Manners in the toy store

Well, I was going to leave the toy shop and blog about something else, but as many of our customers find, once you're in there, it's hard to depart. So here's one more story. This was a moment I thoroughly, thoroughly enjoyed.

It was after Christmas, so not too busy. The owner, let's call her Ali, was with a difficult customer. She was an elderly lady, accompanied by a younger woman (her daughter, probably). "Demanding" wasn't the word. Everything was questioned, wrong, inadequate, not what she wanted.

Now, I've got used to the American style of shopping. For a customer, there's none of that English embarrassment about not buying an item. However you say it, it's fine. You don't need to apologise or explain. You just say "I won't take this one", and leave it on the counter. I've also got used to what in England would seem like a rude criticism of a product. I don't think it's at all odd if a customer says "I don't like the way this book of nursery rhymes doesn't have words, just pictures", or "The instructions for this game seem somewhat complicated for a 5 year old. I'd prefer to look for something else." Expressing a negative opinion in this context doesn't seem offensive to me any longer (though it took a bit of getting used to at first). However, most customers express themselves politely, and usually balance negative comments with complimentary ones. This woman was something else. EVERYTHING was wrong. It was all too big, too small, too simple, too complicated, not made in the USA, not what she wanted. Not only did she say so, but the way she voiced her criticisms was rude. Ali guided her round the store, patiently making suggestions, but she clearly just wanted to be unpleasant, no matter what was offered to her. It was a slow and painful process.

Eventually the woman was ready to check out. She didn't like the two choices of gift wrap. She didn't like that we don't take cheques. She used a credit card, and as she signed the slip, she started shaking the pen in an irritated manner, the same pen that every other customer that morning had used, and asked,

"Can I get a decent pen somewhere here?"

Without missing even half a beat, Ali replied politely,

"Office Max*. It's the other side of the parking lot."

It was truly a marvelous moment.

The woman replied "What?... Oh... OH...", shut up, signed the slip, and went on her way.

Gotta love working at the toy store.


*Trying to think of the UK equivalent of Office Max, but feeling very out of touch. Rymans?

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