Making sure a package goes to the right person is kind of a big deal.

So when one employee asked a customer for proof of his identity before releasing his package, they never expected to get caught up in a long-winded debate.

Read on for the full story.

Your logic chopping is impressive but the rules aren’t changing

I had a customer come in to pick up a package, but the address on his ID didn’t match the one on the label.

So, I asked him for something with his current address or the tracking number.

But this customer wasn’t going to make it easy.

Customer: gestures to the notice that was left on his door. “What about that?”

Me: “Sorry. Doesn’t count. Someone who just happens to share your name could show us that and we wouldn’t know the difference, so we could end up giving your package to the wrong person if we accepted that.” (Customer’s first and last name were both VERY common.)

The customer suggests another alternative, but then quickly starts another argument.

Customer: “Can I show you a piece of mail with my address?”

Me: “Sure. We accept bills that are in your name.”

Customer: “Well, couldn’t this same person steal my mail and still claim to be me? Sorry, I have to logic chop this sort of thing.”

The employee stands their ground, which annoys the customer even more.

Me: “Your logic chopping is impressive, but I’m not releasing the package if I’m not convinced that it’s for you.”

Customer: complains about “no one wanting to help people and just kicking the problem to someone else who will do the same thing” while looking for something with his address.

Finally, the interaction was over, but it took its toll.

The customer did eventually show me something that satisfied the rules, and I released the package.

I will never understand the people who get so upset when we make them prove that a package is actually for them.

Rules exist for a reason, even if they annoy customers.

What did Reddit have to say?

There’s nothing worse than a customer who tries to bend even the most trivial rules.

It’s a shame that front-line workers take all the blame for policies they had nothing to do with.

Maybe some customers just like to argue.

Not everyone loves showing proof, but that’s how you keep stuff from going missing.

Sometimes you just gotta play by the rules.

If you liked that post, check out this post about a woman who tracked down a contractor who tried to vanish without a trace.