A few years ago I worked for a pretty low fund video store (Civic Video). I opened occasionally in the mornings, but mostly closed at nights after being on shift from 5-8pm. As with any retail job you get to know regulars. On this particular occasion, the regular is an overweight woman who’s been striving to lose some of it. As an overweight man myself I sympathised with her struggle. She was pretty nice and always seemed to love a chat, so on slow nights I’d wander around the store cleaning the shelves along the general direction she’s walking, thinking to stay in range of any conversation we may be having.
One night she comes in, and as usual I say hello and ask he how she’s doing. She’s obviously made a lot of progress with her weight loss, so to be nice and encourage her I say “Hey, you’re losing a good deal of weight, you look good! Keep it up!”. She does her shopping, leaves, and I think nothing else of it until the next day. As I’m closing up that next night my boss calls, which is a usual thing. He likes to make checkups on how the shifts gone, and he proceeds to inform me that she’s rung up to complain about me. I asked for the specifics and he tells me she’s threatened to go to the police and file charges against me for sexual harassment, claiming I follow her around the store, pay too much attention to her and make lewd comments. I was crushed. I loved working with people and to have such accusations levied against me with a bare minimum chance to defend myself left me feeling distraught. I quit the job a few weeks later.
I work in a small video rental store almost outside of the city borders, so we have only a small amount of money in the till at a time. A customer is buying candy.
Me: “Okay, so it is €1 and 80 cents.”
The customer hands me €100. We just had some trouble with some customers using fake notes so we can’t take bigger than €20.
Me: “I’m sorry, I can’t take these big notes.”
Customer: “So, the candy is free, then?”
Me: *Confused* “Why should it be?”
Customer: “I have money but you won’t accept it! I should get it free, then!”
Me: “I’m sorry, I don’t have enough money to give you back. We have a policy to not take larger than twenties. Do you have another form of payment?”
Customer: “Oh… I think I have… Oh, yes, I have a card.”
I’ve worked in video stores for a few years now to support myself through university. Because we are one of the very few left, customers tend to think they can get away with a fair bit. Note – we offer a 50% off deal on late fees that are paid on return.
Customer: (to his little girl) give it to the lady. (To me) I need to fix the late fee up on this one
Me: certainly, sir. That’s (small amount). There is also (another small amount) still owing on your account, did you want to clear it all up today?
Customer: why is there money owing? I came in and fixed $5 of it up the other day!
Me: yes sir, but this was for a movie returned yesterday, that was 14 days late.
Customer: I don’t understand why you can’t meet me half way.
Me: I’m sorry sir, that’s why we have to pay on return deal, beyond that I can’t do anything else
This goes round in circles for a few minutes – and I can’t actually manipulate fees once they in the system besides the pay on return deal (a previous employee had taken advantage of it so the feature was taken away from anyone not a manager)
Customer: (getting frustrated and very annoyed) I don’t know why you can’t just meet me halfway! I should be able to give you this $5 (shows it up in the air to me, like I couldn’t understand him) and it all go away
Me: I apologise but there is nothing I can do. Beyond the pay on return deal, I can’t change fees once they are in the system. That function is only available to managers. She’s in during the week if you would like to follow this up?
Customer: just bloody take this! (Throws the $5 on the counter and storms out, kids in tow, muttering about late fees)
I’ve worked at other stores, and our late fees are the cheapest I’ve worked with and are very reasonable.
in the year 2000 the BestBuy and BlockBuster Video uniforms where uncannily similar. the only real difference was the cant of the ticket stub and the brand name. blue polo- khaki pants. I finished my shift and went over to the store my brother worked at to wait for a ride home.
Me: (standing in front of the new release wall)
Customer: Can you help me find [x video]?
Me: Sorry, No. (I said politely)
Customer: (becoming visually agitated gives me a short rant about customer service) Show me where the tape is or I’ll have you fired!
Me: I doubt it ma’am.
Customer: That’s it, I want to speak with your manager!
Me: Ok, he’s a block away at BestBuy but I don’t think he’ll do anything. (I was interrupted before I could even try to explain things, coming to the conclusion that I was not getting threw I tried to walk away but she fallowed me boiling her rant into a full on yell)
Manager: Is everything OK here?
Customer: No, this kid refuses to help me. I want him written up!
Manager: (looks me up and down while trying to hide a coy smile and strikes a fake glare) Your Fired.
Customer: *dumbfounded gasp*
Me: OK, cool, see you tomorrow. (I say walking to the front of the store
Customer: (customer stutters for a bit) I didn’t mean for you to fire him!
Manager: Its fine mam, he doesn’t work here anyway.
(A customer and his young son come to the counter to rent two games. I ring them up and off they go. He comes back about 10 minutes later in a huff, tosses the games in front of me)
Customer: *angrily* “What the hell is this?!”
Me: “The games you just rented.”
Customer: *more angry* “No! I mean what system are they for?!”
(Without looking, remembering what system the dead boxes he had originally handed me were for)
Me: “Playstation 2”
Customer: “And what sytem did I give you?!”
Me: “Playstation 2”
(As he opens his mouth to say something to me, pauses, looks at his son)
Customer to son: “Where the hell did you get these?!”
(Son leads him to PS2 section. He comes back very apologetic and I kindly exchanged his rentals to the proper system)
