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We don't often get coupons anymore, but occasionally I get customers who have a couple. They usually put the coupon(s) down on top of the relevant item(s).
Then there was this one.
Coupon Queen (CQ)
Me
Coworker (CW)
Supervisor (S)
I've had CQ through my line before, but almost always when I'm on express, so she's got maybe a dozen items and there's never been a problem.
But ...
... our chain was offering a big "points special" in which if you spent, I dunno, $200 or $300 in one go, you got 25,000 points. So people were buying truckloads of food. And this time I was NOT on the express lane ...
And here comes CQ, with a buggy full to near-overflowing. I scan everything and then she says, "Okay, now comes the fun part."
I look up. She is clutching a fistful of coupons.
CW has been helping out by packing groceries, and she reminds me that "You have to write down the original price. On each coupon."
Well, this is great, since everything is packed in bags.
We try to explain to the customer the normal way of using coupons and she insists no, that will affect her points. CW tries to tell her this way will do the same thing.
CQ: "No it won't. I've done it like this before. And if it does affect my points, I'm going to be very upset."
Me (thinks) "Imagine the infinite number of fucks I do not give."
So I start ringing through the coupons. The woman is telling me the original price for each item, and I write it on each coupon. Was she accurate? Probably, but I have no way of ensuring it.
So I type in and mark off coupon after coupon after coupon ... and meanwhile the line is growing.
CQ: "Oh, I'm really keeping you busy, aren't I? Hee hee ..."
Me: *wonders where the Death Eaters are when you need them*
Then my machine flashes a warning: I am typing in too many coupons and need authorization for more.
I call for a supervisor. Lucky for all of us, supervisors here tend to move fast when they're called.
S shows up and authorizes the next coupon.
CQ: "Oh, stick around, there's more!" and she waves several more coupons.
S, to her credit, says nothing but stands aside as I type in each new coupon and she authorizes each one.
Finally, FINALLY, I am done with this PITA customer. She tries to point out on the screen why she needed to do things this way but I'm past listening to her. I give her a curt "Thank you" and turn to the next customer.
After CQ has taken herself and her groceries off, I apologize to the next customer for the delay.
She rolled her eyes. "What the HELL ..."
"Yeah," I said. "I know."
I hope I don't see CQ for a while, even in the express lane. I'm going to be hard put to be my usual cheery self with her.
Then there was this one.
Coupon Queen (CQ)
Me
Coworker (CW)
Supervisor (S)
I've had CQ through my line before, but almost always when I'm on express, so she's got maybe a dozen items and there's never been a problem.
But ...
... our chain was offering a big "points special" in which if you spent, I dunno, $200 or $300 in one go, you got 25,000 points. So people were buying truckloads of food. And this time I was NOT on the express lane ...
And here comes CQ, with a buggy full to near-overflowing. I scan everything and then she says, "Okay, now comes the fun part."
I look up. She is clutching a fistful of coupons.
CW has been helping out by packing groceries, and she reminds me that "You have to write down the original price. On each coupon."
Well, this is great, since everything is packed in bags.
We try to explain to the customer the normal way of using coupons and she insists no, that will affect her points. CW tries to tell her this way will do the same thing.
CQ: "No it won't. I've done it like this before. And if it does affect my points, I'm going to be very upset."
Me (thinks) "Imagine the infinite number of fucks I do not give."
So I start ringing through the coupons. The woman is telling me the original price for each item, and I write it on each coupon. Was she accurate? Probably, but I have no way of ensuring it.
So I type in and mark off coupon after coupon after coupon ... and meanwhile the line is growing.
CQ: "Oh, I'm really keeping you busy, aren't I? Hee hee ..."
Me: *wonders where the Death Eaters are when you need them*
Then my machine flashes a warning: I am typing in too many coupons and need authorization for more.
I call for a supervisor. Lucky for all of us, supervisors here tend to move fast when they're called.
S shows up and authorizes the next coupon.
CQ: "Oh, stick around, there's more!" and she waves several more coupons.
S, to her credit, says nothing but stands aside as I type in each new coupon and she authorizes each one.
Finally, FINALLY, I am done with this PITA customer. She tries to point out on the screen why she needed to do things this way but I'm past listening to her. I give her a curt "Thank you" and turn to the next customer.
After CQ has taken herself and her groceries off, I apologize to the next customer for the delay.
She rolled her eyes. "What the HELL ..."
"Yeah," I said. "I know."
I hope I don't see CQ for a while, even in the express lane. I'm going to be hard put to be my usual cheery self with her.
-- but wouldn't it have been grand to tell her, "One moment, Ma'am ... the computer is saying that you have [to the folks in line behind her] TOO MANY COUPONS. I need to get a manager's permission to keep going."
Can't they even attempt to read the fine print?!
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