Thank Goodness For Netflix

(At least once a week, a customer will call us, irate, telling us they have rented multiple movies and returned them, but now they are getting automated phone calls telling them that one of the movies hasn’t been returned. The vast majority of the calls go exactly like this:)

Customer: “I returned all my movies. You all made a mistake!”

Me: “That’s possible. Let me pull up your account. Is the movie they’re saying you didn’t return [Movie]?”

Customer: “Yes.”

Me: “Okay, it’s showing that it’s still checked out. Let me check a few places for you. I’m going to put you on hold, okay?”

(I check the shelf for the exact copy of the movie that is missing, as well as the drop box. We literally have a laundry basket holding the movies, so often titles will get missed between the wall and the basket. I also often check the movies waiting to be sorted/returned to the shelf.)

Me: “Okay, sir, I’ve checked all over the place. I’m not finding it here in the store. Is there any chance it could have been missed on accident?”

Customer: “NO! I returned all my movies at once.”

Me: “I understand, sir. Please do me a huge favor, though. Check two places for me: next to your DVD player, and in your car. A lot of times, movies fall down cracks, either behind entertainment centers or in seat cushions. Call me back if you don’t find it, okay?”

Customer: “I won’t find it, because I returned it!”

(The movie would usually be in the drop box within the hour. A few brave souls actually walked it inside and apologized!)