Dealing With Difficult People Essay, Research Paper

Dealing With Difficult People

A griper or complainer is someone who is never satisfied until they get what they want or an answer to a question from a problem. If the question is not answered the way the customer wants it to be then they will just keep bothering you with other questions. Here is a Complainer’s Coping Plan that will help get someone to quit complaining or griping.

+ Listen attentively.

+ Acknowledge what they are saying.

+ Do not agree with them.

+ State and acknowledge facts.

+ Try to get them in a problem-solving mode

+ If all else fails ask, “How do you want this discussion to end?”

This is actually what goes on in my work environment while trying to get something accomplished.

I work at JC Penney’s and I hear griping all the time from other associates and definitely from customers. Even I gripe about how work does not get finished. My job is to bring out merchandise from the stockroom so I can hang them up on racks. Every morning after I clock in we have to get our bags so we can put our money in the registers. Right as I leave to get my cart from the stockroom a customer always has a return. It never fails that someone has to return. This customer wanted to return a pair of jeans without a receipt or tags. It is hard to explain to a customer our policy if she doesn’t want to listen. I told her the policy was that if she wanted to return something she would have to have a receipt or the tags. She wanted me to call management since she knew someone that worked there. I call the operator and ask to see if there were any managers available. The operator told me that there was no one available until noon. I knew after I hung up the customer would not be happy. The irritation arose when the customer said, “Well I don’t have until noon I want my money now!” After telling her again that no one was available she was just standing there with her arms crossed wanting her money back. After a few minutes I finally decided to tell her that she can exchange it for the same thing she had. You aren’t supposed to do that but that was the only thing I could think of right then. That idea had worked. I could finally get her off my back and get on with my work. She went to get another pair of jeans. She wasn’t happy with what she got but we both apologized for the mess and that was it.

I finally made it to the stock room to get my cart. Most of the clothes I put out needs to have a security ink tag on the sleeve. The people who work in the stock room are supposed to hang and put one on each article of clothing. I can not take anything out of the stock room until they are hung right and ink tagged. I went over to the associate and asked her why they haven’t been ink tagged. She gave me a nasty look and said that I could do it. That part takes up to much time so I can’t get my work finished. I told the lady I wasn’t going to take out the cart until it was done right. There were about eight people working in the stockroom at the same time so you would figure the cart would be finished. Another lady decided to quit what she was doing to complete the job. While I was back out on the floor arranging for the clothes to all fit on the racks she brings the cart out to me instead of me having to go back there and get it for myself. She told me that the other girl that didn’t do the tagging wasn’t feeling to well and wanted to get out of there as soon as possible so that was why she didn’t do it. I told her that I was mad or anything I just wanted to get this cart out so I could get another cart. The phone rang as I was getting ready to put shorts out and it was my manager. She told me over the phone that if they don’t have time to do something in the back that you should be able to finish the job on your own. I told her that it wasn’t our job to ink tag the clothes. Even the people in the back were told from management that they had to do it. I didn’t even have any ink tags to do it anyway. She told me that it was ok and I went on with my work.

Later in the evening when my work was just about complete I was ringing up a customer and this lady stormed up to the register with an New World Order wrestling shirt. The shirt was from the Children’s Department and I work in the Men’s Department clear on the other side of the store. I asked her if she needed any help. She started complaining about how these shirts are a disgrace to our children and shouldn’t be sold in stores. Waiting to check out about she was preaching to me and the other customers of how it will influence children to fight and get hurt. As I was just standing there I could feel the heat arise in my body because I didn’t know what to tell her. I just told her that this is the in-thing and it is a big seller for kids. She snapped back at me wanting to speak to a manager. I called management and they came right away. The customer started going on and on to her about the same thing and the manager told her she was sorry how this clothing has an effect on her and should not buy it if she doesn’t like it. We are not the only store that sells this article of clothing. The manager offered her a ten-dollar gift certificate but the customer refused saying she will never shop here again. She simply threw the shirt on the counter and everyone in line was staring at me. The next person in line said that I shouldn’t have to put up with people like that. That lady was rude to cut in line to argue about some clothes. I was talking to her how there were stores all over the world selling wrestling shirts. The griping customer saw that I was busy so she came to interrupt my work. I just forgot about what happened and went back to doing my work. Gripers today are found every-where you go. If you want to quit griping just try to keep whatever you want to gripe about to yourself and then there won’t be any problems or arguments.

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