Call Of Two Duties

(This takes place after Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 has just come out.)

Associate #1: “Hello, thank you for calling [department store]. This is [name] from electronics. How may I help you?”

Me: “Hi, I was wondering if you had any copies of the new Modern Warfare 2 game in stock for Xbox 360? If so, would you be able to hold it for three hours, so I can pop over after my shift? ”

Associate #1: “We sure do! We just got a shipment today, and we hold for 24 hours! I’ll just need some info from you and it’ll be waiting underneath the till!”

(I give my info and she repeats everything back to me exactly. After my shift, I go over to pick it up.)

Me: “My name is [name] and I called earlier and spoke to [associate]. She said she put a copy of Modern Warfare 2 for Xbox on hold for me.”

Associate #2: “Uh are you sure? We don’t have any in stock.”

Me: “Yes. She said you had plenty, and it was waiting for me.”

Associate #2: “I’m going to grab my manager for this.”

(He leaves and comes back with another, much older male.)

Manager: “What seems to be the problem?”

Me: “I called earlier and spoke to [associate] about putting this game on hold. She took my info, repeated everything back to me exactly, and said you had some in stock and it would be here to pick up.”

Manager: “That’s impossible! There’s no notes left indicating anyone was coming in for anything. This is the busiest time of the year and we’re currently not doing holds, and to top that off, we sold out a week ago and won’t have any in for another few days.”

Me: “We’ll, this was a waste of time.”

Manager: “It’s not our fault you believed her!”

(Fuming and upset, I go to another store. Fortunately they have a copy. However, as I’m paying, lo and behold the cashier is the SAME associate I spoke to on the phone at the first store I visited. Apparently, this is her second job.)

Associate #1: *sheepishly* “That was me. I’m sorry. I confused the stock from both stores and thought we had some there, when it’s this store that has it.”

Me: “But you took my info and said you put it under the till?”

Associate #1: “I was so sure I had it, and was going to grab it after. When I found out we didn’t have it, I was too embarrassed to call back!”

(I later found out the associate was fired from one of the stores for continuously messing up orders, and confusing each stores stocks, policies and computer systems.)