Tweet
Cigarette Princess
I had a repeat customer yesterday who left me shaking (with either suppressed tears or suppressed anger; I'm not sure which). I have now dubbed her Cigarette Princess in light of her complaints and purchasing habits, and would really rather not run into her a third time. Some of you may recall her from the "Cig Fit" story in my post here: http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ead.php?t=2490
I ended up yet again on the cigarette register, covering for the regular cigarette cashier as she went to a personnel meeting. This girl comes through my line (which had been quite steady all day, it being Friday and the cigarette register, which is the first register anyone notices when they go to pay). She looks and acts kind of grouchy and snippy, and looks plenty enough younger than me that I was already thinking of how she should show a bit more respect to others, especially her elders (not that I'm that much older than her. ::sigh:: ). She asks for two packs of cigarettes, and I go fetch them for her and ask for ID, as usual. She gets it out and half-throws it at me; I enter her birthdate (she's only been 18 since January), and hand the ID back and ring out everything else.
The girl swipes a debit card, bypasses the PIN screen, and runs it as credit. She's buying more than $100 worth of items, so the register prompts for a signature comparison and I ask to see the card. She hands it to me. Signature's scratched off. Fair enough. I ask to see ID.
She half-tosses the ID at me again, complaining. My thoughts are in parentheses after each complaint.
"It's my mother's card." (then maybe you shouldn't be using it, twit!)
"Why do I always have problems when I come in here?" (perhaps if you had a better attitude when you came in, things would be better)
"I always have problems with you when I come in here." (no one else seems to....)
"I always have to show ID when I come for cigarettes!" (You're only 18! Duh!).
"Why do you need to see my ID for this?" (do you have to ask?)
To that last, I responded, "Because the signature's scratched off." I then told her she shouldn't be signing for her mother's card and should instead use the PIN number. She started going off on a rant, including the ever-popular, "I've never had this problem before!" (because you've never bought enough stuff to prompt the signature verification before?). I merely responded that she shouldn't sign for a card that's not hers, because it could be seen as credit card fraud. I then handed her the receipt and her last bag and gritted a "Have a nice day" through my teeth (because I was shaking).
As I shakily started to help the next customer, I noticed Cigarette Princess approach AM Bruce to complain about me. I also saw Bruce's face as he sternly told her that I was doing my job and that ID verification is the only proof we have for using spouse/parent's card and that the girl should get her own card. So basically, the AM backed me up! I even asked him later about the interchange (so I could adjust my own policy-behavior if necessary), and he told me I did everything right and he told CP that. ::twirls around in a happy dance:: Made my day, seeing Bruce hand CP's attitude back to her.
Additionally, the rest of the customers after the Princess were very nice people and by the time I was done with my lunch break after that, I was fairly calmed down.
Well Maybe if YOU'd Tell Them....
Another point when I was on the cigarette lane, I noticed two young girls taking some noisemaker/candy/bobblehead doodads from an impulse rack and smacking them against the rack and its adjacent drink cooler. I watched this for a while as I rang out my own customers, but the closest their mother got to disciplining them in any way was to tell them to come around where she could see them. They were beating fair hard enough to break some of the springs in the toys (we've already had a few that are too broken to make noise anymore), so after a while of the mother just watching and not doing anything, I excused myself politely from my current customer and approached the girls. I simply, calmly, and politely asked them to please not bang the bobbleheads on the rack. The girls kind of looked at me like they'd never had anyone tell them not to do something before, but they stopped.
I went back to my register, but I noticed the mother giving me an odd look (she was in a different line). I met her line of sight, and she (apparently calmly) asked me to ask her next time. I nodded, but couldn't give her more of a response because I had customers to help. I thought that was the end of it. The girls put back the bobbleheads because the mom wasn't buying them.
