Doctors Make The Worst Patients

I’ve recently been hired at a chain of grocery stores that has a service where items are ordered online, shopped by store associates, and then brought out to your car when you arrive. I’m one of the assistant managers, but as this area of the store is swamped for the holidays, I’ve not been trained in much thus far and all of management needs to be able to run this area of the store should the need arise.

I bring out an order to an SUV and collect payment from a couple who are inoffensive but otherwise disinterested, which seems to be par for the course. Another associate is loading their things into their trunk when I hand them their receipt. 

Customer: “Where are my vitamins? I don’t see them on here.”

She wiggles the receipt at me from the passenger’s seat as if, from outside the car, ten feet away, I could read the tiny text on her receipt to solve her issue… or maybe she just thought I had her order memorized?

Me: “I can go inside and pull your order manifest to see if they’re listed. As they aren’t on the review page for items substituted or out of stock, they would be in your bags and on your receipt if they were ordered.”

Customer: “They’re in the pharmacy! I called and spoke to [Person] this morning; he said he would come and get them. This is ridiculous! Why do you even have this service if you can’t do your d*** jobs?”

I may be new to this job but not to retail. I have been alone in the to-go department all morning with only my trainer, another woman, able to answer the phone. There is no one named [Person] in our department or even with a name similar to [Person]. I give her a cool look.

Me: “Well, ma’am, that’s odd since there is no one by that name who works in this department—”

She cuts me off.

Customer: “I don’t care. I want my vitamins. They were there when I left today. Why aren’t they here now?”

I’m confused for a moment until I realize why she looks familiar.

Me: “You work in the pharmacy, then?”

Customer: “I’m the pharmacy manager, yes.”

Me: “Hi, I’m [My Name], the new assistant store manager. I’d suggest you manage to walk your way back into your department and pick up your own vitamins. I’d also suggest you refrain from speaking to your fellow associates that way again because, after I file my complaint with human resources about you, that will mean you’re establishing a pattern of disrespect. Have a nice afternoon!”

She made a gaping fish face at me as I turned around. The associate who had been loading her order was torn between being stunned and laughing. Obviously, we all get customers who are less than their best. Why would you add to someone else’s burden by acting like the typical, entitled idiots we all hate?