Customer loses their phone, then calls my coworker an idiot for not finding it fast enough. Also, no one knows how to use a debit machine.
This happened a few days ago. I work in a grocery store. I have lots more stories, but here's some simple, more lighthearted interactions to start!
I was working with a newer cashier. A lady came in, a bit angry, saying she lost her phone. She said she was at my newer coworker's till, and told him to check it. He checked the drawer below the register, which we put tags and other stuff in, but it wasn't there. I chimed in to say it must be at customer service. I assume another coworker saw the phone and put it at customer service before anyone could see it, because we don't want personal items to get stolen.
When we see that someone has accidentally left behind their phone, wallet, or something like that, we immediately put it in a drawer behind the customer service desk, safe until it is claimed. So whenever someone comes in to find a lost item, that's where we check first. This employee was on the newer side, so I don't blame him for not knowing this.
I speed-walk to the customer service desk, and the lady sounds like she's close to tears.
"I can't believe I lost my *fucking* phone." she says angrily, huffing. I totally understand, because losing your phone can be stressful. 648
I quickly pull a large iPhone out of the drawer where we keep lost items, and hold it up to ask if this is hers.
She sighs in relief and says that's her phone, thank God I found it, because it was "right there" and "that *idiot* didn't check here". I was confused as she stormed out, not knowing who she was calling an idiot.
After a minute, I realized she'd called my coworker an idiot for not giving it back to her right away. Yes, I understand it's frustrating to lose things, and she didn't know he was new, but it totally caught me off guard. Like, chill, please don't call employees names when they're simply trying to help you.
Also, no one knows how to use a debit machine for some reason.
Most of these people are just oddly aggressive. A shocking amount of people are so impatient. I've seen people shove their card in, then pull it out while the screen is still loading, saying "it's not working!". I've seen people slap the "tap" area with their card and immediately put it back in their wallet and try to leave, but the machine is a bit slow so that never works.
Also, just a reminder, when you use your card to tap, hold it on the icon of a hand tapping a card. I don't know if this is something people just miss, or if it's not widespread knowledge? Lots of people wave it around wildly, sliding it up and down, or side to side. Or do it at the bottom of the machine. This leads to the machine declining their first attempt to tap, and most people say "oh my card isn't working!". No ma'am, it's working, you just need to hold your card still please. I always say "Oh all these card readers are a bit different/picky", and the customer agrees.
Maybe I'm just on autopilot mode and don't realize people who get super nervous paying for items. 648