Later, one of the CSMs told me (when I went to my break) that the mother had come up and complained to her (CSM) about me. The mother complained about me disciplining her children in the store. The CSM backed up my approach, since we didn't want merchandise damaged by children whose mother had no intention of paying for it, but also said she'd ask me to direct my request to the mother herself next time. Fair enough. I probably should've done it, though I've gotten so used to parents not minding my polite, "Please don't do that" in a sweet voice approach to talking to their children. I still think if the mother had been supervising her own children, though, this wouldn't have been a problem. Rest assured my own children will not be handling merchandise in the checkout line that I don't intend to buy (and if they're abusing said merchandise, they're going to sit in the cart or be escorted out to the car right then and there).
---
Today's own anecdotes are a little tamer.
Germs!
Our Wal-Mart runs checks electronically, which means the register prints VOID across the box where you write the purchase amount in digits, and the customer has to sign a little transaction slip not unlike the old credit card signature slips that authorizes the withdrawal of funds. Simple enough. Since checks are just about the only time now that a customer needs a pen, they're the only time I hand my pen to customers.
A lady today paid with a check. She had her own pen to fill out the check, and she filled out every line on the check despite the fact that the electronic transaction only really requires a signature (register prints everything else no matter what). Fair enough; she probably isn't used to the electronic system, I think. She puts her pen away as I run the check. The signature slip prints out, and I hand it to her and pull out my own pen (she'd put hers away) and ask her to sign. She digs out her pen from her purse, saying, "I don't use other people's pens to sign stuff."
Odd. I, out of curiosity, ask why. She replies (practically verbatim), "Because everyone in the world has touched your pen and it's full of germs."
I just blink, holding back laughter, and hand her the receipt and voided check and wish her well.
So...you don't mind handling merchandise "everyone else in the world" has touched, or money, or the check counter, or bags, or door handles, or anything else, but my PEN is too full of germs for you to touch?
No, Not Those Gift Cards
A guy came up to my line with two birthday cards and their respective envelopes. Nothing else. While holding them, he asks me, "Do you have greeting cards?"
I respond, "Why, yes, sir. There are some on the rack there, and I have more here in a stack at my register." I gesture to the Wal-Mart gift cards.
"No," he says, "I mean gift cards that can be used at other places."
::blinkblink:: "Umm...no, sir. We only have Wal-Mart gift cards." And, technically, iTunes gift cards, but let's not confuse the poor gentleman.
"Oh," he says. "Well, do you have XBox 360 games?"
Okay.... "If we do, sir, they'll be back in Electronics with our other video games."
"Okay." He puts the cards down. The girl with him picks them up and wants to discuss something with him before allowing me to ring things up. They have some very hushed conversation, and then the guy puts the cards down again.
I honestly asked, "Is it okay to ring these up now?" He merely nodded. They paid for the birthday cards and left.
Nice Try, Bozo (Second-hand)
Heard this one from AM Tim while sitting in the break room on my last 15.
Apparently some guy came in yesterday (or the day before) and was first spied walking toward the exit with a large HD television (very pricy) on a cart. The door-greeter stopped him and asked to see the receipt (standard practice with big-ticket items, especially ones coming off of the salesfloor directly instead of obviously from one of the front registers). The man claimed not to have it, and said he would go back and get it. AM Tim happened to be within hearing distance of this exchange. Man leaves to get the receipt.
When he comes back a few minutes later, AM Tim is with the door-greeter. The man explains that "the girl back there said it was too late to print a receipt." Tim thinks this sounds a bit fishy.
Tim: "So, Des said it was too late to print a receipt?"
Idiot: "Who?"
Tim: "Des, the 'girl' in Electronics."
Idiot: "Oh, no, I paid for this in Layaway."
Tim: Looks at his watch. "Oh. That's really interesting, considering it's 9:50 right now and Layaway closed at 9:00."
Idiot: "Oh, uh, I'll be back tomorrow!" And out he rushes without his television like he's being chased by bees and tract-wielding elderly ladies.
Tim's a pretty good AM too.
