The one weird trick that stopped people from yelling at me at the register

I work at a grocery store in Phoenix and I kept getting customers screaming at me over coupon rules. So I started writing the store policy on a sticky note and sliding it to them before they even asked. After trying it like 15 times, it worked 12 out of 15 times. Has anyone else found a simple thing that shuts down the angry customers fast?

2 comments

2 Comments

cole35612d ago

Sticky notes are genius because it takes the personal conflict out of it. You're not arguing with them, you're just showing them the rule from a piece of paper. I've noticed this same trick works everywhere not just at work. Like when someone starts arguing about a parking spot or cutting in line, if you just point to a sign or a printed rule they usually back down fast. People get way less mad when they see the rule written down in black and white compared to hearing it from a person. Its like their brain switches from "this person is attacking me" to "oh the rule is the rule". The written word just carries more weight for some reason, even if its just something you scribbled on a post it.

karen_roberts412d ago

Post its are pure magic for this. I keep a pad in my glovebox specifically for parking lot disputes. Had a guy last week trying to take the spot I was clearly waiting for, just rolled down my window and pointed to the sign that said "no parking between cones." He huffed but moved on. The key is the note has to look official though. If you handwrite something sloppy they'll just argue. I always use a sharpie and write it out real clean like it came from management. Makes them feel like they're fighting the system not you.