--whoa. corrections have been made. that's all I'm gonna say.--
I have seen people be promoted, passed over, and fired. I have also been through similar circumstances. And I have to say: a lot of it seems to be really spontaneous.
No one seems to think things through when doing so, therefore you end up getting a lot of incapable people in power, and good candidates on the street. Why is this? There are several factors involoved.
The first one is pressure. Recently I've noticed that it could be just the manager pressuring him'erself to promote as fast as possible. This makes it look like they are good at training. However once that employee is out of said manager's hair, any mistakes they make are their own. There can also be pressure from the higher-ups to fire someone because money or product is missing (or profits aren't high enough).
Weaker managers buckle under this pressure. They don't want to fire anyone, or they rush in picking those to promote, thereby making a wrong decision and making future decisions of the same even more difficult. If one hastily promotes a thief and fires a good candidate for CEO, s/he is going to have to do one of two things once s/he figures out the truth: pretend that s/he was right, or admit to everyone that s/he made a mistake.
Another factor is--you guessed it--biases.* If that manager is racist or sexist, more than likely s/he is going to make a poor decision somewhere down the line. There may be an excellent candidate for promotion, but if s/he is of the "offending" description, then in reality his'er job is more likely up for termination.
And, finally, favorites. We all have that special someone we enjoy working with, what's wrong with that? If that's all it is, then nothing--but otherwise, well--just read on.
Bob is a new employee at "Jane's Mart, Inc." He is an intelligent, funny, kind, hard-working guy, and his personality really compliments his boss's. They hit it off and his boss begins to trust him with different things, and--because they are friends and all--doesn't watch him. When he costs the store money, the manager chalks it up to mistakes. When product goes missing, the boss looks elsewhere. Not readily finding the problem, this manager starts to imagine problems with other people, finally firing the wrong person. Bob isn't stupid--he knows to stop doing anything until a replacement is hired. And the process starts all over again with him never being suspected.
That's what's wrong with favorites. It is estimated that 83% of theft in any retail business is done by employees, and you can't tell who's a statistic just by looking. Service with a smile indeed!
So when it comes down to it, management doesn't always make decisions based on fact and reality. But you probably already knew that.
**A quick little message to those in any customer service position who is prejudiced against any kind of people: Get out of that profession now. You can't be a doctor that is afraid of germs or a musician who refuses to play B sharp, can you? So unless you can repress these feelings wholly and completely (and you are in no way a part of the hiring/firing process), then just quit now. Thanks**
Wednesday
Cops.
I have a co-worker that talks about how much s/he hates cops. S/he thinks they are all crooked and abuse their power. However one day his'er house gets robbed and his'er spouse gets shot at, and now s/he's all SO GRATEFUL that the cops showed up to help. Don't be like this.
When you are working at a small convenience store, cops are your friends. Yes, you can't steal stuff while they are there (you aren't doing that anyway, right?)--but they also make it less likely that you'd get shot in the face while on duty. Here are three easy steps to keep them at your store and not the one down the street:
Step 1: Ask your manager if there are any freebies for police.
Step 2: If there are, use them at every chance and make sure that these "brothers (and sisters!) in blue" know about them.
Step 3: Chat'em up! Talk to them, entertain them, have fun! Laugh at their jokes, though you've heard them a thousand times. Feel free to partially neglect your cleaning duties when they're there. Horse around, situation permitting.
The "popo" are people, too, y'know. They have families and cook-outs and pets. They have secret recipies and phobias. They can be awesome friends, too. Imagine this: if a zombie apocolypse befalls us, are you going to hide out in your friend's mom's basement or a gun-crazy cop's house? Yeah, that's what I thought.
When you are working at a small convenience store, cops are your friends. Yes, you can't steal stuff while they are there (you aren't doing that anyway, right?)--but they also make it less likely that you'd get shot in the face while on duty. Here are three easy steps to keep them at your store and not the one down the street:
Step 1: Ask your manager if there are any freebies for police.
Step 2: If there are, use them at every chance and make sure that these "brothers (and sisters!) in blue" know about them.
Step 3: Chat'em up! Talk to them, entertain them, have fun! Laugh at their jokes, though you've heard them a thousand times. Feel free to partially neglect your cleaning duties when they're there. Horse around, situation permitting.
The "popo" are people, too, y'know. They have families and cook-outs and pets. They have secret recipies and phobias. They can be awesome friends, too. Imagine this: if a zombie apocolypse befalls us, are you going to hide out in your friend's mom's basement or a gun-crazy cop's house? Yeah, that's what I thought.
Sunday
How to Quit (and still have a reference)
You are going to quit. Why? Is it because:
-You hate your job?
-You hate your co-workers?
-You hate your boss?
-You hate your location?
-You hate the company?
-You need more money?
-You found a better job?
-You can't stand your customers?
-You found your calling?
-You have a morality issue?
-You don't have a morality issue?
-You broke up with a co-worker?
-Any other reason?
First things first: don't tell your co-workers. You can tell them, but just don't discuss it with them. Nothing you say will remain as you said it, so you saying, "I broke up with Jared," will turn into, "Jared beats me." No kidding, it will get that misconstrued.
After you have that down, make sure you never get angry. With anyone. Keep smiling and nodding as if you were trying to keep your job, just as before, so that no one will remember you as short-tempered. These last few days are going to be what they remember. So if you slack off, you will be thought of as lazy. If you leave early, that is how you will be characterized. And worse yet, you may just be rumored as having been fired.
As much as you want to, do not go crazy. Don't moon your boss. Don't walk out on a busy shift. Don't quit by text message (*cough*)...just don't. Walk up to your boss and inform him'er that you are putting in your two weeks. If you can't do two whole weeks, give them as much time as possible. Keep everything as civil as possible.
You will probably be asked as to why you are quitting. You can be honest (as long as its a rational reason to quit), but be nice. Do not say, "You are a sucky manager." Say, "I cannot cope with your managerial techniques, even after having open discussions with you and your superiors." Have you not had said discussions? Are you sure you want to just up and quit?
That brings me to my next point: No place is going to be perfect. Don't quit an otherwise awesome job because there aren't enough ways the employees are thanked. Try to talk to your manager (or whoever is in charge of morale) and suggest something. If they don't go for it, take initiative. Worse comes to worse, you have that as an excuse for quitting that makes you sound indispensable.
If you take enough care, your ex-boss can become an advocate instead of an enemy.
Happy quitting!
-You hate your job?
-You hate your co-workers?
-You hate your boss?
-You hate your location?
-You hate the company?
-You need more money?
-You found a better job?
-You can't stand your customers?
-You found your calling?
