To refuse to phone a customer and apologise when I didn't even serve her?

[b584]

Last friday, Huge Euromillions Jackpot, (even bigger now) Had a young girl in school uniform come to my till wanting a euromillions ticket, I ask for id as we follow the challenge 25 rules, We have 3 tills, all 3 being used, I was on the far end one.

She presented a student Nus discount card, I told her that it wasn't acceptable id so couldn't give her the lottery ticket, She made a fuss, saying that she was 17 and wouldn't have the Nus card if she was under 16 and that she had been served in the store before, I told her again that we need photo id and if she had been served before then she shouldn't have and it wasn't by me with that as id.

She went away very unhappy to her mum who was being served 2 tills away from me, It was very busy (school rush time) but I could still hear her slagging me off and she tried to use her Nus discount card on her mum's shopping which would have been fine on everything except the alcohol that her mum bought,

My colleague refused to accept the Nus card on the basis that the person named on the card didn't have sufficient id but still accepted the sale as she believed the wine puchased was not for the girl.

They were not happy and made a big commotion upon leaving about getting my name from my name badge so I expected a complaint but didn't worry as I had done nothing wrong,

As soon as it was quiet I called the supervisor to the tills and explained the situation and said we might get a call, All 3 of us on the tills had witnessed it and agreed I did the right thing in refusing the sale to the girl, Supervisor agreed,

The mother phoned about half an hour later to complain about me as she only had my name but made out that I was the one that served her alchohol and if she had been working for undercover for Trading Standards then I would have failed big time. Supervisor appologised on behalf of the store but the mother wants me to appologise personally and store wants me to as well as they don't want to lose a customer,

Aibu to refuse as I didn't serve her, Store manger accepts this but has told her that I will apologise in person so is putting pressure on me to do so.

Retail managers are notorious for cowardice towards arsey customers. Stand firm OP, and point out to them that if they insist on an implied admission of guilt in selling alcohol to a minor, you'll be off to Sue, Grabbit and Runne.

Get the bloody manager to ring if they're that bothered.

Do not admit any liability.

Do not apologise, the tills should prove who sold alcohol on a NUS card at the time the complainant was being served and will prove your innocence.

By apologising you're admitting guilt, which you're not guilty and you could end up in more trouble.

Work isn't worth lying over.

I have to wear a name badge as well as a challenge 25 badge at work yet still get customers kicking off when I ask for ID, I am just doing my job (as the badge) says, Often they say that they have been served before by a certain person so I should just serve them or they know someone else who works there who knows they are over 18. Or they showed me the last time I asked,

Well sorry but We are supposed to ask every time even if we know that they are over age, and when we get hundreds of customers through the door every day how am I expected to remember you and that you produced ID the last time, lol I am only humon

Do not apologise. Tell the boss, if they insist, you will be complaining further up.

You did nothing wrong and you shouldn't agree to it being suggested that you did for any reason. Your manager needs a rocket!

It's the bloody co-op isn't it.

Lol yes it is

If your bosses had balls they would not have offered the customer an apology from you, knowing full well that you did nothing wrong.

The right way to go here is not to give the customer her way, humiliating you to her satisfaction, but for the boss (or somebody even higher up the food chain) to take full responsibility and apologise to the customer and you for the total cock up!

Ask the Store Manager to provide you with the current store policy regarding acceptable ID - in writing please and then ask again what form of apology he thinks you owe?

I'll go against the grain.
Your manager just wants you to sooth the annoying customer so that she doesn't complain and make you and your manager look bad.
So I would phone and offer a non apology - "sorry I wasn't able to serve your daughter - store's policy is that you need one of in order to buy lottery tickets"

Ah, passive aggressive apology! I love it! Satisfies everyone I feel!

Fucking hate managers who don't stick up for staff who are only doing their jobs.

But it will end up in an argument on the phone. I guarantee it!

I may suggest that, see what my manager says.

The store manager should be backing you up, confirming you did everything correctly and NOT leaving you hanging out to dry. Ask him what he's doing?

This bitch just wants to humiliate people and get off on making people grovel. Being PA won't appease her. She wants to kick someone.

Don't apologise. Cuntstomers like that won't be missed.

You've haven't done anything wrong.

FFS, I hate the general public sometimes. That woman needs to get over it.

I wouldn't apologise. And I'd be pissed off at manager for wanting me to.
In my mind, he should never have entertained the idea of this woman speaking to any till worker. It's like he's passing the buck.

If the woman's issue is that she was served alcohol, presumably all the store needs to do is to get the woman who served it to phone. Or if they're that desperate to apologise, the manager can do it.

But I think it's very short-sighted of them to contemplate apologising at all. If they do, word will get round that the store is an easy touch and people will be demanding compensation for all sorts of imaginary problems.

Don''t get me wrong, I am a fan and a pastmaster of the PA response, but I don't think it's right in this situation where an employee is put into a heads they win and tails you lose situation.

If an employer expects an employee to follow policy and be held to account for it, then they can't expect the same employee to issue an apology for following it.

Simply put the employer is looking to have their cake and eat it

" I was the one that served her alchohol and if she had been working for undercover for Trading Standards then I would have failed big time."

OK, I know that Op didn't serve anyone alcohol.

but I don't get this.

Should the mother not have been allowed to buy alcohol as her 16/17yr old was there/it might have been for her??

As essentially it reads to me that the mother is pissed off that she herself was allowed to buy alcohol??!!

YANBU!
Fuck that, you followed the correct procedure and your manager needs a kick up the arse, they should be backing you up, after all if you all start making exceptions for complaining customers you would be putting yourself and the company you work for in the firing line!

You challenged the daughter correctly and refused as incorrect id.

Your colleague served the mother as she believed the alcohol was for her. This is also correct in law.

Your colleague could have sold the mother the lottery ticket as these are not subject to proxy sale. Proxy sale (believing they are buying for someone else) is only for alcohol and your colleague aplied it to the alcohol.

Speak to your union rep, you have done nothing wrong and have no need to apologise.

Write down what happened and get your colleagues to do the same. Should your manager decide to discipline you for this then raise a grievance for bullying and harassment.

They are wrong. Yanbu

No no no, do not phone and say sorry I couldn't serve your daughter. Why on earth would you?

Never give in to bullies. You did the right thing. Don't apologise for it.