Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 17

I work in a pet store. A middle-aged couple comes in with a rottweiler they obviously don’t control very well.

Since my coworker had an incident with a customer’s rottweiler a few weeks back, I decide to keep my distance while asking if they need any help. They say no; they already know what to buy, as my coworker has already shown them the harness they want.

When it’s time to pay, they make a big fuss.

Female Customer: “We always get a 15% discount on everything in this store, plus we get a 20% discount on backpacks.”

Me: “Why is that?”

Female Customer: *Shrugs* “We just always do, and we’re loyal customers.”

I do not give them the discount, as I have no idea why they’d get one.

Female Customer: “We’re gonna report you to your manager!”

My manager doesn’t hear a thing from them and assures me that nobody in the store gives out any discounts I don’t know about. She doesn’t even know which customers I am talking about, which means they’re not really that regular in our store.

A few weeks later, the same couple walks in with the harness and wants to give it back.

Me: “Hello! How may I assist you today?”

They just wave me off as they are heading for the dog food. I reckon that they don’t want any help and stay put behind the counter. 

When they come up to me to return the harness and buy the dog food, I give them a credit note with their remaining balance, as is our store’s policy, and since they claim they are regulars, I reckon it’s not a big deal as they will spend this money in our store anyway. 

They both totally snap at me at the same time.

Female Customer: “You need to learn the rules! You’re breaking the law by giving us a credit note instead of our money back! And you! You’ve never once asked us if we needed assistance; you’re just always hanging around behind the counter doing nothing!“

Then they both angrily walk out while saying stuff like, “She doesn’t fit in in this store!” All the other customers all of whom have been offered assistance, look shocked. 

Then, the husband comes back in, points his finger at me, and yells:

Male Customer: “When is your boss back at work?!”

Me: “My boss works from nine to three every weekday. She also answers messages on our Facebook page.”

Male Customer: “Then we’ll be back on Monday to talk to her and make this right! And we’ll be sure to tell her how you’re behaving!”

Me: “Okay?”

He stomped out again. 

Of course, I called my boss to prepare her for a very blue Monday. Monday came, Monday went, nothing. Not a word. When I talked to her later, she told me, “Yeah, sometimes customers try to do that to those working in the evening; they just try to scare them in order to get their money back or a discount. Sometimes people fall for it, and when they don’t, they get yelled at.”

We haven’t seen them since.

Related:
Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 16
Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 15
Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 14
Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 13
Don’t Discount The Customer’s Ability To Discount, Part 12