15+ Receptionists who got even with their entitled customers: 'It felt so good to stand up to him'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Nov 28, 2025 11:00 AM EST

Receptionists are powerful people, so don't get on their bad sides!

People believe that those with power are like, CEOs and other higher-ups. But those with the real power in a workplace are the ones managing them, like their assistants, and in many cases, the front desk receptionists. These workers have a vast control over the day-to-day flow of the workspace, and it can make a huge difference in how the entire company operates. 

You've probably experienced this firsthand. At some doctor's offices, the receptionist is calm and composed, and the office runs like a smoothly oiled machine because of it. But then sometimes you go to another place where the receptionist is overwhelmed and dealing with irritating customers, and you can just tell they're frazzled. Things don't run nearly as smoothly, and stuff falls through the cracks. 

After working in reception for some time, these front desk workers have seen it all, and they're sharing their stories. They know exactly how to deal with clients who come in all worked up — how to calm them down, or if that doesn't work, how to get them to leave and never come back! 

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  • 01

    'What are the most savage things you've done/said as a receptionist?'

    Man in tan suit behind "reception information" desk smiles while holding out iPad to woman in denim shirt with luggage beside her
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

     

    "(This is a safe space for your confessions:)," they added. And people sure did let loose about their wildest interactions with customers! 

  • 02
    Nervous_Survey_... I was the customer service manager, and one of my employees hung up on a customer who was being rude to her. He called her back and asked why she hung up on him. She said, "I just didn't think you were very pleasant to talk to." He was taken aback but he apologized to her.
    via u/Nervous_Survey_7072
  • 03
    Prudent-Poetry-2... I was working as a receptionist for a condo developer, and these two looky-loos came in to see what we had but didn't want to register. They're not allowed into the model suite if they don't register, so I asked again, explaining the policy. The 20-something girl legitimately started wining and pouting. She even stomped her foot.
    via u/Prudent-Poetry-2718
  • 04
    I was feeling extra spicy, so I said, "Listen, honey, I'm not your boyfriend and I'm not your daddy, so that's not going to work with me. Either fill out the form or go look somewhere else."
    via u/Prudent-Poetry-2718
  • 05
    Welder_Pristine I am the receptionist for City Hall in a very small town. We have a guy who moved into town, opened a business and failed because he made some really bad business decisions, like not holding regular hours, having limited inventory and opening a convenience store when we already have one ran by a long time established local family and they have gas
    via u/Welder_Pristine
  • 06
    pumps where he didn't. (we are a town of less than 1400 people). He let his dogs crap all over the lawn between his shop and city hall without cleaning up after them and got ticketed for that. He refused to register his dogs, he got a ticket for that. The city never tried to impede his business in any way, we tried to help him when he initially came to town. He blames the city for his business failure.
    via u/Welder_Pristine
  • 07
    This guy comes into City Hall with camera recording every time. He makes wild unfounded accusations. He calls us criminals and worse often spewing profanity. He goes to ever council meeting and records, cornering officials and citizens in the parking lot after being just plain hateful. He even chased our elderly mayor through walmart. And then he edits these videos. and puts them on you tube.
    via u/Welder_Pristine
  • 08
    His you tube channel is the name of our town exposed so anyone who is thinking of moving here and googles us will find it. He is nuts. He is also overweight. I am a size 2x myself, I am not in the habit of fat shaming. but one of the things he says about me is I am unhelpful, lazy. So last time he came in I started running down a list of things I could "help" him with. When it got to the city
    via u/Welder_Pristine
  • 09
    gym memberships, I stood up, looked him right in the eye and asked in a very sarcastic tone if I could interest him in a gym membership or perhaps register his dogs. I was going to ask him if I could get him a business license application next but he left.
    via u/Welder_Pristine
  • 10
