Acceptable behaviour to customer -

[sterne.law@gmail.com]

I have an actual scenario and would like a public opinion. It revolves around sense of humuor. humuor is subjective and what one person believes to be funny, another is offended. By the same token, something funny today may offend me tomorrow.
i will list a few scenarios and would liek to know if any offend you.
You are a gambler in the casino, you have not lost or won money and are not inebriated. You are thus a reasonable person.

You ask why the machine is not accepting your money - the attendant replies "perhaps the ink is still wet"
You ask which machine is paying the best - the attendant replies "the ATM"
You ask for a light - the attendant points you to a light on the ceiling
You hand the attendant a R20 and ask the attendant to break it for you - the attendant tears the note in half and offers both back
You ask for a hand - teh attendant starts applauding.

Would any of these, in most circumstances and on most occassions, offend you?

[Dave A]

Would any of these, in most circumstances and on most occassions, offend you?

Define "offend".

I wouldn't throw my toys out the cot, but I certainly wouldn't be impressed - unless the attendant was Barry Hilton

[BusFact]

I did have a mild chuckle reading them, but if I try and put myself in the actual situation, I would expect the attendant to immediately (without further prompting) provide the required answer or assistance after his little joke.

If he did not I would probably be irritated, but I don't think I would be offended.

The only possible exception is the tearing of the note. I would consider that one to be pushing things a bit far. Somehow I doubt it will be replaced, and then I would be pretty mad ... but still not offended, I don't think.

[daveob]

I would usually find all those scenarios humorous and light hearted - comes from having lived with my fathers strange sense of british humour for so many years. I would have a good laugh with the attendant and then move on to addressing the problem / question.

For the torn R20, I would politely refuse the return and ask for R20 in coins ( for the slots ) or two R10 notes as change.

For most, I would imagine that any more than one ( or possibly 2 ) of those ( at the same time ) would be sufficient, before the attendant moves into the 'smart ass' department.

Each situation, separate and alone by itself, should not offend.

Also, the attendant, being sharp with the replies, should be equally sharp enough to judge the 'limit' and mood of the customer based on the reaction to the attendants first reply.

[sterne.law@gmail.com]

In all situations, the correct answer or action would be forthcoming. So the light would be given, the money sorted out for the R20 and the non accepting note, etc.

Offend - hmmm, I thin throw toys would be an unreasonable person in any of the situations. Lets define it has exceeding mild irritation and of a nature taht you would want to speak to say a manager.

[Blurock]

It is difficult to assess humour without observing the body language and actual situation. There is a difference between humour and provocation.

[solweb]

No Acceptable

I have an actual scenario and would like a public opinion. It revolves around sense of humuor. humuor is subjective and what one person believes to be funny, another is offended. By the same token, something funny today may offend me tomorrow.
i will list a few scenarios and would liek to know if any offend you.
You are a gambler in the casino, you have not lost or won money and are not inebriated. You are thus a reasonable person.

You ask why the machine is not accepting your money - the attendant replies "perhaps the ink is still wet"
You ask which machine is paying the best - the attendant replies "the ATM"
You ask for a light - the attendant points you to a light on the ceiling
You hand the attendant a R20 and ask the attendant to break it for you - the attendant tears the note in half and offers both back
You ask for a hand - teh attendant starts applauding.

Would any of these, in most circumstances and on most occassions, offend you?

That sort of answer is not acceptable in any situation. Some may find amusing others will be offended. A smile and an offer to help or answer the question or get a supervisor to hep would be more appropriate

[murdock]

you tear my money in half and hand it back...chances are you gona get a clout...maybe just a flat hand across the ear.

all the others i would laugh and walk away...depending on my mood but on most occassions...make a comment like smart ass...but take no action.

[AndyD]

I would say most people wouldn't throw toys but it would be reasonable to assume if you did this to enough people one of them will eventually take offence and provide a reaction. So from the employee's point of view you wouldn't treat people like this if you weren't expecting a warm ear eventually. We've all seen the Leon Schuster skits, it's only a matter of time before someone over-reacts or gives him a PK.

[murdock]

i would be careful messing with other peoples space.

[Just Gone]

I think if I had just won a bit then I would laugh at him, but if I had just lost I would clout him

[roryf]

I recently stopped going to a local restaurant because the waiter kept cracking comments. At the end of the evening he then told me in front of friends that my card had declined and then told me that he was joking.I have not been back and will not be going back either.

I do have a good sense of humour most of the time,but when I am paying for a service I do not expect to get chirped.

[adrianh]

I think that if the person had complaints lodged against him then he must be a poor judge of character. Either he is a clown all the time or he gets up the wrong people's noses. I think that there is room to be a wise-ass now and again but I also think that he should be careful who his victims are. I can think of a number of individuals who would shrug it off and I can also think of a number who would give him a backhand. Imagine you're out there having fun with your new woman, doing your level best trying to impress her and this young twit disrespects you by treating you as if you are one of his classmates. His jokes are disrespectful because they make the victim look foolish - and it is made a lot worse if it done in the company of the victim's friends. The reason it makes the victim look foolish is that one would expect a simple request to be easily understood, but when the response is obtuse or dismissive, the victim looks inward to see whether he worded his request badly. Once the victim figures out that his request was legitimate and that the guy is just being a wise-ass, he then gets cross.

I honestly think that if the guy wanted to be a clown then he should join the circus. The last place to be a wise ass is when you are the help, serving (possibly wealthy influential) somewhat pissed, somewhat horny people who are happily tossing thier money about. I bet that those people didn't even realize that wasn't part of the furniture until he pissed them off.

I just thought up a perfect example of why I think his behaviour is disrespectful:

He's like the tea lady that pours the tea during a board meeting and makes a wise crack when the Chairman says that he would like two lumps in his tea. Everybody knows that he is talking about sugr - she then pipes up "Would that be from the left breast or the right breast"

Yes, its a funny joke, but it is simply not the time, the place, nor the company for the joke. - It is disrespectful of the Chairman because it makes him look foolish in front of the others.

[BuyNoEvil]

It will merely be a matter of time before the casino patron starts to loose, in which case his/her sense of humor would sadly progress into a lack thereof.

I personally will find all of the situations (as originally posted) hilarious and would certainly not be offended by any such actions. In fact, I would be tempted to tell the person that (s)he is as sharp as a spoon and seriously consider offering them a better job. Responses do not only signify a sense of humour but also a level of thinking and intellect.

My humble opinion.

[adrianh]

Responses do not only signify a sense of humour but also a level of thinking and intellect

Yes I agree, the person that thinks that a slapstick wise-ass wise-crack is funny certainly has a very shallow level of thinking due to limited intellect!