About To Get Charged With Battery, Part 4

(I work for a national electronics retail chain as a manager. I have one other employee working for me this night.)

Me: “How can I help you?”

Customer: “I need a new battery for my car’s remote.”

Me: “Okay. Let’s take a look.”

(The customer hands me the remote, I take it from her and quickly open it using a tool I keep on the counter. I find that the remote actually takes two button batteries, which is nothing unusual. I take them out and put them on the counter. I turn around and see I only have two left. I pull them off the rack, open one and put it in the remote. I go to open the second one and the customer stops me and snatches the still sealed battery out of my hand.)

Customer: “What is this?”

Me: “It’s one of the batteries you need for your remote.”

Customer: “Are you sure?”

Me: “Yes, ma’am.”

(I show her the numbers on the old batteries and new ones match.)

Customer: “There’s two of them?”

Me: “Yes, ma’am.”

Customer: “Where’s the other one?”

Me: *I point to the battery in the remote* “I already installed it.”

Customer: “I didn’t see you do that. Where did it come from?”

Me: *I pick up the now empty battery package* “I just installed it.”

Customer: “I want to see you install it.”

Me: “You want me to take it out and put it back in?”

Customer: “Yes!”

(I take the new battery back out and put it back in.)

Customer: “NO! I want to see you open it!”

Me: “You want me to seal the package then open it again?”

Customer: “Yes!”

Me: “Ma’am, the packages come glued closed from the factory. I can’t re-seal it.”

Customer: “Then get another one!”

(At this point, I can tell the customer is going to be unreasonable but I do my best to keep my composure while my employee silently stands next to me observing.)

Me: “Ma’am, I only have two left. One is already in your remote and the other one is in your hand.”

Customer: “Listen to me you little p****! You don’t be condescending to me! Do what I tell you or I’m gonna complain to your f****** boss!”

Me: “Ma’am, I am the manager and I am trying to help you. There’s no need for name calling.”

Customer: “DON’T YOU F****** TALK TO ME LIKE THAT, YOU MORON! THERE’S NO WAY YOU’RE THE BOSS HERE! I WANT TO TALK TO YOUR SUPERIOR!”

(At this point, the customer is unreasonably irate. I decide that $5 worth of batteries is not worth raising my blood pressure. I take out the new battery and re-install her old ones then close the remote.)

Me: “Here you go, ma’am. Have a nice day.”

Customer: “YOU PUT THE NEW ONES IN?”

Me: “No, ma’am. I put your old ones back in.”

Customer: “WHY THE F*** WOULD YOU DO THAT?!”

Me: “You are being overly difficult over something very basic. I have chosen to exercise my right not to serve you. Please leave my store.”

Customer: “YOU CAN’T DO THAT TO ME! I’M GONNA CALL YOUR CORPORATE OFFICE!”

Me: “I’ll be expecting to hear your complaint.”

(The customer storms towards the door.)

Employee: “Have a nice night, ma’am.”

Customer: “SHUT THE F*** UP!”

(The employee looks at me and smiles, dumbfounded by this ridiculous encounter. I then call my district manager and tell him about the encounter. He assures me he will stand behind my decision not to serve her. Minutes later, I go to the grocery store to get something to snack on and find the same woman standing in an aisle yelling at three managers of the grocery store.)