-You have a morality issue?
-You don't have a morality issue?
-You broke up with a co-worker?
-Any other reason?
First things first: don't tell your co-workers. You can tell them, but just don't discuss it with them. Nothing you say will remain as you said it, so you saying, "I broke up with Jared," will turn into, "Jared beats me." No kidding, it will get that misconstrued.
After you have that down, make sure you never get angry. With anyone. Keep smiling and nodding as if you were trying to keep your job, just as before, so that no one will remember you as short-tempered. These last few days are going to be what they remember. So if you slack off, you will be thought of as lazy. If you leave early, that is how you will be characterized. And worse yet, you may just be rumored as having been fired.
As much as you want to, do not go crazy. Don't moon your boss. Don't walk out on a busy shift. Don't quit by text message (*cough*)...just don't. Walk up to your boss and inform him'er that you are putting in your two weeks. If you can't do two whole weeks, give them as much time as possible. Keep everything as civil as possible.
You will probably be asked as to why you are quitting. You can be honest (as long as its a rational reason to quit), but be nice. Do not say, "You are a sucky manager." Say, "I cannot cope with your managerial techniques, even after having open discussions with you and your superiors." Have you not had said discussions? Are you sure you want to just up and quit?
That brings me to my next point: No place is going to be perfect. Don't quit an otherwise awesome job because there aren't enough ways the employees are thanked. Try to talk to your manager (or whoever is in charge of morale) and suggest something. If they don't go for it, take initiative. Worse comes to worse, you have that as an excuse for quitting that makes you sound indispensable.
If you take enough care, your ex-boss can become an advocate instead of an enemy.
Happy quitting!
Friday
As a Manager...
When people move up the ladder, they usually forget little things about being at the bottom. So as you discover upward mobility, refer back to this list so as not to completely lose your soul.
1. Their job is thankless. People go in and out of that store, constantly degrading them, messing up displays, making messes, and generally being really, really obnoxious. Remember to always thank your subordinates and tell them what a good job they are doing.
2. They have lives outside the store. Just because you chose to sign your life away to your company, doesn't mean they plan to. Give them a heads up as to what their schedule is so they can plan for it. Also, don't switch people's shifts around last second unless absolutely necessary, and make sure you actually (and personally) get in touch with them to tell them about said changes.
3. While a lot of people are really stupid, try to remember that there are still a fair number of people out there with half a brain. Train them, but don't constantly remind them of simple tasks. Unless warranted, of course.
4. People have birthdays. Don't schedule them then.
5. Some people are kind of stupid, so don't scare them away with far too much information at a time when training them. A little bit, day by day, and they will remember it better.
6. Unhappy pandas are very, very unproductive ones.
7. People have bad days, and really appreciate it if you acknowledge that. Don't hesitate to let a person take a five minute cool-down break away from customers--or a five second one screaming obscenities in a fridge or shirt sleeve. And learn to forgive the occasional outburst--they will be much more willing to apologize and calm down.
8. Don't have your customers express more appreciation than you for your employees--that should be embarrassing.
9. Develop a rapport with your employees, but remain separate enough to treat them all equally--don't play favorites.
10. When you recognize your employees, remember that it means almost nothing unless there are a few witnesses. But don't embarrass them, either.
When you read this, did you think to yourself, "this is just a long 'don't do this' list"? This feels really negative and demeaning, doesn't it? Remember this next time you address your staff. They get this all the time.
1. Their job is thankless. People go in and out of that store, constantly degrading them, messing up displays, making messes, and generally being really, really obnoxious. Remember to always thank your subordinates and tell them what a good job they are doing.
2. They have lives outside the store. Just because you chose to sign your life away to your company, doesn't mean they plan to. Give them a heads up as to what their schedule is so they can plan for it. Also, don't switch people's shifts around last second unless absolutely necessary, and make sure you actually (and personally) get in touch with them to tell them about said changes.
3. While a lot of people are really stupid, try to remember that there are still a fair number of people out there with half a brain. Train them, but don't constantly remind them of simple tasks. Unless warranted, of course.
4. People have birthdays. Don't schedule them then.
5. Some people are kind of stupid, so don't scare them away with far too much information at a time when training them. A little bit, day by day, and they will remember it better.
6. Unhappy pandas are very, very unproductive ones.
7. People have bad days, and really appreciate it if you acknowledge that. Don't hesitate to let a person take a five minute cool-down break away from customers--or a five second one screaming obscenities in a fridge or shirt sleeve. And learn to forgive the occasional outburst--they will be much more willing to apologize and calm down.
8. Don't have your customers express more appreciation than you for your employees--that should be embarrassing.
9. Develop a rapport with your employees, but remain separate enough to treat them all equally--don't play favorites.
10. When you recognize your employees, remember that it means almost nothing unless there are a few witnesses. But don't embarrass them, either.
When you read this, did you think to yourself, "this is just a long 'don't do this' list"? This feels really negative and demeaning, doesn't it? Remember this next time you address your staff. They get this all the time.
Wednesday
Types of Establishments
Franchise vs. Corporate Store vs. Small Business
I have worked for all of these types of establishments and I wanted to share my view of the pros and cons of working at each. I'm only going to touch on a couple subjects, though. Later on, I'll probably write more on this topic.
Job Security
Corporate stores are pretty much always going to have higher job security when it comes to having a business there to have a job at. However, they are also able to easily replace you as they have money enough and traffic enough to advertise a job opening. They also have a neat little tactic called "employee sharing." If one store for Corporate, Inc. has a hole to be filled in a shift, then they can call another store and see if they have someone who wants more hours. This means, they rely that much less on you. (note: not all corporate stores take full advantage of this)
Franchises are not as easily staffed and therefore need to keep a tighter grip on their employees, but they are more likely to fail or be sold than their corporate counterparts.
Small businesses can be here today, gone tomorrow. Most businesses period fail within the first five years. Barring that, you're pretty much set.
However, there is another thing to consider with that:
Hours per Week
The harder it is for your store to replace you, the more hours you're going to get. Period. The fewer employees there are, the more likely you're going to get called in to replace someone who is sick, and the less likely you're going to get a chance to do the same. So take that list up there, and flip it. Of course there are always exceptions--right now I work at a corporate store and we're pretty hard-pressed for people.
Getting Hired
While for the most part, hiring managers are always going to be able to hire you on the spot (for customer service jobs, anyway), there still is a little bit of a difference in styles.
For Corporations, there is almost always certain criteria laid down for the hiring managers to follow such as: drug testing, background checks, certain types of experience, et cetera. So you may be perfect for the job, but smoke a little pot on the weekends. Or you may be a perfectly...rehabilitated felon. You're not gonna get this job.
