“I Demand to Speak to Someone Else!”: When Malicious Compliance Teaches a Rude Bank Customer a Priceless Lesson
Have you ever watched someone insist on speaking to the manager, only to discover the “manager” repeats exactly what they just heard? There’s a special, almost karmic satisfaction in watching this play out—especially when the customer thinks they’re outsmarting the system, but the system is way ahead of them.
Today’s tale from Reddit’s r/MaliciousCompliance is a masterclass in the art of letting people learn things the hard way. It’s a story of one bank employee, a determined (and not-so-polite) customer, and the unchangeable reality of withdrawal limits. Spoiler: No amount of “I want to speak to someone else!” can bend bank rules. Let’s dive in.
The Scene: One Bank, One Limit, One Very Stubborn Customer
Our hero, Reddit user u/iwantshortnick, worked at a bank office somewhere outside the US. While not a sales superstar, they were the go-to person for anything involving bank processes, pricing, and—importantly—rules. Their job? Greet customers, help with ATMs and apps, or direct them to the right specialist.
Enter THE CUSTOMER: an individual on a mission to withdraw a hefty 600,000 units of local currency (think: enough to make your wallet groan). The only hitch? The bank had strict withdrawal limits—150,000 per day at the counter without a fee, or up to 300,000 more with a 2.5% fee. But, if the customer waited until after midnight, the ATM limit would refresh, and she could take out the full amount, fee-free.
Our bank admin explained all this calmly and professionally. But THE CUSTOMER wasn’t having it.
“I Need to Speak to Someone More Experienced!”
Now, if you’ve ever worked in customer service, you know this line. It’s the universal rallying cry of the Disgruntled Customer. But here’s the delicious twist: our narrator was the most experienced operational employee in the office—more so than the actual manager!
Trying to save her some time, they explained (again) that the rules were set in stone, but THE CUSTOMER doubled down. She wanted to speak to a “proper bank worker.” The admin, internally giggling, happily obliged and handed her a queue number.
The Waiting Game: When Malicious Compliance Means Letting Them Learn
Fast forward: THE CUSTOMER spends twenty minutes waiting for her turn. She’s called up to the desk of Eve, the office’s newest staffer (with just one month of experience). Eve, following protocol to the letter, takes her through all the necessary steps—ID checks, database searches, SMS verifications, the whole nine yards. Five more minutes pass.
Eve tries to process the withdrawal. She hits the same policy wall: the cap is 450,000 with a fee. Confused, she calls over our narrator—the “nobody” in the customer’s eyes.
But here’s where our storyteller shines: “I’m sorry, I can’t help here. The client insisted on a more experienced employee.” Malicious compliance at its finest.
Undeterred, THE CUSTOMER demands to see the manager. Another twenty minutes in the queue. Take a wild guess what the manager tells her: the exact same information. By now, nearly an hour has passed since she first stormed in.
Lessons from the Land of Petty Patience
Let’s take a moment to appreciate the artistry here. Our narrator could have saved THE CUSTOMER time and frustration, but sometimes, the only way for people to accept reality is to let them experience it—painfully, repeatedly, and from multiple “more experienced” mouths.
This is the heart of malicious compliance: following instructions to the letter, even when you know it won’t change the outcome. It’s not about revenge; it’s about letting stubbornness run its natural course.
And let’s be honest—there’s a certain poetic justice when someone’s rudeness and refusal to listen ends up costing them exactly what they wanted to avoid: wasted time and mounting frustration.
The Takeaway: Listen First, Queue Less
The moral of this story? Sometimes the fastest way to get what you want is to listen to the person in front of you—especially if they seem to know their stuff. (And maybe, just maybe, don’t assume the “newbie” is the least experienced person in the room.)
Next time you find yourself at a bank, DMV, or anywhere with structured procedures, remember: The rules aren’t there to annoy you, and the people explaining them are probably trying to help you save time. Otherwise, you just might spend an hour hearing the same answer… three times.
Have you ever had a “malicious compliance” moment at work or as a customer? Share your stories below! And don’t forget to check out more tales of petty justice and customer service karma.
Original story by u/iwantshortnick on r/MaliciousCompliance. Read it here.
Original Reddit Post: Rude client wasted almost 1 hour to hear same info I told her already from different employee