Have you ever encountered a Karen customer? It can be an uncomfortable situation, but using the right approach will allow you to effectively manage it and win them over.
Karens for Hire in Pittsburgh offers consumers a service to assist in handling consumer complaints by hiring people to call on behalf of clients, such as an insurance provider mistreating customers or an auto repair shop that refuses to honor warranties.
1. Give them a fair chance to resolve the issue
Sometimes it can be difficult to satisfy some customers, known as Karens. To successfully deal with them, give them the chance to resolve their issue on their own terms.
Karen has become increasingly common on social media platforms in recent years. It refers to any middle-aged white woman who resorts to tantrums and calls the police on black people – as well as using tears as leverage – in order to achieve her objectives.
Critics have accused this term of being both sexist and cultural shorthand for rude entitlement. Some even argue that its popularity may have been spurred on by social media platforms.
Many Karens represent anger and frustration in an age which has lost its community spirit. Corrupted by society, they’ve grown resentful at how things have affected them in their lives.
These are the people who refuse to wear face masks in shops, ignore quarantine procedures and believe coronavirus outbreaks are overblown. I’ve encountered sadder Karens than these and they represent an unhealthy part of society who have become self-centered and don’t show much concern for others’ well being.
When encountering Karens, try talking calmly, clearly and rationally. While this might be difficult when they are shouting and gesticulating uncontrollably as well as throwing toys out of their pram, it’s essential that this happen.
Avoid treating Karen like an emotionally distressed child; avoid mirroring their behaviour, as this will only serve to trigger them and make communication impossible, leading to further conflict and creating unnecessary tensions between you.
As it can be easy for Karen’s behavior to come across as unpleasant or angry, try understanding their emotions and showing your appreciation for what’s been troubling them – this will likely help defuse the situation and allow your suggestions to land more easily with Karen.
2. Don’t take it personally
If you’ve ever entered a Starbucks or restaurant, chances are good you have seen someone with a Karen haircut. Most frequently seen is a middle-aged white woman sporting harsh blond highlights who calls the manager immediately whenever there is any minor inconvenience.
Recently, an emerging trend has gained steam. What started out as an inside joke on Dane Cook comedy special has evolved into an accepted and culturally accepted slang term: Karen refers to individuals who consistently exhibit demands that are too great and condescension towards service workers.
Vox recently published a report about how this word has become part of our cultural vocabulary, although its exact origin remains hazy; perhaps due to social media users shortening or abbreviating names when communicating.
Most often, this term is used as a form of humor. For instance, in the video below, one man titles his post with “Fuck You Karen,” making fun of an now-deleted user who had created an entire subreddit dedicated to people named Karen.
But this term has also become a convenient sexist reference and way of making fun of white women’s casual racism and privilege. Be it someone calling the police on black people for asking them to leash their dog in Central Park, or using her doctor’s note as an excuse not to wear a mask at Trader Joe’s, “Karen” stands as a reminder that white people often feel entitled or discriminated against in society.
It is especially true of white women; they tend to get what they want more easily and implement their desires without much difficulty, which makes calling out this behavior so essential.
One subreddit that has seen exponential growth over the past two years is Fuck_You_Karen, providing people with an outlet to share and discuss experiences related to Karen-like behaviors.
3. Don’t ignore them
Karen is an insulting term often applied to middle-aged white women who use their privilege to exert their will upon others, such as demanding they “speak to the manager”, wearing specific hairstyles such as bob cuts or being anti-vaccine.
Recent years have witnessed an increased use of this term to refer to middle-aged women who use their privilege in ways perceived to be racist or intolerant of other people’s rights, often acting irresponsibly and potentially resulting in criminal charges against them.
Early this year, videos began surfacing of so-called Karens making public statements which could be seen as racist. One “Karen” flipped off a driver in a parking lot while another called the police on her neighbor who wrote “Black Lives Matter” with chalk on their lawn.
While these cases have generated much media coverage, many of the women involved don’t really fit the Karen stereotype at all; rather they comprise part of Portland protest movement’s Wall of Moms bloc.
These activists are predominantly middle-class white women who use their privilege to fight back against a system which relegates them to second class status in society. Though often accused of racism, these activists do not belong to Karen or any similar subculture.
As their actions are made in pursuit of racial justice and against an oppressive system that makes their goals difficult to attain, their boycott calls represent efforts to stop privilege abuse rather than an effort at targeting Karens specifically.
Notably, these women often accompany their comments with photos showing them holding signs reading “Karens Unite” or similar, which has been criticised by feminists who feel it gives the appearance that these women are acting collectively rather than individually.
The Karen stereotype has also been used to refer to those who refuse to wear face coverings during the coronavirus pandemic, commonly referred to as Coronavirus Karens. Their actions were the subject of numerous social media posts and online protests, including calls for their arrest or prosecution due to aggressive tactics used when refusing mandatory face coverings and making statements that have contributed to an outbreak.
4. Don’t be afraid to take action
No matter where you work – call center, restaurant, or Urban Outfitters store – chances are you have encountered Karen as a customer at some point. She tends to believe her time is more precious than anyone else’s and doesn’t appreciate being treated like just another number.
If you encounter a Karen customer, remember that taking action could bring nothing but positive outcomes. Sometimes this means escalated the issue to your manager or someone with greater authority over the situation.
Engaging the person directly may also require talking to them directly and giving them an opportunity to rectify things themselves; in the case of Karen customers this can be challenging as they may feel uncertain or intimidated to speak up on their own.
But the effort is well worth your while: by helping them realize they’re not alone and their voice matters, you will help them become strong individuals who will use their own force to battle dragons in their own right.
One of the greatest mistakes you can make when dealing with Karens is giving into their threats or giving into them when things escalate quickly. It can be tempting to feel powerless against their demands; but giving in will only increase their agitation and anger further.
At the core of it all lies courage to speak up and stand up for what you believe in – whether that means grand gestures or heroic feats; instead, show off your inner warrior.
Truth be told, we all have dragons in our lives that need slaying – even those seemingly minor issues could be waiting to be overcome with courage and persistence.
Karen may need to stand up against a manager who ignores their requests or demands for change; or stand up for someone being treated unfairly due to race, religion, or sexuality discrimination.
There can be various reasons for people being known as Karens, with one of the primary ones being acting for their own self-interest and not considering others when making decisions. Unfortunately this trend in American society can lead to uncomfortable and awkward interactions for everyone involved – but it doesn’t have to be this way!
