The bitch after christmas

[so embarrassed]

intro info:
First day opening for a restaurant as a cashier/buser/dish washer [btw I had a good training and there was only me and a chef], and it was day few days after chirstmas, everything was fine. A lady paid with a visa chip card, and i've never done one before, she got a little frustrated and paid by cash. Then she kept on telling me " A lot of people use visa you know, your gonna have a tough day" [yes, I know. BUT no one uses a visa chip card] She kept on saying that as she left as if she was cursing me. After that a lot of customers were all nice and polite, but her curse worked when this other lady came in....

so she handed me the same kind of visa "chip"card which I tried on the machine, but it didn't work. Then she immediately started to get annoyed, while i'm desperately trying to do her transaction.
- "I'm sorry it's not working, I really don't know how to do this."

-"*sigh* geez, I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't even know what you're doing"

So then she starts ordering me around like she know how to use the machine, and I did what she told me. [at this point my confidence+self-esteem of a new cashier dropped rock bottom] The machine asked for the manager 's password, but I could do anything about it since they leave me completely alone with only a chef. Sadly the chef didn't know either. [this is when i have a nervous breakdown....yes it's very easy to break me, I guess I'm pretty sensitive] I was very near to crying as I apologized and tried a couple more times with the machine.

- "I'm so sorry, but do you have any other type of cash on you? If you'd like there is an ATM machine outside."

- "ugh, you expect me to go outside and get my money when it's you problem that you don't know how to work a machine? god, now I have to pay with my brother's money, and when he asks me why I used his money, I'll just have say it was your fault.....blah blah blah more i hate you comments"

- " You know what, I'll pay for this meal, it's ok."[which i offered twice to calm her down]

- [looks at me like I'm retarded, and give me an evil gare] "No, it' not you fault that your mangager didn't train you well......blah blah blah"

I started crying after she left, unfortunately there was a line of other customers [which were very nice] so I had to continue serving them crying. I was crying, but forced myself to smile, but I couldn't hide the fact I was crying. It was really hard because I had the asthma type of cry going on, which is HARD to stop. Inside I felt fine, but my face was just a disaster. One customer thought I had a cold. I WAS EXTREMELY EMBARRASSED.
After struggling through serving the customer's at the till, I went to the washroom to control my breathing. Then I cried some more in the washroom because I couldn't stop myself from crying. [I really wanted to stop] Since I was the only employee at the restaurant other than the chef I didn't have much time to recover from my outbreak. I sucked it up and went back to serve more customers. As I left, guess who came in.......

Thankfully my shift ended and as original employee that should have been there arrived. I quickly started packing up to leave as the same women came to the cashier. My first day went downhill and I left mortified to ever see that women again . I guess it was my fault too, but the women could have treated me with a better attitude.


- respect the emloyeeessZ!
Please!

[tropicsgoddess]

That sucks, but the woman could've been a little more understanding and patient since you were new and a chip card is a pretty rare or uncommon credit card to use.

[rerant]

What the heck is a "chip" card? Considering I've seen so many different types of cards and never once seen this chip card I think it's fair to say that it's not as common as this woman would like to believe.

[Despina83]

The woman was being a total bitch, bottom line.

[Broomjockey]

What the heck is a "chip" card? Considering I've seen so many different types of cards and never once seen this chip card I think it's fair to say that it's not as common as this woman would like to believe.

Not knowing where the OP is from, all I can say is, they're more common in the US than in Canada. I'm not sure that most places here offer them as a matter of course. But as to what they are, it's a card where instead of a magnetic stripe, it has a small gold coloured square on the front, and is meant to be inserted into a reader. Some phone cards have them, or laundry cards. Not sure what the point of changing was. Maybe they're more durable?

[Eric the Grey]

Sounds like you did everything you could. People tend to act like they are owed something when they are the customer, and nothing the poor person behind the counter can do will change the fact.

The fact that even after you offered to comp her meal, the woman was still an ass tells me she needs an attitude adjustment. Too bad we can't offer it.


Eric the Grey

[ArcticChicken]

Truly, it wasn't your fault. There are transactions at my job I STILL don't know how to do, and I've been there nearly a year. You can't possibly be expected to know everything perfectly in your first few days, no matter how excellent the training.

[GingerBiscuit]

Not knowing where the OP is from, all I can say is, they're more common in the US than in Canada. I'm not sure that most places here offer them as a matter of course. But as to what they are, it's a card where instead of a magnetic stripe, it has a small gold coloured square on the front, and is meant to be inserted into a reader. Some phone cards have them, or laundry cards. Not sure what the point of changing was. Maybe they're more durable?