Franchises are also probably going to be a little more structured when it comes to hiring than small businesses, but they are a little more flexible than corporations.
When you work for a small business, your boss...may just be your dealer. Well, okay, this could be true with corporations, but its far more likely to happen with a less structured hiring process.
Training
Corporations spend hundreds of thousands (if not more) on learning the most cutting edge of training techniques. They have the money for computer programs written specifically for their registers and protocol, seminars you can attend, classes that are tailor-made...basically, if your corporation cares enough, you will be trained so well that you could do your job in a coma.
Franchise stores usually have access to these materials, but they are not required to adhere as closely to that curriculum.
Then, small businesses basically train by having the most knowledgeable person working that day to show the new kid. Sometimes, just the least busy person. On a plus side to this, however, training can lead to a stronger rapport among the staff, the trainer may learn something new, and the process is altogether less cold than an unfeeling computer telling you that you suck.
Raises/Pay/Benefits
Corporations, once again, are far more guaranteed to exist than any other kind of employer. Therefore, the pay, benefits, raises, etc. are all also more guaranteed. Notice I said "more guaranteed" and not just "guaranteed." Yeah, always remember that...
When it comes to pay, though, the harder it is to replace you, the more you will get paid (that is unless its just hard for them to find someone to work as cheap as you). Both in accumulated hours and your hourly wages.
And finally, to make it easier to get on with your day:
Overall Employee Satisfaction
Corporations don't care if your happy. They do, but only to the point of you staying with the company (if you're useful). Your boss may be a little more concerned, but they are bound by the rules and whims of the company.
Franchises are pretty much the same.
However, small business owners (if they know what's good for them) will usually take a personal interest in your life: they will probably want to meet your spouse, they may take you soup when you're sick at home, they might occasionally demand you take a vacation when you've worked hard...they may even fudge numbers for you, just to make life easier. (this is not recommended for you SB owners out there!) They are also more likely to recognize the little things, like shining all the metal in the store, or being exceptionally patient with a difficult customer. They will celebrate things with you like birthdays or weddings...they are more likely to become a friend of yours, even after you find a better job.
And most of all, a small business owner is more likely to say to a customer:
"Get the f*** out of my store!!"
I have worked for all of these types of establishments and I wanted to share my view of the pros and cons of working at each. I'm only going to touch on a couple subjects, though. Later on, I'll probably write more on this topic.
Job Security
Corporate stores are pretty much always going to have higher job security when it comes to having a business there to have a job at. However, they are also able to easily replace you as they have money enough and traffic enough to advertise a job opening. They also have a neat little tactic called "employee sharing." If one store for Corporate, Inc. has a hole to be filled in a shift, then they can call another store and see if they have someone who wants more hours. This means, they rely that much less on you. (note: not all corporate stores take full advantage of this)
Franchises are not as easily staffed and therefore need to keep a tighter grip on their employees, but they are more likely to fail or be sold than their corporate counterparts.
Small businesses can be here today, gone tomorrow. Most businesses period fail within the first five years. Barring that, you're pretty much set.
However, there is another thing to consider with that:
Hours per Week
The harder it is for your store to replace you, the more hours you're going to get. Period. The fewer employees there are, the more likely you're going to get called in to replace someone who is sick, and the less likely you're going to get a chance to do the same. So take that list up there, and flip it. Of course there are always exceptions--right now I work at a corporate store and we're pretty hard-pressed for people.
Getting Hired
While for the most part, hiring managers are always going to be able to hire you on the spot (for customer service jobs, anyway), there still is a little bit of a difference in styles.
For Corporations, there is almost always certain criteria laid down for the hiring managers to follow such as: drug testing, background checks, certain types of experience, et cetera. So you may be perfect for the job, but smoke a little pot on the weekends. Or you may be a perfectly...rehabilitated felon. You're not gonna get this job.
Franchises are also probably going to be a little more structured when it comes to hiring than small businesses, but they are a little more flexible than corporations.
When you work for a small business, your boss...may just be your dealer. Well, okay, this could be true with corporations, but its far more likely to happen with a less structured hiring process.
Training
Corporations spend hundreds of thousands (if not more) on learning the most cutting edge of training techniques. They have the money for computer programs written specifically for their registers and protocol, seminars you can attend, classes that are tailor-made...basically, if your corporation cares enough, you will be trained so well that you could do your job in a coma.
Franchise stores usually have access to these materials, but they are not required to adhere as closely to that curriculum.
Then, small businesses basically train by having the most knowledgeable person working that day to show the new kid. Sometimes, just the least busy person. On a plus side to this, however, training can lead to a stronger rapport among the staff, the trainer may learn something new, and the process is altogether less cold than an unfeeling computer telling you that you suck.
Raises/Pay/Benefits
Corporations, once again, are far more guaranteed to exist than any other kind of employer. Therefore, the pay, benefits, raises, etc. are all also more guaranteed. Notice I said "more guaranteed" and not just "guaranteed." Yeah, always remember that...
When it comes to pay, though, the harder it is to replace you, the more you will get paid (that is unless its just hard for them to find someone to work as cheap as you). Both in accumulated hours and your hourly wages.
And finally, to make it easier to get on with your day:
Overall Employee Satisfaction
Corporations don't care if your happy. They do, but only to the point of you staying with the company (if you're useful). Your boss may be a little more concerned, but they are bound by the rules and whims of the company.
Franchises are pretty much the same.
However, small business owners (if they know what's good for them) will usually take a personal interest in your life: they will probably want to meet your spouse, they may take you soup when you're sick at home, they might occasionally demand you take a vacation when you've worked hard...they may even fudge numbers for you, just to make life easier. (this is not recommended for you SB owners out there!) They are also more likely to recognize the little things, like shining all the metal in the store, or being exceptionally patient with a difficult customer. They will celebrate things with you like birthdays or weddings...they are more likely to become a friend of yours, even after you find a better job.
And most of all, a small business owner is more likely to say to a customer:
"Get the f*** out of my store!!"
Monday
Fun Things to Do Late Night
After so many serious posts (and an eternity stretched out in there somewhere), I figured now would be a good time to throw in something a little fun! Just a little list post, if you don't mind. (note: I am not responsible for any repercussion of any kind following this advice may have)
-Celebrate the many silly holidays out there like Talk Like a Pirate Day on 11/19, or Sneak Like a Ninja Day, on 12/5
-If you have enough willing participants, have box car races (with actual boxes)
-Bring crayons and coloring books (enough for everyone)
-Get out the receipt paper rolls (or even the toilet paper rolls if you want) and start building!
