"Question for US Convention Helpers from a UK Volunteer" Topic

I'm based in the UK and have just been helping out at our Clubs Annual Show (Vapnartak). Its a pretty big one for the circuit (1500 attendees, 50 Trade Stands).
One of my jobs was doing three hours at the entrance to our Table Top Sale. Its a narrow entrance and the sale is extremely popular so I make sure the 'sellers' and the 'buyers' are in their respective queues, answer any questions and regulate the flow into the sales area.
Everything was going really well. People were good natured and understanding about queuing and I had some great chats with people about the hobby whilst they were waiting.
Then an American (he had a very distinct accent) gentlemen approached me, stood directly in front of me and looked straight through me. I asked him twice if I could help which he ignored. I then said 'Hello Can I help?' and he then came to life, became irate, lectured me on my attitude and was verbally abusive. Pushed past me and his parting shot when I tried to talk to him about his comments was 'I am the Customer'. The last bit is what I wanted to ask about.
Is this the way that helpers at US Conventions are treated by attendees? I was quite shocked by it. We give up a lot of time to make this show happen it would be nice to be given some respect. Just interested in your views from across the pond. Regards.

Being a complete prat is not unique to Americans, gamers or Arsenal fans. Just comes with the territory of dealing with the public Im afraid…

A typical person that has grown up to be rude that has been conditioned to throw fits and tantrums to get what they want. It is very poor manners and unfortunately I have seen this type of person carry on in stores and banks.

Pull his badge. Refund his entry fee. Escort him off the property. Tell him not to return. If he returns call the police. I have worked at many shows in the US and that's how we'd handle it.

He would be considered an a-hole on this side of the pond as well.
Wargamers can be a socially inept at times, but this sounds over the top.

TRU

Darn Canadians (running for cover)

Sounds like a jerk, but it does not sound like the typical guy you run into at cons either.

We sent him to you guys hoping we could quietly pawn him off on you…

This type of person is common in most cross sections of society. Many businesses will give in to such tirades so the behavior is rewarded for the most part.

If we are lucky he will be eaten by bears. He will probably try to argue during the process.

Are you asking if acting like a jerk is common? No, thankfully not.

I've not seen anything like that at a US show, but I'm sure it happens. If anyone is rude to you, the best thing you can do is to call them on it. "I'm sorry, is there a reason you are being rude, or am I misunderstanding something?"

"I'm sorry, is there a reason you are being rude, or am I misunderstanding something?"

and then taser him

In the balls

a swift slap usually helps, maybe not the customer but certainly the poor helper will feel a lot better.

Obviously, it was your accent. When you said "Can I help you?" he heard "You're ugly and your mother dresses you funny."

Seriously, I have no idea why he behaved this way. It sounds bizarre.

s everywhere unfortunately. Still, I have attended cons as a customer and vendor for years and never ran into anyone that over the top rude. Socially awkward, yes. But never like that.

Think about the number of people you've run into that aren't like that (pretty much everyone else at the con) and the compare it to that one guy. Doesn't make what he did right, but it does make you realize running into them is pretty rare.

He might be the same guy, who at a Lancaster con years ago, opened the backpack of a young teen I had brought and ate the food in it without even trying to be inconspicuous about his theft. When called out he just shoved the rest of the food in his gob and walked away.

To your question about his comment: "I am the customer"

I don't know about the UK but here there is a common business mantra: "The customer is always right" which is frequently abused and used as a rally cry by jerks

LOL. you guys. some of your answers.:) just brilliant.
"and then taser him" ;+) please film for us. Please please..
Cheers and yes these plebs are universal but unfortunately those with an American accent are remembered most ( your fault for unleashing 'reality' shows on the rest of us :))

That he was American probably has nothing (or little) to do with him being rude. As Sigwald says, the "Customer is always right" attitude *is* American.

If you are in any sort of service industry and have to put up with numb-wits, here's a neat little website that I enjoy… notalwaysright.com

Funny – years ago I worked a retail store. I remember working with a dissatisfied customer once. He looked at me and asked what would happen if he started yelling and disrupting my business. I told him I'll put one hand on his collar, the other hand on his belt and physically throw him out the front door.

