File incident reports. Create a paper trail and talk to your sm, customers have been banned for less

Typically their demands are ridiculous, and tend to make me think they must just live a really sad life. To get so upset and haughty over things that ultimately don't matter must be continually stressful as heck. I have pretty much gotten over it. It is also very funny to just be as polite as you can while still refusing to give into ridiculous demands. They just get more and more pissed off and can't do anything, hilarious.

Also if you are not in charge, the minute it starts to get frustrating for you get your manager. Just say, "I can't help you any further, let me get my manager and see what they can do for you." And just go. You aren't being paid to deal, so you just don't do it. Out of your hands.

I just remind myself that not everyone is as smart as everyone else. Some people are actually so stupid and small minded that they think thats a way to behave. So I’m usually very nice to them to make them feel dumb and then later i just laugh about it because how stupid does someone have to be to think / act that way

I’m pagan, so I have the belief that what one puts out into the world is what they get back, BUT that doesn’t stop me from reclaiming my power in ways like swirling their drink clockwise to welcome all that negativity right back onto them or by being proactive and spiritually protecting myself at work through veiling with a bandanna or carrying crystals in my apron pockets. If you don’t practice any of that stuff, just visualize it washing off like dirt or remind yourself that you had to deal with them for 5 minutes and you have the rest of the day for positive interactions that bring you joy.

file that incident report. be petty. doesn't matter what the circumstances are you are allowed to file one even if someone simply made you uncomfortable, let alone yell at you to the point where you start shaking afterwards

I talk to them like they are 5 lol
Works every time

**tl;dr** I win if I don't get fired or upset, I am proud of my ability to not get upset, and afterwards I breathe in a controlled fashion as I focus on the rest of my day.

I win if I don't get fired or CA'd. I extra win if I keep my dignity intact by not discarding it. Double extra win if I don't give that **redacted** the pleasure of having any perceptible effect on me. I am allowed to get help and walk away.

A wise redditor paraphrased the philosopher-emperor Marcus Aurelius. "Today I'll meet assholes. But they don't mean to be assholes, they just don't know any better. But I do know better, and I won't let them make an asshole out of me. So dumb shit from assholes can't bother me."

I am a Goddamned professional and I'm Goddamn proud of it, and I will not throw that away because someone wants to use me as a punching bag. I will do my job. I will continue doing my job until I realize that the discomfort I feel is temporary and ultimately of no value to me. That sick person who was mean to me will still be sick after this - but I will not let that make me sick. I don't have to live like that.

I physically calm myself with breathing exercises.

remember these people know nothing about you or your life. they have no idea the struggles you have been through and what you have accomplished. customers who take their anger out on us i feel sorry for; they must have miserable lives so they want to make us feel their misery too. protect yourself and your energy and their ignorant comments will not affect you, just feel sorry for them

It’s never about you. Never. If you have a cool teammate, make a pact that you swap places. Sometimes just a fresh face will deflate or de-escalate customer emotions.

There are going to be those type of customers everywhere and even though it sucks… the saying kill them with kindness really helps. They’re surprised once you’re really nice about it and it shows you have class and values. (Getting angry adds fuel to the fire and makes you think about it later and the words both of you said.) If you do start to think about it breathe in and out a few times and envision yourself slowly forgetting about the incident. Focus on the bigger picture and your goals. Leave work at work and make your life your priority outside of work. Good luck :)

treat them like a kid. that gets most of them to chill out

i get the being stuck on things for hours, i kinda just vent to my coworkers until i stop thinking about it or they get sick of me lol. personally idgaf about what literally anyone else to say, i think that’s just a learned skill, so it takes a lot to get me upset. but once in awhile they push me too far, i just try to distract myself and usually someone will bring up something to change the subject. honestly that’s all you can really do in these situations, understand all your coworkers are in the same boat and it sucks but you gotta just find distractions and move on. i ALWAYS end up scream-venting to my boyfriend after every shift tho lol

my manager will speak softer and softer to a belligerent customer until she's just mouthing words to make the customer stop yelling. it works a little too well. also really funny to watch
9 times of 10 an irate customer has a sad sack life and is too limp-dicked to take it out on someone who can fight back

I laugh. It genuinely makes me laugh. Thankfully I haven’t busted out in front of anyone.

Not a solution, but more of a mental perspective. Anytime customers are rude/impatient/sarcastic with me, I treat them like how I would a toddler. "Oh yeah of course honey, but if you don't go to sleep now then Santa won't come!"
Remind yourself that they are likely incredibly poorly adjusted human being with little to no coping skills and the emotional intelligence of a banana. It helps me not take it personally as I know they probably spent their whole life getting rewarded for throwing tantrums and almost see them as more handicapped rather than a functional adult who knows better than me.

Obviously escalate things if need be as you are not obligated to take verbal abuse or feel threatened but it definitely helps me with the more passive aggressive customers. I also often end my sentences with, "my friend" or "thank you for your patience" as it makes it much harder for people to be rude to someone being extra kind from the beginning.

Usually I was just nice and gave them what they wanted so they’d go away. Sometimes I’d say something back. And the last time when it was really terrible I told my manager who did nothing about it that I was walking out and won’t be back. And I never went back.