A Request Not Worthy Of Wiping Your Backside With

I work at a grocery store. We use a third-party service for delivery. Yesterday, a delivery driver picked up two orders and accidentally delivered one to the wrong customer. The customer called us right away and got our department manager, who luckily was able to get in touch with the driver before she arrived at the second customer’s house. She turned around and drove back to this customer to deliver the correct items.

The drivers are required to take a picture of the orders on the doorstep, and our manager is able to see these. We have visual proof that both orders were left at the same condo as the unit number is visible in both photos.

You’d think that would be the end of it, but the customer called back twice this evening after our manager left demanding a refund for the order she never received. Both times she called, she got a coworker who was off yesterday and didn’t know the details, and I only know what the manager told me. It’s also late, so all of salaried management has left for the day; we’re on our own.

Coworker #1: “I’ve got this customer on the line saying she never received her birthday party supplies yesterday and was promised a refund she hasn’t received yet.”

Me: “Oh, that’s the lady the manager was on the phone with all day yesterday. The driver did go back and deliver the correct order. She shouldn’t be entitled to a refund.”

One hour later, she calls again.

Coworker #2: “This lady is yelling at me over the phone because she received toilet paper instead of birthday party stuff yesterday and is demanding a refund now.”

Me: “The driver delivered them. The manager got the pictures. The condo unit number in the picture is the same for both the wrong order and the right order, so we know they got dropped off at the same place.”

Coworker #2: “She just keeps repeating that she doesn’t want the toilet paper. She wants her $400 and party supplies.”

Me: “She should have received her items. [Store] isn’t going to issue a refund since, according to our photos from the driver, she got them. She has made it very clear she received the items she didn’t want, and the condo number in that photo from the driver is the same condo number as the photo with the party supplies.”

Coworker #2: “Now she’s demanding she speak to you because you clearly know everything.”

I take the phone.

Customer: “Since you’re just feeding that boy information like he’s a puppet, I’ll just talk to you. I received toilet paper. I don’t want toilet paper. I want $400!”

Me: “Ma’am, unfortunately, because we have the photos from the driver of the party supplies at the same condo as the toilet paper you did receive, we can’t issue a refund.”

Customer: “I don’t care about those photos! I did not get my order!”

Me: “Listen, ma’am, our manager has gone for the day. We don’t have any authority to help you tonight. You can call the manager in the morning, and she can help you more than us.”

Customer: “I hope you know I am pressing charges. I am recording this phone call and will be sending it to the police. Now give me your name, rank, and job title.”

Me: “I am a personal shopper. I have no rank and cannot help you anymore tonight. Please call tomorrow when our manager is here.”

She hung up on me.

The manager called the customer who had actually ordered the toilet paper. We repicked the items for her and she came to get them herself. That customer did not give us any trouble.