Best retail advice given for dealing with difficult customers:

[no_hypocrisy]

They (the Customers) want to give us their money. Don't get in their way.

While I was doubtful at first at the simplicity, it really works. Makes more sense than "The Customer is always right."

[FirefighterJo]

1. You' re on to something

In my shithole country Belgium we have three principles.
- The customer is King but stay the Emperor.
- Be thankfull for the complaint, it generally means they still want to buy
- Complaining is better then shutting down/away
Anyway, a complaint is always a learning. You learn about your product/service or you learn about the human psyche.

[XanaDUer2]

2. Kick

[mitch96]

3. My Mom was a waitress most of her adult life and she dealt with customers on a daily basis. Some nice some not so nice.

She told me that she always smiled and treated people with respect no matter what their economic or social status was. With disagreeable people she did the same. She would turn her back to get to get something from the counter behind her and under her breath curse the shit out of them but turn back with a smile.
Most of the time she would get good tips...After paying the bills we lived off of the tips..
When I got into hospital work I followed the same example as Mom.. Worked for me..
m

[Skittles]

5. exactly why I could never be a waitress

MUCH TOO HARD - that requires incredible skill that I most certainly do not have

[msongs]

4. "I can see you're unhappy. perhaps you'd prefer to shop elsewhere" or "if you dont want it put it back"

sometimes the money is not worth it