Past The Point Of No Return, Part 4

(I work at a pet store as a dog trainer and cashier. My brother drops me off to work, and since he has a cat, he decides to come inside to buy a few things. I clock in and start to ring up a customer’s product.)

Customer: “Oh, this is a return.”

Me: “Ah, okay. Do you have your receipt with you?”

Customer: “No, but I want my money back.”

Me: “Okay, well [Store] policy says that if you don’t have a receipt, the only thing that I can do is give you store credit. I—”

Customer: “That is just bull-s***! The other stores in [location] always give me my money back! You are going to give me my money back!”

Me: “Sir, we don’t have a store in that location. I know what store you are talking about, but they aren’t connected to us.”

Customer: “I don’t care! You are going to give me my money back! YOU are going to right now!”

(My brother decides to come to my help.)

My Brother: “HEY! You do NOT talk to her, or anyone, like that!”

Customer: “She won’t give me my money back; I want my money back!”

My Brother: “I get that it’s an inconvenience for you, but she explained the policy to you. You did not have to swear at her like that. You should be ashamed of yourself! There are kids here! That is completely disrespectful!”

Customer: “You’re right; I’m sorry.”

My Brother: “Don’t apologize to me; apologize to HER!”

(My brother then proceeds to point at me. At this point I know just to keep my mouth shut, and let my brother talk. This isn’t the first time he’s saved me from bullying; it has just been years since he had to. The customer does a double take at me, and with much hesitance speaks.)

Customer: “I’m sorry.”

(My manager comes up and saves me from the situation.)

Manager: “Why don’t you finish up with the family I was working with?”

(I nod. My brother then goes back to finishing his purchase and leaves while I finish up with the family. I start to walk away when I hear the customer again, talking to my manager.)

Customer: “I want you to know that I am NEVER coming here again! This is NOT how you treat customers! We are always right!”

Manager: “Well, sir, she did try to explain the policy to you, and you did interrupt her. Had you let her finish, she’d have told you that only a manager would take care of what you wanted.”

Customer: “She didn’t explain anything to me! I am going to write a horrendous report and shut you guys down!”

Manager: “Well, that’s alright sir; I hope you have a nice day and good luck with another store.”

(He then storms out. The rest of the day I worry that I might have got the store in trouble. The next day someone who witnessed the whole thing sent a report to corporate and explained, in detail, everything that happened and that I, nor the store, did anything wrong. To this day I have no clue who it was that sent in that report, but they might’ve saved my job, and definitely made my day. Faith in humanity restored!)