How to Tick Off a Customer

Last week I took my mother in law to an appointment, breakfast and then a little shopping.  Mom’s in her 80’s now and sometimes she gets a little flustered if things happen unexpectedly or if she is put on the spot.  I try to keep our days out as stress free and enjoyable as possible.  So after we were finished with our breakfast, we decided to go to a nearby department store for a little browsing.  I found a blouse that I liked and we got in line at the checkout. 

We were standing there doing some chatting until it was our turn up.  I laid my merchandise on the counter.  The salesclerk rang it up and asked me if it was cash or charge.  I said cash.  She asked me if I had a card with the store.  I politely told her that no I didn’t, I like to pay cash for what I buy.  She proceeded to try to sell me on the credit card.  She said about all the deals I would get by having the credit card. I told her that was part of the problem; I would spend more if I had the card.  She explained that if I liked to pay cash to just figure out what I was going to spend, put it on the card and pay it when I got home.  Just to keep her from talking anymore, I told her I’d give it some thought.  She said that if I decided to get the card to ask for her because they get credit for credit card openings. 

Before I had a chance to gather up my package and leave, she pounces on Mom.  She asked her if she had a card.  Mom said why yes she did but it had been quite a while since she used it and didn’t know if it was still active.  The clerk said if Mom gave her the card to check,  she still would get her credit.  By this time, I was just stunned.

Mom searched her wallet and said it wasn’t there; she said she must have left it at home.  Instead of the clerk leaving it at that, she tells Mom to punch in her social security number and she could look it up that way.  Now Mom gets flustered. She’s in her eighties, I could count the times on one figure she’s used a keypad.  She tries three times as I try to discreetly get the clerks attention so Mom doesn’t notice.  The clerk ignores me until Mom finally gets right.  The clerk rings it in, tells Mom her card is still active and gives Mom a piece of paper with her number on that she has no idea what to do with.

By this time, Mom is upset and I’m glaring at the clerk.  We leave and as we’re in the car, Mom is searching frantically through her purse.  When I ask he what she’s hunting for she tells me she can’t find her card.  I explain  it wasn’t in her purse; I checked twice, it was probably at home and not to worry about it.  I change the subject and take her the scenic route home to calm her down.

Now, I don’t have a problem with salesclerks trying to get extra bonuses.  I do have a problem when they go overboard to the point of harassing the customer as this salesclerk did.  Will I shop at this store again? Probably.  Will I go in her line again? Definitely not!

Have you had a bad experience with an over zealous salesclerk?