One Bag For Another

(The company I work for has a policy of charging for bags — 1p for standard, varying for reusables. Most customers are fine with it, but some aren’t. I normally work on the till. A lady no more than fifty years old walks up with two magazines in hand.)

Me: “Hello.” *scan the items, sub-total of £3* “It costs a penny for a bag; would you like one?”

Customer: “1p for a bag? That’s ridiculous! You should give out bags for free!” *starts to try and look over the till*

Me: “I am so sorry, but it is company policy and I have to charge for them.”

(A supervisor starts to look over but doesn’t interfere as I have it well in hand.)

Customer: “Hmph, fine! I will just put them into my handbag, then. How much is it?”

Me: “The total is £3.”

Customer: “Here you go.”

Me: “Thank you.”

Customer: “Whatever.”

(She walks out of the store. As she goes out I just shake my head. About fifteen minutes later, she walks back in looking angry.)

Customer: “Did anyone hand in a small brown purse?”

Me: “Hmm, no. Nobody has handed in a small brown purse.”

Customer: “Oh, okay.”

(She walks back out again and returns back in about five minutes, and sounds angry.)

Customer: “Are you sure nobody handed in a purse?!”

Me: “Yes, nobody has handed in anything, and I haven’t moved that far from the till, and I haven’t spotted a purse.”

Customer: “Hmph!” *walks out, and says just as she reaches the door* “This wouldn’t have happened if you’d just given me a bag!”

(I am amazed that it is somehow my fault. The next day, around 2:00 pm, the store phone rings. The supervisor answers it.)

Supervisor: “Hello, [Company and Branch], [Supervisor] speaking. How may I help you today?”

Customer: “I came into your store yesterday, and I have misplaced my purse. Has it been handed in?”

Supervisor: “No, I haven’t seen a purse handed in.”

Customer: “Well, where else is it, then? If that lad who served me had given me a bag I wouldn’t have lost it.”

Supervisor: “Madam, are you blaming a member of staff for not giving you a bag as the reason for losing your purse?”

Customer: “Yes! Are you going to reprimand him?”

Supervisor: “No, as it is company policy to charge for bags, so he was well within his rights to do such a thing, and it’s not the responsibility of the sales assistant to keep an eye on your purse, now, is it?”

Customer: “Well, he was snotty to me!”

Supervisor: “No, he wasn’t. I overheard the entire thing, and he was very polite and patient the entire time. I am sorry, but I can’t be of any help.”

(My supervisor then put the phone down. No purse was ever handed in, and we haven’t seen the lady since.)