Isobel Asks The Internet

XLI - The Loyalty Card

A customer fought with me because she didn't understand the new loyalty card scheme my supermarket was premiering! Did I act appropriately?

Hey everyone!

So, not too long ago I was in my office at work (I am the part-time head manager of a supermarket while studying for a degree in physics). There had been a recent spate of seismic activity across the town, and a minor earthquake which had occurred on the previous night had left my office in a state of disarray. Usually I would ask a member of the janitorial staff to come and clear things up, however there were confidential documents pertaining to the impending launch of mine and Nigella's salad bar concept scattered across the floor; if I wasn't careful, someone would undoubtedly find them and try to sell them to some kind of high-profile national magazine, newspaper and/or trade publication. Thankfully I steer clear of unnecessary decorative frivolities when it comes to office design, so there wasn't too much to tidy up.

Anyway, I was neatening up my backlit display of miniature gold-plated earthenware vases when I heard Marceline's voice transmitted through my sound system. She sounded stressed, and was telling me that there was a customer at the information desk who had (apparently) completed a loyalty card, and she needed me to come and validate it. I shouted "UGH" so loud and told her that I was on my way as we spoke, before popping the kettle on to brew a pot of coffee.

To give you some background, a while back I had implemented a new loyalty card system for the supermarket. We already had a loyalty scheme where customers would receive a stamp (which was shaped like the hedge maze) for every £250 they spend. Once they had received ten hedge mazes on their card, a 5% discount would be applied to their next shop. While this was had proved to be an excellent program it occurred to me that, as a retailer which prided ourselves on cutting edge innovation, we could do even better than this. 

After a few moments of brainstorming, I came up with SUCH a great idea; the loyalty card loyalty card! Basically, after a customer completes their first loyalty card and receives their splendid 5% discount, they will also be given an even bigger card (around the size of a pizza box) with ten more spaces for stamps on it to be used simultaneously. Every time they complete a loyalty card, the customer will receive a new stamp on the loyalty card loyalty card. Once they have completed the card, they will be presented with the opportunity to win a mystery prize! To double down on the excitement of this scheme, I had taken the opportunity to have a prize wheel installed at the front of the store, which customers who have completed the loyalty card loyalty card will be able to spin in order to determine what their prize shall be. 

Anyway, after boiling my water, letting it cool for a few minutes, pouring it over my coffee, waiting for it to properly infuse, selecting a small mug from my backlit display of miniature gold-plated earthenware vases, and pouring my steaming beverage into my selected vessel, I commenced the journey from my office to the customer services desk. When I arrived at my destination, there was a medium-height, frazzled woman with a rather impatient aura waiting by the counter. I presumed that this was the owner of the completed loyalty card loyalty card Marceline had reported to me.

Prior to the commencement of prize redemption proceedings, it was crucial that I verified the identity of this woman. I had heard much recent talk about a wave of loyalty card fraud being perpetrated against supermarkets which were foolish enough not to implement the kinds of security checks required for a prestigious scheme such as our own. It was of PARAMOUNT importance that I ensured this woman was not some kind of charlatan. Luckily, all loyalty cards distributed record the biometric data of their owners, so all I needed to do was have her place her palm upon the handprint sensor that I had installed at the customer service desk. She did so, and her name popped up on the screen; Marion Leech. I cross-checked this against the details registered on the loyalty card, and determined that we could, indeed, continue with the proceedings.