I am sure you have all noticed that I haven't put anything original on my blog in months. I got tired of complaining/writing about the same thing.
I didn't write about Blonde Boss being moved into a new position, traveling store to store to work with people in different stores. She loves it. She got a company car. And she is going to continue doing it. We will be getting a replacement for her. We just aren't sure when.
Our Mr Assistant Manager has been informed he is moving to a local bought out store, temporary, until the end of the year. But he won't be back. This is how it starts. He is supposed to be just helping out, getting the store on the right track. But this is how change begins.
We will end up wig a new Assistant Manager. And it sucks because I like this one. He is a good Assistant Manager. Easy to work with and even fun at times. Lady Boss will be replaced also. Only I am sure I won't like her replacement as much as I like her. But she has a great opportunity and cannot come back into our store knowing she passed it up.
One day a customer dropped a drink bottle... Smashed it on the floor covering it in red fluid and glass. I turned off my light immediately, called for our favorite Lot Lizard, and finished her order so we could get the mess cleaned up. Boss got on register to keep the lines down. A customer walked into my line, he only had two items. I told him I was closed. He told me he could step around the mess. I apologized and told him again I was closed. He looked at me, raised his eyebrow, and asked me if I was sure. I told him more sternly that I was closed, so we could get the mess cleaned up. Idiot!!! He was not happy I would not let him in, I did not care.
Another day we were having a busy day. A wonderful friend of mine bought a deeply discounted set of wicker furniture. Another customer wanted to buy a set also. He would not be able to come get it until the next day. My friend would be back in a couple hours. We told second customer we could not store it for him. He was not happy. We do not have storage space for customer purchases. An older woman came in and wanted to purchase a wicker set a little while later. She would be back in an hour and a half. I helped her check out. Gave her the receipt. Told her when she got back to speak with the person on the Robot Duty or come look for me in register 5. I moved the furniture down with the other set my friend bought. Boss was not happy with me. I told her to chill and that the woman had to pick up her grandson and would be back. When she came back, she did not look for me but I saw her. I closed my register, walked over to her and asked her if she needed help getting her items in her vehicle. I called our Lot Lizard. Everything was handled smoothly and quickly. She came back in 5 minutes later with a bag.. In it was apple butter & homemade syrup. She thanked me for taking care of everything and told me I had been so nice she just wanted to do something for me. She hoped I enjoyed. I thanked her, told her she didn't need to do this. But I accepted it because I didn't want to hurt her feelings. She walked out with a smile and I knew I had done a good thing.
Making customers happy is pretty easy most of the time. Others though can be trying. One woman starts complaining before she even gets in the store. I have heard her many mornings in the parking lot, complaining to no one but herself. She has broken our freezer doors twice from slamming them so hard. She is a truly miserable woman. Nothing makes her happy and with this one, I have given up trying. I let her stand in line, she will complain anyways. I don't do small talk or chit chat with her. She will complain even if I talk to her or not. I am thinking she needs her medicine adjusted.
Others, they just make my day. Customers who come in and smile when I say hello, or tell me the latest going on in their lives. These are the ones I enjoy most. The children who play shy but yell out good bye to me as their parent pushes the cart away or the older person who puts a hand on my arm as they start to walk away and tell me not to work too hard.
One elderly man was having trouble with his credit card at the Robot Machines. Denied three times, he then insisted I punch it into the keyboard. I did. Denied. I explained if he did not have another way to pay for it, we could return everything for him. He was furious. He is one of our regular customers. He pulled out cash complaining the entire time telling me he may or may not be back to shop here. He was extremely upset, threatening me and the store. I suggested he go home and call his bank. An hour later, in the middle of a huge downpour, this man walked in with tears in his eyes. Someone had gotten his card info and charged a grand at stores in another state. He was sorry he had given me such a hard time. I apologized again to him, telling him how sorry I was, but I also told him I felt he now needed to contact all of the other credit card companies and also his bank to let them know what had happened. Just to protect himself and his identity. He looked at me a bit confused. I explained that if they had gotten one card, they could have more cards sent to them and he could end up being in a huge mess. It was like a light when on in his head! He all but ran out of the store after taking my hand and thanking me again. I really need to see that man again and ask him how things are going.
I don't hate my job, a lot of times I don't enjoy it, but there are times, many times, when I enjoy it very much.
I will try to share more of those times here in the future. Check back.....