that this is a jigsaw puzzle, right?”
Lousy corporate bureaucracy…
At the grocery store
Customer: “Is this really the lowest price you can give me? Hey, are you listening to me, young man?”
Me: “This is a chain store, so I don’t think you can really haggle for a discount like that.”
Customer: “I don’t care for your attitude. Let me speak with your manager!”
Me: “I don’t even work here.”
It just goes to show, sometimes it’s not just what a customer is complaining about that’s unreasonable, but even who he’s complaining to.
Source: Grape
Top image: Pakutaso