Where's our bankers? Question.

[Abbey]

Yesterday I had a woman come through my line who is totally wheelchair bound. She is paralyzed from the waist on down. When she tried to use her credit card to check out...well, the machine is over her reach. So, I walk around and said I'd swipe it for her and if she used debit it wouldn't ask for a signature. But, you'd have to whisper your pin to me. Now, I KNOW that is highly risky, but I'm an honest person.

So I put in the pin...it's not a debit card. Only credit which requires a signature. Ugh. No manager around to ask what to do. But, just the day before I had an elderly woman that when asked to sign the little screen was so shaky that all I got was a squiggely line...and it went through. She was so flustered that she wanted to go back and do it again.

Back to the wheelchair woman. When it prompted for her signature I just put in some unrecongnizable thing and it went through.

I'm sure banks check signatures if there is a dispute, but do they do it on every charge? I can't imagine that. I just felt so bad for her.

It makes you think about the disabled. There should be a checkstand with a low machine, or the ability to make it low.

I know we have some bankers on here...Suz...

Abbey

 

[flutterbee]

They're only going to check it if there is a dispute. Devon uses my card all the time and there's never been a problem.

 

[tiredmommy]

Ask the manager about this: could you reprint her paper receipt, write something like "I the undersigned agree to pay this amount in accordance with my bank policy." and have her sign below? Then there's a hard copy of the signature on file at the store. The receipt shouldn't show her full account number so she's protected from fraud.

 

[Star*]

How about you just tell the woman in the wheel chair to bring cash - solves all problems.

And yes I'll print THAT sign -

WHEELCHAIR BOUND PEOPLE MUST USE CASH -

Not discriminatory at ALL.

You would think that grocery stores would have at least ONE lane with lower controlls for handicapped persons.....I smell an ADA report.....

Really - your grocery needs to address the needs and special musts of people in chairs.......there should be no way a person ever has to hand over their card and whisper their number. Shame on the grocery!

Good Job Abbey

 

[Suz]

I expect Heather is right that there "probably" will only be a problem if she disputes it later. You have a good heart Abbey, but please don't put yourself in that vulnerable position again---it sent shivers up my spine just thinking about her maybe forgetting...or someone witnessing the exchange, etc.

Star is right.......talk to the store manager- accommodations need to be made now.

Suz

 

[Abbey]

I did talk to the store manager today and gave him the story. He thought all but one of the machines could be lowered. He doesn't understand HOW lowered they would need to be, but no...we had two. I told him what I did...gave him the second copy of the transaction for verification. He just said, "Good job."

He said he'd check into this issue.

The terminals will tilt, but they will not lower. I explained this to him. This one would not even tilt. Most places have at least one hancicapped terminal.

At that moment, I would have done the same thing, but suggest she bring cash the next time for convenience. I think it would have been very embarrassing to her to say that at that point.

I hope they address this. Thanks for the advice.

Abbey