A Window To My Problems
(I am a volunteer at a small charity thrift store. As there is a line at the cash, I am helping customers who want to see certain items while my coworker rings other people through.)
Customer: “Can I see that girl’s dress in the window?”
Me: “Sure! But just so you know, any items displayed in the windows can’t be sold until next week.”
Customer: “That’s fine; I just want to see what size it is.”
(I go to the window and start to retrieve the only girl’s dress there.)
Customer: “No, that’s the wrong one! I said I want the baby dress in the window!”
(There are two baby dresses in the window.)
Me: “Oh, I’m sorry. Which one would you like to see? There are two baby dresses.”
Customer: “The one in the window!”
Me: “Yes, ma’am, but which of the two in the window would you like to see?”
Customer: *agitated* “The one in the window!”
(I take one of the dresses at random.)
Me: “Was it this one?”
Customer: “No, the other one!”
Me: “The dress you wanted to see is sized for 24 months.”
Customer: “Great! I’ll buy it!”
Me: “Ma’am, I’m sorry, but items in the window can’t be sold until next week.”
Customer: “Well, how could I know that? You said earlier that things in the window aren’t until next week but how could I know I couldn’t buy the dress?!”
(My coworker saw me getting frustrated and took over, pretending to sympathize with her to get her out the door. Later, that same coworker informed me that she recognized the woman as a problem customer from her days working at the local grocery store but couldn’t find a way to warn me in time!)
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Question of the Week
Have you ever served a bad customer who got what they deserved?