    I hate this guy. Coming from a verbally abusive home, his aggressive mannerisms and loud voice trigger me and I am often shaking when he leaves. but it felt so good to stand up to him.
    via u/Welder_Pristine
  • 11
    SnarkOverlord Many years ago, I worked reception for a tiny law office of crooked ambulance chasers. The lawyers were hardly ever in and a lot of the clients would call in, angry and desperate for updates on their cases. A few of them had gotten roped into long, complicated slip-and-fall cases against companies and were chomping at the bit for their
    via u/SnarkOverlord
  • 12
    big pay day. As a receptionist, all I could do was take messages or transfer calls. I had no information on client cases. None. People calling in refused to believe or understand that. One lady regularly called for one of the lawyers, who was never in and would verbally abuse me because I had no updates on her case. She called so often that I memorized her number from
    via u/SnarkOverlord
  • 13
    the caller ID. One day, as per usual, she called, demanding the lawyer. He was in court. I offered to take a message. She asked for an update. I explained I had none. She screamed that I was useless and asked me "why do you even have a job there if you never know anything?!" I snapped. I said, "M'am, my job is to answer the phone, transfer calls and take messages. I am not a lawyer or secretary. I know
    via u/SnarkOverlord
  • 14
    nothing of the cases because it's not my job. Every time you call, you are rude and disrespectful and I've had enough of you. I recognize your number and will not be answering your calls again until you can learn some manners and grasp what a receptionist is. Good day to you!" I hung up and true to my word, ignored or dropped her calls when they came in for three straight days. If she called
    via u/SnarkOverlord
  • 15
    from another phone and I recognized her voice upon answering, I hung up without another word. I put her in time out. On day four, I answered her call, and she sounded contrite as she asked for her lawyer. I told her the lawyer was not in and asked if she wanted to leave a message. She was very quiet and answered in a defeated voice the whole time. Was never rude to me again.
    via u/SnarkOverlord
  • 16
    Edith_Keelers_Sh... My very first job was as a receptionist in NYC. The main firm was a law firm, but they leased out a small corner to a freelance editor and his assistant/secretary. One day, this blonde unpleasant woman came in. Very snooty. She told me she had an appointment with Marcus, the editor/book doctor. Marcus was on the phone, so I informed her of
    via u/Edith_Keelers_Shoes
  • 17
    that, and asked if I could get her a cup of coffee. She looked at me like she suspected me of a felony or two, and with her upper lip curling, she asked "What does it come in?" I'm very passive. A tower of jello. But I couldn't help it. I mimicked right back to her "What does it COME IN? It's a cup of coffee! It comes in a CUP!" She was not
    via u/Edith_Keelers_Shoes
  • 18
    pleased. When Marcus's secretary buzzed me to tell me he was free, I said I could send her back - I just needed her name. It was Sidney Biddle Barrows. Yeah, the Mayflower Madam. She was writing a tell-all or something, I guess. What a bitch. I never did get her that coffee.
    via u/Edith_Keelers_Shoes
  • 19
    NoAnything1731 im a hostess and recently this woman refused to let me explain our policy for why we need a card on file: it's $10 fee per person for a no-call no-show. we do not charge for a cancelled reservation!! she had a very frenetic energy and wasn't absorbing the information and when i informed her of
    via u/NoAnything1731
  • 20
    the fee AGAIN she goes "even if i cancel????" and i had to cut her off and say "listen to the words i am saying to you right now". she honestly seemed relieved someone took charge in the conversation
    via u/NoAnything1731
  • 21
    ihatewasabi3 I worked for a man who I think may have been a psychopath. He could be very charming but turn on a dime. Most of the office was afraid of him. One day I had to call a client and the conversation went like this:
    via u/ihatewasabi3
  • 22
    "Hello, this is Ihatewasabi3 calling from Mr. A's office." "Mr. A? You work for him? I'm sorry." "I take it you know him, then."
    via u/ihatewasabi3
  • 23
    sabbykatt13 In the most syrupy sweet southern (I'm from and work in texas) voice I can pull off..." May the rest of your day be as pleasant as you are." Along with a big smile and batting lashes...works every time. They always look so confused.
    via u/sabbykatt13
  • 24
    LongjumpingSmel... I'm a receptionist at a financial institution and once a lady was screaming at me on the phone about something wrong with her card that was her fault. I told her that she caused the issue and she asked for my name and luckily i wasnt signed into my phone. I told her my name was something like princess peach and that
