The Couponator: You’ve Been Couponated

Awesome, Coupon, Grocery Store, Inspirational, Kind Intervention, Managers With A Spine, Money, USA | Right | October 2, 2023

We have a regular customer who is always friendly and happy to see us. She remembers our names and genuinely asks how we’ve been, remembering details we might have mentioned in small little conversations months earlier.

One time she approaches me at the service desk.

Customer: “Oh, hi, [My Name]. I don’t suppose anyone has handed in a wallet have they? It’s brown and plastic.”

Me: “I don’t think so, at least not since I’ve been here. When did you lose it?”

Customer: *Near tears* “About half an hour ago, I think? I must have dropped it in the parking lot. Please hold on to it for me if you find it?”

Me: “Absolutely! I’m so sorry that happened to you! Let me write your number down and I’ll call you if it’s found. Was there a lot in it?”

Customer: *Holding back tears* “I’m on a fixed income, so not a lot to most people, but that $60 I had in there was my food budget for the week.”

Me: “That’s awful! I’ll tell everyone, and I mean everyone, to keep an eye out.”

Customer: “Thank you. I appreciate it.”

She walks out looking like the weight of the world is on her shoulders. What makes it worse is that she’s a single mother (widowed), and I know how it feels to be living on the breadline and losing what feels like a fortune to your budget.

I mention this to my manager, who agrees to alert all staff to keep an eye out for the wallet. He also has another idea. Our manager has a “keep customers happy” budget, and this time, instead of using it to calm down raging entitlement monsters, he could use it for something good.

He authorizes the use of some store vouchers and asks me to call the customer back.

Customer: “Did you find my wallet?”

Me: “Not yet, but we’re still looking! However, we did find something else that belongs to you, so come and find us at the customer service desk whenever you decide to come back.”

Customer: “Something… else? But I don’t think I dropped anything else? What is it?”

Me: “You… qualified for some coupons! No rush. Come collect when you can.”

The customer accepts this but remains confused. The next day, she comes in with a friend, and sadly, I’m not working, but my manager relays to me what happens later.

Customer: “Hi, [Manager]. I was told I had left behind some coupons, or something?”

Manager: “Oh, hi, [Customer]! Yes, we found these with your name on them!”

He hands her $120 worth of store vouchers — intentionally double the amount that she lost in her wallet.

Customer: “What?! But… how?”

Manager: “[Store] likes to show its appreciation for customers that show appreciation for us. Think of this as a reward for being such a respectful customer all these years.”

Customer: “But… I don’t understand.”

Manager: “This is for you to spend in the store, for anything you want!”

Customer: “But… why?”

Customer’s Friend: “Seriously, [Customer], don’t you get it?! They like you, and they want to make sure you’re okay! Just take the d*** coupons and say thank you!”

When it (finally) dawned on the customer what was happening, she broke down into tears. She had brought her friend along as she didn’t have any money and her friend was going to help get a few essentials. Now she had enough to tide her over and recover the money that was lost and then some! Felt nice to be able to give back!