Bad Customer Service in TV/Movies?

November 19, 2007 6:02 PM

Which movies/TV shows have scenes showing bad customer service?

I'm sick of showing the same old training videos, and I would like to pull scenes from movies or TV shows that depict poor customer service. I am not interested in videos of people documenting or describing bad service they received themselves.
The examples need not be industry-specific, but should not be R-rated. Bonus if the example is available for preview on youtube, etc.

posted by Coffeemate to Media & Arts (22 answers total)

I take it you are looking for things played seriously, and not intentionally comic bad service?
posted by edgeways at 6:05 PM on November 19, 2007

how bout this post from last year? I had the same question.
here it is
posted by cosmicbandito at 6:10 PM on November 19, 2007

Not in the previous thread:
Go
The gas station scene in Tommy Boy
posted by puritycontrol at 6:58 PM on November 19, 2007

The car rental scene at the airport in Planes, Trains and Automobiles.
posted by amyms at 7:17 PM on November 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

Response by poster: Thanks, cosmicbandito. I did see that thread, but I'm more interested in realistic depictions. A little humor is fine, but the more believable, the better.
posted by Coffeemate at 7:17 PM on November 19, 2007

Romy and Michele's High School Reunion
posted by HotPatatta at 7:33 PM on November 19, 2007

The monty python argument sketch?
posted by singingfish at 7:34 PM on November 19, 2007

Falling Down - until he pulls out the gun, then he gets really great service
posted by waraw at 7:36 PM on November 19, 2007

A classic: Moving
posted by Optimus Chyme at 7:42 PM on November 19, 2007

Any scene in Meet the Parents that involves interaction with the airline industry. Here's the Bag Dispute Scene
posted by dendrite at 7:54 PM on November 19, 2007

Five Easy Pieces Diner Scene
posted by yqxnflld at 7:58 PM on November 19, 2007

The entire 12-episode series of Fawlty Towers, of course.

"You people expect to be waited on hand and foot! Well, I'm trying to run a hotel here!"
posted by gimonca at 7:59 PM on November 19, 2007

Seinfeld: "You know how to take the reservation. You just don't know how to hold the reservation."
posted by gimonca at 8:00 PM on November 19, 2007

Im pretty wating should have some good stuff maybe along with employee of the month.
posted by DJWeezy at 8:02 PM on November 19, 2007

"Clerks" is a classic example of what you're talking about. Rated R I think, but there's so much bad customer service in there that I'm sure you can find several clean clips.
posted by Alabaster at 8:31 PM on November 19, 2007

"Fast Times at Ridgemont High" has the classic scene where Judge Reinhold blows up at a fast-food customer. Uses the word "ass," but I think the movie was PG or PG13.

"Chappelle's Show" has a funny skit about people working at Kinkos (called 'PopCopy' in their version). Lots of very funny examples of bad customer service.
posted by Alabaster at 8:39 PM on November 19, 2007

Yo, I AM the manager, B!
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 8:45 PM on November 19, 2007 [1 favorite]

"Literacola? Do we make Literacola?" - Super Troopers

And the I want an F'ing car scene is PERFECT from Planes, Trains, and Automobiles. But, you definitely need the edited (read: TBS) version.
posted by santojulieta at 8:48 PM on November 19, 2007

No specific scenes come to mind right now, but how about "The Office"? Either version (though I'm partial to the American one).
posted by TheSecretDecoderRing at 10:15 PM on November 19, 2007

just about any episode of Chuck.
posted by legotech at 10:27 PM on November 19, 2007

A bleeped or slightly edited version of the emergency radio call from the first "Die Hard" film would be good, I think.

"No f*cking sh*t, lady! Do I sound like I'm ordering a pizza?!"
posted by Shecky at 10:50 AM on November 20, 2007

Seconding legotech; even just last night's episode had a scene where some lady comes up to Morgan at the counter and asks him something---he looks at his watch and counts down 3...2...1... "Sorry, I'm on break!"
posted by slenderloris at 1:10 PM on November 20, 2007