In Line And Out Of Line, Part 16

(A customer goes into the wrong line to do a return. She is a woman older than I and has with her a young girl, probably her daughter. While taking care of a layaway, I ask the lady if she is in line for a layaway, which is what the line is for. The following exchange ensues:)

Customer: “No, it is for a return.”

Me: “This line is for layaways only; the other line is for purchases and returns.”

(She immediately starts screaming at me.)

Customer: “I HAVE TO GO ALL THE WAY TO THE BACK OF THAT LINE?!?”

(The line has 2-3 customers, all with small purchases.)

Me: “That is the purchase and return line.”

Customer: “One of your employees told me that returns go to this line!”

Me: “Well, I can take you after this person.”

Customer: *whispering venomously to me* “I’ll make a scene, and you don’t want me to make a scene.”

(So I beat her to the punch.)

Me: *yelling* “Ma’am, I ALREADY told you I would go ahead and take you after this customer. This is the layaway line, and that is the purchase and returns line. I am doing you a favor.”

Customer: *in shock, quietly* “Thank you.”

(I finished up the layaway with the very nice lady I had been joking with before and took self-righteous return lady. She started up again, this time in a much more polite manner, telling me how she was told that that was the return line. I said nothing to her the entire transaction, so she stopped talking. I handed her the receipt without words, put back on my customer service face, and politely called the next person that had been in line longer than she had. I told my supervisor about it later, and she said, “Good for you. Do not let them run you over.” I just feel sorry for the kid.)

Related:
In Line And Out Of Line, Part 15
In Line And Out Of Line, Part 14
In Line And Out Of Line, Part 13
In Line And Out Of Line, Part 12
In Line And Out Of Line, Part 11