(I am an assistant manager. We are located in a suburb, and our clientele tends to be on the affluent side. It is not common for us to have clients from the city branches come out to our area. A customer approaches the counter and asks to withdraw money. I am standing nearby and overhear the conversation, though I am waiting on the phone and cannot interject.)
Customer: “I want to withdraw money, but I have nothing in the account.”
Teller: “Let me look it up… You are correct. We cannot do a withdrawal, because the balance is currently at zero.”
Customer: “It’s just $4! You can withdraw $4!”
Teller: “I am sorry, ma’am, I cannot do a withdrawal if it will take the account negative.”
Customer: “You don’t understand! I drove all around the city looking for these lamps and [Small Chain Store] has them! I’ve already spent $20 in gas going back and forth from the city! They’ll only hold them for one day! I can’t drive back out! It’s just $4!”
(The customer continues to ramble on over how she thought she enough money, but only needs $4 to get the set, and she really needs both lamps.)
Customer: “Well, ask someone else! Get your supervisor! My social security check comes in every month to this bank, you’ll have the money tonight!”
(I have returned to my desk to resume my phone call, but I am directly in front of the teller line. The teller approaches the closest supervisor, and he confirms that they cannot do the transaction, and returns to the customer he is helping.)
Customer: “This is why I hate this bank! You’re awful, horrible people! You have no customer service!”
(The customer has interrupted the supervisor and his customer, making the second customer step away from the window and cover her information and money.)
Supervisor: “Ma’am, we can’t take an account negative. If the money isn’t in the account, there is nothing we can give you.”
Customer: “I see the money there in your drawer! You have it! You just won’t give it to me!”
Supervisor: “So, what you’re saying is you want me to either steal from the bank or give you the money from my own wallet.”
Customer: “Yes! It’s just $4! You can take it from my social security deposit. It comes tonight!”
Supervisor: “We can’t help you until it is in your account. Come back tomorrow.”
Customer: “This is ridiculous! I want to see the manager!”
(I have finished up my phone call at this point, and I know it will inevitably fall upon me to handle the customer, as the branch manager had his own customer. The customer storms into my office and reiterates her lamp story. I look up the account.)
Me: “Well, ma’am, unless you would like to apply for a loan or get a credit card…”
Customer: “Fine! Give me a loan for f******* $4!”
Me: “Unfortunately, neither the loan nor the Visa would be approved today. Additionally, for loans originating in the branch, it’s a $99 fee, so you’ll probably want to reconsider coming back tomorrow.”
Customer: “THIS IS RIDICULOUS! YOU ARE AN AWFUL PERSON! HOW DO YOU LIVE WITH YOURSELF EVERYDAY?! IT’S PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND PLACES LIKE THIS BANK THAT’RE RUINING OUR SOCIETY! ALL I F******* WANT IS FOUR F******* DOLLARS AND YOU WON’T GIVE IT TO ME!”
(Customer #2, the one who was interrupted earlier, runs up, slams down a $5 bill, then runs to her car.)
Customer: *looking surprised, tries to catch the other woman before running back and jabbing her finger in my face* “You see THAT?! That’s a good person! Not like YOU!
(The customer leaves and I am left in utter shock at the entire situation. My coworker walks over to me.)
Coworker: “You know, you’re going to turn on the TV next week and find yourself on that show ‘What Would You Do’ or whatever it is.”
Me: “Yeah, maybe…”
Supervisor: “It’s Friday. Her social security won’t be in until Sunday night, at the earliest.”
(And that was when I knew I needed to get out of retail banking.)
Related:
For A Few Dollars More, Part 2
For A Few Dollars More
