The Refunder Blunder Was Hers
AT THE CHECKOUT, BAD BEHAVIOR, PHARMACY, RETAIL, USA | RIGHT | JANUARY 2, 2019
(I’m working in a pharmacy, and we are absolutely slammed and understaffed. There is a register up front for people to check out with items if they aren’t picking up a prescription, and it’s a common courtesy to do so, rather than bother a busy technician. A customer approaches the counter with a full cart of items. I tell her I will be with her momentarily and finish counting the prescription. She huffs and sighs audibly while I finish. I approach the counter and smile.)
Me: “Are you picking up a prescription today?”
Customer: *rolling her eyes* “No, I’m not. I just finished shopping and waited a very long time for a lazy employee to finally check me out.”
(It took me all of about thirty seconds to get to her.)
Me: “I’m sorry about your wait, ma’am.”
Customer: “Good. Now check me out.”
(She unloads her entire cart, and it takes about ten minutes to ring everything out. During this time, a sizable line forms behind her. I only have one coworker in the pharmacy, and she is running back and forth helping customers in the drive-thru and drop-off areas, so production has completely stopped.)
Me: “Do you have a rewards card? I can take a phone number, as well.”
Customer: “No, I don’t feel like digging it out. Just finish the transaction.”
Me: “Are you sure? You won’t get the sale prices without it.”
Customer: “DON’T QUESTION ME! JUST FINISH THE TRANSACTION!”
(She mutters something about incompetent employees while I finish her transaction, which comes to over $300. She pays in cash.)
Me: “Thank you. Have a nice night!”
(She takes a minute to look over her receipt, and comes to the conclusion that she’s been cheated.)
Customer: “Why didn’t I get the sale prices?”
Me: “You refused to let me scan your reward card, remember? I told you that you wouldn’t get the sale prices without it.”
Customer: “But I have one! You should have just given me a discount!”
Me: “Ma’am, unfortunately, we have to actually scan it or type in a phone number in order to give you the sale prices.”
Customer: “Well, then, redo it.”
Me: *astonished* “I’m sorry?”
Customer: “Redo the transaction. RIGHT NOW!”
Me: “Ma’am, I would have to refund the entire transaction and re-ring each and every item in order to do that.”
Customer: “Fine. You should have done it correctly to begin with.”
Me: *defeated* “Will you at least step to the back of the line? There are people here who are sick and need their medications.”
Customer: “NO! HOW DARE YOU? I DEMAND THAT YOU TAKE CARE OF ME, NOW!”
(I begin the long process of refunding her, item by item, and re-ringing the transaction. We’ve now been at this register for so long that many customers have given up and left.)
Me: “The total comes to $290. You saved $10 today.”
Customer: “See, now, that wasn’t so difficult, was it? Next time, do it right.”
(She leaves, smirking at the other customers in line as she goes.)
Customer
#2 : “What in the blue f*** was her problem?”