OK, you're right. But you don't have to be a dick about it...

I read Consumerist, gawker's consumer blog, pretty regularly. Occasionally I agree with the consumer, sometimes I agree with the company, most of the time reality lies somewhere in the middle, where the situation is kind of a gray area.

But there are several stories where the customer is right, but is such a dick that I still have trouble agreeing with them. That includes this guy who ATT wouldn't sell an iPhone to, who felt the need to tell the CSR that You're corporate? I make more money in one day then you make all week Mrs. Corporate", and this eBay customer who had a BMW dealership refuse to honor his bid, who according to his m3forum post felt the need to throw in a I corrected Michael, and told him your company may have revenue in the millions, but you make 35K a year, screwed the pooch on this one so lets not get carried away..

Yes, I know both customers are angry, and have a right to be. Still, I'm thinking of times where I've had disagreements with CSR's at retail stores, and I've never felt the need to bring up my salary - which isn't, you know, BMW-driver sized, but still considerably more than the average Target clerk makes. This to me suggests that they are the kind of people who feel that they must be better than anyone who makes less than them, or works a lower job than them.

I work in tech support, spent several years on helpdesk, and still fill in occasionally. The thing about dealing with customer service reps or tech support is that insulting them doesn't get you anywhere. It just makes you seem like a dick, and then they will do the bare minimum to help you. Even if you are right, personal insults about the appearance or salary of the person you are talking to, or your superior knowledge of their job, isn't going to change things. At least not for the better.