What was your wackiest customer?
Man, I have so many, so I'll just start with one:
A lady comes into the service drive with a damaged front end on a Mercury Villager van. Mostly just front bumper, hood, and rad support pushed back a little. Write it up, she leaves it, and on her way.
The following week, the repairs are all done and she picks it up on Friday evening - very pleased and drives off.
The following Monday I come into to work and the boss heads me off, "Hey man sorry to tell you this, but you have a HOT customer waiting for you out front. It's the lady with the Villager."
I got out to talk to her, and she starts screaming at me how I "stole her battery and took her van to the beach." I remind her how she picked up her van last Friday and drove it off our lot and it never left our lot while we were in possession of it.
She's pointing at me, "It has nearly 100 more miles on it now than when I dropped it off and all I did was park in my driveway when I went home! And you SMOKED in it too because the ashtray is full of butts and neither me nor my husband smoke.
I walked over to the van and yep, ashtray was overflowing. I popped the hood and yep, Motorcraft battery was gone and had some used battery in it from Wal-Mart that didn't even fit the tray!
Now I am thinking I am living some kind of double life and must have blocked out the entire crime. She's still screaming at me at this time.
Boss comes out and says, "Whoa whoa whoa! What's going on here?" And she repeats the story. He stops her and says, "This guy doesn't smoke! I've known him most of his life. And if you saw what he drove, then you'd know there is NO WAY he'd take your van anywhere!"
Now I start laughing and that makes her even madder. She says we haven't heard the last of it, and she's going to sue us.
I close her hood and she drives off.
I look at my boss and say, "I really hate my job." and he just laughs (we're friends)
The week goes by without hearing another thing from her and right before I leave on Friday, in pulls her van again!
My boss sees her through the window and yells across the office, "Ready for round 2? HAHAHAHA she's all yours!"
I yell, "I swear to God this is my day!" as she pokes her head in the lobby.
"Sir, can I speak to you outside?"
I nod my head and walk out there thinking I'm going to get stabbed or something. At this point, I no longer care.
"First of all, I need to apologize. And if you have a minute, I can explain everything."
I just nod.
"I've found out my husband is cheating on me. He came home smelling like cigarettes, and he's been seeing a woman who lives near the beach. He admitted he left the headlights on in our van and killed the battery, then borrow one from her car to get back home before I did. I am so, so sorry I put you through this!"
I accepted her apology and never saw her again.
