Unfiltered Story #126551

(We have a customer who I see come in to the store about once a month or two. It’s always for the same thing; an order that was cancelled, because they failed to come in and pay within the allotted time. Today is almost no different, but the customer’s attitude is certainly no different this time around. The customer comes up to my register.)

Customer: “Hi, I need to pay an order I made online.”

Me: “Certainly, let me-“ (I skim the page) “Sir, this paper doesn’t have an order number. Do you have one?”

Customer: “What? No, I just made the order and printed it up.”

Me: “Okay, but did you happen to write down the order number? I have nothing to go by here.”

Customer: “No, can’t you look it up under my name?”

Me: “We can’t. Let me try a telephone number.”

Customer: “[Telephone Number].”

Me: “Nope. Still nothing. When did you place the order?”

Customer: “This is ridiculous. Two days ago!”

Me: “Okay, online may have kicked your order out of the system. Let me check with a manager and then the backroom.”

(I call for a manger, and ring up a few customers while I wait. No one shows up, and I decide to go to the backroom right away to find the order. I cannot locate the customer’s order due to it most likely being cancelled by online. Note: The same exact thing with the same exact customer has happened twice already this year, and even more last year. I consult a manager, find out we have more in back, and the manager allows me to re-ring it for the price. I return to my register and the customer.)

Me: “Sorry, sir. Looks like I will have to re-ring it, because online cancelled the order. Don’t worry though; it won’t take but a minute.”

Customer: “This is ridiculous! I have been waiting here twenty minutes.”

Me: “Sir, I understand-“

Customer: “Every time I come in to pay for an order, it winds up being cancelled. I order online to bypass you sales people.”

(I re-ring the order, ignoring the customer’s whining and grumbling, and walk with them to the waiting area for pickup. I go to the back and tell my coworker the customer’s order is all set.)

Me: (walking back out to the customer) “They will be with you shortly.”

Customer: “Thank you.”

Coworker: (upon my return to the register) “What was all that about?”

Me: “Oh, don’t even ask.”