Something New

Here's one I haven't dealt with in all my years in customer service/retail industry . . .

Found a small, clear, plastic bag of white powder in the store. Laying on the bench near the magazine rack.

Had to call the police to come pick it up. Met a really nice young officer who tested it. Turns out it was nothing that was drug related. Bummer. Still exciting though.

Funny Story

The other night around 1am, I woke up and realized I couldn't remember locking the safe at work. You know, the thing with all the money in it? The one I had forgotten to close and lock a month or so ago and my boss had been the one to find it. Needless to say, he wasn't a happy camper. He even took a picture of the safe being open, so I could "see" that I had left it that way. I didn't want to make that mistake again.

I laid there for I don't know how long, going over each and every detail of my closing shift trying to remember when or if I had closed the safe door. I couldn't remember doing it. The longer I spent trying to remember, the surer I was that I hadn't done it.

I was freaking out a bit.

I thought about driving over and making sure it was closed, but I worried I would attract more attention that way. I didn't think there was any good kind of attention at 1am.

Instead, I came to the conclusion that I would be the the first person to our weekly manager meeting. This would provide me with time to check the safe and not get in trouble should it be open.

I left the house early enough I was sure I would be the first one there, but as I rounded my boss' street I saw his car turn on to the one lane street I was on.

CRIMINY! The man was early!! You have got to be kidding me!! My blood pressure starts to rise, my heart beats increase even more. I know I will be fired for sure.

Can't. Let. That. Happen.

The one day I need to beat my boss to work, he is early. And here I am stuck behind four cars and the one in front of me is driving so slow!! No matter what I do I cannot get the car in front of me to go faster. I finally lose sight of my boss' car and I don't know which way he went.

I chose the freeway thinking it will be faster than going through town. I veer on the on-ramp and am immediately bombarded by semis and trucks. As I am zooming around them - safety mind you - I see a cop car farther up has already pulled over a speeder. I have to slow down. Damn it!

As I get off the freeway, I remember my boss saying he was going to bring breakfast to the meeting. I immediately relax thinking, that must be why he is so early.

As I pull in to work parking lot, I notice I am the only one there.

PHEW! Made it.

As I walk in to the Cash Office, I turn and lo and behold . . . the safe is closed and locked.

No need for worry or loss of sleep and now I realized just how crazy I am. When we sit down to the meeting, I tell the story to the managers, including my boss. I cannot keep this a secret. It is way too funny. And stupid. And yes, loony.

My boss tells me he has driven to the store numerous times because I couldn't remember if he pulled on the doors to make sure they were locked.

So apparently, I am not alone in my psychosis.

Where's the accountability?

I had this customer today who encountered me at customer service and asked if she could use our phones.

Me: Sadly, no. Our entire team was very sick for months back and our GM has now issued a policy of employees only, but there are public telephones at both the stores next to us for you to use.

The woman gets upset and starts telling me how rude we have been toward her while she has been here. How one person was hostile. One person took her books from her table when she only left them for a few minutes. How so many people have told her not to shop here and now she understands why. Because of how she has been treated, she feels I should make an exception for her and let her use the phone.

Me: While I completely understand your frustration with your experience and I appreciate you telling me, I still cannot allow you use our phones. I am so sorry.

She asks if I have a personal cell phone she can use.

Me: (a small shocked laugh escapes my lips) No, ma'am I have to pay for that myself. I repeat my earlier comment about the public phones next door.

She continues to get upset and tells me about her head injury she sustained recently and . . . . more of her story.

Ten minutes go by, I listen and make comforting sounds and responses. Then repeat, "Sadly our phones are strictly for employees only, but right next store they have public phones for your use."

She finally leaves and I go to the registers to pull numbers, log them in our binder and then go to our different departments to drop off their numbers. As I round the corner to one of our departments, guess who I see?? IN FRONT OF A PHONE!! The same woman I told no to not five minutes earlier.

My blood pressure shoots through the roof.

Me: Ma'am, can I help you with something?

She looks at me and says, "this nice girl said I could use the phone."

Me: After you asked me and I told you that every one of our phones are for employees only?!

My employee: Oh my. I am so sorry. (she immediately looks sick)

Me: It's okay you didn't know. It's not your fault. (I look point blank at the woman) As I said before ma'am, our phones are strictly enforced as employee use only, but you may go outside (and I point this time) and use the public phones next door.

She says, "I thought this was separate from your store."

Me: No ma'am we are still in the same building. Obviously there has been a misunderstanding.

She says, "I asked if she had a cell phone and she directed me to this phone."

Me: As I said before, we have to pay for our personal cell phones, but there are public phones for your use right next door. I am going to have to ask you to step away from the phones and out from behind my registers, now. Thank you. (I can feel my face dying from trying to remain calm and collected)

I pull our employee aside and explain that our GM was very specific about not letting customers use the phone because of us being so sick over the holidays. She apologizes again. I tell her not to worry and I will let our GM know he has missed labeling the phone as "employee use only."

I then go in back and find out this woman has complained to our other assistant manager and our merchandise manager too!! Ironically, our other assistant manager has been texting our GM about this woman and watching her on camera to see what she is doing.

Are you kidding me??? I ask what our policy is on asking people to leave because had I known this in advance I would have not hesitated to ask her to leave. As I ask this, our GM says we have full right to ask her to leave and to keep an eye on her. Since I am still seething I ask our other assistant, if she doesn't mind if I stay in back for a few moments and pull tape, then go out front. She says she will walk the floor and keep an eye on her.

