I work with the public too and they are sooooo rude sometimes. Today, this lady left a deposit in the morning with her credit card and got mad at me for asking her to pay the rest this evening (when she picked her dog up). She was all mad we didn't keep her card on file...she had to go to her car to get her purse and was totally put out. Ummm...who leaves their purse in the car?? With money and credit cards in it?? Especially if you have to come in an pay a $600 bill???

I tend to do what you did. Kill them with kindness, its harder for them to stay rude as long.