Woman FLIPS OUT over ID request

[Dave1982]

I knew I'd jinxed myself by saying I haven't had to deal with any BAD customers lately......

First of all, I must explain that I was NOT in a good mood when I came into work today. I haven't gotten enough sleep, I was cold, and was a little stressed from non work related problems (my mother is having surgery tomorrow, and aside from that a lot of demands have been made on my free time lately). Every little thing that normally wouldn't bother me was bothering me. Plus it was unusually busy during the 8AM hour. Basically, it was another one of those days where you'd be better off just staying in bed.

Anyway.

Woman comes up to the service desk to ask me if we carried a refill for her pen. It was a verynice lookign one that appeared to be made entirely of wood (except for the cartridge, of course). I opened it to see the cartridge, and told her that we might have the right one. I sent her to the pen aisle and paged a guy over to help her. Through this she was very pleasant.

While she was in the aisles, I got a bit of a line going. While I am still checking out other customers, she came back and went right to the little side counter to my right. I really hate it when people come up to me from there, and that is NOT where the line is, and I can NOT check people out from that side; the scanner and card reader are in FRONT of me (it's a bit difficult to describe without a picture, but for all intents and purposes it would be like going to register 2 when I am ringing on register 1 and wondering why I can't serve you there). And even if I could, I won't, because you aren't beating the line by doing this. I will not serve you. Get in line and wait. But I digress......

Fortunately, rather than demand to be served from that side, she started perusing the two map racks jammed into that tiny space. Fine.

Then, after the line dissipated, she says "OK, I'm ready." and puts her stuff up on that side of the counter. I obviously gave her too much credit.

Me (picking up her two items): Could you step around to this side please, ma'am?

She ignored me, then pulled out her credit card.

Me: Ma'am, please step around to ths side.

SC *sharply*: Why??? DO I have to sign something?

Me (thinking): *DUH! You ALWAYS have to sign for a credit card purchase*
Me: Yes.

So she reluctantly came around to the correct side of the desk, making an elaborate show of picking up everything she had laying there and bringing it over, and if to show how inconvenient it was to be asked to walk two feet. Then I nitcied her card wasn't signed.

Me: Could I see some ID, please?

SC (angry): WHAT?!

Me (losing my patience): Could I see some identification? (thinking: Did I freaking stutter?)

SC: You've got to be KIDDING!

Me (starting to flush with anger): Ma'am, your card is not signed.

SC: HOW LONG HAVE YOU WORKED HERE?!!?!?

Me: Nearly a year.

SC: Well in all that time I have NEVER been asked to show ID!!!!!

Me (forcefully, struggling not to yell): Ma'am, your credit card is NOT SIGNED. I can NOT accept it unless I see identification.

She slammed her wallet down on the counter and opened it. Her ID was in a clear window, and she started to take it out, but then stopped.

SC: I'm not takign it out! You just look at it there!

Well, the name matched the name ont eh card, and it was her picture. So I really dont' see what the fuss was all about.

Me: Thank you.

SC: You must not know what you're doing. What did you charge me for, anyway? I'm going to have to check my bill to make sure there aren't any MISTAKES!!!! WHAT'S THE TOTAL!!!!!!!

Me: $3.88......for THIS and THIS. *holds up what she purchased*

SC: WHAT'S the TOTAL!!!!!!!!

Me: $3.88.

SC: You see how bad people can get when you do this? (said like she's giving me a littel life lesson on human interaction) What's the total?

Me: $3.88. Could you please sign in the box and check done when you are finished?

SC: What do you want me do now??

Me: Please sign in the box.

SC: Oh this is just great. What do I need to sign for?

Me: The purchase.

SC: Well this thing is terrible. It doens't even look like my writing.

Me: That's fine. I've already checked your ID.

SC: There!!!

I hand her her reciept:

Me: Have a good day.

SC:...............



GOD! I don't think that truly conveys just how awful she was about this, and how pissed I was afterwards. I wanted to reach across the counter and STRANGLE this woman. ARRGG!!!!!! I tell you I've been here a year, and you say I dont' know what I'm doing. What an ASS! And explain to me just how asking for ID means that I must have screwed up your order and you have to not make sure I'm not overcharging you? And what did you hope to gain by asking me THREE TIMES what the total is? Do you think it's going to change? I'm sorry, but the best word to describe her is too offensive to post here.......

[Imogene]

How much is it?
3.88
How much is it?
3.88
What is it?
... A hunter-destroyer robot.

Final total?
11.64
$3.88 three times, you dumb person.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

I had a woman flip out because I wanted her to sign an charge invoice to pick up a couple hundred bucks worth of stuff from Kinko's.

Imagine, I won't just fork over a huge box of stuff gratis without asking for someone to sign for it.

She went ape. You would have thought I'd asked for her firstborn. She kept going "Well, I'm not qualified to sign this."

So I just said, "Then you aren't qualified to pick it up."