-Hide and Seek!
-Origami
-Bring in portable gaming systems and, if possible, have matches against each other.
-Bring in some danceable music and have a sock hop
-Air guitar
-Do many of the things already listed everywhere on the internet (google: "how to be annoying" or "how to stay sane")
-Come in armed with your best jokes and either tell them to just your co-workers, or even perform for your customers
-Pretend with a co-worker to speak a different language in front of customers
-Develop a "twitch" when working at the register
-Make costumes out of boxes and other miscellaneous trash
-Pretend to know one of your customers from the past (extra points if you convince them)
-Switch sections around to confuse the next shift
-Fake an accent...with regulars
-Store paper items in the fridge--give them expiration dates
I will be adding more as I come up with them (or steal them from friends). My point here, though, is that even really boring jobs don't have to be horribly so. And best of all, you get paid to do these things!
-Celebrate the many silly holidays out there like Talk Like a Pirate Day on 11/19, or Sneak Like a Ninja Day, on 12/5
-If you have enough willing participants, have box car races (with actual boxes)
-Bring crayons and coloring books (enough for everyone)
-Get out the receipt paper rolls (or even the toilet paper rolls if you want) and start building!
-Hide and Seek!
-Origami
-Bring in portable gaming systems and, if possible, have matches against each other.
-Bring in some danceable music and have a sock hop
-Air guitar
-Do many of the things already listed everywhere on the internet (google: "how to be annoying" or "how to stay sane")
-Come in armed with your best jokes and either tell them to just your co-workers, or even perform for your customers
-Pretend with a co-worker to speak a different language in front of customers
-Develop a "twitch" when working at the register
-Make costumes out of boxes and other miscellaneous trash
-Pretend to know one of your customers from the past (extra points if you convince them)
-Switch sections around to confuse the next shift
-Fake an accent...with regulars
-Store paper items in the fridge--give them expiration dates
I will be adding more as I come up with them (or steal them from friends). My point here, though, is that even really boring jobs don't have to be horribly so. And best of all, you get paid to do these things!
Saturday
When Applying for a Job, pt.2
So you've snooped around and have decided that all's okay? Don't be too hasty. The interview process is important to observe, too.
Firstly, how often do they offer positions? If this is a big or growing company, offering positions all the time is fine; however, if this is something like your corner gas station--that may be a problem. This translates into, "we do only business enough to employ the smallest number of people." Why is this bad? Minimum people means maximum hours, right? Well, yes. And then some. When you are yelled at for having overtime even when no one else is available for work, when you are disciplined for taking a sick day, and when there is no possible way for you to take your sibling's birthday off even a month in advance...that's bad. It's also possible that your potential boss may be targeting people seemingly at random to fire. Not to mention that if you do stay, you will be training person after person just to have that guy leave in a few weeks.
Sometimes you will get an interview on the spot, regardless of the situation. This is fine. But take note: Do they find out your qualifications or do they boast their own? This interview tactic is common for both scams and plain crappy jobs. Also know that if they hire you without asking questions, they will also hire the illiterate introvert who can't count as a cashier.
How long did it take you to get hired?
Did they say, "we'll call you?" Or did they hire you on the spot? You may have just completely won them over--y'know, with your doctorate in CS and your major in licking boots. However, if you had one customer service job for a week three years ago...you might want to take that into consideration. Eager to hire means short-handed. Short-handed means, well--just refer back to the other paragraph.
Finally, what's worse than being hired on the spot with less-than-perfect qualifications? Starting later that day.
Please, pass this on to your loved ones! : )
Next time, we discuss the finer things in life--or, things to keep you entertained on the graveyard shift!
Firstly, how often do they offer positions? If this is a big or growing company, offering positions all the time is fine; however, if this is something like your corner gas station--that may be a problem. This translates into, "we do only business enough to employ the smallest number of people." Why is this bad? Minimum people means maximum hours, right? Well, yes. And then some. When you are yelled at for having overtime even when no one else is available for work, when you are disciplined for taking a sick day, and when there is no possible way for you to take your sibling's birthday off even a month in advance...that's bad. It's also possible that your potential boss may be targeting people seemingly at random to fire. Not to mention that if you do stay, you will be training person after person just to have that guy leave in a few weeks.
Sometimes you will get an interview on the spot, regardless of the situation. This is fine. But take note: Do they find out your qualifications or do they boast their own? This interview tactic is common for both scams and plain crappy jobs. Also know that if they hire you without asking questions, they will also hire the illiterate introvert who can't count as a cashier.
How long did it take you to get hired?
Did they say, "we'll call you?" Or did they hire you on the spot? You may have just completely won them over--y'know, with your doctorate in CS and your major in licking boots. However, if you had one customer service job for a week three years ago...you might want to take that into consideration. Eager to hire means short-handed. Short-handed means, well--just refer back to the other paragraph.
Finally, what's worse than being hired on the spot with less-than-perfect qualifications? Starting later that day.
Please, pass this on to your loved ones! : )
Next time, we discuss the finer things in life--or, things to keep you entertained on the graveyard shift!
Thursday
When Applying for a Job
If you are going to apply for a cashier job, odds are that you don't have a lot of choice regarding where you apply. However, if you do--or if you are having a hard time making a decision--then make sure you pay attention to the details. Otherwise you will be regretting it later on.
(While most of this list applies to all jobs, I wrote this with cashier jobs in mind.)
Before you ever grab an application, snoop around as much as possible. Ask questions, listen to conversations, look at areas accessible only by staff.
Step one is to assess the people:
Are the Employees happy?
This may seem like a dumb question, but how often have you or someone you know worked where everyone was already miserable. How can you tell? Are they smiling, chatting, working? "Are they working" may sound counter intuitive, but sometimes people are lazy because they are "punishing" their employer--or even just the next shift.
Is the boss happy?
Come at a time when the boss is there--even better if it's the boss's boss. The phrase, "s--t rolls downhill" is truer than you may think. Another way to determine if the boss is happy: look to see if there are any signs posted saying, "don't do this," or "do it this way." The less signs, the better. One exclamation mark is okay, more is bad, and just a period is worse. Those are last ditch efforts to train employees; lazy at best, but more likely it's just that nobody cares anymore.
Are the customers happy?
I will never work fast food again if I have the choice, because hungry people are never happy until full. And what do they do then? Leave. If you have a customer service job, that's who you deal with--the customers. And if they aren't happy, you'll never be.
Is the store well-stocked, organized, and clean? If not, this store could have a number of things wrong with it. Maybe they just got slammed in a horrid rush and just didn't have time to clean. That's not bad. Some people like it busy. However, this could also mean...they don't have adequate supplies for cleaning...they don't have a system of organization in place...equipment is broken (either just for now or it happens all the time)...and maybe everyone just doesn't care.
