Background: TBGSITW does not accept credit cards. This is because our chain prides itself on having the lowest prices around, and by not paying the transaction fees that Visa/Mastercard/etc. charge we can shave the extra 1-2% off our prices that other chains build in to cover the cost. There is a big sign (big as in several feet tall) right at the front door, at eye level, that explains this in great big block letters, as well as a smaller sign at each register which says what forms of payment we do take - cash, check, debit, EBT, WIC, and store gift cards. This has been the rule for as long as our location has been open, my store manager who's been with the company 21 years says it's been the rule as long as he's worked for the company, and as far as I know the company has never taken credit cards since our first location opened 45+ years ago. In spite of this, it's almost a given that on any given cashier shift, at least two customers will swipe their card on the keypad and then ask where the credit button is.
DRAMATIS PERSONAE:
Me: Myself and I
SC: Customer
ALC: Awesome Lead Clerk. At this time he'd been with the company about 10 years, and had an almost sublime ability to always be smiling and sound upbeat even when he was furious about something. He took me under his wing when we opened and taught me a boatload about how the business works. He's since been promoted and is assistant manager at a store in CA, where he is no doubt kicking ass and taking names.
This particular incident occurred about a year ago, on a busy weekday night at the beginning of the month. I was scheculed as a stocker, but we got a rush and I was in a register trying to get the lines down when SC came through with a couple hundred dollars worth of merchandise.
Me: That'll be $XXX.XX.
(SC swipes his card and then looks at the screen confusedly. I sense what is coming and die inside a little.)
SC: Where's the credit card button?
Me: I'm afraid we don't accept credit, sir.
SC: When did you stop taking credit?
Me: We haven't taken credit at all since we opened.
SC: I was here two weeks ago and I used my credit card!
Me: ...No, sir, we aren't set up to take credit at all.
SC: Then why do you have that Visa sticker on your front door?
(Red flag! There are several decals on our front door, but none of them are the Visa logo.)
Me: We don't, sir.
SC: I want to talk to your manager.
Me: Very well, sir.
(I press the button to page the lead clerk. ALC arrives a minute or so later.)
ALC: What do you need?
Me: This customer would like to speak to you.
ALC: What can I do for you, sir?
SC: He won't take my credit card!
ALC: We don't take credit cards, sir.
SC: I used my card here just two weeks ago!
ALC: I've worked here for ten years and we've never taken credit cards, sir.
SC: Then why do you have all those Visa stickers on your front door?
ALC: Could you please show me those stickers, sir?
SC and ALC walk away to the front door while I suspend his order so I can start ringing up the next customer, who's been very patient during all of this. The door is about 100 feet away so I can't hear their conversation, but I watch out of the corner of my eye as SC spends several minutes gesticulating wildly, while ALC continues to nod at him and smile. Eventually, SC walks out the door and ALC strides over and tells me to go ahead and cancel out his order since he's not been invited to patronize us again.
Bonus WTF: I do not think that word means what you think it means
The main bread section at TBGSITW is located on the half-aisle facing the cash registers, meaning it's the last thing you encounter on your way to check out. We occasionally also sometimes have a promo display of bread by the front door. I was pulling cardboard near that display one summer afternoon when an Old Lady (OL) walked up to me and we had this exchange;
OL: Is this all the bread you have?
Me: No, ma'am. Bread is on the front aisle by the cash registers. (I point to the bread aisle, which is visible from where we're standing.)
OL: Well, that's deceptive, isn't it?
Me: ...Excuse me?
OL: You shouldn't be deceiving people like that.
Me: ...
(OL walks away.)
DRAMATIS PERSONAE:
Me: Myself and I
SC: Customer
ALC: Awesome Lead Clerk. At this time he'd been with the company about 10 years, and had an almost sublime ability to always be smiling and sound upbeat even when he was furious about something. He took me under his wing when we opened and taught me a boatload about how the business works. He's since been promoted and is assistant manager at a store in CA, where he is no doubt kicking ass and taking names.
This particular incident occurred about a year ago, on a busy weekday night at the beginning of the month. I was scheculed as a stocker, but we got a rush and I was in a register trying to get the lines down when SC came through with a couple hundred dollars worth of merchandise.
Me: That'll be $XXX.XX.
(SC swipes his card and then looks at the screen confusedly. I sense what is coming and die inside a little.)
SC: Where's the credit card button?
Me: I'm afraid we don't accept credit, sir.
SC: When did you stop taking credit?
Me: We haven't taken credit at all since we opened.
SC: I was here two weeks ago and I used my credit card!
Me: ...No, sir, we aren't set up to take credit at all.
SC: Then why do you have that Visa sticker on your front door?
(Red flag! There are several decals on our front door, but none of them are the Visa logo.)
Me: We don't, sir.
SC: I want to talk to your manager.
Me: Very well, sir.
(I press the button to page the lead clerk. ALC arrives a minute or so later.)
ALC: What do you need?
Me: This customer would like to speak to you.
ALC: What can I do for you, sir?
SC: He won't take my credit card!
ALC: We don't take credit cards, sir.
SC: I used my card here just two weeks ago!
ALC: I've worked here for ten years and we've never taken credit cards, sir.
SC: Then why do you have all those Visa stickers on your front door?
ALC: Could you please show me those stickers, sir?
SC and ALC walk away to the front door while I suspend his order so I can start ringing up the next customer, who's been very patient during all of this. The door is about 100 feet away so I can't hear their conversation, but I watch out of the corner of my eye as SC spends several minutes gesticulating wildly, while ALC continues to nod at him and smile. Eventually, SC walks out the door and ALC strides over and tells me to go ahead and cancel out his order since he's not been invited to patronize us again.
Bonus WTF: I do not think that word means what you think it means
The main bread section at TBGSITW is located on the half-aisle facing the cash registers, meaning it's the last thing you encounter on your way to check out. We occasionally also sometimes have a promo display of bread by the front door. I was pulling cardboard near that display one summer afternoon when an Old Lady (OL) walked up to me and we had this exchange;
OL: Is this all the bread you have?
Me: No, ma'am. Bread is on the front aisle by the cash registers. (I point to the bread aisle, which is visible from where we're standing.)
OL: Well, that's deceptive, isn't it?
Me: ...Excuse me?
OL: You shouldn't be deceiving people like that.
Me: ...
(OL walks away.)
Comment