crap hostage taker
I once worked for a high street computer shop, small by name, now defunct. Some customer bought a PC and had a problem, but all 'support' was done via phone, not from the store, thus giving us more time to satisfy other customers with high quality PCs.

This particular customer took exception and threatened to stage a protest in store, although there was naff all we could do for him, as much as we may (or may not) have wanted to. So he rolls up one Saturday morning with a length of chain, announces that he's going to lock himself in and gives everyone the chance to leave, before locking the chain around the doors.

We call the police, told them he was armed with a deadly weapon (ie chain) and waited for the snipers to appear and take him out. We tried to appeal to his better nature to open the doors to avoid trouble with the law. The police appear outside and ask him to open the doors. Which he does without problem. No standoff, no negotiators, no snipers, no free lunch bought and passed over in paper bags for the poor hostages.

In the end we gave him a 19" monitor and he buggered off. Pathetic.
(randomstupidname would really like this signature field to be bigge, Sat 16 Feb 2008, 17:17, 3 replies)

What was pathetic?
Him going to those lengths to get his shitty PC looked at or your shop caving in and giving him a free monitor?
( Dixipoos Bye Bye Blackbird, Sat 16 Feb 2008, 18:43, closed)

common problem
There used to be a branch next to my old workplace.
One saturday afternoon, some guy sat himself in a deckchair outside the doors with a placard detailing whatever problems had had been having. He used a megaphone to warn people going in about how shite the company was.
Total sales for that day were a big fat zero...all the staff were just milling about inside wondering what to do. The police were called at some point and had a word with him, but made no effort to move him.
(dave likes cheese, Sat 16 Feb 2008, 18:55, closed)

Fnarr
More time to satisfy customers
(Fuckarma was masturbating into your handbag, Wed 20 Feb 2008, 14:45, closed)