She Wants A Book And It Is Blue And Blue On De Ting
I’m working at the customer service desk in a large chain bookstore when a woman approaches the desk.
Me: “Hi, how can I help you today?”
Customer: “I’m looking for a book.”
There’s a long pause. I suppress the urge to congratulate her for finding the appropriate store for such a purchase.
Me: “Okay, great! What book are you looking for?”
Customer: “Well, I don’t remember the title.”
Me: “That’s no problem; lots of people come in without the title, and we can usually find the book they want from other information. Do you know the author?”
Customer: “No.”
Me: “How about the subject matter?”
Customer: “No.”
Me: “Is it fiction or nonfiction?”
Customer: “I don’t know.”
Me: *Pause* “Do you know what the cover looks like? I do a lot of the shelving, so I might recognize it.”
Customer: “No.”
Me: “Okay… Where did you hear about the book? Oprah? NPR? The New York Times? We keep lists of the books they mention.”
Customer: “I heard about it from my sister.”
Me: “Do you know where she found out about it?”
Customer: “No. It was a few years ago.”
Me: “Okay…”
There’s another long pause as I look helplessly at her, having exhausted any possible means of determining what book she’s looking for.
Customer: “So, do you have it?”
Question of the Week
Have you ever served a bad customer who got what they deserved?
