Exciting day!
So today was probably one of the most stressful/ exciting days I've ever had at work.
Long story warning.
So a bum, probably in his sixties, comes in with this kid who may be 21 but may not be. The kid goes and looks at pop while the bum comes walking toward the counter. He's kind of swaying so I'm thinking "this guy's drunk," (which means I shouldn't sell to him) but I give him the benefit of the doubt, you know, eyeing him over and getting him to talk to get a better judgement (some people just can't walk in a straight line, especially old people). He seems to be talking fine and he's not hostile, but I'm still suspicious. He asks for a pint of schnapps, then changes his mind to a fifth of the 100 proof. When I ring him up, he's short, so the kid comes over and the bum asks him to loan some cash (which is completely against the law, which I point out). So I tell him I can't sell to him like that and he starts getting angry. He finally changes his mind and asks for a pint. While my back is turned, he gets money from the kid, so when I get back, he's got enough for the fifth. I know he got money from the kid. Also, now he's began slurring his words, and he's gotten close enough to where I can tell he reeks of alcohol. On top of this, when I first waited on him, I noticed he was very very gracious, which leads me to believe he went somewhere else and got turned away because he was drunk. So, I tell him I'm not going to sell to him and pull the liquor off the counter. Once I say "I'm not selling to you" the discussion is over. Buying alcohol is not a right, it's a privilage and I can turn you away without telling you why. Well, he starts to get hostile, and I just keep repeating "Sir, I'm not going to sell to you. I'm just not." Finally, I say "Sir, you need to get out." This makes him even angrier, and I actually start to get scared, but he finally leaves. By this time, I'm shaking (I've never actually had to turn someone away because I thought they were drunk, and I've never had someone get that hostile) so I get away from the counter (I'm shaking so bad that I can't run the register). I start breaking down boxes in one of the aisles. He comes back in and stands right behind me. Now, I'm freaking out. I turn around and he starts saying "are you really not going to sell to me?" and I say "yes, that's correct. I'm really not going to sell to you." I continue to ask him to leave but he persists. Finally, my manager walks by and I say "Greg, will you tell him I'm not going to sell to him and that he needs to leave?" Now, the bum says "okay, okay, I'm not trying to make trouble" (which he obviously was or he wouldn't have come back) and he leaves.
Then, I go to the bathroom and cry like a baby.
To top it off, (and actually make my day better) this afternoon, this kid comes in and stands there waiting for me to finish ringing up a customer (even though Kristy has asked him if he needs anything). When it's his turn, he says "can I get a box of marlboros?" I get them and ask for his ID. He pats his pockets and says "I left it in my car," so I pull the cigarettes away and say "Ok." Ten seconds later, a woman comes in, shakes my hand, and says "Thanks for not selling to a minor." I passed a tobacco sting! Twenty five dollars in incentive pay for me! So, that was good.
I have noticed that on days when I have a bad customer (like the bum), I get really appreciative of the good customers and treat them really, really nice. Like, overly nice. Almost sickeningly nice. I feel like that's backwards of how a bad customer should make me. Oh well, I'm weird.
Long story warning.
So a bum, probably in his sixties, comes in with this kid who may be 21 but may not be. The kid goes and looks at pop while the bum comes walking toward the counter. He's kind of swaying so I'm thinking "this guy's drunk," (which means I shouldn't sell to him) but I give him the benefit of the doubt, you know, eyeing him over and getting him to talk to get a better judgement (some people just can't walk in a straight line, especially old people). He seems to be talking fine and he's not hostile, but I'm still suspicious. He asks for a pint of schnapps, then changes his mind to a fifth of the 100 proof. When I ring him up, he's short, so the kid comes over and the bum asks him to loan some cash (which is completely against the law, which I point out). So I tell him I can't sell to him like that and he starts getting angry. He finally changes his mind and asks for a pint. While my back is turned, he gets money from the kid, so when I get back, he's got enough for the fifth. I know he got money from the kid. Also, now he's began slurring his words, and he's gotten close enough to where I can tell he reeks of alcohol. On top of this, when I first waited on him, I noticed he was very very gracious, which leads me to believe he went somewhere else and got turned away because he was drunk. So, I tell him I'm not going to sell to him and pull the liquor off the counter. Once I say "I'm not selling to you" the discussion is over. Buying alcohol is not a right, it's a privilage and I can turn you away without telling you why. Well, he starts to get hostile, and I just keep repeating "Sir, I'm not going to sell to you. I'm just not." Finally, I say "Sir, you need to get out." This makes him even angrier, and I actually start to get scared, but he finally leaves. By this time, I'm shaking (I've never actually had to turn someone away because I thought they were drunk, and I've never had someone get that hostile) so I get away from the counter (I'm shaking so bad that I can't run the register). I start breaking down boxes in one of the aisles. He comes back in and stands right behind me. Now, I'm freaking out. I turn around and he starts saying "are you really not going to sell to me?" and I say "yes, that's correct. I'm really not going to sell to you." I continue to ask him to leave but he persists. Finally, my manager walks by and I say "Greg, will you tell him I'm not going to sell to him and that he needs to leave?" Now, the bum says "okay, okay, I'm not trying to make trouble" (which he obviously was or he wouldn't have come back) and he leaves.
Then, I go to the bathroom and cry like a baby.
To top it off, (and actually make my day better) this afternoon, this kid comes in and stands there waiting for me to finish ringing up a customer (even though Kristy has asked him if he needs anything). When it's his turn, he says "can I get a box of marlboros?" I get them and ask for his ID. He pats his pockets and says "I left it in my car," so I pull the cigarettes away and say "Ok." Ten seconds later, a woman comes in, shakes my hand, and says "Thanks for not selling to a minor." I passed a tobacco sting! Twenty five dollars in incentive pay for me! So, that was good.
I have noticed that on days when I have a bad customer (like the bum), I get really appreciative of the good customers and treat them really, really nice. Like, overly nice. Almost sickeningly nice. I feel like that's backwards of how a bad customer should make me. Oh well, I'm weird.