Few things test your limits as much as working with clients. Even one workday can bring so many bizarre moments that you might start doubting the brightness of humanity's future.
So Reddit user Dashigos decided to dig further and asked people to share the silliest questions customers have ever thrown at them.
From pizza chefs to park rangers and call center employees, continue scrolling to check out what these and other professions have to deal with—whatever they're getting paid, it's probably not enough.
#21
I sell stamps from my register at work. This was just a few days ago, actually. I had a lady come up and ask to buy some postal stamps.
I asked her, “how many stamps would you like? We sell them in books of 2, 10, and 20.”
Her: “...what? What does that mean?”
Me: “it’s just the number of stamps in the book. Do you want 2, 10, or 20 stamps?”
Her: (suddenly getting angry) “I don’t know what that means. What is a stamp? I don’t know what a stamp is”
Me: ???
I eventually sold 20 stamps to her while she was vaguely hostile and suspicious about the entire concept of stamps and stamp quantities? I don’t know how to explain this to you, lady, you’re the one who came to me for stamps.
I asked her, “how many stamps would you like? We sell them in books of 2, 10, and 20.”
Her: “...what? What does that mean?”
Me: “it’s just the number of stamps in the book. Do you want 2, 10, or 20 stamps?”
Her: (suddenly getting angry) “I don’t know what that means. What is a stamp? I don’t know what a stamp is”
Me: ???
I eventually sold 20 stamps to her while she was vaguely hostile and suspicious about the entire concept of stamps and stamp quantities? I don’t know how to explain this to you, lady, you’re the one who came to me for stamps.
95points
#22
Used to work at a movie store in the early 2000s, this dude with a thick accent kept calling in every other few weeks or so asking if we had this movie on DVD called "Churro Man"
I mean this guy called a lot, and I told him that no such movie existed in our system but he was adamant he'd seen it on a release schedule.
Finally a couple of months later, some guy walked up to me and asks me for the movie. I immediately recognize the voice and know who it is, after a few questions in person I realized what the movie was all along. The whole time he'd been looking for True Romance and it had indeed just come out on DVD, the accent threw me off.
Turns out it wasn't a dumb question and that I in fact was the dumb one.
I mean this guy called a lot, and I told him that no such movie existed in our system but he was adamant he'd seen it on a release schedule.
Finally a couple of months later, some guy walked up to me and asks me for the movie. I immediately recognize the voice and know who it is, after a few questions in person I realized what the movie was all along. The whole time he'd been looking for True Romance and it had indeed just come out on DVD, the accent threw me off.
Turns out it wasn't a dumb question and that I in fact was the dumb one.
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89points
#23
I used to work in a pet store. One night a woman came in and said she had ordered a puppy off the internet and he would be arriving in the next few days. She had never owned a pet and asked several dumb questions, but the one that I'll always remember is "Do puppies need water?".
88points
#24
Karen - "I'd like to speak to the manager"
Me - "I am the manager.....and the only person working here today"
Karen - "I don't like this policy. I want to speak to the owner"
Me - "Good luck with that. Their email is on the company cards available on the desk. And I'll include my cell number.....just because I'm interested to hear how it goes for you"
Oh boy did I get a pissed off text from her later that night hahaha.
Me - "I am the manager.....and the only person working here today"
Karen - "I don't like this policy. I want to speak to the owner"
Me - "Good luck with that. Their email is on the company cards available on the desk. And I'll include my cell number.....just because I'm interested to hear how it goes for you"
Oh boy did I get a pissed off text from her later that night hahaha.
88points
#25
"What time do you close today?"
"We're open 24/7."
"Oh great! And what time do you close tomorrow?".
"We're open 24/7."
"Oh great! And what time do you close tomorrow?".
87points
#26
Used to work at a car parts store. Customer walks in and asks if vegetable oil was better than regular engine oil and what isle it was on.
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86points
#27
Customer: I'll have a gin and tonic.
Me: This is a brewery.
Customer: Oh, can I get a glass of wine then?
Me: This is a brewery.
Me: This is a brewery.
Customer: Oh, can I get a glass of wine then?
Me: This is a brewery.
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86points
#28
Context - I was 16 during this
I work at chick fil a and I’m taking orders as you do, guy walks up and asks “Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”. I look down at the clock and see it’s 6 pm. I look at him confused and say “No it’s 6 pm”. He asks again, I say the same thing again.
Then he yells “Alright, F**K YOU” and leaves.
I work at chick fil a and I’m taking orders as you do, guy walks up and asks “Aren’t you supposed to be in school?”. I look down at the clock and see it’s 6 pm. I look at him confused and say “No it’s 6 pm”. He asks again, I say the same thing again.
Then he yells “Alright, F**K YOU” and leaves.
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85points
#30
Standing next to a pallet of eggs, with boxes of eggs in my hand and freshly unloaded ones on the shelf in front me. "Do you sell eggs?".
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84points
#31
>Do you have Raisin Bran, but without the raisins?
Bran flakes?
>No, that’s not it...
Bran flakes?
>No, that’s not it...
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82points
#32
IT, got a ticket from a lady saying her screen is blank. I call, because I saw her in orientation and to be honest she seemed to have never used a computer before (despite being 19, and her title as a receptionist).
"Ma'am is your computer on?"
"I don't know, how would I check?"
*coworker next to her grunts and turns on computer for her*
"Oh! Ok it's on, now do I have to type out my username AND password to log on?"
"............................."
No words could properly describe how I felt in that moment.
"Ma'am is your computer on?"
"I don't know, how would I check?"
*coworker next to her grunts and turns on computer for her*
"Oh! Ok it's on, now do I have to type out my username AND password to log on?"
"............................."
No words could properly describe how I felt in that moment.
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77points
#33
"Can I return the box for a full refund? The thing was stolen so I don't have any use for it now."
Umm, not here, no. Call your insurance company.
Umm, not here, no. Call your insurance company.
68points
#34
A client asked me if I had the day off. While I was at work.
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66points
#35
I'm a chef at a grill. We also have a buffet for people who don't want something we grill.
One night, the special was a type of seasoned fish. An old guy came up and asked "is this freshly caught?" I thought he was kidding so I kind of chuckled as I told him that no, we order it and get it frozen. He was pissed and made a scene as he left saying that only a crappy restaurant served frozen fish.
I was in south-central Pennsylvania.
One night, the special was a type of seasoned fish. An old guy came up and asked "is this freshly caught?" I thought he was kidding so I kind of chuckled as I told him that no, we order it and get it frozen. He was pissed and made a scene as he left saying that only a crappy restaurant served frozen fish.
I was in south-central Pennsylvania.
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34points
In the realm of client interactions, there's an often unspoken truth about the trials it can impose, much akin to the world of parenting. Just as a mother navigates the complex interactions with her teenage child, professionals face equally challenging and unpredictable scenarios with clients.
This dynamic is reminiscent of the struggles parents face when setting boundaries, as explained in the concept of ensuring enforcing necessary limits for teenagers.