An Overreaction

 So. My store has a policy of not placing holds on animals. Mostly because there's always the chance of the person not coming back, or a miscommunication happening and the animal gets sold to someone else, or it dies before the customer comes back....

And like. The most we'll do is if a customer is like "You have this animals? I'm on my way! Don't sell it to anyone else!" Because usually they're there within the hour so it's fine. 

The exception to this particular policy has been with our cat adoption area.

Because we aren't selling those animals. We're adopting them out on behalf of the adoption group.

And while the adoption group doesn't do holds. We've placed cats on hold before.

We mostly try to keep it to a 'three hour window' or at most 'the next morning' if it happens after the adoptions close.

But today.

Today my Head Manager decided. Enough is enough. We're no longer placing holds on the cats. It's first come first serve. 

What was the deciding moment?

Well.

Apparently there was a cat that had been placed on hold today.

And it's unknown if the worker who placed the hold actually put a note behind the 'hold sign' to say who was adopting the cat.

But regardless. The note, if it was there, was no longer there when another customer came in.

And said customer claimed that they were there to adopt the cat.

Again, it was unknown if there was a note in the first place. Or if the customer removed the note so that they could adopt the cat.

But regardless. The cat was adopted out to this second customer.

Which mistakes happen. It's happened before where the cats get adopted to the wrong person due to miscommunication. It's rare. But it's happened.

In any case.

It's rather needless to say that the first customer was upset when they came back to adopt the cat....and it wasn't there.

But it went beyond the normal amount of upset.

No. Apparently this customer has been calling the store constantly all day long. Has been in contact with the adoption group. And is threatening to take both the adoption group and the other customer who adopted the cat to 'small claims court' because of the situation.

Which is beyond stupid of the dude to do so. If he's actually planning to do so.

Because like. He has no legal right to the cat. None.

When we place cats on hold. That's it. We put a hold sign on the cat and most of the time the name of the person adopting the cat.

No paperwork is filled out. No money is given. Nothing is signed.

Because we recognize that when a cat is placed on hold...sometimes the customer has second thoughts and decides to not get the cat and never comes back. 

So to prevent any mishaps. We don't fill out anything until the customer is actually ready to adopt the ca.

So I honestly don't see it going the customer's way if he does actually end up trying to go to small claims court. Because the cat was never his. 

But because he's throwing such a big stink about the whole situation, Head Manager has decided enough is enough and that we will no longer place cats on hold.

If the customer wants the cat. They have to adopt the cat then. They can't put it on hold and come back later. 

So that's going to be...a change. For sure.

In any case. I'm really hoping the customer doesn't contact the store after today. As I do not want to have to deal with them on the phone or in person. Not after hearing about it from my other managers. 

Guess we'll see what happens.

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi