Customer, Correct Thyself

(I work registers at a popular supermarket chain. I’ve just finished with a customer, and have handed her her change and receipt. The customer shuffles off to the side as I get started on the next lot of groceries.)

Customer: “Excuse me, but I think you’ve given me the wrong change.”

Me: “Have I? I’m very sorry. Unfortunately, you’ll have to wait for a moment. I’ve started scanning through the next customer’s groceries, and I won’t be able to open the till until I’ve finished with them.”

Customer: *in an annoyed tone* “Fine, I’ll wait.”

(As I continue helping the current customer, the other one begins counting her money again.)

Customer: “Wow, you’ve done this really wrong. I don’t know how on Earth you could have possibly done this so wrong.”

Me: “Once again, I’m very sorry. I’ll be happy to fix it in a moment.”

Customer: “This is ridiculous. This change isn’t even close to being correct.”

(I continue putting through my current customer’s groceries, and all the while, this other customer is telling me off. She never says it outright, but by now she seems to be under the impression that I’ve intentionally short-changed her, as it is the only reasonable explanation as to how I could have gotten her change so wrong. Finally, I finish with my current customer, handing her her change and receipt. Now I’m ready to help the other customer out with her change.)

Customer: “Finally.”

(As she says this, she looks down at the change in her hand again.)

Customer: “Oh, hang on. No, this is correct.”

(She walked off without so much as a sorry. The worst part? I was so distracted by her basically accusing me of stealing from her all this time, I actually did miscount the change for the customer I’d been helping out at the time. She understood, though, and was very nice about it. Needless to say, I was very careful counting out change for the rest of my shift.)