Location Dislocation

(This is also the start of a sale where you can get 25% off a bag of dog food if you present a coupon sent through e-mail and your frequent buyer card. As such, there is a huge line in our tiny store. Another note: we’re the tiniest of three locations in the province. Each location is about 20 minutes away from one another. The customer here is a sweet and patient woman.)

Customer: “Hi, do you have [Brand Food] in the largest bag? I called down earlier and you said you guys had it, but it’s not on the shelf.”

Me: “Hmm, well, I have taken all calls and haven’t received anything for that food. I’ll look, though.”

(I go out back to search, but there is none left. On my way out I ask my coworker but she hasn’t gotten a call about that brand either.)

Me: “Sorry, but we don’t have [Brand Food] in that size bag, but we do have the one size smaller.”

Customer: *suddenly yelling at me and waving her hands around* “EXCUSE ME?! I DROVE ALL OF THE WAY FROM ACROSS TOWN. I called here. You said yes. Manager, NOW!”

Me: *a little taken aback* “She won’t be in until tomorrow morning. I can call another location and see if maybe you called their number by mistake. It happens quite a lot.”

Customer: “NO. I don’t have time. Just give me a larger discount off a smaller bag. That’ll do.”

Me: “No can do. I have no authority over that. The best I can do is make note and you can present your coupon when it is shipped to our store.”

Customer: “I don’t have a coupon. I saw someone as your cash get a discount, so I want one too.”

Me: “…You need a coupon to get that discount. It’ll be easy, just give your e-mail on our webpage.”

Customer: “You’re so rude.”

(Then there is a sudden change in mood, this time to having tears in her eyes.)

Customer: “You know, I drove ALL the way here. Couldn’t you help me out?”

Me: “No. Again, I cannot just give discounts out willy-nilly. You don’t have a coupon. You also have driven directly past two other locations on your way here. This was the LEAST convenient place for you to have gone.”

(I leave without her response, and I call another location to see if they received her call. The one farthest from us, closest to her, had gotten her call and reserved it in her name. I relate this to her.)

Customer: “YOU’RE A LIAR. I CALLED HERE AT 722-****. YOU SAID YES!” *now trying to hit me, but being a boxer, I easily dodge without touching her, avoiding complications* “YOU B****. I AM REPORTING YOU!”

Me: “You called 722?”

Customer: “YES! YOU GUYS ANSWERED. SAID YES. AND NOW YOU’RE LYING TO ME!”

Me: “That’s [Other Location closest to her]. We’re 745.”

(She didn’t give me a goodbye, just started crying and ran out. My manager called me into her office two days later and told me she tried to report me. But since the camera showed that she was the one trying to hit me, and generally throwing a tantrum, they ignored it and I still have a sparkling reputation!)