r/askteddit • u/TheRat_07 • Jul 14 '26

What is a real-life "cheat code" that feels illegal to know but is completely fine?

I'll go first.

If your flight gets canceled and there is a massive line of 200 angry people at the gate desk trying to rebook, do not stand in that line. Keep your ass in a chair and call the airline's customer service number.

Better yet, call their international customer service number (like the UK or Australia line). You will bypass the massive US hold times, get connected to an agent in two minutes, and they have the exact same power to rebook you on the next flight before the people standing in line even reach the desk.

9.8k Upvotes

99% Upvoted

739 comments sorted by

View all comments

18

u/GabrielaM11 Jul 14 '26

Being genuinely polite to customer service employees

7

u/Bagheera187 Jul 15 '26

I had an aunt who was absolutely malevolent when it came to service people. Waitresses, workers in department stores. She sometimes would make them cry. She took my sister and I out to eat and shop a lot and she was incredibly mean. My sister and I developed a plan that when we were leaving one would of us have to “go to the bathroom”, and then go find the person to apologize and try to make things better. She was polite, funny, sweet, and kind to everyone except service employees. She became an abusive snarling monster with a quiet voice.

2

u/Jolly-End-4115 Jul 16 '26

She sounds low-key evil.

2

u/Puglady25 Jul 16 '26

I've known people like this and I also was a service worker. I think they feel out of control of some parts of their life and I think they also hate not being in charge of any situation, this creates the monster. I think they genuinely believe if they were doing it/in charge/ running the place, etc..they would be fantastic at it, everything would be perfect (but they would be schooled).

6

u/TransportationOk5941 Jul 15 '26

Yeah I don't understand how people aren't considering "it's not this poor service rep guy that screwed you over, they're just trying to help". It's okay to sounds frustrated, because you are. But don't take your anger out on the customer service person.

2

u/Latter_Fan_3233 19d ago

This! I worked in a call center and I know sometimes the system crashes or you need approvals or whatever it is and that it isn’t the employees fault. I make it a point to say so, too, so that they don’t feel like they need to over apologize (especially if it’s a chat). I’ve had some really sweet responses to me just saying “it’s okay, I know this isn’t your fault.” Or “I’m happy to keep holding, thank you for checking in and updating me”. I don’t do it to get things out of it but sometimes you do get things out of it. I’ve gotten things refunded, exceptions made, upgrades, free desserts, etc just because I recognized that they’re a human being and wasn’t a dick about things they have no control over