A Cents-less Argument, Part 3
I’m the only cashier on duty, and the line at my register is already halfway down the aisle. I’m ringing customers through as quickly as I can when I finish one order.
Suddenly, the customer I had served previously, who had been standing a few feet away and scanning her receipt, shouts at me very loudly.
Customer #1: “EXCUSE ME! You overcharged me!”
I pause mid-scan of the next customer’s items.
Me: “Oh? Let me see your receipt.”
She hands it over like it’s [Exhibit A] in a courtroom. I scan down the list. Nothing jumps out.
Me: “I’m not seeing anything off here.”
Customer #1: “Right there. The spice. You charged me tax. There’s not supposed to be tax on spices!”
I glance at the total.
Me: “…That’s four cents.”
Customer #1: “Exactly. You overcharged me!”
The line behind her is starting to shift impatiently. I weigh the options: stop everything, cancel the next order, open the till, and run a special transaction… or…
I reach into my pocket, pull out a dime, and set it on the counter.
Me: “Here you go. And here’s six cents extra. Have a nice day.”
She blinks at me, takes the dime, and walks off without another word. I turn back to the next customer.
Me: “Sorry about the wait.”
Customer #2: *Grinning.* “Worth it.”
The next morning, my manager comes over before I even clock in.
Manager: “Hey… did you give a woman a dime yesterday?”
Me: “Yeah. She was upset over four cents on tax.”
Manager: “She called and said you embarrassed her.”
Me: “By giving her more than she was asking for?”
Manager: “Apparently. I think you made her realize how much fuss she was making over such a small amount.”
Me: “Four cents bought her a whole day’s worth of outrage… that’s value!”
I was told to call the manager over next time, even if it’s only for a cent, as technically the customer was correct.
Related:
A Cents-less Argument, Part 2
A Cents-less Argument
