Return Of The Returner: Lines Of Anger

(I’m working at customer service, and returns have been out of control today. We have physically run out of counter space to put returned items, and the line is backed up to the front of the store. Normally, if it isn’t busy, we allow customers to check out back there, but when it’s this crazy busy, I only allow small items, since checking out takes a lot longer than returning something. An old woman is my next customer.)

Me: “Hi. Doing a return?”

Customer: “Yes, and I had to wait fifteen minutes up in the lines at the front before being told to come back here and wait in this line. Why couldn’t they do it up there?”

Me: “Well, those registers aren’t equipped for returns. If you notice, when you first walk in, we have signs directing customers back here for returns.”

(I do the return, and then she announces she has something to buy.)

Me: “I can do that today, ma’am, but with it being this busy, next time this will have to be taken up front.”

Customer: “Well, I guess I am never shopping here again! Never in my life have I been so disrespected.”

Me: “I said I can still check you out here, though. It’s just because ringing up a sale takes longer, and it can be unfair to customers who are here to return items.”

(She slides her card, and I notice her hitting the screen. With some cards, there is an option on screen for credit or debit, but with her card, she has to hit a button on the PIN pad for credit.)

Me: “If you want to do credit, just go ahead and hit the green circle there on the PIN pad.”

(She looks at me as if I have just kicked a newborn baby.)

Customer: *in a shrill voice that is just full of anger* “I wanted debit!”

Me: “I’m sorry, I noticed you hit the screen and thought you wanted to hit the credit button. Just go and enter in your PIN.”

(We finish the transaction and she leaves. The customer who has been stuck after her witnessed her little meltdown and tells me this:)

Next Customer: “I’m not sure what her deal was. Unless I’m mistaken, every store I’ve been to that has a customer service desk requires returns to be done there. She was just an angry old lady that doesn’t know how to read signs. And don’t worry, I’ll go up front for my purchases because of how long your line is.”

(I’m glad that someone else realized what I was trying to say, and I couldn’t care less if that old lady ever comes back.)

Related:
Return Of The Returner: Mysteries From The Past
Return Of The Returner: The Buyback
Return Of The Returner: Jeans Of Justice