No one who works in a customer-facing job loves dealing with the difficult personalities that come through the door.
Yes, even though you know they’re coming and it’s your job to be nice.
OP recognized a rude customer on her way in, but politely filled her initial request.
I work at Woodforest National bank, for those who don’t know it’s a bank based out of Texas located primarily on the east coast inside of Walmart. This story happened about a month ago.
One of our usual entitled Karen (EK) customers comes into the bank demanding we print her a new debit card because she lost her old one.
We issue debit cards same day so long as they pay a debit card fee, 10 dollars for a reprint or 15 for a new card (waived for certain accounts).
A reprint was a simple task, so I print her card and send her on her way.
When she returned shortly afterward demanding they replace the previous item, they tried to talk them out of it.
She then walks back into the bank because the last 2 numbers were slightly rubbed off, this is due to how the machine prints the cards and is pretty common.
EK: I want you to print this card again.
Me: Is it not working?
EK: Look at the last 2 numbers, other banks don’t give me cards wit rubbed off numbers.
Me: I’m sorry mam but sometimes that happens with the machine, it rubs part of the numbers off when activating the chip.
EK: I don’t care it looks terrible. Do it again.
Me: Mam i dont think this is a good idea, we really dont have control over how the machine…
The rude customer demanded, with name-calling, so OP simply complied.
EK raising her voice: I don’t care what you have to do, just print my card again so it looks nice.
She takes a pair of scissors and cuts up the card into tiny pieces in font of me.
EK: Print the f**** card now or do I have to close my account and contact *market managers name*.
The market manager isn’t someone you would know unless you have had a conversation with him before, it’s obvious she’s trying to namedrop him to get me to shut up and comply.
Later, the customer was not happy with the consequences of their actions.
I turn over to my manager and he gives me a nod, I then put on a devious smile and say “Absolutely mam, but to ensure this won’t happen again we will need to change the numbers so i’m going to need you to sign some things.”
EK: see was that so hard.
We then spend the next 10 minutes printing out new cards until we get one that doesn’t have the numbers slightly rubbed off. Each time the card isn’t to her liking, she cuts it up and says to do it again. I just smile and say “sorry about this let’s try again” each time until about 8 cards later she finally gets a card number that isn’t rubbed off.
EK: Finally, this card looks good, thanks.
She just leaves with a smug grin thinking she won and leaving us with her massive pile of cut up debit cards.
OP, though, had the receipts.
What we “forgot” to remind her of is having a completely new card generated outside of fraud or expiration cost 15 dollars to be deducted from your account. This is made clear at account opening and since she signed off on having all these new cards printed, there was nothing she could say.
Normally I try and help people avoid bank fees, but in this case, screw this entitled woman.
A couple days later she comes storming into the bank looking very angry.
EK: What did you do to my account?
Me: I’m sorry mam but what seems to be the problem?
EK: There’s a bunch of debit card fees on my account, WHAT DID YOU DO!
Me: Oh everytime you had me print a new debit card for you the other day, a 15 dollar fee was charged to your account. The first one where you only had me reprint the card number was only 10 dollars.
EK: YOU NEED TO REVERSE THESE FEES RIGHT NOW BEFORE I CALL *market manager name* AND GET YOU FIRED!!
Luckily, her manager had her back.
At this point my manager steps in
Manager: Hello mam whats the issue?
EK: YOUR DUMB*** EMPLOYEE TRICKED ME INTO PAYING OVER 100 DOLLARS WORTH OF FEES BECAUSE HE KEPT ******* UP MY DEBIT CARD
Manager: Mam could you please not yell. Also, I was there you demanded we print you a new debit card because “you didn’t like the numbers being rubbed off”. We have your signature on these forms stating that you wanted these cards to be printed. I will not be reversing these fees for you.
EK: Then I want to close me account
Manager: OK but first you need to pay off your negative account balance as well as your line of credit.
EK: JUST GIVE ME *Market manager name’s* NUMBER THIS INSTANT.
Me: Sorry mam but we arent at liberty to just give out his number like that. Heres the number to customer service if you would like.
This is true as he’s instructed us to not give his number out to any customer who ask, the only people who need his number already have it.
She takes the number screams “ILL HAVE YOUR JOBS FOR THIS” flips us off kicks over a chair and storms out.
We get a call from customer care later about the incident where we explain everything and scan over all the signed debit card applications. Also she had us print 8 brand new cards and the 1 reprint. That cost her about 130 dollars in fees because she demanded a new debit card.
The best part is my manager likely would have just waived the origional 10 dollar fee had she just been nice and asked.
Is Reddit on the side of the BANK? I’m curious…
This person thinks OP should have called them on this bluff.
Some people just can’t help themselves…
This sort of thing seems to be happening more and more often these days.
Here’s some proof that being nice can really go a long way.
Not everyone is on OP’s side, though.
I imagine this was pretty satisfying at the time.
As someone who has been on the receiving end of superfluous bank fees, though, I can’t love it.
If you liked this post, check out this story about an employee who got revenge on a co-worker who kept grading their work suspiciously low.