From throwaway7275404, Tales From Retail:
This customer is a repeat offender, I should probably remember him by now but by the time I recognize his face it's too late.
He comes up to the register, I scan his items.
"That will be $15.75, sir," I say.
He hands me a $20.
"Do you have the 75 cents or would you like me to take it out of this $20?" I ask (many of our customers like to pay the cents part of the cost in exact change, so they receive only notes for their change).
I take the $20 from where it is placed and put it through my register. I hand him his receipt, his purchase, and the change. "Have a good day!" I say.
"WAIT! I HAVE THE 75 CENTS!" he yells.
"Sorry! I've already processed the transaction!" I say.
"IT'S NOT HARD TO DO THE MATH!" he yells back.
I explain to him that I can do the math, however the register will not know that the amount put into it has changed and I can't do anything to change it now (this is just how our registers are set up). His face is getting slightly red now.
"WHY ARE YOU SO STUPID AND INCOMPETENT!" he huffs as he storms out of the shop.
Every.
Time.
The register doesn't care how many bills you have in it, or how much change, as long as the TOTAL of all the coins and bills equal the amount that is supposed to be in there. So yes, the customer is correct. You'd just take back his original $4.25, and the additional $0.75, and give him a $5 back. He's happy, the register balances, and you don't get yelled at. As long as he's giving you the full $5 in bills and coins, then it all balances out and the register will be accurate when your manager counts it down.
Posted by: Bluja000 | Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at 07:33 PM
I would probably be just as frustrated and angry as that guy if someone told me they could do basic math, then proceeded to make it clear that they, in fact, cannot.
As Bluja said, as long as you give correct change, it will still add up the same at the end of the day. Unless you mean that you had closed the register and were unable to open it again, but that is not even implied by the story as told here.
Posted by: Lxhydn | Wednesday, April 19, 2017 at 10:55 PM
I hate when customers do that, because then I have to make the mental shift out of Neutral to thinking about math, but pretty much what was already said. So long as the register balances, everything is good. Take his 75 cents, give him his fiver, and avoid getting yelled at. The amount in the till remains the same, your register will still balance, and everyone's happy
Posted by: TenebrisVenator | Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 09:38 AM
TV, the customers think they are doing you a favor but they aren't. I hate it when I am done with making change and have the drawer closed and they tell me they have the 75 cents or any kind of cents! This man is verbally abusive and shouldn't be tolerated at all! If he keeps doing this annoying change thing, he should be told not to do that anymore. Off topic: my infamous customer hasn't shown up with her price matches and I am so glad!
Posted by: BH | Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 09:53 AM
It sounds like he was trying to pull a quick change stunt.
I'll let people switch around their change, but I have a limit. I also will make the change slowly. This way, if they do try to start up their trick, I'll ask them to be patient while I figure out the change for their first request. Then, I will ask what change they wanted, which invariably becomes a "Nevermind".
But, yeah, I've often had to modify the change I'm giving back because someone found xx¢ in their pocket/purse.
Posted by: Lil_Tiger42 | Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 01:45 PM
That's what I'm talking about LT42. It's a pain in the ass when they do that, because you have to re-engage your brain. If the drawer is already closed, then it's too late for that, you got your change, deal with it. I'm not opening the register again because you found change in your pocket.
Off topic, BH, I'm glad. People like that should be banned. They cost the store money, waste the employee's time, which is another way of costing the store money, and affect employee morale because dealing with them is stressful and time consuming. You're not a customer and shouldn't be treated as such unless you are making the store money. Constant returners, price match scams, discount rats, couponers and chronic complainers. GTFO and find someone who will put up with your shit
Posted by: TenebrisVenator | Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 03:20 PM
TV, I hope she stays away and the CSM told me to tell her when the lady comes because she will help me with her. I think if you abuse the price matching privileges you should not be allowed in. When I leave the register after dealing with her I am stressed out. I wish we could review our customers so they can see how we feel about them!
Posted by: BH | Thursday, April 20, 2017 at 05:46 PM
Wouldn't make a difference if we could. Most of the bad ones are too self absorbed to care and would wind up blaming us for it "If that idiot knew WTF he was doing I wouldn't be so difficult"
Posted by: TenebrisVenator | Friday, April 21, 2017 at 08:58 AM