The Lady In Curlers (Longish)

[csever01]

This thread by JuniorMintz reminded me of this story.

Me=Me
SCL=Sucky Curler Lady

It was several days before Christmas, and as a result, everyone was coming in to buy gift cards. I worked 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. that day, and about 6:02, this lady walks in. She is wearing the following: high heels, a bathrobe, bright lipstick but no other makeup, and her shoulder-length hair is hanging down with several curlers dangling on the ends. She is carrying a $50 bill (important). I had all I could do just to keep a straight face while dealing with her.

Me: How can I help you?
SCL: I need two gift cards.
Me: OK, what amounts would you like?
SCL: A $10 and a $20.
Me: OK, just one minute. (I proceed to activate the gift cards, which in total probably takes 30 seconds.) OK, you're all set. $30 please.
SCL: Actually, instead of the $20 card, make that one a $15.
(Once a gift card is activated, you CANNOT void it or otherwise change it or make it go away. Not sure why, but you CAN'T.)
Me: Oh, I'm sorry, I actually can't void a gift card transaction, so I won't be able to make that change for you.
SCL: Yes you can.
Me: No, ma'am, I can't. I would if the computer would let me, but it won't.
SCL: Well, call a different store and have them tell you how.
Me: No, what I'm saying is that it is not possible.
(Lather, rinse, repeat about 4 times)
SCL: Well, get your manager.
Me: I'm the manager on duty, ma'am, and I've also installed these computers in about 60 of our stores, so I know exactly what they can and cannot do, and unfortunately, they can't void or change a gift card once it's been rung through.
SCL: Well, I mean, you went kind of fast there when you did it. I mean, you didn't even give me time to change my mind.

Me: I'm sorry, most customers like it when I go fast.
SCL: (Yelling now) And you should warn customers that you can't change a gift card amount once you ring it in.
Me: (Getting increasingly annoyed) Again, I'm sorry, but I've never had someone change their mind after the fact on a gift card. Once again, I cannot do this for you. You'll unfortunately have to buy the $30 worth of cards.
SCL: No, I don't have to buy ANYTHING I don't want to.
Me: (Finally snapping a little) Ma'am, when you came in, you said you wanted a $10 gift card and a $20 gift card. I rang them up as you asked and then you changed your mind. There is NOTHING I can do to change the transaction. I wish I could but I can't. And SINCE there's nothing I can do about it, I am going to ask that you pay for your gift cards and step aside because there is now a long line in back of you.
SCL: Well, I don't care about them.
(Clearly.)
Me: I need you to keep your voice down. $30 please.
SCL: (Rushes to put the $50 bill away) Well, I don't have $30 on me, how about that?
Me: Ma'am, that was a 50 in your hand, I know you have the money, and I would really appreciate it if you would pay, take your gift cards, and leave.
SCL: You can't tell me to leave.
(Yes I can.)
Me: (Getting visibly frustrated by now) Ma'am, I either need you to pay for these gift cards or step aside to wait for the police to come.
SCL: What? The POLICE?!?!?!?
Me: Yes, ma'am, you have refused to pay for your items and you are being loud and disruptive.
SCL: Fine, I'll wait for the police. They'll tell you how it is.
(Whatever)

10 minutes go by, and the police arrive. She tells her story, and the officer clearly thought she was wacko, too. I explained to the police what happened. The officer told the lady to give me $30 because all I did was do my job.

Keep in mind that, during this whole 25-minute ordeal, I could not help anyone else because 1) I wasn't leaving her alone to get another drawer out and 2) I have to finish the transaction when it's gift cards - I can't cancel out of it or anything. So many people could've left without paying their bills, but no one did. They were all pissed off at her, not me.

Of course, on her way out, she added one last thing:
SCL: I know several people from your corporate office, and you will be out of a job by the end of the day!
Me: Have a nice day!

A year and a half later, and I'm still there. So much for her big corporate connections.

[Plaidman]

Wow. That is really sucky on your half. I hate to say it. What if you really do put accidently put in the wrong amount? Someone says 20 dollars, you put in 200 dollars? What if they forgot the wallet? I mean do you at least have a sign? Anything more to this? I really hate to say this, but I gotta side with the customer on this part. (Well, til the end anyway).

Also the police thought she was the nutty one? Just a little strange bro.

[tamezin]

I think it is very odd you can't void out those transactions and shred the gift card. Very odd.

What happens if someone gets to the register gives a wrong amount and doesn't have enough to cover? It stinks, but it happens. I have left my wallet at home in error, my husband is great at losing cash out of his pocket. (someone needs to start stalking him, they have the potential of getting rich)

[csever01]

I don't see how it's sucky on my part. If I had made a mistake, I would have just cashed it out and explained to my boss later what happened. We still wouldn't have been able to fix it, but I wouldn't have made the customer suffer if it was MY mistake. I'm not going to take a shortage on my drawer because she changed her mind. And actually, I did let her know, too, that I have made repeated suggestions to corporate asking them to change that feature in the POS to let us change gift card transactions.

No, we don't have any signage, but even so, what would it say? "All Gift Card Transactions Are Final" wouldn't do it because people would think that means after they pay. And I certainly think it would sound dumb to say, "Now, are you sure those amounts are what you want? Because I can't change it once I ring it through."

Even if we wanted a sign, we couldn't have one, because corporate has to make and send out any signage we put up. We can get in big trouble for posting our own.

