The Bully, or why educator's discounts suck

[depechemodefan]

So the bookstore offers educator discounts. The discount can only be used for items used in the classroom and only the educator can use it. The computers arn't automatic though in choosing what is for the classroom. I doubt "Magic: the Gathering" cards are something you can use in a classroom to teach basic skills to kids. Ok someone can argue that, though when your 19 year old son buys them, and you explain to the mom, "the discount can only be used by the educator" and the mom says, "it is something I'm going to use, it's just that he's buying it for me," when she already bought stuff....the bullshit monitor does go off.

So Fri. a guy comes to the register with his 5 year old kid with 2 copies of "the Giver". I ask if he had a membership, and he gives me a ph. number. No record comes up and he looks at me liked a cursed at him and he is about to open a can of kickass on me. So I try the number again and the 2nd no. he gives me has the last two digits diff. from the first no. he gave me. I'm going to make up a name for the member, who is an educator, for storytelling purposes:

Me: are you Victoria Prat? (obviously he doesn't look like a Victoria, but who knows)
him: no, that is my wife.
me: i'm sorry, only the educator can use the discount, not the family members.
him:*again looking like he's going to open a can of whip-ass on me* I used it the last time.
me: sorry, it's a membership that the educator gets free, and only the educator can use it.
him: I used it last time, I'm the one to pick up our son and I'm the one who stops by here to buy books.
me: the price is *full price*
him: I want to talk to the manager.

So a manager comes up, explains the policy, thank God. I hate when the customer is in the wrong and the manager goes, "oh, sure we bend over backwards and stick our own dicks in our assholes for you."

So guy again starts with how last time we gave him a discount. So manager says, "ok, we will do this this time but next time the educator has to come in to use the discount." Then the guy wants the manager's name. So the manager gives him a generic business card, and again the guys asks for the managers name, which the manager gives.
him: you should teach your people to be on the same page.

I really don't know why he wanted the manager's name. Besides bullshitting next time, "manager X said I can have the discount without my wife here, here's his name". But none of us gives the educator discount without seeing an id, so it's doubtful we would just give him the discount without checking if first that was him on the file, or checking id. We get too many bullies in the bookstore. He never screamed at me but he was putting out violent vibes.

[drjonah]

Oh yeah, he's going to turn into a major SC name dropper

[morgana]

Please tell me you noted the hell out of the file that he's NOT to get the discount next time?

[bloo]

Your manager messed up. He's just fed the SC and that *always* makes them bigger, stronger and more entitled.

[depechemodefan]

Please tell me you noted the hell out of the file that he's NOT to get the discount next time?

unfortunately there isn't a "notes" field. I wish I could delete the file though. "oh, no file under that phone number. I guess it expired. Just have the educator reapply for the discount

Your manager messed up. He's just fed the SC and that *always* makes them bigger, stronger and more entitled.

There's a bunch of managers at the bookstore. At least this one* didn't say, "oh sorry, sure, you get the discount anytime you come in here," like some managers who will just allow shit like this. At least this one told the sc the policy. I only know one manager who will say "no". The main store manager once let a customer write an iffy check and accepted it.

*he was this manager, who at least didn't say"oh, it's ok, we will accept your credit card without id. http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...d.php?t=116573

[Kittish]

Just almost guarantee that the SC wanted the manager's name so he could be all "Well, <name> lets me have the discount!"

I agree, your manager goofed. That SC is going to demand a discount he isn't entitled to every time he comes in there now.

[notalwaysright]

him: you should teach your people to be on the same page.

I don't know why management still thinks that "I'll let you do this one time" means anything. It means nothing. Actually, it means "we will do what you want, forever, but only if you throw a fit." This sort of thing is why there are constant articles titled "How stores are ripping you off!" and if you read them, they basically say to hound employees until they give in to unreasonable demands. Going to corporate is worse, because they don't even say "we'll make an exception this one time" they just apologize and make the manager apologize as well, and probably throw in free stuff.

[eltf177]

Your manager messed up. He's just fed the SC and that *always* makes them bigger, stronger and more entitled.

Just almost guarantee that the SC wanted the manager's name so he could be all "Well, <name> lets me have the discount!"

I agree, your manager goofed. That SC is going to demand a discount he isn't entitled to every time he comes in there now.

I agree with these, this clown just got away with gaming the system and he will definitely do it again. Make sure everything's documented so next time he's told "sorry, you were told that was a ONE-TIME ONLY exception to the rule and you would NOT be getting the discount again."

[mjr]

I'd almost say that because of the manager's actions, the SC will come back, and will try it again.

[dalesys]

Yep. That guy's guaranturd to float back.

[taxguykarl]

I'd almost say that because of the manager's actions, the SC will come back, and will try it again.

That's for sure. I hope this gets the same manager next time to decline that discount.

[wordgirl]

I can see why Bully Customer expected to be able to use his wife's discount -- buying two copies of a classic YA book he's too old for* and his kid's too young for -- he almost certainly was buying it for his wife's classroom, and it's not a far leap to assume that wife was paying out of her own pocket to cover kids who couldn't afford to buy the assigned book.

That said, he was a raging jerk. I suspect that if he'd just been nice about it and explained as he brought them up to the register ... "Hey, I'm here to pick up our son and my wife is crazy busy, but she had a few kids who can't afford the book and she doesn't want to see them go without, can I use her discount? Her number is XXX-XXXXX. I'd rather buy it local if I can..." - OP would have felt a lot better about helping him out. Instead he acted like Entitled Man and then got super-rude.

*I know lots of adults read YA (including me) and that particular book is a true classic, but the totality of the circumstances suggests it was a legit classroom purpose.

[depechemodefan]

but she had a few kids who can't afford the book and she doesn't want to see them go without, can I use her discount? Her number is XXX-XXXXX. I'd rather buy it local if I can..." - OP would have felt a lot better about helping him out. Instead he acted like Entitled Man and then got super-rude.

About helping him out, I like staying consistent. I will tell people "no, the educator has to be here" even if she has a the flu or is on life-support (though if she is on life-support, why would she need books?) mostly because we know the sc will come back and say, "but you let me last time" when instead of buying a book for school they decide to buy the latest Lee Child book. Also, there are libraries; if the kids can't afford the book, the school library or the local public library has copies. I never bought a required-reading book when I was in public school because I always got a copy from the library. I don't tell people to go to the library, though.

But if the guy was nice about it, I would feel bad for not being able to help out. But since he was a tool have properly cursed him out in my head. Hope his son doesn't grow up to be a shit like him.

Though I don't mind helping out people. Like if there is an extra coupon lying around I will use it if the person has to pinch pennies.

[emax4]

At this point I would simply cancel the card and revoke the purchases. The next time the wife comes in, make a new card under her name and her name only, specifically stating that the husband is not granted permissions.

[An Haddock]

Should have taken a photo of him and then posted his picture with the phrase: "was told he has to bring his wife to get educator discount for future purposes."