Background: We have a group of seniors who come to the mall every single day to walk (read: drink coffee in our cafe for 2 hours). We lost many of them to McDonald's (a good thing) due to a price hike and some of them getting called out on stealing. There's a small group that still comes in. I haven't worked cafe for a couple of years, but have been conscripted until we can hire new people. [/Background]
My boss came to me tonight and said they complained about me. Now, their complaints got me put on probation a couple of years ago. The complaint this time is that I don't want them there. I don't really. I struggle to get stuff done while employees in non-mall stores have the luxury of being left mostly alone in mornings. It's not that I have to serve them--all they want is coffee--but they want me to stand around and talk to them, as my coworkers do. I'm not rude; I answer any questions I'm asked, but I don't give long answers. I don't have time; I have food prep to do because the other customers beside them might want to buy food. I try to get it done by the time the mall stores open, since I get a bit busy then. The seniors are oblivious to this, as they leave at that time. I am not rude to them. I greet them, serve them, make sure there's coffee, say "thank you". I don't treat them any differently than any other customers. And that's the crux of the problem: their "I've been coming here for years" entitlement complex. Too many complaints could land me on probation, but I'm probably fine because my boss defended me to them, told them not to take my personality personally because I have a lot to do, and my coworkers shouldn't be standing there talking to them. Also, her boss' reaction was, "Who cares?" and then, "Why [don't they like you]? Because you don't stand there and BS with them for a half hour?" Yeah, management sees my coworkers wasting time. But I don't know how upper management sees this.
My boss came to me tonight and said they complained about me. Now, their complaints got me put on probation a couple of years ago. The complaint this time is that I don't want them there. I don't really. I struggle to get stuff done while employees in non-mall stores have the luxury of being left mostly alone in mornings. It's not that I have to serve them--all they want is coffee--but they want me to stand around and talk to them, as my coworkers do. I'm not rude; I answer any questions I'm asked, but I don't give long answers. I don't have time; I have food prep to do because the other customers beside them might want to buy food. I try to get it done by the time the mall stores open, since I get a bit busy then. The seniors are oblivious to this, as they leave at that time. I am not rude to them. I greet them, serve them, make sure there's coffee, say "thank you". I don't treat them any differently than any other customers. And that's the crux of the problem: their "I've been coming here for years" entitlement complex. Too many complaints could land me on probation, but I'm probably fine because my boss defended me to them, told them not to take my personality personally because I have a lot to do, and my coworkers shouldn't be standing there talking to them. Also, her boss' reaction was, "Who cares?" and then, "Why [don't they like you]? Because you don't stand there and BS with them for a half hour?" Yeah, management sees my coworkers wasting time. But I don't know how upper management sees this.
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