Hardware store customer refuses help from saleswoman, asks for salesman instead, who then repeats every question to his female coworker to make a point: ‘I turned and asked Bonnie’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jun 2, 2025 5:00 PM EDT

Every woman who has ever worked in customer service has had to deal with entitled customers who refused to give or show her any respect. Every woman who has ever worked in customer service was told by a customer at least once that they don't want her help, they want the help of a man who 'actually knows what he's talking about'.

It doesn't even matter where you work, there are always going to be customers who refuse to be helped by a woman. And oh, how annoying these customers can be. 

How one deals with scenarios like these varies from case to case. You can give them what they want, and go find a man who can help them, you can let them be and watch from afar as they struggle alone, or you can find a way to teach them a lesson. Something that might get through the thick heads of theirs…

Just like the two hardware store coworkers in the story below decided to do with the "gentleman" who approached them.

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  • When this entitled coworker refused the assistance he was offered by the female manager in a hardware store, she and her male coworker decided to make a point. Any question that this customer would ask the male employee, the employee would repeat for his female coworker, then repeat her answer back to him.

    Can this stunt teach this guy a lesson? Keep scrolling to read the full story and find out.

  • 01
    "He wanted a man to help him... OK!"
    via errerivideo

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    Customer wants a man to help him. OK.

    I worked in a nid sized hardware store as a salesman. I had been working in the construction industry for 15 years, and at this store. for at least 10 years. I knew
    via goofball1963
  • 03
    almost everything about how to do home repair projects and what was needed to fix the problems. At this same time, we had a girl at the sales counter
    via goofball1963
  • 04
    named Bonnie (not her real name, but it will do.). She was also very knowledgeable and one of our best salespeople. We were both behind the counter one day. She was
    via goofball1963
  • 05
    standing at the counter, and I was at a desk doing paperwork. An older guy comes up to the counter, and Bonnie asked if she can help him.
    via goofball1963
  • 06
    "No. I need a man that knows what he is doing to help me." Bonnie was PI ED. She turns to me and asks me to take over. Sure. No problem. Cue
    via goofball1963
  • 07
    up my warped sense of humor. "Sir, what can I help you with?"
    via goofball1963
  • 08
    Cheezburger Image 10512493824
    via SDI Productions

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 09
    He states the problem. I imideatly tur around and restate the issue to Bonnie. She casually answers, and I turn back around and repeat exactly what Bonnie had just
    via goofball1963
  • 10
    said. He asks another question, and I repeat the question to Bonnie, then repeat her answer to the customer. Every question he asked me, I turned ans asked
    via goofball1963
  • 11
    Bonnie, then repeated her answer to him Yes, I knew all the answeres, but the guy was being a pck, so I decided to give him a little lesson. He wanted a man to help him. OK.
    via goofball1963
  • 12
    dust-bit-another-one I'm sure Bonnie appreciated that... I tip my hat to you sir.
    via dust-bit-another-one
  • 13
    goofball1963 OP We both laughed our a red off about it later.
    via goofball1963
  • 14
    III_Industry6452 I love it! What a great way to stand up for and with Bonnie and make the customer look like the idiot he was.
    via III_Industry6452
  • 15
    andy1rn This is brilliant. You're being polite and respectful as well as showing great confidence in Bonnie which is good for you, good for her, and good for the shop.
    via andy1rn
  • 16
    Maybe the customer will think about this later and find his sense of humor. People do learn sometimes.
    via andy1rn
  • 17
    I_buy_mouses1977 I used to do this when I worked for AutoZone. People would walk past the far-more- knowledgeable female shift manager to talk to me, who had worked in automotive for
    via I_buy_mouses1977
  • 18
    a month and had almost zero knowledge whatsoever. I'd turn to her and repeat their questions and let her answer. It was glorious!
    via I_buy_mouses1977
  • 19
    Anastephone I have done the same thing in a tech field and it's way more satisfying than I'd imagined
    via Anastephone
  • 20
    BigLeopard 7002 I did exactly this some 30 years ago working in retail selling whitegoods. My female colleague knew just as much as I did about anything related to the goods, installation etc.
    via BigLeopard7002
  • 21
    She obviously was annoyed when guys would only address their questions to males or if she did reply, they would look at me for reassurance. It actually pred me off slightly.
    via BigLeopard7002
  • 22
    So when people who she was dealing with started to ask me questions, I just repeated the questions to her or just let her answer, even if they were looking at me.
    via BigLeopard7002

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workplace-stories employee manager job malicious compliance retail tales-from-the-workplace customers hardware reddit story workplace Reddit funny women entitled people
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