She actually left without it. She was supposed to be picking up for her work. They were charging it on their account. Her signing it was not an agreement to pay for it. It was just so we'd have a record of who came and got it, that's all. Geez.

Oh, well, she WAS pregnant. Sometimes those hormones can make you a little crazy.

[RogueOne]

Dave, you need a brewski after that. Here!

[Scottya21]

I'd never heard of checking IDs on credit cards until I happened to be looking at some Customer's card and it had "See ID" written where the sig goes. I'm sorely tempted to do that on my next card and see how many cashiers actually check.. maybe yell at some managers for fun.

[Retail Associate]

Our cashiers don't ask for ID if a credit card isn't signed. As a matter of fact, the cashier never handles the credit cards so there's no way they would know if it was signed or not.

I once had a big burly guy swipe his card through the machine and it came up as 'Card Reported Stolen...Call Your Service Coordinator .' I told the guy I'd have to talk to my SC then dialed her number. I turned my back to the guy as I very quietly told the SC I had a customer trying to pay with a stolen credit card. Her words, "Oh shit! Take the card, don't give it back, ask for some ID and I'll be right there."

Of course the guy had no ID on him and he'd "had this card for years." Right!

Several weeks later that same guy came to my lane and wrote a check for his purchases. I recognized him immediately and was prepared for the machine to tell me his checking account was bogus. The check went through but as I looked at the name on the account I recognized it as the same name of one of the paralegals (rent-a-cop) at my son's High School.

When I got home I described the man to my son and he said it was indeed the paralegal from school...the same paralegal who once accused my son of selling dope to buy the car he was driving. (My hubby died several years ago and left a trust fund for my son. That was how he was able to buy the car he was driving.)

What a POS. He works for the school but the credit card was from a local business. Who's the crook dumbass?

It still pisses me off!

[crazylegs]

This reminds me of apoplectic woman.

Me, uh me
SM, One of my collegues (her initials)
AW, Apoplectic Woman
AM, Assistant Manager

There i was stood at the front of store quite happily looking at a couple of shady guys in urban music when i hear a voice...

SM; Crazylegs? CRAZYLEGS?
I toddle over to the till
AW; WHY DOES MY CARD NOT GO THROUGH I HAVE BEEN HERE NOW HAD PUT MY PIN IN THREE TIMES NOONE ELSE HAS HAD TO DO THIS WHY IS THERE A PROBLEM?
Me; How can i help madam? (I know, t was slightly obvious but still just had to check)
AW; (Instant change in demeanour, now very calm) I've haad to put my pin in three times and the till has not worked
Me; Ok, I'll get hold of one of the management team and they can pop down and sort thsi out (Phone call to stock room, demand management of some description NOW
(We wait perhaps two minutes, its four days before christmas, so its a tad busier than usual, i can see the assistant manager struggling against the horrific flow f people at the far end of the store)
AW; WHY AM I HAVING TO WAIT, I'M THE POOREST WOMAN IN THE WORLD I LIVE ON BENIFITS I DONT WANT TO MISS MU BUS I HAD TO TAKE A £70 TV BACK TO ARGOS AND IT COST ME £75 IN TAXI FARES BECAUSE I MISSED MY BUS!
Me; I'm really srry for the wait but the Assistant Manager will be here in just a minute (think to myself £75 in taxi fares, where do you live, scotland?)
AW, (again completely calm) OK, thank you very much
(5 Seconds pass)
AW (Repeat previous statement about argos...)
Me; I'm realy sorry for the delay madam, as you can see we are very busy, but unfortunatly we have no control over what happens in other stores

At this point the AM Arrives
AM Hi there what seems to be the problem?
AW This IDIOT (Pointing at SM) CANNOT PUT MY PURCHASE THROUGHT THE TILL I CANNOT AFFORD TO WAIT I'M THE POOREST WOMAN ON THE WORLD I CANNOT WAIT ANYMORE IF I MISS MY BUS I WILL HAVE TO GET A TAXI. I HAVE HAD 19 BREAKDOWNS AND A CANNOT DEAL WITH THIS!
Me; can you complete the transaction AM?
AM; ok madam can you put your PIN in please?
AW (tap tap tap tap)
(slight Pause)
AM, Have you pressed enter madam?
AW, no was i supposed to?
(At this point i shuffle SM away, i'm security and AM is management, we're paid to deal with aggresive people, SM is a christmas temp, she gets a bum deal from the company and shouldn't have to deal with crap like this)
AM; ok madam thas all done for you, your receipts in the bag
AW(Here she goes again) I WANT YOU TO TAKE HER TO TASK (leaning over the counter and pointing wildly) I WANT HER DISCIPLINED SHE DOES NOT KNOW WHAT SHE IS DOING! YES YOU!
AM, Sorry could you not shout please?
AW I WILL SHOUT IF I WANT TO I DONT CARE IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, YES YOU! (Again pointing in SMs direction)

At this point she leaves.

