Mean People Suck!

From the moment the tall women with the deep frown lines smirked and slammed her three items on the cashiers desk, I knew I had a mean customer. But that's where your dedication to customer service is truly put to the test. It's not about your ability to keep well-mannered, patient, kind people pleased- it's about keeping a good attitude and helpful disposition in the midst of an extremely difficult person. Such as the one in front of me.
"Check the price of the bag. Should be on sale but no one marked it," the lady demanded abruptly as she slammed a big blue tote bag in front of me.
"I will keep a cheerful attitude, even if she thinks I'm her slave" I tell myself as I quickly scan the bar code.
"Yes, it is on sale- it's down to $44.99. Originally $69."
"Ha! Forget that! Hmmmph. Not a sale at all!" the lady said incredulously as she shook her head in disgust.
"Okay, I will put that away for you" I say with a forced smile, as I quickly put the bag on the counter behind me and ring up her two other sale items.
It just so happened that our store was having a promotion. Spend $50 and you earn a $25 off coupon which could be redeemed in two weeks. The total sale needed to come to at least $50 before sales tax.
"Maybe I should tell her that she is just two cents short of earning a $25 off coupon." I thought. I glanced up at her as I was folding her two shirts and wrapping them in paper. A long line of people were waiting to pay and the lady in front of me was still frowning and watching me suspiciously, as if waiting for me to do something wrong.
"Let me just get her out of this line!" I decided. "She won't want to spend any more money anyway- not just for a coupon."
"Your total is $52.47" I say politely. The lady swipes her credit card, signs, and I hand her her receipt. As I turn around to pick up her bag, I see her staring at her receipt and scowling even more.
"Where are my coupons?!" she asked angrily "This sign here says if you spend $50 you get a $25 off coupon!"
She looked so angry I wasn't sure how to proceed.
"I am sorry- but your purchase wasn't quite enough- see before taxes your.."
"Oh yes it was! I definitely spent over $50! You just rang it up! How you gonna tell me it's not enough when you just rang it up??"
"If you would just let me finish talking you dumbass" I think to myself
"The total needs to come to $50 BEFORE taxes" I say slowly, emphasizing the word "before" because I truly think this lady is not only mean, but also ignorant and slow. "Your total came to $49.98 before tax," I explained calmly.
"Ugh! Oh please!" the lady said taking a step back dramatically. I could see the other customers pointing and whispering from my peripheral vision. But right now I just wanted this lady to leave.
"Two cents! Give me a break! Just two cents! Give me the coupon! I mean really! I can't believe you are serious... just give me the coupon- I mean, two cents!"
"I'm sorry but that is the policy." I don't understand people. This is Ann Taylor Loft- not a marketplace in Mexico. Things have prices. If something costs $14.99 plus tax then you pay $14.99 plus tax. You can't argue that you are just a little short so we need to lower the price. That's not how businesses operate. Besides the fact mean, annoying people are the last kind of people I would want to bend the rules for.
"That is tacky! So tacky! To not give me a coupon because of two cents??" the lady shook her head in utter disgust.
I thought how ironic it was to be called tacky by a lady so distasteful that she had to make a scene about a measly $25 off coupon.
"If you would like to find something else to bring your purchase up then I can give you a coupon" I offered, since the lady was not budging.
"Well go find me something for two cents!" she exclaimed
"Two cents?!" I replied astonished, wondering if I should laugh because she was trying to be funny or if I should let her know that there are no items being sold for two cents. If she was really that stupid. But before I could say anything she yelled, "DON'T YOU YELL AT ME!"
My jaw dropped for a second.. "what? I did not yell at you!" I said, completely stunned. I had not even raised my voice!
She was not moving. Just standing there, glaring, and waiting for me to retaliate.
I had enough.
I put her bag down in front of her.
"Here is your purchase. I am leaving." I said calmly and quietly, as I walked briskly towards the fitting room. I just wanted to clear my head and get away from that beastly lady.
I must have looked visibly distressed because my manager, who was sorting clothes back there asked me what was wrong the minute she saw me. I'm normally smiling or at least looking relaxed and laid back. But definitely not right now.
I started to tell Chanda about the evil, rude, beastly lady. I wanted to calmly explain myself and how I handled the lady, but suddenly my throat starting feeling tight and my eyes were watering.
"Aw, Isabelle, don't cry!" my manager said soothingly, "It's okay! Just explain what happened later!"
But then the evil one appeared.
"OH! So you gonna run and go cryin' to your manager, huh?" she exclaimed, and then turned to my manager, "You need to know that she yelled at me when I was making a purchase."
"Chanda, I did not yell."
"Oh yes she did! And I don't know why SHE'S upset! I didn't even do nothin'! She's the one who wouldn't give me a coupon I earned and then yelled at me!"
Fortunately, the lady left. All the customers and the other managers on the floor had discreetly observed the encounter and knew I had not raised my voice at all. They probably missed exactly how demeaning and rude the lady was, but that did not really matter. What bothers me is that people like that make the world a sadder place. Not only for people on the outside, like me, or their servers in a restaurant, or the people who bag their groceries, style their hair, or do their nails, but also the people on the "inside". I wondered if this mean, hardened woman had a family. If she treated her children with the same contempt. And besides all that, I thought about how miserable life must be for her. At the end of the day, who cares if she saves $25 a purchase of $50 or more two weeks from now? What I want to know is, how can you live with yourself when your negative, mean spirit repels everyone away from you.
So please, take a moment next time you are interacting with someone- be it your parents, children, spouse, hairdresser, store clerk, or mailman- and make a conscious effort to brighten that person's day!