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Just like most of the country my area has had summer in full swing and it's pretty miserable. The last couple of weeks has brought out some extra special ones.
Home Improvement
Our store is currently undergoing an Extreme Makeover type renovation. Everything is going somewhere else. Needless to say it's been a pain but it's doable. Most people are understanding, they've been okay with the employees taking an extra minute or two trying to find where something was moved. But there are just some comments I really have no reply. At least no reply that wouldn't make me lose my job. Now allow me to go to my happy place and answer how I'd like.
SC: <construction noise in background> "Aww, do you have to listen to that all day?"
Me: It keeps me from listening to stupid comments like that.
SC: <upon entering store and seeing the blocked off area> Oh, what's going on?
Me: Nothing to see keep moving.
SC: Are you expanding the store?
Me: Yes, we're trying to take over the world? You with us?
And while I understand the frustration people telling me they don't like change and asking why we're doing this when things were fine just the way they are, is lost on me. I can't pick up the phone and halt construction. The plan was set in motion by people much, much more important than I am.
And lastly, had a lady get mad because I told her that were didn't have those family stick figure stickers to put on the car. Even though a store about an hour away had them in the vague general area of our front registers. She walked around the store looking for them and shockingly, couldn't find them.
Political Roundtable
Things I have no control over (1) the liquor ID law and how my store deals with it and (2) the cigarette tax.
Had a guy go absolutely batshit crazy because I asked his wife for ID for their purchase. She kept telling him to keep quiet and got her ID out. I only do what the register asks me to do. We've had to ask everyone, that's since changed. And Bill, I'm not sure why your wife has stayed with your grouchy self but I suspect it might have to do with the two bottles of wine she was
purchasing at 11 in the morning. Then I had a lady ask me if the price went up on cigarettes and go into this story about how she was arguing with a guy in a discount tobacco place about it. I finally gave up and rang up the next customer so she could go home before her ice cream melted. After the cigarette lady walked away the ice cream lady said "She's too old to be smoking anyway."
and she wasn't exactly a young whipper snapper either.
And finally tonight fun follies! I'm going to start with the last customer and work my way back.
Last hour of my shift woman comes in with a return, gets it taken care of and proceeds to shop. She was having trouble walking, so much so that she ended up sitting on a few of our counters. She stayed for 45 minutes. I think she cornered every employee on the floor including the night manager. We all breathed a sigh of relief when she left.
Had a couple of coupon shoppers who felt their total should be less. No, just no. We do what we can and can't do anymore.
Then there was this ham emergency.
Me: Thanks for calling blah blah.
Ham Guy: Yeah, can you check in your deli section for (some random ham product). It should be right there by the bacon and eggs.
Me: We don't have anything like that.
HG: Just go look in your deli section by the bacon and eggs you'll see it.
At this point it's time to wash my hands of him and turn him loose on the manager. For the record our "deli section" consists of some defrosted sandwiches and overpriced lunchmeat none of which was his random ham product.
Just over an hour into my shift this lady gets in my line. This is the one that set the tone of the whole night.
SC: Okay, lets try this again. (This should've been my red flag to run away)
I ring up her milk and cigarettes and she runs her card. I look at the register and she still owes just over a buck.
Me: You still owe <amount>.
SC: I don't have it.
Me: Okay I'll call a manger to void this.
My thinking is that even though the order is partly paid by voiding it off the card won't get charged. I was wrong it still gets charged as long as it's run. Now I"m still thinking the card isn't charged so I ring it up again minus a pack of cigarettes. She runs the card again, it's declined. I call the manager again. Order is voided.
SC: I've paid for this stuff and you owe me the money for the cigarettes I gave back.
Manager: Well, it's voided and it can take a few days for it to get back on your card. There's a hold on it at the bank.
SC: This is bullshit! I need this stuff today! I worked retail and that's not how things work.
At this point I went over to another register to clear out the line. I'm not sure what the manager said but the lady got her stuff. Okay, it's frustating that there's a hold by the bank for money that you need. But it's not our fault YOU can't keep track of your bank balance. Getting mad isn't helping anyone, in fact it's just giving me a headache.
Sadly, this normally wouldn't even be a blip on my work radar. What makes this one stand out is the t-shirt she was wearing it said "You can't fix stupid". Obviously.