Finally, listen for "office gossip." Gossip has never been a catalyst for success, so try to find employment as far away from it as possible. There are always going to be gossipy people no matter where you go, but if it's the boss doing it, turn right back around and leave.
That's enough for today. Next time we'll look at the ways to assess the store itself to help you with a decision.
(While most of this list applies to all jobs, I wrote this with cashier jobs in mind.)
Before you ever grab an application, snoop around as much as possible. Ask questions, listen to conversations, look at areas accessible only by staff.
Step one is to assess the people:
Are the Employees happy?
This may seem like a dumb question, but how often have you or someone you know worked where everyone was already miserable. How can you tell? Are they smiling, chatting, working? "Are they working" may sound counter intuitive, but sometimes people are lazy because they are "punishing" their employer--or even just the next shift.
Is the boss happy?
Come at a time when the boss is there--even better if it's the boss's boss. The phrase, "s--t rolls downhill" is truer than you may think. Another way to determine if the boss is happy: look to see if there are any signs posted saying, "don't do this," or "do it this way." The less signs, the better. One exclamation mark is okay, more is bad, and just a period is worse. Those are last ditch efforts to train employees; lazy at best, but more likely it's just that nobody cares anymore.
Are the customers happy?
I will never work fast food again if I have the choice, because hungry people are never happy until full. And what do they do then? Leave. If you have a customer service job, that's who you deal with--the customers. And if they aren't happy, you'll never be.
Is the store well-stocked, organized, and clean? If not, this store could have a number of things wrong with it. Maybe they just got slammed in a horrid rush and just didn't have time to clean. That's not bad. Some people like it busy. However, this could also mean...they don't have adequate supplies for cleaning...they don't have a system of organization in place...equipment is broken (either just for now or it happens all the time)...and maybe everyone just doesn't care.
Finally, listen for "office gossip." Gossip has never been a catalyst for success, so try to find employment as far away from it as possible. There are always going to be gossipy people no matter where you go, but if it's the boss doing it, turn right back around and leave.
That's enough for today. Next time we'll look at the ways to assess the store itself to help you with a decision.
Monday
Stupid Customers
Well, it's Monday morning, and so I thought I would start off the week with a light bit of reading to just make you chuckle a little.
This topic is all over the internet where many can contribute with their own stories. One of my favorite sites is http://notalwaysright.com/ . However, I'd like to share a couple of my own experiences.
Odd Restrictions
A woman in my drive thru told us to not put ice in her soda. Due to the lunch rush and the manner in which sodas in DT are handled, we forgot to do this. Understandably she handed it back, but she also did something worth mentioning here: she claimed she was ALLERGIC TO ICE. Yes, folks, apparently when regular H2O freezes, it becomes super allergen death of doom!
Tired Travelers
A man came through my store, late at night, and gathered his items at my register. After ringing him up, I told him his total and he swiped his card at the self-swipe machine. When something isn't right there it will beep, and beep it did. I asked him to swipe one more time and I watched him closely to make sure his card was facing the right way. I saw the problem.
"You're really tired, aren't you, sir?"
Confused, he responded. "Yes, how'd you know?"
"You are...kinda...using your room key. I noticed the pizza ad on your card."
Crazy Crackheads
My coworker went outside one time for a cigarette. While there, she happened to noticed this very angry man on his bike coming toward our store, shouting about really random stuff. He parked in our lot, marched into the store, got no farther than the doormat, screaming, "F--k you, f--k the company, f--k you guys," among other unintelligible gibberish the whole way. He then promptly turned around, went back outside, cursed at my coworker and rode off before anyone could really even move.
And finally...
The best/worst pick-up line ever? "Once my wife and I get a divorce, I'm coming after you!"
I will definitely have to post more of these stories as they happen and as I remember them, however today's post is going to be kept short.
I will henceforth be publishing on Tuesdays and Thursdays in order to preserve my sanity. You want me to do more? Pay my bills, please. Thanks. And, while you're at it, make me a sammich.
This topic is all over the internet where many can contribute with their own stories. One of my favorite sites is http://notalwaysright.com/ . However, I'd like to share a couple of my own experiences.
Odd Restrictions
A woman in my drive thru told us to not put ice in her soda. Due to the lunch rush and the manner in which sodas in DT are handled, we forgot to do this. Understandably she handed it back, but she also did something worth mentioning here: she claimed she was ALLERGIC TO ICE. Yes, folks, apparently when regular H2O freezes, it becomes super allergen death of doom!
Tired Travelers
A man came through my store, late at night, and gathered his items at my register. After ringing him up, I told him his total and he swiped his card at the self-swipe machine. When something isn't right there it will beep, and beep it did. I asked him to swipe one more time and I watched him closely to make sure his card was facing the right way. I saw the problem.
"You're really tired, aren't you, sir?"
Confused, he responded. "Yes, how'd you know?"
"You are...kinda...using your room key. I noticed the pizza ad on your card."
Crazy Crackheads
My coworker went outside one time for a cigarette. While there, she happened to noticed this very angry man on his bike coming toward our store, shouting about really random stuff. He parked in our lot, marched into the store, got no farther than the doormat, screaming, "F--k you, f--k the company, f--k you guys," among other unintelligible gibberish the whole way. He then promptly turned around, went back outside, cursed at my coworker and rode off before anyone could really even move.
And finally...
The best/worst pick-up line ever? "Once my wife and I get a divorce, I'm coming after you!"
I will definitely have to post more of these stories as they happen and as I remember them, however today's post is going to be kept short.
I will henceforth be publishing on Tuesdays and Thursdays in order to preserve my sanity. You want me to do more? Pay my bills, please. Thanks. And, while you're at it, make me a sammich.
Why We Do What We Do
Over the weekend, I went about and interviewed a friend, some co-workers, and a random stranger or two. I have compiled this information along with my years of being generally nosy, and have come up with this gem of wisdom: we are all completely different. No, really.
What? You already knew that? Alright, let me give you some details just for grins.
People who I interviewed who had an aura of intelligence, have stayed with their respective companies for years. They know the business pretty well, and therefore have moved up to at least lower management positions. When job hunting, they went where their friends were working. These people generally were young adults, no older than 27ish. While most didn't really have a clear-cut plan as to where they were going to end up in life, they didn't have any unreasonable expectations, either.
