The Customer is Always Right

It's a saying that's as old as the concept of the store. A customer walks in, wants this and wants it that way and the customer gets said good or service to their liking. Doesn't sound that bad, does it? No, in all actuality it doesn't. When need goods and services, however, I am not bossy, rude, or demeaning towards the employee I am dealing with. I understand that as a customer sales associate, that I am required to bend and bow to the wants and desires of our customer base but sometime's it's too much. I work in the Lumber Department and there we stock items such as...you guessed it, lumber. As well as that, we sell shingles, concrete, siding, and general building materials you would need for whatever you need. Contractors who know what they want and they want you to let them be are my favorite customers. If they need help, they'll ask. However, it's the well-off customers, the ones who watched an episode of "Yard Crashers" and suddenly think they can build an entire deck on their own that cause the most angst. They make outrageous demands upon us, unrealistic delivery dates for their bulk items.
"I want to build a deck, what do I need?" Is a common question. I do not get paid to map out and devise their project for them, I'm not your project manager. Regardless, half the time you won't take my advice anyways because you watched "Yard Crashers." In addition, if let's say a pack of shingles is torn, that is, just the packaging and the shingles are all accounted for and undamaged, they will demand an absurd amount taken off of the price. I say no, but what do I know? The customer will usually be unsatisfied with my answer and want to speak to a manager. This request I always oblige because it gets the customer away from me and into the arms of someone else who has to now deal with them. The managers will always give the customer what they want, always. It doesn't matter how extreme or odd, the managers will cave in quicker than a mine.