I know I have to reapproach my employee who I am sure thinks she is in huge trouble, which she should be, but I am not concerned with her because she always does an incredible job and I know without a doubt she will never forget this incident. But on a side note, this woman who asked to use the phone could very well have gotten that employee FIRED on the spot for her disrespect and disregard after asking me and me telling her no. HOW RUDE?!?!? It just astounds me time and time again, when people do not think by them getting an employee to do something a manager has already said NO to, they could be fired. Or maybe they just don't care. I don't know, but after all my years in retail I shouldn't be surprised anymore.

Hours go by and I get a call asking specifically for me. This same woman calls and wants to speak with me. Directly with me, which is so wrong because anyone who knows they have been wronged will call the manager and complain. Instead she asks to speak to only me. I greet her and ask her name -- which she won't give. Surprise, surprise. She then goes into a long conversation asking my why things escalated so quickly (bc she did something stupid and got caught). She felt harassed and unwelcome (probably bc she complained to everyone, not to mention she got someone in trouble). She doesn't understand why we watched her after she didn't use the phone (bc she was in direct violation of security policy for being behind a register). By then I am so over the situation, I basically talk her down without admitting to being at fault for anything (bc I/we did nothing wrong). At this point, I know it is easier to just console her rather than argue with her, especially knowing my GM will back me up with any complaint she may have. I reassure her she will be welcome in our store and if she has any problems in the future she can ask for me.

Blah blah blah

inattentive parenting satisfaction

I had this family in the other night, shopping around, but in reality they were just wandering around looking at things while they waited for their dinner reservation. Which is code for the parent's walked around and talked while the kids ran, RAN, and destroyed everything in their path. We were all waiting passionately for them to go eat dinner.

Lo and behold, the kids popped back up later in the evening - do people NOT watch their kids anymore? Or is that just me.

They ran (again RAN) through the store, hiding under the racks and making a cacaphony of noise. One of my sales associates kindly told them this wasn't a playground and to behave. They left.

BUT came back later, right before we closed.

Now, I wanted really badly to ask them to come back with their parent's, but I know from experience comments like that infuriate parents who are lackluster about parenting in the first place, so I refrained. I watched as these two rascals hid behind a clothing rack and proceeded to spray a megaton of cologne on their shirts.

At first, I wanted to ask them to stop that, but then it occurred to me that they would just go into the next store and do the same. So I didn't say a word. Instead, I watched them bathe in the cologne to the point where i could smell them from six feet away.

I realized I had won. These inattentive parents would have to sit in the same car with these two angels and smell them the entire ride home. Not to mention try to finish their dinner with the pig pen lingering. I felt very satisfied knowing they would be inconvenienced as much as I felt I had been. Not to mention, those kids definitely ruined their shirts from the amount of oils left in the fibers from the spraying.

Completely unrelated, I woke up with this Melissa Etheridge song stuck in my head, so I found it on my itunes and blasted it while getting ready for work. Why, oh why can't I find the OFFICIAL video instead of some f'd up pic video? Just plain weird.

Post It Note Tuesday - I make this look good

PINT - Patience of a Retail Manager

that is supposed to say "shirts" (lol)

randomly crazy thinking kinda thoughts

It is inevitable that after a long, slow day at work with maybe a handful of people each hour that two minutes before I get to close someone will walk in who is "just looking" which is code for "I just want to walk around wasting time and touch everything so you have to go back and fix it all."

I do not like to do dishes. Could I just have someone come over and do them for me? I realize I live alone and only own one set of dishes. Actually it is not even a complete set as I have broken a bowl and a small plate. Damn, add that to the list of things to buy. I keep forgetting. Anywho, I really just don't like to do dishes. It is so repetitive. And if I was really smart, which apparently I am not, I would immediately wash out that one bowl or plate and set it on the side where it would dry. Then when I need a bowl or plate I would just use that one. Nope. Not happening. Back to beginning of paragraph - WANTED DISH WASHER.

It is NOT a good idea to use the stove after I have to work a closing shift. A) it is late at night b) my brain just doesn't function as well at night because engaging both my body and my mind at the same time = not happening. Example - putting a pot holder in one hand then lifting the boiling lid with the other = oops! Just do not cook late at night. period.

I am feeling funny lately. Anyone else have this? I honestly, just say sh*t. Whatever comes out. And then I laugh. I think maybe I have the giggles. Or something.

I would like to have a third arm/hand. It would make it easier to scratch that elusive place on my back and is ALWAYS itchy, but I can't reach. It would also make putting on my lidocane patches a skosh less painful. It would make carrying groceries up three flights of stairs cooler and quicker. I could then text and drive at the same time, since I have given that up. OH! I could blog while feeding my face!! And now I no longer want a third arm/hand because I feel fat.

Post It Note Tuesday - the hair sniff

What will you say with a POST-IT?

Wordless Wednesday - retail cartoon

This cartoon hangs in my work, above our desks.
I look at it quite often.

But mostly, I look at it when I am having a bad day.

We had a guest in the other day that destroyed the dressing rooms. Literally, left the room a mess. Clothes strewn all over. Hangers askew.
Makes me wonder sometimes.
Do they do this at home?
Would they do this at their mother's house? mom don't answer - :)
And more questioning, when clothes are dirty, have a stain,do they think that it could be because they leave clothes
on the floor, step on them, kick them
and then leave?

After reading this cartoon, though, on those tough days, I realize it doesn't matter.
None of it.
They are clothes.
They are people.
Without either of them, I wouldn't have the job I love.

That, in and of itself, makes me speechless.

Wordless Wednesday