Older employees who were in the lower ranks varied greatly in definition. There were those who were "slow" or had a low maturity level, and there were those who were laid-off of company jobs when the recession scare hit. These people had no other skills and could not find another employer that was looking to hire. The only thing left for them was CS. An exception was a man who hurt himself on the job and has been unable to go back.
And then, of course, the high school crowd. These kids are not too stupid for the most part (however there are a lot of them who'd like to try to prove me wrong). They just got cars and need to pay for the insurance. Or their parents pay for all that, but they want to go on dates...whatever the reason, these teens are just now starting to personally contribute to the economy. If they work for the right people and for the right company, then they will learn valuable lessons concerning leadership, money management, hard work, and honesty. If not, then probably the opposite of all of these things.
One thing that I noticed though, is that people who work for businesses that stay open late tend to be night owls. These teens and young adults would have already been staying up until two or three in the morning doing whatever they do without the help of a job. I have met one or two guys like that in my time. They can't function at normal hours. Therefore, an office job is out of the question.
Finally, quick word on office jobs: one thing that a lot of us are capable of doing is getting an office job such as data entry or a secretarial position. With myself included, many of us do not want to sit behind a desk or inside a cubical all day. While we may stand behind a counter and work at a register, we are still moving around, working with our hands, meeting new people and joking around with each other and the customers. Our jobs are actually quite enjoyable and we cringe at the thought of a desk.
Basically we're here to pay our bills, like you. We do things a little differently, for different reasons, but we are real people. Whether we stay up until 9 at night or 9 in the morning.
What? You already knew that? Alright, let me give you some details just for grins.
People who I interviewed who had an aura of intelligence, have stayed with their respective companies for years. They know the business pretty well, and therefore have moved up to at least lower management positions. When job hunting, they went where their friends were working. These people generally were young adults, no older than 27ish. While most didn't really have a clear-cut plan as to where they were going to end up in life, they didn't have any unreasonable expectations, either.
Older employees who were in the lower ranks varied greatly in definition. There were those who were "slow" or had a low maturity level, and there were those who were laid-off of company jobs when the recession scare hit. These people had no other skills and could not find another employer that was looking to hire. The only thing left for them was CS. An exception was a man who hurt himself on the job and has been unable to go back.
And then, of course, the high school crowd. These kids are not too stupid for the most part (however there are a lot of them who'd like to try to prove me wrong). They just got cars and need to pay for the insurance. Or their parents pay for all that, but they want to go on dates...whatever the reason, these teens are just now starting to personally contribute to the economy. If they work for the right people and for the right company, then they will learn valuable lessons concerning leadership, money management, hard work, and honesty. If not, then probably the opposite of all of these things.
One thing that I noticed though, is that people who work for businesses that stay open late tend to be night owls. These teens and young adults would have already been staying up until two or three in the morning doing whatever they do without the help of a job. I have met one or two guys like that in my time. They can't function at normal hours. Therefore, an office job is out of the question.
Finally, quick word on office jobs: one thing that a lot of us are capable of doing is getting an office job such as data entry or a secretarial position. With myself included, many of us do not want to sit behind a desk or inside a cubical all day. While we may stand behind a counter and work at a register, we are still moving around, working with our hands, meeting new people and joking around with each other and the customers. Our jobs are actually quite enjoyable and we cringe at the thought of a desk.
Basically we're here to pay our bills, like you. We do things a little differently, for different reasons, but we are real people. Whether we stay up until 9 at night or 9 in the morning.
Friday
Get a "Real Job!"
(I want to quickly apologize for the angry voice of this post. This is a subject I feel strongly about, and you will soon see why--that is, of course, you already know and therefore will understand my feelings.)
"Get a real job!" "How hard is it to push buttons and make s**t?!" "It doesn't take a genius to do what you do, why can't you do it right?!"
My advice to those who go to a restaurant? Don't ever, ever say these words or anything like them within earshot of the people handling your food. The rumors that people spit in your food that you send back? Not necessarily true. Unless you're a dick.
I have worked in restaurants of different kinds and at all of them, someone has done something to someone else's food. One place was your typical sit-down restaurant. Very rarely would the servers do anything, but in one case a patron was particularly mean and demanding. He got a nice, big loogie in his soup de jour. An old couple one time was fussy and another server (with the startings of the flu) licked the rim of their after dinner coffee mugs. These waiters, being trained by the best, kept smiling through the pain (and their revenge), so the customers never knew what happened.
At another place I worked, well, I have two words. Floor. Spice. Or, a sister store of ours had another two words: Jalapeno Brine. Both places had service with a smile!
To those of you who have never worked at any food service stores (fast-food especially) I would like to tell you a little bit about why we can be so passive-agressive.
Firstly, window times.
At my fast food job, there was timer connected to both the menu board and the window (we only had one). It recorded how long we took to acknowlege the car, how long they waited in line, and then how long they waited to get their food at the window. This information was sent to corporate HQ and our store was judged according to their set standards. Wait times and complaints were the only things they cared about when it came to CS--they never took into account average order size or how few people we had at the time. Nor how stupid the people ordering were. But that's another category.
This corporation said that you had to:
Greet the car within 5 seconds.
Have the car pull away from the magnetic strip in front of the speaker in less than 45 seconds. And
Have the car pull away from the same strip at the window in less than a minute and have the combined time be less than 1 minute, 30 seconds.
Pulling cars around to wait was highly frowned upon, but there were some cases in which it was acceptable.
Remember, corporate did not care if, say, you had only two people in the store. Or if you had a car break down in drive thru (DT). Or if it was a particularly indecisive day for your customers. Or several pieces of equipment were broken. Or if you had to reboot your computer system six or more times that shift. Or if there were several large orders in a row, every other half hour. Or all of these combined. Keep in mind, these are normalacies.
Speed was how your worth was judged. If you were a manager and you were constantly dealt crap cards when it came to DT, you were either fired or just never promoted. You were always singled out at manager meetings (once a week) and then every time you happened to run into your main manager you were reminded that you are worth nothing until you can make crap food at their preferred rate. This puts a lot of pressure on you when you depend on your paycheck to pay the bills.
Then there are stupid co-workers.
Yes, fast-food is a default job for those who are too stupid to do anything else. This is unfortunate because this type of job requires more wits than one would think. You have to remember numbers like, oh, I don't know, 40 and 140. These sound innocent enough, but tell that to thousands every year who end up in the hospital because their food was cooked only to 120 degrees and then left out at 75 degrees for a few hours. It also requires common sense to do things like not clean food surfaces with toxic chemicals. And, yes, most (if not all) fast-food places have these chemicals within reach of the stupidest of employees. And, no, they are not trained properly as to how to handle them.
