embarrassed, then just plain ol' mad....

[jwsamuel]

Originally Posted by TDPRI

Yeah, I haven't "written a check" in about 5 years. Debit card is the only way to buy.

+1

I hate it when I am waiting in line to pay and someone in front of me pulls out a checkbook.

Jim

[geddins]

Originally Posted by T_red7882

In my experience, the customer is usually wrong. My current boss encourages us to not take any crap from anyone, tell anyone who has a problem to not come back or risk police intervetion, and to take matters up with their bank and not us. He's been in business for 40 years as an independent business, has a great reputation in the community and is regarded as very honest because he doesn't give crap and doesn't take any.

As for the people who still long for the "good ole days" when the customer was always right... the days of the customer being cordial long enough to be treated like gold are long gone. People are increasingly more rude with each following week. Many people here have WORKED a register, but i currently work one all the time. People are jerks, that's the ultimate truth.

You must work for a pawnbroker or check cashing business...someplace where there can be lots of "tension" amongst some customers. As mentioned, I'd guess many of us have been in a service capacity at some point...many of us still are. Speaking with over 30 years of experience working in the public, I can say without any hesitation that the treatment you say your boss advises you give will most certainly put you out of business in most places where the majority of people are decent folk just looking to purchase what they want/need.

JMO

[jwsamuel]

Originally Posted by bender-freak

i prefer to pay by check....without intending to be political, i will continue to use checks until the government makes credit cards/plastic/debit cards mandatory...

It is not going to be the government that does it. It is going to be stores that stop accepting checks. It is already happening around where I live. There are stores that no longer accept checks because the risk of fraud and the time spent processing them is too high. With cash, debit cards and credit cards available, they see no reason to accept checks.

Jim

[Nighthawk]

Originally Posted by getbent

I was behind an older woman in line at the World Market last week and she had that problem and the lady behind the counter kinda did the smirk thing and said, "there is a problem with your check you seem to have insufficient funds." and the lady was very near tears with embarrassment and worry and she said, "that can't be, that just can't be.." and the clerk kinda looked at me like she was exasperated with the lady... I was with my kids, but it pissed me off, so I said to the clerk, "Can't you call for verification?" and she said, 'it takes forever.' and I said, 'we're not in a hurry if you're not.' and the lady smiled at me. Then, I said, "I'm sure the check is good, I'll cover it if it isn't." and the manager came up and did something and suddenly the lady was done and on her way.

I can be pretty mean sometimes (and I always regret it) but, dang, this age of treating people like they were liars when the problem could be anything....

I have switched to a debit card long ago and don't even know where our checks are, but folks should get to buy stuff however they want if you ask me.

A really nice thing you did there....

[bender-freak]

not trying to keep this going on forever....just wanted to say thanks to the ones would have felt as i did in this situation...."small" and "falsely accused" of trying to perpetuate a "wrong-doing".......

and, again, mr T-red....PLEASE, please tell me just where it is you work so i can make sure to never set foot in your establishment where talking down to customers and embarrassing them is considered okay......just in case i ever happen to be in "your town"...

now.....i'm outta here and off to my semi-local shop to buy that Gretsch i've been gassing for....and, yep,....i'm gonna pay with a check and they have ALWAYS acted glad to have my business....cheers....

[stevieboy]

I don't use checks because I believe you have to actually have the money already, don't you? That'll never happen with me!

Bender-freak, you of course know that you didn't do anything wrong, the store, bank, or verification service is at fault, obviously it's an unpleasant situation, but it's just modern life, I guess the worst part is getting attitude from the clerk. Could happen with a debit card or a credit card too. Just sneer back and say, "Oh, the bank must be surprised I'm writing a check for an amount this small, and they aren't used to me going to this kind of place!"

[T_red7882]

Originally Posted by bender-freak

not trying to keep this going on forever....just wanted to say thanks to the ones would have felt as i did in this situation...."small" and "falsely accused" of trying to perpetuate a "wrong-doing".......

and, again, mr T-red....PLEASE, please tell me just where it is you work so i can make sure to never set foot in your establishment where talking down to customers and embarrassing them is considered okay......just in case i ever happen to be in "your town"...

now.....i'm outta here and off to my semi-local shop to buy that Gretsch i've been gassing for....and, yep,....i'm gonna pay with a check and they have ALWAYS acted glad to have my business....cheers....

I gaurantee you would not have a problem at our place of business because we're known for our helpful nature. the problem isn't us, its the customer. You can't stay in business for 40 years if you're a bunch of a-holes. we don't talk down to customers (show me where i said we did), and we aren't rude to people. Once people cross the line or start acting rude towards us, we tell them to leave and not come back. its pretty simple. No, we're not a pawn shop or a check cashing company. we're a small, independently owned and operated business that deals with people of all walks of life. Rich, poor, young, old, white, black, brown, purple, neon... whatever. 99 percent of people are fine, the 1% that aren;t, we tell to leave and not come back. If we have the liberty to do that, why not? Who wants to deal with people who are jerks?