The UK uses Chip and Pin. It's meant to be more secure, as instead of signing, you tap in a PIN. However, the cards still have a magnetic strip, in case the machine doesn't read the Chip. Which leads to a whole new level of suck...

*put card in machine. Machine says 'Swipe Card." Remove Card. Swipe.*
Customer: Thats a CHIP CARD.
Me: I know, but it asked me to swipe it this time.
Customer: Why?
Me: I don't know. Maybe it couldn't read the chip. It does this occasionally. Could you sign this for me please?
Customer: Blah blah blah security blah blah blah chip blah blah blah
Me: I agree, however sometimes the machines simply don't read the chip, which is why your bank still asks you to sign the card, Just in case of this happening. Thankyou!

[poofy_puff]

It seems that you both over-reacted.

Do NOT cry about the lady with the chip card.

DO find out how to handle chip cards in the future.

[RecoveringKinkoid]

The person you should really be upset with is the manager, who left you alone to run a register without giving you a password so you can take care of problems. All the training in the world won't help you if you can't get into the register to fix a problem. And all the training in the world is no substitute for experience. If it makes you feel any better, I never really got comfortable on the register at Kinko's. I just don't have the head for it, so if you can manage it, my hat is off to you.

I picked "having a bad day" because all of your choices seemed kind of harsh and not at all what I would tell you about the situation.

I'm not going to call you a crybaby, but I will say you should not let ugly people get under your skin and hurt you like that. I know it's hard, because the stress can really wear you down. I've worked as a waitress and I've worked the register at Kinkos, believe me I know how the stress can make you feel. But jerks will chew you up and spit you out if you let them. Working in retail, you need to toughen your skin a bit. I imagine you will, not too many people that I know who work with the public fail to develop a tougher mindset after a while. You'll be okay.

Just keep a couple things in mind: These jerks you have to deal with...you don't have to make them happy. In fact, you can't, so do what you have to do to get rid of them and move on. Just because a jerk is displeased, doesn't mean there is anything wrong with YOU. And if someone else treats you badly in public, don't be embarassed. It wasn't you that showed the world that you suck. It was them. Let them be embarassed.

[Fawn]

What a bitchy lady! ugh

Plus your boss should've paired you up with an experienced cashier from the store. Its not appropriate (or logical) to leave a new employee in the store without extra backup. Something can always go wrong (computer/till goes down or freezes or the reader goes down).

The only other option was the ATM and they should respect that if there wasn't any other option, they wouldn't be getting anything to begin with.

[Brighid45]

Imo, most of the suck in this situation resides with your manager, who should never have left you alone so soon. You're still in training and need backup for times when the technology breaks down or gets complicated, as it inevitably does (especially when you're busy as hell with a line out the door!).

The rest of the suck resides with the customers. However, I agree with other posters here--you will encounter sucky people as a matter of course in this job because you are dealing with the general public. Some people are just idiots, but others can be incredibly mean. They are mean because they like being mean. If they sense you are easily upset, they'll go for your throat every time and laugh gleefully when they make you cry. The best defense is to teach yourself to be polite, helpful to a certain point, and intimidation-proof. I've found the best way to do that is to simply not care what the customer thinks of you personally. It takes practice and experience, but once you've learned it the really nasty customers can't get to you.

Hang in there. Talk with your manager, explain what happened simply and as unemotionally as possible, and see if you can't get some backup or help.

[TryNotToBeThatOne]

As someone who's had a card that just. was. not. working. the customer was being bitchy. My long story short: got a gift card, stores' registers (I've been to more than one) apparently hate gift cards. If there's a problem with your, meaning the customer, payment option, then have another one ready.

Heck, I didn't know those things were called chip cards & only recognized the description from seeing commercials.

[chainedbarista]

she was the typical brat type; things didn't go her way, she overreacted.

i can feel your frustration, but at the same time, you'll need a little hide thickening, or you won't make it. (at the same time, sometimes even a thick hide won't help with the really bad ones )

i live in a bigger city and i have yet to see one of these; joy for the day when we do get one and have the same type of person.

people really do suck sometimes...

[Yfandes]

I *never* leave the house with only one payment option (as long as I remember my wallet that is...). She was being horrid, and you'll get a thicker skin - which is kinda sad, really.