Other things that are needed to do the job include problem-solving techniques. When the pump you are using breaks, you need to have the intel in order to figure out how to use a ladle. I have been asked before, "We're out of __ wraps. What do I do?" The answer, you would think would be obvious: "Use a different wrap!" But sadly, stupid people don't realize that.
Stupid co-workers? They add a good minute or so to average window time.
Finally, stupid/mean customers. I got a call once and, being the manager, I had to take it.
Customer: "Hey, I asked for no lettuce and I got lettuce!"
In the background, one of my co-workers told a joke and others laughed. The customer heard it.
Me: "I'm sorry about that. If you'd like to come back--"
Customer: "They're laughing at me! You guys did this on purpose! Do you think this is funny? Do ya? I'm calling the hotline on you!"
Me: "No one is laughing at you, sir. No one can hear you."
Customer: "No, but they can hear you!"
The conversation just deteriorated from there.
Another call went like this:
Guy: "My s**t's messed up! I want it replaced."
Me: "I'm sorry about that. If you--"
Guy: "You know, I deal with 20 guys to put up steel girders."
Me: "..."
Guy: "How come something as simple as food is SO HARD for you stupid retards, huh? How hard is it to push buttons and make s**t?! I have to--" blah, blah, curse, curse...
Me (interrupting his tirade): "If you would like to come back--"
Guy: blah, blah, curse, curse...
Me: *click*
These calls happened every day. Most of these problems were imagined or they were created in order to get free food. I have had hot food thrown at me, money thrown at me...and, I have been "fire in the holed."
Ah, teenagers. For those of you who don't know what this means, a couple of teenagers order something inexpensive including a large soda. As per tradition, you hand them the soda and take their money to make change and when you turn back around to give them their food and/or change, they throw the opened soda at you and drive off. This happens more often than you'd think.
So, the next time you start to get pissed over something as stupid as lettuce that you can f*****g pick off yourself, rethink your actions. Because loogies, deadly chemicals, or even just a little bit of "floor spice" is not worth it. Or you could grow a pair and learn to appreciate what your local DT cashier has to go through every day.
(/gripe)
Next week, we go in-depth as to why people have these crappy CS jobs! *manic grin*
"Get a real job!" "How hard is it to push buttons and make s**t?!" "It doesn't take a genius to do what you do, why can't you do it right?!"
My advice to those who go to a restaurant? Don't ever, ever say these words or anything like them within earshot of the people handling your food. The rumors that people spit in your food that you send back? Not necessarily true. Unless you're a dick.
I have worked in restaurants of different kinds and at all of them, someone has done something to someone else's food. One place was your typical sit-down restaurant. Very rarely would the servers do anything, but in one case a patron was particularly mean and demanding. He got a nice, big loogie in his soup de jour. An old couple one time was fussy and another server (with the startings of the flu) licked the rim of their after dinner coffee mugs. These waiters, being trained by the best, kept smiling through the pain (and their revenge), so the customers never knew what happened.
At another place I worked, well, I have two words. Floor. Spice. Or, a sister store of ours had another two words: Jalapeno Brine. Both places had service with a smile!
To those of you who have never worked at any food service stores (fast-food especially) I would like to tell you a little bit about why we can be so passive-agressive.
Firstly, window times.
At my fast food job, there was timer connected to both the menu board and the window (we only had one). It recorded how long we took to acknowlege the car, how long they waited in line, and then how long they waited to get their food at the window. This information was sent to corporate HQ and our store was judged according to their set standards. Wait times and complaints were the only things they cared about when it came to CS--they never took into account average order size or how few people we had at the time. Nor how stupid the people ordering were. But that's another category.
This corporation said that you had to:
Greet the car within 5 seconds.
Have the car pull away from the magnetic strip in front of the speaker in less than 45 seconds. And
Have the car pull away from the same strip at the window in less than a minute and have the combined time be less than 1 minute, 30 seconds.
Pulling cars around to wait was highly frowned upon, but there were some cases in which it was acceptable.
Remember, corporate did not care if, say, you had only two people in the store. Or if you had a car break down in drive thru (DT). Or if it was a particularly indecisive day for your customers. Or several pieces of equipment were broken. Or if you had to reboot your computer system six or more times that shift. Or if there were several large orders in a row, every other half hour. Or all of these combined. Keep in mind, these are normalacies.
Speed was how your worth was judged. If you were a manager and you were constantly dealt crap cards when it came to DT, you were either fired or just never promoted. You were always singled out at manager meetings (once a week) and then every time you happened to run into your main manager you were reminded that you are worth nothing until you can make crap food at their preferred rate. This puts a lot of pressure on you when you depend on your paycheck to pay the bills.
Then there are stupid co-workers.
Yes, fast-food is a default job for those who are too stupid to do anything else. This is unfortunate because this type of job requires more wits than one would think. You have to remember numbers like, oh, I don't know, 40 and 140. These sound innocent enough, but tell that to thousands every year who end up in the hospital because their food was cooked only to 120 degrees and then left out at 75 degrees for a few hours. It also requires common sense to do things like not clean food surfaces with toxic chemicals. And, yes, most (if not all) fast-food places have these chemicals within reach of the stupidest of employees. And, no, they are not trained properly as to how to handle them.
Other things that are needed to do the job include problem-solving techniques. When the pump you are using breaks, you need to have the intel in order to figure out how to use a ladle. I have been asked before, "We're out of __ wraps. What do I do?" The answer, you would think would be obvious: "Use a different wrap!" But sadly, stupid people don't realize that.
Stupid co-workers? They add a good minute or so to average window time.
Finally, stupid/mean customers. I got a call once and, being the manager, I had to take it.
Customer: "Hey, I asked for no lettuce and I got lettuce!"
In the background, one of my co-workers told a joke and others laughed. The customer heard it.
Me: "I'm sorry about that. If you'd like to come back--"
Customer: "They're laughing at me! You guys did this on purpose! Do you think this is funny? Do ya? I'm calling the hotline on you!"
Me: "No one is laughing at you, sir. No one can hear you."
Customer: "No, but they can hear you!"
The conversation just deteriorated from there.
Another call went like this:
Guy: "My s**t's messed up! I want it replaced."
Me: "I'm sorry about that. If you--"
Guy: "You know, I deal with 20 guys to put up steel girders."
Me: "..."
Guy: "How come something as simple as food is SO HARD for you stupid retards, huh? How hard is it to push buttons and make s**t?! I have to--" blah, blah, curse, curse...
Me (interrupting his tirade): "If you would like to come back--"
Guy: blah, blah, curse, curse...
Me: *click*
These calls happened every day. Most of these problems were imagined or they were created in order to get free food. I have had hot food thrown at me, money thrown at me...and, I have been "fire in the holed."
