Jennifer: It should not matter who the lady is or thinks she is. Customer service is an "institution"...and the customer is always right.
Uh...wrong.
The customer is not always right. The customer can be very wrong, in demanding things that he/she doesn't deserve, or demanding that a product be handled in such a way as to make it inferior.
I've had to deal with customers who wanted discounts that were not in effect, such as handing two coupons to the cashier at once when each clearly stated "not valid with any other discount."
And there is a well-known story about chef Mark Peel at Campanile in Los Angeles, who had to deal with a customer who a) demanded that a chicken breast sandwich be served without it's standard dressing, and then b) complained that the sandwich, without the dressing, was "too dry."
In both of these cases, the turning point was when the customers became quite loud and, sadly, used obscene and abusive language. The customer is always right? Not at that point, ever.
Fortunately, DR Jennifer is not the sort who would treat the staff in that manner. Nor was she asking for anything out of the ordinary. This particular customer was certainly right.
What I would suggest, DR Jennifer, is writing a letter to the management, detailing to them what you have told us. I would further couch the letter in terms that make it clear that, since you are a frequent customer your own continued patronage is not in question, but you would not want to be a first-time customer and receive such treatment. Make it clear to the management that you are, in fact, on the store's side, and want to help them make sure their image is spotless.
Christmas, and holiday shopping, is just around the corner, after all.
