I am an assistant manager at a grocery store, and I answer the phone. I give my usual greeting.
Customer: “I was wondering if you carried [specific flavor] of [Ice Cream].”
I go and confirm that we do, in fact, have that flavor. She says she will be in to buy some. A few hours go by and it’s nearly closing time. I answer the phone as I am the only one to do so.
Customer: “Yes, I think I talked to you earlier. I bought some [Ice Cream], and when I went to eat it, it tasted horrible.”
Me: “All right, I can go ahead and refund it if you bring it in with the receipt.”
Customer: “Okay, I’ll come by shortly.”
A few minutes go by, and the customer calls again.
Customer: “We might have just talked, I think. I just wanted to make sure it was still okay to return it because I took out a lot of it.”
Me: “That’s not a problem if it’s bad. I’ll just need the ice cream and the receipt.”
Customer: “The cashier threw away the receipt. I didn’t think I’d need it.”
Me: *Wrongly assuming this will be quick* “Okay, I can’t do a refund without a receipt, but can you tell me when you came in and I can look it up for you?”
Customer: “I was in just a little while ago and it’s the only thing I bought. I paid $2 on EBT and the rest in cash.”
I search through all of the transactions with just one item and find only one for [Ice Cream], but they paid in cash only. I explain this to her.
Customer: “No, no. I paid with part EBT and part cash. I went through on either the second or third register. The cashier should remember me.”
Me: “I’ll ask the one that’s here still, but my other cashier left for the day.”
Naturally, my cashier does not recall any transactions like this. I explain this to her.
Customer: “Well, I know I was in there earlier. Are you sure you’re looking on the right register?”
Me: “I’m on the computer looking at all of the transactions for the day and I only have one for this ice cream. Are you sure you didn’t pay in all cash?”
Customer: “No, I paid $2 on EBT and the rest in cash.”
Me: “Are you sure you only bought the ice cream?”
Customer: “Yes, that’s the only thing I bought.”
Me: “Are you sure you came to [My Store] on [Street] in [City]?”
Customer: “Yes, I know I did. I went to your store, then I went to [Pizza Place that is not near my store], and then I went home.”
Throughout the rest of the phone call, I repeat these two questions.
Me: “I’m sorry, but I can’t do a refund for you without a receipt, and I have no transaction as you’ve described.”
Customer: “Well, can you look on the cameras? I know I was in your store.”
Me: “I can, but again, I don’t have a record for this transaction so it will not show anything.”
Customer: “Well, there must be something wrong with your computer. I am going to come down to the store and I want to see the cameras.”
I repeat that this will accomplish nothing as there is no record that this transaction took place as she is insisting.
Customer: “Well, is the gray-haired lady still there?”
Me: “Ma’am, there is nobody with gray hair here tonight. Are you sure you came to this store and not [Sister Location within the same city]?”
Customer: “No, it was your store. If you won’t let me get my money back for this bad ice cream, then I am going to come down to the store with the police and I want to see the cameras.”
Me: “Ma’am, the police aren’t going to do anything because I have no record of this transaction.”
Customer: “They will do something, because what if this ice cream made someone get sick and die?”
This goes around in circles a few times.
Me: “Okay, give me your description and I will look this up on the cameras.”
Customer: “I was wearing a white shirt and have dark brown hair.”
I go and look up the transaction on the cameras, and the customer on there does not match her self-description.
Me: “I’m sorry, but the person on the cameras doesn’t match what you told me, so there’s nothing I can do. If you would like, you can call in the morning to talk to my store manager.”
Customer: “I would like to come down and look at the cameras.”
I repeat what I have already said and ask again if she is sure she came to my store.
Customer: “Yes, I know I came to your store. You’re one exit past the casino.”
Me: “Ma’am, I’m not familiar with that area, so I don’t know.”
Customer: “You’re one exit past the casino, I know it.”
Me: “Are you sure you didn’t go to a [Different Store]?”
Customer: “The [Different Store] in [City], Oklahoma?”
I’m in Arkansas.
Me: “Possibly, but I don’t really know.”
Customer: “Well, for someone who doesn’t know the area, you sure know a lot about [Different Store].”
Me: “Ma’am, that’s because we’re the same company, just different names. I have a store list right in front of me that shows that one.”
Customer: “I know it was your store.”
Me: “Again, if you would like to talk to my store manager, you can call back in the morning.”
Customer: “Well, give me his number.”
Me: “Ma’am, I can’t give you his number.”
Customer: “Why not? I don’t understand.”
Me: “I am not allowed to give out the personal phone numbers of any employees, even my store manager.”
This starts another loop. I repeat that I can’t do anything without a receipt. I also begin to repeatedly try to end the call.
Me: *Again* “You’re sure that you came to our store and not [Sister Store]? You’re welcome to call them. I can give you their phone number, just not any personal numbers.”
Customer: “I know it’s your store. There’s a liquor store right across from you.”
Me: “There’s no liquor store anywhere near us. Across the street from us is a middle school.”
Customer: “Well, the liquor store is not across from you; it’s in your parking lot.”
Me: “Again, there’s no liquor store across from us. I do not have any record of this transaction, and if you would like to, you may call in the morning to talk to my store manager.”
Customer: “You need to check your cameras. I was in there in the last two hours.”
Me: “Ma’am, it’s almost closing time and I do not have a record of this transaction. There is nothing to find on the cameras and I simply do not have the time to look through that much. What I found was because I had a time that the transaction took place and it was not you. I am going to end this call now because there is nothing I can do. You may call back in the morning to talk to my store manager. I will let him know ahead of time.”
I hang up. The call clocks in at twenty-five minutes. By this point, I am severely behind in everything I have to do before we can all leave. A couple of minutes later, who calls again but the same customer. She starts going into another loop again, once again saying she might have just talked to me.
Me: “Ma’am, I am the only one answering the phone tonight. I have repeatedly told you that I can’t do anything and that you should call back in the morning to talk to my store manager.”
I hung up. She put me behind enough that we clocked out a half-hour after closing, much later than we otherwise would have. My blood pressure started returning to normal around that time.