Four more days and I'm on vacation.
Home Improvement
Our store is currently undergoing an Extreme Makeover type renovation. Everything is going somewhere else. Needless to say it's been a pain but it's doable. Most people are understanding, they've been okay with the employees taking an extra minute or two trying to find where something was moved. But there are just some comments I really have no reply. At least no reply that wouldn't make me lose my job. Now allow me to go to my happy place and answer how I'd like.
SC: <construction noise in background> "Aww, do you have to listen to that all day?"
Me: It keeps me from listening to stupid comments like that.
SC: <upon entering store and seeing the blocked off area> Oh, what's going on?
Me: Nothing to see keep moving.
SC: Are you expanding the store?
Me: Yes, we're trying to take over the world? You with us?
And while I understand the frustration people telling me they don't like change and asking why we're doing this when things were fine just the way they are, is lost on me. I can't pick up the phone and halt construction. The plan was set in motion by people much, much more important than I am.
And lastly, had a lady get mad because I told her that were didn't have those family stick figure stickers to put on the car. Even though a store about an hour away had them in the vague general area of our front registers. She walked around the store looking for them and shockingly, couldn't find them.
Political Roundtable
Things I have no control over (1) the liquor ID law and how my store deals with it and (2) the cigarette tax.
Had a guy go absolutely batshit crazy because I asked his wife for ID for their purchase. She kept telling him to keep quiet and got her ID out. I only do what the register asks me to do. We've had to ask everyone, that's since changed. And Bill, I'm not sure why your wife has stayed with your grouchy self but I suspect it might have to do with the two bottles of wine she was
purchasing at 11 in the morning. Then I had a lady ask me if the price went up on cigarettes and go into this story about how she was arguing with a guy in a discount tobacco place about it. I finally gave up and rang up the next customer so she could go home before her ice cream melted. After the cigarette lady walked away the ice cream lady said "She's too old to be smoking anyway."
and she wasn't exactly a young whipper snapper either.And finally tonight fun follies! I'm going to start with the last customer and work my way back.
Last hour of my shift woman comes in with a return, gets it taken care of and proceeds to shop. She was having trouble walking, so much so that she ended up sitting on a few of our counters. She stayed for 45 minutes. I think she cornered every employee on the floor including the night manager. We all breathed a sigh of relief when she left.
Had a couple of coupon shoppers who felt their total should be less. No, just no. We do what we can and can't do anymore.
Then there was this ham emergency.
Me: Thanks for calling blah blah.
Ham Guy: Yeah, can you check in your deli section for (some random ham product). It should be right there by the bacon and eggs.
Me: We don't have anything like that.
HG: Just go look in your deli section by the bacon and eggs you'll see it.
At this point it's time to wash my hands of him and turn him loose on the manager. For the record our "deli section" consists of some defrosted sandwiches and overpriced lunchmeat none of which was his random ham product.
Just over an hour into my shift this lady gets in my line. This is the one that set the tone of the whole night.
SC: Okay, lets try this again. (This should've been my red flag to run away)
I ring up her milk and cigarettes and she runs her card. I look at the register and she still owes just over a buck.
Me: You still owe <amount>.
SC: I don't have it.
Me: Okay I'll call a manger to void this.
My thinking is that even though the order is partly paid by voiding it off the card won't get charged. I was wrong it still gets charged as long as it's run. Now I"m still thinking the card isn't charged so I ring it up again minus a pack of cigarettes. She runs the card again, it's declined. I call the manager again. Order is voided.
SC: I've paid for this stuff and you owe me the money for the cigarettes I gave back.
Manager: Well, it's voided and it can take a few days for it to get back on your card. There's a hold on it at the bank.
SC: This is bullshit! I need this stuff today! I worked retail and that's not how things work.
At this point I went over to another register to clear out the line. I'm not sure what the manager said but the lady got her stuff. Okay, it's frustating that there's a hold by the bank for money that you need. But it's not our fault YOU can't keep track of your bank balance. Getting mad isn't helping anyone, in fact it's just giving me a headache.
Sadly, this normally wouldn't even be a blip on my work radar. What makes this one stand out is the t-shirt she was wearing it said "You can't fix stupid". Obviously.
Four more days and I'm on vacation.
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