Insert Yourself Into Their Job

(I enter my local bank to make an appointment.)

Me: “Hi, could I please make an appointment for tomorrow? I need to talk over my insurance account.”

Receptionist: “Yes, we have a slot available. Could you please hand me your debit card, so I can register it?”

(He takes the debit card and tries to insert it to the reader the wrong way, so the chip doesn’t enter it. Of course, the reader shows an error.)

Me: “Um, I think you inserted it the wrong way.”

Receptionist: *cheerfully* “No, it doesn’t matter how you put it in. Our readers are sometimes acting up, I’ll try again.”

(He inserts it again, this time magnetic strip up. Machine shows error.)

Me: *not wanting to cause a scene, as the receptionist is very young and I don’t want to get him in trouble* “Sorry, but could I please try myself?”

Receptionist: “Sure. Maybe you have a luckier hand with this thing!”

(I insert the card and the reader validates it.)

Receptionist: “Oh, wow, maybe the direction does matter with this machine! Have a nice day!”