    via u/LongjumpingSmell3461
  • 25
    my parents were hippies. I put her on hold and kept muting and unmuting myself until I hung up
    via u/LongjumpingSmell3461
  • 26
    ImDisneyAF There was an admin I was training & she wouldn't help me or pay attention but kept working on this Winnie the Pooh puzzle. I threw away one of the pieces & she was sooooo crushed & pissed about it LOL
    via u/ImDisneyAF
  • 27
    Defiant-Lion8183 I was dealing with another companies administrator and she was super difficult about being notified when her staff received Training Certs. Our system processes over 600 certs a month, so finding each employers contact individually is horrible. I was fed up so I made her secondary email for her entire company's staff.
    via u/Defiant-Lion8183
  • 28
    Every single correspondence now had her cc'd. She'd just enrolled 85staff and we have a minimum of 5 emails sent before course starts. Happy fing Monday Julie :)
    via u/Defiant-Lion8183
  • 29
    Adept_Increase3... I once worked at a wellness center as an aesthetician and patient manager. We were a small office of 3 so one day a week I worked the front desk to help out. A client came in and was obviously having a bad day and decided to take it out on me. I was professional but spicy...I know how to hold my own and gave her a dose of her own medicine. As she
    via u/Adept_Increase3560
  • 30
    left the office, she says, "You're just a receptionist. What do you make like $10 an hour?" The next week she calls in because she insists she needs to pick up products. We were closed over the weekend and she asked if I can be there for her to pick them up... she was on the way. I told her I would gladly be here during business hours. I waited for that clock to hit 5 pm and
    via u/Adept_Increase3560
  • 31
    locked the door as soon as it did. I could hear the phone ringing non stop as I got in the elevator headed toward a nice long weekend.
    via u/Adept_Increase3560
  • 32
    turquoise_sweater An elderly couple called in with a grievance over something someone else had told them. I answered the phone and they both immediately started yelling at me. I understood the problem, but it's hard to be helpful when two people have you on speakerphone and won't stop yelling and being rude. Once they explained the problem but
    via u/turquoise_sweater
  • 33
    kept up with things like "you people are incompetent etc", I broke in with "Woah woah woah. I can fix this and I'm happy to help you with that, but let's put down the pitchfork first." They were both stunned silent, apologized, and were sweet as pie after that.
    via u/turquoise_sweater
  • 34
    christmasshoppe... Not a receptionist, but I was in an office, and a delivery person brought a box about the size of a loaf of bread. They handed it to the receptionist. She took it, and then dropped it directly onto the floor, saying, "I'm not carrying this." I laughed really hard, and she gave me the dirtiest look.
    via u/christmasshopper0109
  • 35
    malvinavonn I actually turned the volume off of my phone and only returned voicemails.
    via u/malvinavonn
  • 36
    LaDeeDaa999 There is an intercom and if an employee forgets their badge they have to ring it and wait for me to grant them entry. I can see who it is. If they've given me a reason to not like them, then they wait a realllllly long time because I was "so busy".
    via u/LaDeeDaa999
  • 37
    SerenityxxxxXX I will pick up the phone on a ward I'm on if it's been ringing and the clerk is not there to answer. Regardless of if it's a doctor or family, if you're rude, I'll put the call on hold for a long time until the person gives up.
    via u/SerenityxxxxXX
  • 38
    purplelikeme I had a narcissistic boss who would always leave his coffee cup in the break room sink for the cleaning staff to wash. Washing dishes was not part of their job, and his cup was always the only thing in the sink. I was friends with the cleaning staff, and we would quietly talk about how rude that was early in the morning before anyone else arrived (I
    via u/purplelikeme
  • 39
    worked first shift). One day, I got fed up and hid his coffee cup behind some stuff we never used in a cabinet in the mail room. He looked for his cup for a week or two and asked everyone around the office if they'd seen it. It was still there a couple years later when I quit. I wonder if it's still there.
    via u/purplelikeme

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front desk karen-customer customers entitled people karma reception receptionist entitled people
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