Switching bills in mid-transaction

[XCashier]

Yesterday, I rung a customer up for a $9.99 item. She handed me a ten. I pulled out the receipt and a penny for change, and she said, "Oh, I meant to give you a twenty, give me that ten back." So I did, put the twenty in the drawer and shut it.

Then she started complaining that I shorted her ten. I called the manager, explained the situation, manager took the customer's name and phone number and said she'd count down the drawer that night, and if it was over, give her a call and get her the change.

Thinking back on it later, I'm pretty sure we do still owe her $10.00. But the thing is, this is much too much like the quick change scam that a slick enough con artist can walk away with hundreds of dollars. I wasn't about to say that out loud, though, because I didn't want her to freak out at "being called a thief!"

I realize that people who have never worked in customer service don't understand what we go through, but common sense would tell you to figure out what you want to pay with and go through with it, not switch bills mid-transaction.

The whole thing was just really uncomfortable for me, and I hope I don't get in trouble over it.

[Food Lady]

You did the right thing. I've had this situation before and it was fine. I didn't get in trouble; mistakes happen.

[EricKei]

Absolutely, yes - you did the right thing by letting the manager handle it ^_^ And, yeah, it sounds like you do owe her a ten -- Assuming you took a ten and a twenty from her ($30) and gave her a total of ten bucks back, yeah, that leaves ten bucks & change to give her. Happens to all of us, no worries. (Or did I misread it...?)

[Seanette]

OP said the $10 had been returned to the customer in exchange for the $20.

[carryonnow]

When in doubt....ask for a cash audit....if the customer is owed money it can be given at the end of the audit if not, the person who did the audit can explain the findings...and send the scam artist on their merry way.

PS that is why cashiers should keep the initial tender on top of the till until the transaction is complete and change given to the customer.

[XCashier]

That's exactly why I called the manager up, but she couldn't do the audit right away, so she took the customer's name and number and promised to call her after she counted the tills that night.

Turns out I did owe her $10.00. Manager called the customer, the customer had had time to think it over and realized that what she did could've caused problems. She apologized for the confusion, got her ten back, and I did not get in trouble, as I did do the right thing and these things happen.