I had a repeat customer yesterday who left me shaking (with either suppressed tears or suppressed anger; I'm not sure which). I have now dubbed her Cigarette Princess in light of her complaints and purchasing habits, and would really rather not run into her a third time. Some of you may recall her from the "Cig Fit" story in my post here: http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ead.php?t=2490
I ended up yet again on the cigarette register, covering for the regular cigarette cashier as she went to a personnel meeting. This girl comes through my line (which had been quite steady all day, it being Friday and the cigarette register, which is the first register anyone notices when they go to pay). She looks and acts kind of grouchy and snippy, and looks plenty enough younger than me that I was already thinking of how she should show a bit more respect to others, especially her elders (not that I'm that much older than her. ::sigh:: ). She asks for two packs of cigarettes, and I go fetch them for her and ask for ID, as usual. She gets it out and half-throws it at me; I enter her birthdate (she's only been 18 since January), and hand the ID back and ring out everything else.
The girl swipes a debit card, bypasses the PIN screen, and runs it as credit. She's buying more than $100 worth of items, so the register prompts for a signature comparison and I ask to see the card. She hands it to me. Signature's scratched off. Fair enough. I ask to see ID.
She half-tosses the ID at me again, complaining. My thoughts are in parentheses after each complaint.
"It's my mother's card." (then maybe you shouldn't be using it, twit!)
"Why do I always have problems when I come in here?" (perhaps if you had a better attitude when you came in, things would be better)
"I always have problems with you when I come in here." (no one else seems to....)
"I always have to show ID when I come for cigarettes!" (You're only 18! Duh!).
"Why do you need to see my ID for this?" (do you have to ask?)
To that last, I responded, "Because the signature's scratched off." I then told her she shouldn't be signing for her mother's card and should instead use the PIN number. She started going off on a rant, including the ever-popular, "I've never had this problem before!" (because you've never bought enough stuff to prompt the signature verification before?). I merely responded that she shouldn't sign for a card that's not hers, because it could be seen as credit card fraud. I then handed her the receipt and her last bag and gritted a "Have a nice day" through my teeth (because I was shaking).
As I shakily started to help the next customer, I noticed Cigarette Princess approach AM Bruce to complain about me. I also saw Bruce's face as he sternly told her that I was doing my job and that ID verification is the only proof we have for using spouse/parent's card and that the girl should get her own card. So basically, the AM backed me up! I even asked him later about the interchange (so I could adjust my own policy-behavior if necessary), and he told me I did everything right and he told CP that. ::twirls around in a happy dance:: Made my day, seeing Bruce hand CP's attitude back to her.
Additionally, the rest of the customers after the Princess were very nice people and by the time I was done with my lunch break after that, I was fairly calmed down.
Well Maybe if YOU'd Tell Them....
Another point when I was on the cigarette lane, I noticed two young girls taking some noisemaker/candy/bobblehead doodads from an impulse rack and smacking them against the rack and its adjacent drink cooler. I watched this for a while as I rang out my own customers, but the closest their mother got to disciplining them in any way was to tell them to come around where she could see them. They were beating fair hard enough to break some of the springs in the toys (we've already had a few that are too broken to make noise anymore), so after a while of the mother just watching and not doing anything, I excused myself politely from my current customer and approached the girls. I simply, calmly, and politely asked them to please not bang the bobbleheads on the rack. The girls kind of looked at me like they'd never had anyone tell them not to do something before, but they stopped.
I went back to my register, but I noticed the mother giving me an odd look (she was in a different line). I met her line of sight, and she (apparently calmly) asked me to ask her next time. I nodded, but couldn't give her more of a response because I had customers to help. I thought that was the end of it. The girls put back the bobbleheads because the mom wasn't buying them.