Then we realise there is a bag of shopping on the counter.

Then we realise its hers.

I get voluntereed to go give it back, so i pick up the bag exit the store and hear a roar of rage from AW as she realises sehe's forgotten her shoping

I hand the shopping to her with a nice gentle smile and walk away

It traspires that all the way through, the only reason her card would not go through was because she had not pressed enter. every. single. time.

I Later hear over the radio that she is being ejected from one of the shopping centers for being abusive to random members of the public with no provocation.

Stay Safe

[MadMike]

One time I discovered I had forgotten to sign my car, and they did ask for ID. Not only did I not have a meltdown over it, I used the experience to teach my son something. He was with me, and questioned why the guy was asking for my ID, as he had seen me pay with my card many times, but never got asked for ID before.

"It's because I'm an idiot, and I forgot to sign my card. So he has to make sure I'm actually who I say I am."

He seemed to understand. That's really sad when a 9-year-old (at the time) gets it right away, and all these so-called adults don't.

[Becks]

Wow. I wonder if that woman is/was bipolar. SUCH mood swings...

[Gawdzillers]

AM, Have you pressed enter madam?
AW, no was i supposed to?

This is where normal people realize their error and either apologize profusely, or mumble through the transaction embarrassedly.

But no, she screams that she wants SM upbrought (or whatever the past tense of upbring is. I ain't got no good grammar neither.).

[kurisu7885]

Our cashiers don't ask for ID if a credit card isn't signed. As a matter of fact, the cashier never handles the credit cards so there's no way they would know if it was signed or not.

I once had a big burly guy swipe his card through the machine and it came up as 'Card Reported Stolen...Call Your Service Coordinator .' I told the guy I'd have to talk to my SC then dialed her number. I turned my back to the guy as I very quietly told the SC I had a customer trying to pay with a stolen credit card. Her words, "Oh shit! Take the card, don't give it back, ask for some ID and I'll be right there."

Of course the guy had no ID on him and he'd "had this card for years." Right!

Several weeks later that same guy came to my lane and wrote a check for his purchases. I recognized him immediately and was prepared for the machine to tell me his checking account was bogus. The check went through but as I looked at the name on the account I recognized it as the same name of one of the paralegals (rent-a-cop) at my son's High School.

When I got home I described the man to my son and he said it was indeed the paralegal from school...the same paralegal who once accused my son of selling dope to buy the car he was driving. (My hubby died several years ago and left a trust fund for my son. That was how he was able to buy the car he was driving.)

What a POS. He works for the school but the credit card was from a local business. Who's the crook dumbass?

It still pisses me off!

Did you report this incident? Odds are the school woud lsack him over this, but problably not.

[flybye023]

GOD! I don't think that truly conveys just how awful she was about this, and how pissed I was afterwards. I wanted to reach across the counter and STRANGLE this woman. ARRGG!!!!!!

Actually, I think you have truly conveyed her attitude. I want to reach across your counter and strangle your customer.

I agree with you though, about the customers who make a big production out of having to follow your instructions. It's totally passive-aggressive manipulation...pisses me off

[Buglady]

Wow. I wonder if that woman is/was bipolar. SUCH mood swings...

Common misperception... but bipolar disorder does not cause rapid mood swings like that. Bipolar cycles are weeks or months long. Why I know? BF is bipolar (doing much, much better now though )

If we're playing armchair psychiatrists, that could be a symptom of schizoaffective personality disorder or some such thing.

[Jester]

I have bipolar tendencies (my father was bipolar...though at the time it was called, more accurately in my opinion, manic depressive), though I have never been diagnoses as bipolar. I HAVE had people who have observed me for a while ask if I was, in fact, bipolar.

That lady was NOT bipolar. She was a complete whack job.

My 13 year old niece is very similar to me, and exhibits some very bipolar traits, and as such, I can understand her more than most. I was trying to explain how life is for us to her mother, and it went something like this: You know how sometimes you are really, really happy? And sometimes you are really, really down? But most times, you are somewhere in the middle? Well, for us, there isn't much of a middle. And our extremes tend to be more extreme than yours. It's virtually impossible to truly understand if you have not experienced it, but that was the best way I could put it.

That woman was not like myself, my father, or my niece. She was just a complete fucking loon.

This is not a shot at anyone in particular here, but I get so tired of people in general, both on this forum and in life, ascribing bipolarism to people who they see freak out on some grand scale. It. Doesn't. Work. Like. That.

Thank you. We now return you to your regularly scheduled seminar on the mating habits of bureaucrats.

[Dave1982]

Thanks for the replies. I like this one in particular:

Actually, I think you have truly conveyed her attitude. I want to reach across your counter and strangle your customer.

For some reason I find this enormously funny.

Anyway, this is off topic, but if anyone was wondering, my mother's surgery went well.