He looked at me, knew I could do it and decided not to persue that course of action.

:-)

Years ago when I was a 16 year old I worked in a grocery store that was quite busy at the time. We ran out of shopping carts and a female customer in her early 30's grab the empty shopping cart of an elderly gentleman that I was bagging groceries for. I grabbed it back and said to her nicely that the elderly gentleman needed the cart to get his rather large order out to his car. Needless to say I was called every 4 letter word you could think of and not be able to post here. So when she finally found a cart she proceeded to ram it as hard as she could into the back of my legs as I parceled another persons order.

Everyone in the front of the store saw what happened, and the store manager waited and then confronted her as she was shopping and told her that he had already called the police and that she would be charged with assault. I loved it as she left her cart and started to run for the door, still swearing at me as she passed by, only to be met by 2 police officers at the door, who took her into custody. I actually didn't want to press charges but I was told by the manager the store pressed charges and that my involvement was over, unless it went to trial.

Some people just don't know how to react to being told No.

Von Blucher, I've had shopping carts hit the back of my legs more times than I want to remember. By accident so not like you are describing. It hurts like hell just to get bumped but I am sure she up and rammed you with it. That certainly would qualify as Assault.

Unfortunately "The Customer is always right" creates, as noted above, some prize specimens who take their nasty habits overseas. Working any aspect of retail sales sucks. I had a few jobs when I was younger in retail sales and admit I enjoyed throwing jerks out of the store or simply walking off when they got nasty. One night at a department store a guy was giving me dirty looks as I stood by the cash register. We had been told to stay there because there had been thefts of Return Books. I'm wondering why this guy keeps giving me these looks and finally he yells, "Get over here!" That ripped it and I said, "Kiss my ass" and walked off. Lo, a man rushes over from the next department and grovels to this jerk.
Yeah, a taser sounds good.

I am in Canada and about every other year we have someone at Cangames in Ottawa who has to be removed for abusive behaviour to staff (who as you expect is generally Canadian).

Idiots seem to span all cultures.

In America we arm our convention staff, particularly in Pennsylvania where we have rather permissive conceal carry laws. "The sheriff SHALL ISSUE…" permits. Etcetera.
Perhaps British convention staff should follow our example. An armed society is a polite society.

It sounds like the OP bumped into my brother! :-/ One thing about jerks--they are predictable and everywhere. Ok, two things about jerks…

@Winston

I can just picture guys at the next show with hands in their jackets fingering their concealed black puddings.

North of the border it will be the haggis of course.

When I worked in retail some of the WORST examples of customer behavior were French Canadians. For some reason I did not go asking if that was standard French Canadian procedure.

Such persons are all over. You can only offer it up for your sins and move on.

No the customer is not always right.

Pehaps the most astounding thing is when I see customers treating waitress and waiters badly. They seem to forget that they handle your food before you get it.

On the whole, I suspect that the average American is more polite than most, but the rude Americans do seem to have a manner that is specific to Americans, which I suspect is often calculated to try and win discounts or other concessions.

A couple of weeks ago, I arrived at the check in desk at a hotel here in Oz. An American had arrived just before me. He had apparently stayed at the hotel for one night a week before and had asked to have the same room when he returned (for one night). He'd been told that they would try, but couldn't guarantee it. When he couldn't get the same room, he launched into a 10 miunute rant. I won't bore you with the details, but it was one of the most obnoxious and childish things that I have ever heard. It was obvious that he was just trying to get a discount or free upgrade. He got neither. I am coming to the USA in a few weeks. I assume that all hotels will immediately cater to my every whim.

Thank you everybody for your responses. Reassuring that this behaviour isn't deemed ok wherever it is. It seems that the gentleman in question wasn't just obnoxious to me. He was heard loudly rubbishing people's painting in the sale itself and saying not to buy things as they were a waste of money.
I particularly liked the suggestion of using a tazer on him. I've asked to be issued one for next year.