These Customers Asked The Dumbest Questions
We’ve all had those moments in our jobs where we are left to just stare at the customer in disbelief over their dumb questions. Luckily, these make for the BEST stories.
1. Flight Path
I'm a private jet pilot. One early morning, we were headed east, and the rising sun was shining directly in our faces. I'm accustomed to this, but it seems not everyone aboard had the same tolerance. There was a fellow seated right behind us, occupying the jump seat. He leaned in and asked the silliest question I've ever heard.
He wondered: "Can we just ascend to get over the sun?" The answer, of course, was no.
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2. Battery Powered
One day while working at a car battery shop, a customer approached me with a receipt from a purchase he made only a few weeks prior. He wanted a refund. I asked if he had bought the battery along so we could process the refund. But then he said, "
Nope, I don't have it. I installed it in a car I sold recently".
A bit taken aback, I responded, "So, you're asking for a refund for a battery you no longer possess?" His reply mirrored my confusion, "Yes exactly, I no longer have the battery, so why should I pay for it? I demand a refund".
Unsurprisingly, he didn't leave the store that day feeling particularly pleased.
That bewildering encounter still perplexes me even now.
3. Grin And Bear It
A few years ago, I found myself employed at REI—that's a big cooperative for outdoor sports gear, in case it doesn't ring a bell. Among other things, we stocked bear spray, essentially pepper spray but for bears.
One day, a mom and her two kids dropped by to pick up a canister for their upcoming camping trip. The incident that unfolded right after that left me completely taken aback. She reached the exit, then turned back and approached the counter seemingly with a second-thought. She asked if the correct usage would be to entirely douse her kids with it, from head to toe.
4. Dial Tone
I'm part of a prominent mobile service provider in the States. One time, I had this interaction with a client: They questioned, "How do I place a call?" To which I replied, "Simply tap on the app labeled 'phone'". They asked, "Where?"
And I clarified, "On the smartphone".
They pointed, "This one here? The one that resembles a telephone?" I affirmed, "Yes". They responded, "Nothing's happening!"
Baffled, I looked at the client and explained, "Usually, to call someone when you haven't saved any contacts in your phone, you need to input the phone number". The client seemed let down, lamenting, "
If I wanted to bother dialing numbers, I would've kept my landline!" It was a weird situation.