Shredding Away Their Argument

(I’m two hours in on a Saturday in my print department. I have a customer who needs a few copies, which I am finishing up with, and a second customer with a bag full of shredding patiently waiting in line. I finish ringing out the copies and the first customer leaves. I smile to address the second customer patiently waiting.)

Me: “Hi. Just some shredding today?”

Customer: “Yup!”

(I grab the bag of shredding and set it on the scale.)

Me: “All right, that’s eight pounds.”

Customer: “Perfect. I would like to insert them into the bins myself.”

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, but it is 100% against company policy for customers to have access to our bins—“

Customer: “THAT’S RIDICULOUS! I ALWAYS PUT THEM IN MYSELF!”

(Talk about full circle from pleasant and patient to furious! I had this issue about two weeks ago and spoke with every single store associate who works in print that we absolutely CANNOT allow customers to access our bins, as that takes away the point of them being “Simple, Fast, SECURE Shredding.” I attempt to explain this to her, but she’s not having it and quickly grabs her bag, shouts at me, “YOU JUST LOST A CUSTOMER!” and swiftly turns — nearly running into another customer behind her — and storms out the door.)

Me: *talking to the next customer, sighs* “What I was going to say was, would you feel like this is secure shredding if we let all our customers access these bins?”

Next Customer: *laughs* “I certainly wouldn’t.”

Me: *chuckles* “Thanks. Now, what can I help you with today?”