The Christmas Hag

[CyberLurch]

This particular SC is well known for coming into either the supermarket or petrol station and asking a random employee the same stupid question. The exchange will generally go as follows:

OMG. I had one almost exactly like her a few years ago. Instead of asking a question, she would pick out some random 'flaw' with the store and then badger you about it at length. Fingerprints on the cooler doors. A crack in the front window (that had been there for years), there were leaves in the parking lot (middle of autumn, duh...), the song playing on the radio, and so on. Even if the store could stand up to a Marine Corps command inspection, she'd find SOMETHING, even if she had to invent it.

Acknowledging the flaw was an error, one we even warned newbies about, because if you did, or heaven forbid, APOLOGIZED for it, she would rule your life for the next 45-60 minutes. The manager wouldn't put up with her shit, so she started showing up at odd hours of the night for her self-validation fix.

I finally got tired of her bullshit one night and told her to leave. I don't think anyone had ever told her 'no' before. The look of shock on her face was definitely something to see. A short but heated exchange ensued, during which time I warned her she would either walk out or be escorted out by the police. She finally split and I never saw her again, though she did call my manager the next day. I know because I caught hell for it, but even he had to admit she was a lot more trouble than she was worth.

[Kit-Ginevra]

I'm amazed you're able to open on Christmas Day. Here,unless you're a small corner store, it's illegal to open on Christmas Day or Easter Day.

[notalwaysright]

Just remember: Even if the manglement DOES decide to open up on XMAS day, this will NOT in any way oblige her to actually show up and buy stuff. If anything, she'll probably start complaining about the cruelty of the owners making you all work that day...

Exactly, what if the store was open until say... 6 PM. She'd show up at 6:05 as you were walking to your car and demand that you go back inside and open up so she could find a dented can of green beans and yell at you about it.

[skeptic53]

Probably holds the opinion that if enough people ask, eventually management will decide that the drones don't deserve that solitary day off each year...

Ebenezer: You'll want the whole day off tomorrow, I suppose.
Bob Cratchit: If quite convenient, sir.
Ebenezer: It's not convenient. And it's not fair! If I stopped you half a crown for it, you'd think yourself ill used, wouldn't you? But you don't think me ill used if I pay a day's wages for no work, hmm?
Bob Cratchit: 'Tis only once a year, sir.
Ebenezer: That's a poor excuse for picking a man's pocket every 25th of December.
Bob Cratchit: Yes, sir. I'm sure I'm very sorry, sir, to cause you such an inconvenience. It's the family more than me, sir. They put their hearts into Christmas as it were, sir.
Ebenezer: Yes, and put their hands into my pockets as it were, sir. I suppose you'd better have the whole day. But be back all the earlier the next morning.
Bob Cratchit: I will indeed, sir. Thank you, sir! It's more than generous of you, sir.
Ebenezer: Yes, I know it is, you don't have to tell me.

[XCashier]

Instead of asking a question, she would pick out some random 'flaw' with the store and then badger you about it at length. ...The manager wouldn't put up with her shit, so she started showing up at odd hours of the night for her self-validation fix.

I finally got tired of her bullshit one night and told her to leave....she did call my manager the next day. I know because I caught hell for it, but even he had to admit she was a lot more trouble than she was worth.

So, your manager refused to put up with that SC, but he made you put up with her? Why? Did she buy that much stuff?

Really, the manager should've banned her, and he shouldn't have expected you to put up with her crap or given you hell for banning her.

[protege]

So, your manager refused to put up with that SC, but he made you put up with her? Why? Did she buy that much stuff?

It sounds like the manager is the "customer is always right and we have to kiss her ass so she'll buy stuff" type. Sadly, managers like that never understand that it usually costs *more* to deal with people like that. She comes in and wastes your time. Time that could be better spent on customers that *do* buy stuff.

As for the Christmas day whiner, I was once presented with a comment from my boss. Several years back, he said that if he "had his way, he'd have us work 24/7/365." That would include any and all holidays--even if the markets (I work for a brokerage) were closed. Even on days that the markets (and our clearing firm) would close early, he'd still want someone around until 5:00. Of course, *he* never stuck around--that was only for us little people...

Why? Because there was the possibility that someone would want to do a trade. That never happened. As soon as the markets closed around 2-2:30, things were dead, even online. Naturally, I'd be bored out of my mind with nothing to do. I was getting paid for it anyway (gotta love salary), but still. No sales were happening at all after 2PM--it actually cost *more* for us (or rather *me) to stay at work than it would have to let me go home and be with family.