Explaining It Until They’re Black And Blue

A client comes up to our desk one afternoon looking very stern. She tells my coworker that she returned a printer and that we forgot to give her her cable back, not that she had forgotten to remove it herself.

As I am already heading to the back of the store, where we keep such items, I offer to look for it. After about fifteen minutes of looking and no luck, I look through our recycling bags to see if one is getting tossed. I find a printer cable still in its twist-tie!

I bring it back to the client, excited because it’s brand new. She immediately glares at me.

Client: “This cable is blue. I had a black one. It will not work with my printer.”

Coworker: “Ma’am, there is no difference from cable to cable. They’ll all work with a printer, as long as the ends are the same.”

Client: “There is a difference. Mine was black; my printer is black. I want a black cable, so I know it will work.”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but I was searching and your cable wasn’t back there. This one is brand new and will work.”

Client: “I want to speak to your manager; you are obviously not listening.”

My manager comes up and we explain the situation.

Manager: “Ma’am, we ship all returns out every morning and I guarantee that the cable you brought in is gone. My associates inform me that they have provided you with a brand new cable. I don’t understand the problem.”

She says with an eye roll.

Client: “I want my black cable back, not this blue one that will not work with my printer. These two obviously know nothing about these things or they would know that you have to get the cable that matches your printer!”

Manager: “Ma’am, I have no idea who told you such ludicrous things, but printer cables don’t have that kind of distinction. As long as the USB ends are correct, it will work. Just do me a favor: take it home, try it. If it doesn’t work, I will figure out a way to fix it. Okay?”

At this the customer huffed off, taking the cord. We haven’t seen her back since.