OP works for a company that manufactures equipment for the oil and gas industry. They have an old client known to be rude, condescending, and loud. However, they usually ignore it and continue working with him, believing that “the customer is always right.” OP was recently assigned to this client and had to send him a quote for some equipment. When the client received the quote, he became angry and called OP, accusing them of trying to scam him and claiming that the prices quoted were outrageous. The client then went on a 10-minute rant, shouting at OP and berating them.
Always The Professional
Despite the client’s behavior, OP remained professional and checked the old records to see if there was a mistake in the quote. OP found out that the prices the client mentioned were from 2012 to 2014, almost a decade ago. OP called the client back and explained that the prices were from 2014 and that labor, raw material prices, and inflation tend to increase yearly, making it reasonable for the prices to double in a decade. The client refused to listen, called OP a “Stupid millennial,” and insulted them for being too young.
OP then lost their cool and called the client a “delusional boomer.” The client threatened to complain to the management, and the conversation ended. Later, OP was called to a meeting with their boss and the company owner, who was a college buddy of the client but not very close. OP explained their side, and the phone recordings backed up their story. The owner and management decided to cut the client off as a customer and not sell to him again.
He Was Way Out Of Line
Most of the thread was about how the client treated the OP.
“He ranted at you, shouting, calling you names, talking over you, and being disrespectful to you for 10 minutes straight – twice!!
You dont go to work to be treated like that by anyone. The fact that the owner was on your side says it all; this guy was bang out of order.
NTA”
This is an excellent deconstruction of events by one Redditor, who highlights how awful the customer was. OP had to deal with two rounds of abusive language in targeted rants directed at them for no reason. Regardless of who was right or wrong, that is no way for any person to treat another human being ever, never mind, twice.
Customers are often overvalued in businesses that would be happy to take the abuse as long as they get the client’s money. However, in this case, OP’s boss also agreed with their position, highlighting how awful the customer was.
The owner was even an acquaintance of the customer but still stood up for the OP and cut ties with them. This reaction should guarantee to the OP that they made the right decision, regardless of the reciprocal insult they used.
It Could Have Been Handled Better
Although everyone in the thread agreed that the customer was in the wrong, some have noted that the OP had no right to hurl offensive terms back at the aggressive customer:
“NTA. You responded to an insult with an insult. The only issue is in your position; you might not have responded in kind using the “boomer” insult. You Might consider just saying, “Respectfully, you are being unreasonable.” The boomer insult is considered a slur for the elderly.”
This Redditor is calling out OP’s language. After all, this is a business environment, and there must always be a degree of professionalism in every interaction. Reforming the language used by OP may have been a more appropriate response to the insult. However, the customer was being personally offensive to OP, which makes the response more understandable.
Ultimately, ‘boomer’ is an offensive term for the older generation. OP would not have used this term even if it was in equal retaliation to the customer’s comments. Luckily, OP was correct, and their job was spared.
HIS STONE COLD GREED. WIFE TRAGICALLY LOSES HER PARENTS BUT HER HUSBAND DEMANDS INHERITANCE
Source: Reddit