I Have No Patience For Idiots

Posted on March 22, 2008
Filed Under customer service, idiots, rants |

Have you ever heard the saying “you don’t need everyone as a customer”. Some people just don’t get it and aren’t worth the time to train as customers. Trust me, I am a patient guy and I (in spite of what follows) usually excel in taking care of customers. Today I got an email from a guy who is just an idiot. He accused me of being “a cheater” (those were his word) but it was because he doesn’t understand how the Internet works. He signed up for a free list on a website that I operate. Like other reputable websites, we require a validation to stay spam compliant. When he got the auto-reply asking him to verify his email, he put up his spam alert and told me his thoughts:

You prove to be [like so many others] a cheater, promissing what you cannot deliver, just to make us give you info.

That’s word for word, including the typo. I mumbled something to my wife about why people don’t read instructions, but then I said, you know what, I am going to tell this guy what I really think. Here is my reply:

One thing I really hate is getting accusatory emails from people like you who don’t read directions. There are hundreds of people who get the list every month and they appreciate it…You have to be able to follow directions to access the list. If you can’t then it’s just not for you. If you were polite, I would take time to help you, but you hardly seem deserving.

Maybe you will learn to have manners and humbly ask for assistance rather than accusing people of fraud. That is wrong.

I wish you the best. Learn to follow instructions and you will go much farther in life.

Regards, Anthony - The Owner (which means I can be as direct as I’d like to)

Given the fact that I get one of these emails per 500 people that download it, I don’t think I was out of line to respond the way I did. In fact, I didn’t respond because this person didn’t understand how to download what he registered for (I do this on a weekly basis), but because he just came across with an attitude that I didn’t appreciate… and I really don’t need his business, not if he is going to be high maintenance.

Anyhow, just had to get that off my chest. Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

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