When You Have To Go… And Make A Scene

A mother and her young son come in to shop. She has picked out some clothes to buy, and as I am ringing her up, she continuously goes to exchange items and sizes, and decides she doesn’t want a few items.

I am chatting with her son because he seems a bit cranky, so I make him laugh while he is drinking his bottle of water to help out the mom get the clothes faster. This goes on for about fifteen minutes.

I am very gracious and continue to check prices for her, void items and add items onto her bill, and chat with her son about school. Then, as the receipt is printing, she says:

Customer: “Do you have a bathroom in the back? My son has to go.” 

I’ve only been working in retail for about a month, and I remember when being trained that my manager said our one bathroom is not a public bathroom.

Me: “I’m sorry, ma’am, they are not public bathrooms, but the mall’s public bathroom is just two doors down to the left, a quick walk.”

She makes a joke about how he is just about to pee and I again inform her that the public bathrooms are “just two doors down.” She grabs her stuff and mumbles under her breath as she is walking out, glaring at me with a death stare.

Customer: “Some people are just so ignorant.”

I go over to my managers to inform them of the incident. Before a minute has passed, the lady is back, and she dumps almost $50 of clothes on the counter.

Customer: “I am going to return all of this stuff, and I want your name and corporate’s phone number!”  

Me: “You’re making a return? Let me just get my manager.”

As my manager is walking up to help this woman, she starts yelling at me.

Customer: “I am a customer here spending good money; you could have made an exception to let my son use your bathroom. I had to send him with his brother down to the other bathroom. That’s ridiculous! And I need your name and the phone number to report you, and I want to report you to your manager. This is completely unacceptable!”

My manager tries to cut in.

Manager: “[My Name] is still new and didn’t know that we could make an exception—”

Customer: “I am not talking to you; there is no excuse for being so ignorant! I am talking to her!”

She is making a huge scene at this point, and everyone is looking at me. I start to cry because I am just so embarrassed. When she leaves and I go to the back to calm down, another lady I have been helping tells my manager to tell me:

Other Customer: “I don’t know what that lady’s problem was or why she was so rude, but that young lady was so kind and helpful. I would like you to tell her that for me.” 

I guess for every awful customer there is a kind and thankful one.