Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
not.there.and.without.the.receipt.they.don't.know.if.they.can.
help.her..And.they.are.all.a.little.scared.of.their.new.tough-
guy.manager..But.they.all.like.Jane,.so.they.call.him.to.the.
front.anyway.
At.irst.Joe.is.unmoved.and.simply.tells.her.that.he.is.sorry,.
but.without.a.receipt.he.really.can't.help.her..But.Jane,.a.little.
upset.but.holding.it.together,.tells.him,.“I've.been.trading.with.
you.folks.for.30.years.now..I'm.a.simple.woman.and.I.don't.
change.my.habits—I.just.know.that.I.had.those.groceries.and.
now.someone's.taken.them!.I'm.on.a.small.income.and.I.can't.
afford.to.buy.them.again..I've.had.this.discount.card.with.your.
store.for.so.long.it's.getting.frayed.and.worn.out!”.and.shows.
him.the.old,.worn.card.
At.that.Joe's.serious.expression.softens.a.bit.and.there.is.a.
slight.twinkle.in.his.eye.as.he.says,.“Ma'am,.may.I.take.a.look.
at.that.card?.Hold.on,.ma'am,.I'll.be.right.back.”
Joe.walks.back.to.his.ofice.and.asks.his.assistant.to.call.
the.main.ofices..Again,.Joe.recognized.that.he.needed.some.
electronic.data,.and.he.knew.who.could.ind.it.for.him..The.
assistant.calls.the.main.ofice.and.asks.them.to.pull.up.their.
records.for.the.card.number.of.Jane's.discount.card,.and.fax.
him.a.report..They.let.him.know.that.they.will.be.able.to.do.
so.and.it.should.arrive.at.his.fax.in.the.next.few.minutes.
Sure.enough,.about.3.minutes.later.a.fax.comes.in.with.
a. long. table. of. numbers. and. dates.. These. would. not. mean.
much.to.most.of.us,.but.to.Joe.it.is.recognizably.a.list.of.item.
codes.for.all.of.the.different.grocery.items.purchased.using.
Jane's.discount.card..Joe.is.not.only.able.to.establish.that.she.
does.purchase.nearly.the.same.grocery.list.every.week,.but.
that.in.fact.she.purchased.those.same.items.this.morning.and.
has.been.doing.so.for.as.far.back.as.their.records.show.
The.tough.old.marine.looks.a.lot.friendlier.as.he.walks.out.
to.Jane.with.a.bag.containing.her.bread,.milk,.and.eggs..(He.
was.able.to.match.the.item.numbers,.of.course.).He.apolo-
gizes.for.the.inconvenience.and.the.time.she.lost,.and.tells.her.
how.much.he.appreciates.her.as.a.longtime.loyal.customer..
He. also. brings. her. a. brand-new. discount. card,. along. with.
