Crazy Custys Cause College Bookstore Hell Day

So has it been a full moon lately?

I just had the weirdest day at work ever. Literally every customer I interacted with that wasn't a straight purchase had something weird to say or do or ask.

Everything was fine until I covered my coworker (we'll call him E) on another floor for his first break. Soon after he walked off, a lady walked up to my counter to ask if our (closed) window display had a corresponding display inside because she wanted to browse it.

I apologized and couldn't even find a list of the books that were in the window. She was a little upset but shrugged it off, changing subject mid sentence about how she called her daughter in Colorado who was 24 and was relieved when she got a hold of her, I guess because of the shooting. I was just like...okay cool, I'm glad, but random.

Next weird older guy informed me after I told him to have a nice day "I have to go to the bathroom!" (He later came down to inform us the toilet was clogged. Lovely.)

The next one had me shaken up for half an hour afterwards.

I went to cover E's lunch and he had just clocked out to go when a guy storms up, throws a magazine on the counter and says "I don't want this magazine, I want the one with (so and so) on the cover instead."

I tell him that what we have is what we have. He demands that I order it for him. Now I know nothing about how magazines get into stores (except for the times I had to carry the 50 lb boxes in at Hoarders) but I'm 99% sure it doesn't work like ordering books.

I told him our magazine person would be in on Monday (this is Saturday). That's when he raised his voice. "How hard is it to take my money and order it?"

I stayed calm and explained that it's not something I can do for him, not sure anyone can, but the magazine guy might be able to do something for him (completely bluffing but I, again, know zilch about magazines).

"I don't care! Order it!" He was visibly angry at this point and still being too loud.

All I can say is thank god E had hung around (off the clock) the second he heard the guy start to raise his voice. It was a sports magazine so he attempted to figure out what issue the guy wanted and talked him down while I took care of the girl waiting to be rung out behind him.

She gave me a sympathetic look and meanwhile E had diffused the guy's temper and made him go away. I was sure that he would have gotten physical if E hadn't stuck around. I was anxious that the guy would come back all the time he was on lunch but he didn't.

Things quieted down and I even had a nice chat with a coworker from my former job who happened to stop in. I went down to cover E's last break and had my most WTF moment of the day.

A guy walked up to me at the counter and asked if we have free book days or discounts based on income.

I was just like "...no?"

So he asked about our company's membership card. I told him that since we were a college bookstore we can accept the cards for a discount but couldn't issue them. I told him the regular store downtown could issue them.

He just stares at me and asks "Are you lying to me right now?"

We also found business cards for a sex blog tucked in the pages of our copies of Lolita.

It was a weird weird day.

Hopefully tomorrow will be normal,

--Shywriter

Comments

[The Last Archimedean]

Have a beverage of your choice on my dime.

You deserve it after that.

[LaughingBarista]

I have a similar issue at my job. I'm not allowed to do transfers to other departments. We have to go through a supervisor, who first has to do a transfer. This means that I have to put the customer on hold while I try to contact a supervisor. I'm not always successful in contacting one. I think this policy is stupid, but this is what they want so this is what I do.

Anyway, customers will ask if I can transfer them to such and such department. When I tell them no, that I'm not allowed to do transfers, they like to tell me that I'm lying. I tell them this is not the case at all and that we just aren't allowed to do it. I get constant arguments daily on this. People think they're the most important person in the world and that we should cater to their every whim. Like the people who think they can pay what they want to pay at the time they want to pay it and that they will keep services on, even if their bill is $500+ and they pay $30 (this is happened to me before).

People are dumb. Have a nice day off, whenever that may be for you.

[Mollywobbles]

At least the sex-blogger had the right idea with the business cards in copies of Lolita. I think I'd have taken one look at that and, after the day I'd had (if I'd been you), just laughed my ass off.

Seriously, though, one of my favorite sayings about customer service comes from the movie Clerks.: "This job'd be great if it weren't for all the fuckin' customers." -Randal Graves