Do you work in customer service and feel you can't take much more?

Hello, just to answer your fears of wanting to grab your purse and quit, don't give them the satisfaction. I have worked in customer service for 90% of the jobs I have done. I still do customer service which I vowed to never do again due to the same thoughts you had and being stressed out so bad that I am now on medication for the rest of my life. I work for a very well known gas station. I get royally abused 8 hours a day. I look at most peoples bitching like this...for every10 people that complain about the price of gas, why are half the pumps prepaid and why should you care, your gas if free. There is always that 1 person that will make me laugh and forget about the rest of the cranky complainers. I have my regular customers that I deal with every day and or week that help me get through rough moments of the complainers. Another thing that may help you with your work related issues andyour every day stressful momentsis that I tell myself this, "Why am I stressing myself out over something or someone that I have no control over" and then I take a deep breathe and smile.

I really hope you get some relief from my answer.

Hate Customer Service

I've been working in customer service my entire career, now more than half my life. My only suggestion to you is to leave it all behind. I know, it sounds easier than it is. You just need to remember it has nothing to do with you, it's not personal, it's business. It's not you they're mad at, it's the situation.

I recently flipped through a great book called PostSecret, where people anonymously sent postcards to someone they didn't know with their innermost secrets. The postcards were then put in an art display and have since become a book. One of the postcards said something to the effect of, "when I get really mad at someone, I draw them driving to Ohio". It doesn't matter where they go, that is how that person found a way to deal with that stress. Find a way. If it's writing a curse word over and over and over, hitting a punching bag when you get home from work, or something else, it doesn't matter. Try a few things to see what works for you.

Trust me, if you don't find a way to hate it a little less, it will consume you and everyone around you. Leave family problems at the door when you get to work and leave work at the door when you get home. If it means driving around the block a couple of times to clear your head before you pull into the driveway, then that's what it takes. Don't let it overcome you.

Uggh I know what you mean! I use to work at this fast food place in a supemarket, and I had some pretty rude customers. I had this one lady call me stupid, when she gave me too much change and I tried to give it back to her. And then there are the people who think that because you work there, you are a slave and they can be as disgustingly messy as possible because that's ur job to follow them around and pick up all the mess. And then the one guy who ignored me when I asked for his order, like I'm sorry sir but I can't read your mind so you will have to tell me what you want or else I won't be able to help you.

I ended up quitting that job, for many reasons, and I am glad. But I'm about to start a new one somewhere else. I hope its not as bad.

I guess the trick is to find an escape. Try finding something that relaxes you. Realize that those people are jerks, and that everyone else who posted here know's what you are going through and there are many of us out there who you can go to to vent. Maybe start kickboxing, it can help allieviate any agrivation, and you can pretend you are punching the rude people you encounter lol.

You just have to learn to not let it bug you. You have to let it roll off your back but that can be hard. I really hate customer service. I'm only forced to work in CSR jobs because I'm a college student. I can't wait to get my bachelor's degree and just deal with a few people instead of hundreds that I come across.

I don't believe in customer service and I don't believe that the customer is always right. Most customers are really snarky and I really don't care about their problems. Don't quit the job until you have something else lined up. Honestly, you should get a job and then quit your current one. You need to keep that paycheck coming for yourself and your family.

I have the same problem. I am a receptionist at a law office. My problem is my boss. I hate him with a passion and the feeling is mutual. He makes every day a living hell here. I have such a bad attitude at work, i'm surprised i haven't been fired. I'm 7 months pregnant and can't quit right now for insurance purposes. That is the only reason i am still here. I guess when the baby is born i will have 6 weeks to try and find something/anything else. I will deal with a pay cut if i just don't have to come back here.

I feel your pain. Try and deal as best you can or find something else. I have tried to be positive, but it isn't working. I just need to get out of here.

Good luck.

Join the club! I feel the same way about my job. 8 hours a day of relatives of paitients whining and complaining at me about their problems. All I can honestly say is I started out enjoying people, but now I just want to go home and tell the world to go Fist F*** itself. I guess what i'm saying is I used to care when I started and well I don't give a flying F*** about these people anymore. I should consider going into another line of work, maybe a bookeeper or something where I don't have to put up with people's drama and bullsh**. I guess that would be my advice.

I'd guess most people are in the same boat!! The key is, don't succumb to workplace cynicism. It's tough, but the way I cope is to really focus on the reasons why I'm at the job in the first place. Namely, kids. I hate to throw out catch phrases, but if you work hard and play hard, both situations seem to improve. Now, if you get to the point where you absolutely can't stand it for whatever reason, start saving aside to start your own business or buy into a franchise. It's expensive, but it may be the most rewarding thing you've ever done. In the meantime, yoga, walk, play, and laugh as hard as you can! Good Luck!

i totally understand your frustration! I worked in customer service for a few years and one day just got so frustrated that I put in my two weeks and never looked back. The best thing I did while I was there was find people who felt the way I did and after hours, go out and ***** with them over drinks/dinner. The support system helped me get through some tough days. Just no bitching in the office! :) good luck!

I can relate. Think of the benefits you may be getting there, that the good pay helps to make ends meet and to pay your expenses is important. Think of how you may not come out ahead at a new job. I have a job that the boss after my being there 10 years hired a sibling of his. She abuses days off and takes MUCH MORE than she is given in this, she has been here only 2 years now. She rips him off so bad in taking twice the lunch break time he says we get and then not giving it back in any way as he said to do if that ever ran over for some reason. She runs a LOT of errands often. She leaves early some fridays when here and the boss is out of town.

She is gone every other weekend to not be at work on a friday and she has made me split up my vacation time earned at the end of the year as she is AGAIN going out of town. I did NOT get to take off for my only child's 21st birthday to share that day at all then as she had frequent flier miles and went to see her youngest daughter out of town THAT day after I told her WHEN my daughter's birthday was before this. I then wanted off on nye as it's my mom's birthday and she interferred with that (too long a story here to tell) and I have to work 1/2 a day first while she is out of town again to visit her grandkids for the MILLIONTH (lol) time this year (it sure feels so). I am going on 13 years here now but you'd think by the sound of this I was the new hire. Today as I write this she is out of town for HER daughter's birthday.

I just share this to say things could always be worse..in customer service it's a business we are often so underappreciated for by the employer. They seem to only care that someone else deals with that. If it weren't for my having a mortgage and bills and getting the pay and some benefits I am given here I'd be wanting to leave as you feel also. As the saying goes: I owe, so off to work I go. LOL> I have to think we both should see that in this economy we are fortunate to have SOME work at least for now Think of going back to school to end up changing career fields to something more rewarding if you are able to get financial aid to do that and have a family that is supportive of doing this.