Later, one of the CSMs told me (when I went to my break) that the mother had come up and complained to her (CSM) about me. The mother complained about me disciplining her children in the store. The CSM backed up my approach, since we didn't want merchandise damaged by children whose mother had no intention of paying for it, but also said she'd ask me to direct my request to the mother herself next time. Fair enough. I probably should've done it, though I've gotten so used to parents not minding my polite, "Please don't do that" in a sweet voice approach to talking to their children. I still think if the mother had been supervising her own children, though, this wouldn't have been a problem. Rest assured my own children will not be handling merchandise in the checkout line that I don't intend to buy (and if they're abusing said merchandise, they're going to sit in the cart or be escorted out to the car right then and there).
---
Today's own anecdotes are a little tamer.
Germs!
Our Wal-Mart runs checks electronically, which means the register prints VOID across the box where you write the purchase amount in digits, and the customer has to sign a little transaction slip not unlike the old credit card signature slips that authorizes the withdrawal of funds. Simple enough. Since checks are just about the only time now that a customer needs a pen, they're the only time I hand my pen to customers.
A lady today paid with a check. She had her own pen to fill out the check, and she filled out every line on the check despite the fact that the electronic transaction only really requires a signature (register prints everything else no matter what). Fair enough; she probably isn't used to the electronic system, I think. She puts her pen away as I run the check. The signature slip prints out, and I hand it to her and pull out my own pen (she'd put hers away) and ask her to sign. She digs out her pen from her purse, saying, "I don't use other people's pens to sign stuff."
Odd. I, out of curiosity, ask why. She replies (practically verbatim), "Because everyone in the world has touched your pen and it's full of germs."
I just blink, holding back laughter, and hand her the receipt and voided check and wish her well.
So...you don't mind handling merchandise "everyone else in the world" has touched, or money, or the check counter, or bags, or door handles, or anything else, but my PEN is too full of germs for you to touch?
No, Not Those Gift Cards
A guy came up to my line with two birthday cards and their respective envelopes. Nothing else. While holding them, he asks me, "Do you have greeting cards?"
I respond, "Why, yes, sir. There are some on the rack there, and I have more here in a stack at my register." I gesture to the Wal-Mart gift cards.
"No," he says, "I mean gift cards that can be used at other places."
::blinkblink:: "Umm...no, sir. We only have Wal-Mart gift cards." And, technically, iTunes gift cards, but let's not confuse the poor gentleman.
"Oh," he says. "Well, do you have XBox 360 games?"
Okay.... "If we do, sir, they'll be back in Electronics with our other video games."
"Okay." He puts the cards down. The girl with him picks them up and wants to discuss something with him before allowing me to ring things up. They have some very hushed conversation, and then the guy puts the cards down again.
I honestly asked, "Is it okay to ring these up now?" He merely nodded. They paid for the birthday cards and left.
Nice Try, Bozo (Second-hand)
Heard this one from AM Tim while sitting in the break room on my last 15.
Apparently some guy came in yesterday (or the day before) and was first spied walking toward the exit with a large HD television (very pricy) on a cart. The door-greeter stopped him and asked to see the receipt (standard practice with big-ticket items, especially ones coming off of the salesfloor directly instead of obviously from one of the front registers). The man claimed not to have it, and said he would go back and get it. AM Tim happened to be within hearing distance of this exchange. Man leaves to get the receipt.
When he comes back a few minutes later, AM Tim is with the door-greeter. The man explains that "the girl back there said it was too late to print a receipt." Tim thinks this sounds a bit fishy.
Tim: "So, Des said it was too late to print a receipt?"
Idiot: "Who?"
Tim: "Des, the 'girl' in Electronics."
Idiot: "Oh, no, I paid for this in Layaway."
Tim: Looks at his watch. "Oh. That's really interesting, considering it's 9:50 right now and Layaway closed at 9:00."
Idiot: "Oh, uh, I'll be back tomorrow!" And out he rushes without his television like he's being chased by bees and tract-wielding elderly ladies.
Tim's a pretty good AM too.
Comment