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  • #1

    Workplace is getting crankier ...

    I'm reluctant to put this in "Morons in Management" so I'm putting it here instead.

    We just lost another worker today. She gave her two weeks' notice today. Our ABSOLUTE BEST SELLER is leaving (his last day is later this week).

    I think the manager is in large part the cause of a lot of this, although I haven't asked for details from anybody -- but I've heard the grumbling.

    For myself, I walked in 10 minutes late today (first time I've been late since she took over). It was partly because I stopped to get a coffee and partly because the last couple of days have been so very stressful that I am still pretty dragged out.

    She didn't read me the riot act, but she did chide me for being late, adding, "If you get written up, everybody gets written up!" I don't know WTF she meant by that and I didn't ask.

    Later on I was joking with a customer ... I was having trouble getting a timer to shut off and I threatened to throw it across the mall hallway. I've also said point-blank to customers "Hang on, I can't remember that; let me ask somebody who can."

    Apparently both of those are unacceptable. They can make things "awkward." So ... we're allowed to comment on how much money people have spent (during the holidays it wasn't uncommon to hear my coworkers saying "Wow, you did a lot of damage today!" while looking at the multitude of bags a customer was holding) and to even ask "What'd you buy??" -- but my comments were unacceptable?

    I'd like to hear thoughts on that, please. It may be that she's right and I'm just letting my bias against her colour my own opinions.

    The girl who resigned today said she believes Manager is trying for a purge of everybody who was there before she came. I'm not 100% convinced of that but it's something to consider.

    I'm not planning to quit yet. I've only just straightened up my company pension plan and profit-sharing situation (that's another story ... probably for "Brain Burps" ...) and I'd like to get something out of both of those before I walk.
    Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
    ~ Mr Hero
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  • #2
    You do probably have a bitch eating crackers problem with this woman. However, small talk is small talk and she's being ridiculous to police it. For you specifically, I would stay away from your first one about throwing it across the mall. Your second one though about saying you don't know is excellent. IMO, I would rather hear that you don't know but will find out than hearing a BS answer. 99% of your customers will be happy with it. You're obviously trying to keep talking until you make a sale. I think you're just fine.

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    • #3
      Thanks, Shyla. The real irony here, IMO, is that she cut in when I was dealing with two women and started chatting with them. The chat turned into a talk about blood pressure and next thing I know she's saying, "Oh yes, my BP is XX which is low but when it gets to XX, which is normal, I know I'm getting stressed out!" Further yakkety-yakkety-yak about her BP numbers.

      Seriously? So my joke about throwing the timer across the hall is "inappropriate" but this is perfectly okay ...?

      I'm not saying I disagree with you on that, and I won't use it again ... but her definition of "inappropriate" seems to be all over the map.
      Last edited by Pixelated; 07-07-2017, 12:45 AM.
      Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
      ~ Mr Hero

      Comment

      • #4
        she believes Manager is trying for a purge of everybody who was there before she came. I'm not 100% convinced of that but it's something to consider.
        I am inclined to agree with your CW's assessment. It leaves room for the new manager to hire friends of hers -- or, at least, people whom she knows think like her -- while eliminating people who know how she works an would be willing to complain about it.
        "For a musician, the SNES sound engine is like using Crayola Crayons. Nobuo Uematsu used Crayola Crayons to paint the Sistine Chapel." - Jeremy Jahns (re: "Dancing Mad")
        "The difference between an amateur and a master is that the master has failed way more times." - JoCat
        "Thinking is difficult, therefore let the herd pronounce judgment!" ~ Carl Jung
        "There's burning bridges, and then there's the lake just to fill it with gasoline." - Wiccy, reddit
        "Retail is a cruel master, and could very well be the most educational time of many people's lives, in its own twisted way." - me
        "Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down...tell you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens...makes her a home." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds, "Serenity" (2005)
        Acts of Gord – Read it, Learn it, Love it!
        "Our psychic powers only work if the customer has a mind to read." - me

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        • #5
          Quoth EricKei View Post
          I am inclined to agree with your CW's assessment. It leaves room for the new manager to hire friends of hers -- or, at least, people whom she knows think like her -- while eliminating people who know how she works an would be willing to complain about it.
          Given the quality of some of the people we've lost, I wouldn't faint from shock if this turned out to be the case. And if so, she's being unbelievably stupid, since one of the people we've lost was our TOP salesperson.

          At the moment I'm just nodding my head and smiling saying "OK" to whatever weird demands she makes. We'll see how it goes, but I'm not going to work myself into a mental or physical collapse trying to keep this job.
          Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
          ~ Mr Hero

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          • #6
            Coworker just informed me she was written up ... for gossiping in the store. Apparently somebody went to manager and said the discussion made him "uncomfortable."

            I'm now getting paranoid enough to wonder if she's getting friends and/or relatives to come in and hang around to see what dirt they can dig up on the employees ...

            *off to kitchen to find the tinfoil*
            Customer service: More efficient than a Dementor's kiss
            ~ Mr Hero

            Comment

            • #7
              Quoth Pixelated View Post
              *off to kitchen to find the tinfoil*
              That's just what Big Tinfoil wants you to think!
              The Rich keep getting richer because they keep doing what it was that made them rich. Ditto the Poor.
              "Hy kan tell dey is schmot qvestions, dey is makink my head hurt."
              Hoc spatio locantur.

              Comment

              • #8
                I look at it this way -- Growing up, we used tinfoil for 3 things: Cooking, wrapping sandwiches for lunch, and improving the reception on our rabbit-ears TV antennas (Get off my lawn, btw!)...So it stands to reason that a tinfoil hat would not BLOCK the transmissions that the managers/government wants (that they're totally not doing. Ever. >_>), but rather, that it would make such transmissions easier to do. Of course, they could be the ones telling people to wear the tinfoil hats...
                "For a musician, the SNES sound engine is like using Crayola Crayons. Nobuo Uematsu used Crayola Crayons to paint the Sistine Chapel." - Jeremy Jahns (re: "Dancing Mad")
                "The difference between an amateur and a master is that the master has failed way more times." - JoCat
                "Thinking is difficult, therefore let the herd pronounce judgment!" ~ Carl Jung
                "There's burning bridges, and then there's the lake just to fill it with gasoline." - Wiccy, reddit
                "Retail is a cruel master, and could very well be the most educational time of many people's lives, in its own twisted way." - me
                "Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down...tell you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens...makes her a home." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds, "Serenity" (2005)
                Acts of Gord – Read it, Learn it, Love it!
                "Our psychic powers only work if the customer has a mind to read." - me

                Comment

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