Nice Guys Finish Last

I had another one of those days yesterday which had me wondering why on earth I continue to work in customer service.  It was just one rude customer after another, complaining about things (the price mostly) which I have no control over.  At what point did it become acceptable to turn up and launch into the girl standing behind the counter about how you don't want to pay school holiday prices, arguing that the school holidays don't technically start until Monday and how it's "sickening" that I get away with it.  How I get away with it?  Excuse me but I don't think the reception staff set the prices or make the rules.  We just have to enforce the rules whilst taking an unreasonable amount of abuse from someone who seems to forget that you're human.  What I find unbearable is that far too often these people end up getting their own way.  They stomp their feet, they make unreasonable demands, they shout and swear and at the end of it something happens which means extra lengths are gone to to ensure this person is happy.  Because we daren't upset them in case they release their rage on us again.  This is wrong.  If there's a problem that is my fault or is our fault as a business then I will do my best to fix it, regardless of who you are, but if you're being unreasonable why should you get special treatment.  You can't be abusive to other people to get what you want.  And we shouldn't be encouraging this kind of behaviour.  In the same instance you'll then get the nicest couple in the world.  Polite and friendly with good manners and a smile.  And those poor buggers will end up next to the grumpy family of doom and be disturbed by their noisy antics.  And the nice couple won't say anything.  They'll just put up with it and won't come to us for help, even though they should and it's their right.  I will continue to do my job to the best of my ability and I'll be polite to everyone in equal measure.  But I've decided that, if I can help it, I will not bow to the unreasonable demands of an unreasonable person just because they're being abusive.  Nasty behaviour should not be rewarded.  It should be frowned upon.  And nice people shouldn't be walked over just because there's a louder person nearby.  I'm standing up for the nice folk.  It's time they stopped finishing last.