Unfiltered Story #215095

(I work at a hobby store that is still relatively new to town, open less than two years at the time of this incident. We do our best to be quick about answering pages for customer service, etc. I’m working a longer shift than normal one day and am not exactly thrilled about the extra hours, but it’s not a huge deal. My coworker pages me a few hours into my shift, and I go to her register, where a customer is waiting.)

Coworker: “She’s here to pick up some furniture.”

Customer: “I have a dresser to pick up.”

Me: “Oh, yes, we wrote up a delayed pick-up for it.”

Customer: “I don’t have anything with me, sorry.”

(As soon as she describes the piece, I know exactly where it is and assure her that I’ll go get it for her and she doesn’t need the paper. I head to the stock room to get it, and find one of my managers back there working on something as well. I ask him to help me load the piece onto a flatbed cart, as it’s probably as tall as I am and awkward to move by myself. He does so, and I explain that the woman is here to pick it up and wants to measure it again to be sure. My manager says to page him if I need any assistance with the piece, and I head back up front.)

Customer: “Yes, there it is! Perfect! You know, I just moved here from [the East Coast], and I tell all my friends how great [Town] is.”

Me: *smiling politely* “[Coworker], she paid for this earlier, so she’s all set.”

(I hold up the slip and a copy of the customer’s receipt. We do allow a customer to delay pick up of a piece if it don’t fit in their vehicle, provided we fill out the proper piece of paper and make a copy of the receipt. My coworker nods. The customer continues chatting with us pleasantly as we offer her a measuring tape to be sure the piece will fit in her vehicle. It will, and I tell her I will wheel the cart out to her vehicle and help her load the piece. She’s very friendly about the whole thing.)

Customer: “I just love [Store]. You’re not open on Sundays, right?”

Me: “That’s right.”

(She asks me a couple more questions and continues to comment on the religious values of the company, etc, as we walk to her vehicle. She comments on what a good place to work [Store] must be, and I assure her that I do like working there, etc. We get to her vehicle and I help her load the dresser inside.)

Customer: “Are you allowed to take tips? Here, take this.”

Me: “Um, I’m not sure–”

(She insists that I take the small bill she’s holding out, and practically shoves it into the pocket of my work shirt, all the while complimenting me and the store for being so helpful. I walk back inside, the tip tucked into my pocket, and proceed to answer my newer coworker’s question about the way we handle delayed pick-ups before going back to a project. Thanks, random customer, for being so pleasant! You made a long shift a little more pleasant!)