Due to the current health crisis, my office building has been closed to the public. In an effort to help customers with in-person transactions, we opened up a satellite office in a bigger building where social distancing and other safety measures can be used. My new “office,” however, is a closet transformed to be a customer service booth.
Due to the lack of security, we have decided not to accept cash payments. We prefer payments by check or money order. Customers can also use a credit/debit card, but there is, and has always been, a fee added on to the total amount paid. We don’t have any way of removing the fee.
There is a sign on the door of our usual building directing customers to our new location, and this sign says cash will not be accepted. There is a sign on the door of our new location that says cash will not be accepted. If a customer comes in in-person or calls on the phone, we tell them cash will not be accepted, as well as the options by check or card with a fee. Most customers have been understanding, a few have been frustrated but deal with it anyway.
Also, we have one entrance door, the customer walks down a hallway to me, and then they exit out the door immediately to their left. There are BIG colorful signs and arrows pointing them to the exit.
This customer — in person — is a piece of work. She stands in front of my window, not saying a single word.
Me: “Hello, can I help you?”
Customer: “Dump tickets.”
Me: “Okay.”
I ask for her information and fill out the correct form.
Me: “How many do you need?”
Customer: “Four.”
Me: “Okay, that will be $200.”
I print out the passes and the customer wordlessly shoves two $100 bills through the window.
Me: “I’m sorry, we can’t take cash here. There are signs on the door. We don’t have anywhere secure to put it.”
Customer: “Well, what do you take? Do you take a card?”
Me: “We do, but there is an additional fee. We take checks, too, and there is no fee for that.”
Customer: “Fine.”
She storms out the entrance door. Twenty minutes later, she comes back.
Me: “Hello there!”
The customer wordlessly shoves her credit card through the window.
Me: “Okay.” *Slides her card* “So, before I submit the payment, I just want to tell you the total. It will be $210.”
Customer: “Why? What’s the $10?”
Me: “It’s the fee for using a card.”
Customer: “Are you f****** kidding me?”
Me: “No. There has always been a fee for using a card. I explained that when you were in earlier.”
Customer: “You’re really going to charge me because you don’t take cash?”
Me: “No, we also take a check without a fee.”
Customer: “I don’t have a check. I can’t believe you are charging me because you don’t take cash.”
Me: “We don’t keep the fee. It goes straight to the bank.”
Customer: “You are still charging me because you don’t take cash.”
Me: “No. Even if we were back at the other office where we do take cash, there is still a fee for using a card.”
Customer: “But you are still charging me because you don’t take cash.”
Me: *Fed up* “That’s not true. Do you want me to cancel the transaction?”
Customer: “No! I still need the tickets, don’t I?”
Me: “Okay, then.” *Submits the payment* “Here’s your receipt and your passes.”
The customer storms out the entrance door again.
Coworker: “Wow! You’re getting them all, aren’t you?”
Me: “Yep. I wasn’t even going to try to tell her she went out the wrong door.”