As I said, I would've gladly changed it if I could, but I couldn't. I think that the situation as a whole sucked, but I don't think that I personally did anything sucky.

[tollbaby]

Agree that it's a bit odd that you can't void gift card transaction.... there must be *some* way, even if only to do a return. Otherwise, yes, it's sucky not to advise the customer before hand. You may know, but the customer doesn't, and you didn't check with her to make sure it was what she wanted (which, if it's an irreversible process, you should).

However, this woman was off her rocker. There was suck on both sides, I think.

[friendofjimmyk]

I'll have to say that the system is sucky in this case. If you had a way to easily change or void a gift card transaction, it would not have created an SC situation. But, since you were following the way that your company has it set up - you are not sucky. The customer is not completely sucky - until the end. I mean, clearly, she planned on the $30 purchase or else she would've ordered it the other way first. She could've just accepted the fact that you couldn't do anything and went with the original order.

But I think there is something amiss with this situation.

[donruss]

The system could be revamped but the OP was NOT, I repeat, NOT sucky at all.

You did all you could csever01, no matter what anyone or that obviously batshit insane woman thinks.

[Plaidman]

XD Sorry, I said it, but meant to mean sucky on his half. Err store half. If that made sense.

[Rattslinger]

I'm going to have to agree with Friend on this one, this isn't a case where there "should" be a way to void a gift card, but there does Need to be a way to do void the transaction. The simple fact is, the customer could have as easily walked out without giving your store a dime. I've done this kind of thing before, told the cashier one thing, when in my mind it should be something else, or I forget the correct amount, it's human to make mistakes.

One thing I am seeing from your side of the story, which I can suggest that you refrain from saying, because it can help with situations like this, is using the phrase "have to" unless a person is actively using the product, they don't "have to" do anything. I think if you kept that phrase in your pocket for when you actually need to use it, I think you'll have an easier time if this comes up again.

[Bright_Star]

At Wal-Mart you have to get the CSM to cancel out a gift card. That sounds kind of weird to me that once you put in amount for a gift card that you're REQUIRED to purchase it.

[depechemodefan]

SCL: Actually, instead of the $20 card, make that one a $15.
(Once a gift card is activated, you CANNOT void it or otherwise change it or make it go away. Not sure why, but you CAN'T.)
Me: Oh, I'm sorry, I actually can't void a gift card transaction, so I won't be able to make that change for you.
SCL: Yes you can.
Me: No, ma'am, I can't. I would if the computer would let me, but it won't.
SCL: Well, call a different store and have them tell you how.
Me: No, what I'm saying is that it is not possible.
(Lather, rinse, repeat about 4 times)
SCL: Well, get your manager.
Me: I'm the manager on duty, ma'am, and I've also installed these computers in about 60 of our stores, so I know exactly what they can and cannot do, and unfortunately, they can't void or change a gift card once it's been rung through.
SCL: Well, I mean, you went kind of fast there when you did it. I mean, you didn't even give me time to change my mind.

then at the end she says:

SCL: I know several people from your corporate office, and you will be out of a job by the end of the day!

Stuff like that cracks me up. Like why didn't she tell you to call corp. instead of telling you to call another store? Because she was full of B.S.

Me: I'm sorry, most customers like it when I go fast.

then my mind went to a dirty place

To be honest, I think she should have just left. Yeah, it would have left you in a lurch, but like you said latter on you would explain to your boss about the transaction. But obviously it was more important for the SC to see you browbeaten by the police then just go somewhere else.

And about signage; you know, I know, everyone who works with the public knows that SCs don't read signage. How many times has a person come up to me, ask me a question, I answer (even though there's a sign that would have given the answer either at the door, at the counter, right next to them) and they walk away saying outloud "you should have a sign at the (name of place)". Or you don't put a sign because no one would read it. Like the computers went down one day. Considering how many people walk in with their frappucino saying they never see the sign that says "no food or drinks" or the sign telling them when and where the AARP is doing taxes. So we don't put a sign about the computers. A woman and her guy walk in and having travel no more than 20 feet to the reference desk (from the front door) asked to use the computers. They are told by my co-worker that the computers are down. They walk off and pass me by and say out-loud "there should be a sign" as if we made them get off their asses from home, drive to the library and then pulled the rug under them because we knew they were coming.

[Plaidman]

then And about signage; you know, I know, everyone who works with the public knows that SCs don't read signage. .

I once had a customer read a sign. It was a rare sight indeed.

[Nekojin]

Let's see. A $50 bill, requesting a $10 gift card and a $20 gift card, then "changes her mind" at the last minute to make the $20 gift card a $15 gift card.

Doesn't this ring, "SCAM!" alarm bells to anyone else? It sounds very much like a high-tech version of the money-shifting grift.

[rerant]

I don't see how you could have been sucky for politely explaining to someone that your hands are tied because of a restriction in the system.
Yeah the system sucks, but that's not your fault; you didn't design it.
I don't see why she couldn't have just gotten one more gift card for $5 and given both of them to the person who would be receiving them.

Ah, logic.

[chinashirtgirl]

Um..

Is it possible to wait with activating the cards till after you've got the money? There was a story posted here about a guy who stole some gift cards but the joke was on him because they weren't activated yet.

Is that possible? It would stop sucky things like this happening to you.

P.S. The description of what she was wearing was hilarious!!