We have a certain customer that always tries to use four or more duplicates of the coupons that say, “limit of two per household per day.” Usually, I somehow end up dealing with her, and she leaves half — or all — her stuff behind because I deny half of her coupons. 

Tonight, she shows up and goes to one of my new cashiers that I’ve not had the “read your coupons” talk with. I decide to hang around, just in case. Lo and behold, the lady tries to pull her usual coupon fraud. I count and she’s instantly on me, saying, “WHY DO YOU HAVE TO COUNT THEM? THE OTHER MANAGERS ALWAYS LET ME USE FOUR. YOU NEED TO BE NICER TO YOUR CUSTOMERS!”

She and who I’m assuming is her mom then switch over to Spanish so that I can’t understand them. After they’ve left — in a huff — I explain to my cashier the policy on coupons. She then tells me that when the lady switched to Spanish, she said I wouldn’t take her coupons because I was white. 

Not sure what that has to do with your inability to properly use coupons, but you have fun coming back to see another manager only to find me still staring down upon you and your coupons like the eye of Sauron.

(A customer receives a 75-cent [Brand] bread coupon after checkout.)

Customer: *staring at said coupon* “What’s this coupon for?”

Me: “Bread.”

Customer: “Is that food?”

Me: “It’s bread. So, yes, it’s food.”

Customer: “Where can I find that?”

Me: “The bread aisle.”

Customer: “Where’s that?”

Me: “Aisle five.”

(She left, still staring at her coupon.)

(We have recently run a voucher promotion giving customers 50% off their next purchase. I am on my lunch break out back when one of the other two employees asks me to come help with a customer.)

Customer: “I’d like to purchase these shoes, but I don’t have my voucher on me.”

Me: “Well, unfortunately, ma’am, we do require the voucher to process the discount. Are you able to come back with your voucher? We can hold the shoes for you.”

(The customer starts becoming more upset and I realise this is why I was asked to help.)

Customer: “Why would I possibly need to bring the voucher with me? This is ridiculous! Is this some kind of trick to get customers to come back to your store and spend money, and then you don’t give them the discount?”

Me: “Not at all, ma’am. I’m sorry for the confusion, but I really do need the voucher. The code needs to go into our computer system, and the voucher sent to our head office. And unfortunately, the whole point of the voucher is that you need to bring it back. We can’t just give out 50% discounts.”

Customer: “I can’t believe this! I want to speak to a manager!”

Me: “Unfortunately, our manager isn’t in today, but I’m the most senior staff member here so I’m happy to try and help you. Or I can get my manager to call you tomorrow when she’s in?”

Customer: “No! Give me her mobile number, then; I want to speak to her!”

Me: *somewhat shocked* “Ma’am, I can’t give out my manager’s personal mobile number, or bother her during her day off. You’re welcome to call our head office if you aren’t happy with what I’m able to offer you.”

Customer: “Then I want your name, and I’m going to file a complaint about you to your head office!”

Me: “If that’s what you’d like to do, then my name is [My First Name], and here’s a card with our head office number.”

Customer: “And what’s your surname?!”

(I have a distinctive surname, so don’t want to give it to this crazy customer!)

Me: “Ma’am, I’m not going to give you my surname. I’m the only [My First Name] working at this store, so that will be enough to identify me.”

Customer: “Well, how do I know that’s even your name?! You’re not wearing a badge!”

Me: *sigh* “I don’t have a badge because I only recently started at this store, but the other staff members here will verify that [My First Name] is my real name.”

(The customer raises her voice in triumph, thinking I’ve been caught out.)

Customer: “Ha! You just said you were the most senior staff member, and you’ve only just started working here! This is outrageous! I demand to speak to your manager!”

(By this stage, I’m feeling thoroughly harassed by this customer and her barrage of questions.)

Customer: “Ma’am, I’ve been with [Company] for three years and recently transferred to this store from [Other Location]. I don’t have a badge because we have different uniforms and my new badge hasn’t arrived yet. So, if you like, you can either return with your voucher, my manager can call you tomorrow, or you can call head office with your concerns, and those are our options. What would you like to do?”

Customer: “Well, fine. I’ll just call your head office, then, and expect to hear about it!”

(She then slowly rants her way out of the store, stopping with my colleagues on the way, when I realise she has left her credit card on the counter. I take a deep breath and resist the urge to throw it straight in the bin.)

Me: “Ma’am! You forgot your credit card!”

Customer: “Hrmph!” *storms out*

(The next day, I spoke with my manager who assured me I’d done everything right, and agreed that the customer was crazy and/or very dim to not realise you need to bring a voucher in to claim its discount. I never heard from head office about her complaint!)

(I work at a restaurant that has just sent out coupons in the mail. The only reason I know these coupons exist is because I have gotten some in the mail myself. The coupons say clearly, in large print, “Only usable Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 1:00 pm.” These are our slowest times so I guess the owner is trying to make those times more appealing. One Saturday night, — SATURDAY NIGHT — the following phone call takes place at this restaurant.)

Me: *on the phone* “Hello. Thanks for calling [Restaurant]. How can I help you?”

Caller: “Hi. My family and I were thinking about coming to your place tonight for dinner. We just got coupons in the mail, and I wanted to make sure that we were going to be able to use them.”

Me: “Do they say they’re only usable Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 1:00 pm?”

Caller: *hesitantly* “Yes.”

Me: “Then… No?”

(Then, he hung up on me.)

Me: “Good talk!”

(I need one of my car headlights changed, so I pop into the nearest auto parts store to get them to do it for me. As I enter the shop, I take note of the many promo banners hanging from the ceiling, stating that if you sign up online using your email address for a store loyalty account you’ll get 10% off your next purchase. I quickly pull out my phone, sign up on their website, and then approach the counter. It should be noted that there are no codes or barcodes in the email I receive that would need to be surrendered; it’s just a generic “show this email in the store for 10% off” email.)

Me: *ready to pay, but before any services have been rendered* “I have this email here for 10% off, too, please!”

Worker: *looks at me like I’m stupid* “You can’t use that. You have to print it out and show it to us on paper.”

Me: “Oh, I’m sorry. I assumed because all these signs say to sign up online and on the spot, I could just show you the email? The email says to present it in the store; it doesn’t mention printing it.” 

Worker: “No, you have to print the email. You can’t just show the email.” *calls a manager over* “She wants to get the discount without printing the email.”

Manager: *also looking at me like I’m daft* “Okay… How about you forward us that email, and we’ll print it out ourselves?”

(I understood that perhaps they just wanted some physical evidence to balance their register, so I forwarded the email while the manager went out the back to retrieve it. And then, I waited. And waited. I waited for ten minutes while nothing happened and no one acknowledged me further, even though I was still standing at the register. Eventually, I walked out of the store and headed to the next nearest shop, whose staff were a breath of fresh air and went above and beyond to help me. They have earned my loyalty for good even without any discount offers!)

Related:
Email Fail, Part 23
Email Fail, Part 22
Email Fail, Part 21