Ah, teenagers. For those of you who don't know what this means, a couple of teenagers order something inexpensive including a large soda. As per tradition, you hand them the soda and take their money to make change and when you turn back around to give them their food and/or change, they throw the opened soda at you and drive off. This happens more often than you'd think.
So, the next time you start to get pissed over something as stupid as lettuce that you can f*****g pick off yourself, rethink your actions. Because loogies, deadly chemicals, or even just a little bit of "floor spice" is not worth it. Or you could grow a pair and learn to appreciate what your local DT cashier has to go through every day.
(/gripe)
Next week, we go in-depth as to why people have these crappy CS jobs! *manic grin*
Wednesday
Asking out Your Cashier
When I was younger, I heard a story about a young saint called Rose of Lima. This girl was beautiful. Drop dead gorgeous, if you'll excuse the cliche, and she had plenty of men wanting to court (and do other things to) her. One day, she became so fed up with this she used a mixture of lye and pepper on her face so that these "gentlemen" would leave her alone. I thought this action a bit rash...
...until I started to work at my current store.
From day one I have been mercilessly hit on by every male that walks in our doors. I have been ogled, gawked at, stared at, watched and sexually harassed so often, I am about to try that trick myself. So that being said, let us continue.
In relation to your cashier, it is okay to:
-Tell her that she is pretty.
-Tell her that she is beautiful.
-Tell her that her smile is nice, that her teeth are straight, and her eyes shine.
-Leave you number casually, letting her know that she does not have to call, and then mean it.
In a perfect world, it would be okay to:
-Politely ask if you could have her number.
I say "in a perfect world" because although this expresses interest in a somewhat non-invasive manner, this happens a lot more than you would think. If this particular female you're after gave out her number to everyone who asked (or even just those she found attractive), she would have to change her number probably as many times. Guys nowadays don't know how to accept a rejection and therefore will continue to call, determined to score. So when we tell nearly anyone, "no thanks," they whine like a child. Holding up our lines, annoying us, and making us wish we didn't have to put up with any of this. Some guys will even get angry and curse at us. Having to deal with this day after day, we dread this request.
It is NOT okay to:
-Buy condoms and suggest that they were purchased specifically for the girl.
-Tell the girl to "stand still" so that you can "just look at" her.
-Ogle her breasts or backside while she's staring right back at you (yeah, it had to be mentioned
somewhere)
-Try to hug her so that your genitals come anywhere near her.
-Demand her number.
-Demand a date from her.
-Demand, well, just about anything from her.
-Repeatedly ask her out/to go on a "baloney pony ride."
-Sit in the parking lot for an hour when you know she is getting off soon.
-Call her sexy, hot, smoking, or any other synonym
-Call her honey, sugar, or baby unless you are old or have an almost debilitating southern accent.
-Insist that, because she politely and gently turned you down, that she is "shitting all over" you.
-When you see that she is married (or engaged), tell her, "you don't really love him, you just
need a good dickin.'"
This list is never-ending and I think I will add to it as more and more things happen to me. Yes, all of the above has happened to me personally. Along with a lot more. *shudders*
Let's get something clear: I am married to a man. I am not some femi-nazi (if you noticed, I said it is wrong to ogle while being watched--I have done my fair share of ogling, I just made sure I was not making them feel uncomfortable). Men are only disgusting to me in this light--otherwise they are just fine.
That out of the way......
Green lights for asking the lady in question for an outing:
-She winks at you.
-She asks you out.
-She gives you her number.
-She smiles, bites her lip, and makes eye contact for several seconds (all at the same time!!).
-She leaps over the counter, into your arms saying, "take me away you sexy beast!" ...or the
equivalent...
Please remember that this woman has probably dealt with a lot of creeps and therefore has a rather high guard set up. Be kind, be gentle, be patient and most of all--let her ask you. If she's old-fashioned, then she won't be for long. Trust me.
...until I started to work at my current store.
From day one I have been mercilessly hit on by every male that walks in our doors. I have been ogled, gawked at, stared at, watched and sexually harassed so often, I am about to try that trick myself. So that being said, let us continue.
In relation to your cashier, it is okay to:
-Tell her that she is pretty.
-Tell her that she is beautiful.
-Tell her that her smile is nice, that her teeth are straight, and her eyes shine.
-Leave you number casually, letting her know that she does not have to call, and then mean it.
In a perfect world, it would be okay to:
-Politely ask if you could have her number.
I say "in a perfect world" because although this expresses interest in a somewhat non-invasive manner, this happens a lot more than you would think. If this particular female you're after gave out her number to everyone who asked (or even just those she found attractive), she would have to change her number probably as many times. Guys nowadays don't know how to accept a rejection and therefore will continue to call, determined to score. So when we tell nearly anyone, "no thanks," they whine like a child. Holding up our lines, annoying us, and making us wish we didn't have to put up with any of this. Some guys will even get angry and curse at us. Having to deal with this day after day, we dread this request.
It is NOT okay to:
-Buy condoms and suggest that they were purchased specifically for the girl.
-Tell the girl to "stand still" so that you can "just look at" her.
-Ogle her breasts or backside while she's staring right back at you (yeah, it had to be mentioned
somewhere)
-Try to hug her so that your genitals come anywhere near her.
-Demand her number.
-Demand a date from her.
-Demand, well, just about anything from her.
-Repeatedly ask her out/to go on a "baloney pony ride."
-Sit in the parking lot for an hour when you know she is getting off soon.
-Call her sexy, hot, smoking, or any other synonym
-Call her honey, sugar, or baby unless you are old or have an almost debilitating southern accent.
-Insist that, because she politely and gently turned you down, that she is "shitting all over" you.
-When you see that she is married (or engaged), tell her, "you don't really love him, you just
need a good dickin.'"
This list is never-ending and I think I will add to it as more and more things happen to me. Yes, all of the above has happened to me personally. Along with a lot more. *shudders*
Let's get something clear: I am married to a man. I am not some femi-nazi (if you noticed, I said it is wrong to ogle while being watched--I have done my fair share of ogling, I just made sure I was not making them feel uncomfortable). Men are only disgusting to me in this light--otherwise they are just fine.
That out of the way......
Green lights for asking the lady in question for an outing:
-She winks at you.
-She asks you out.
-She gives you her number.
-She smiles, bites her lip, and makes eye contact for several seconds (all at the same time!!).
-She leaps over the counter, into your arms saying, "take me away you sexy beast!" ...or the
equivalent...
Please remember that this woman has probably dealt with a lot of creeps and therefore has a rather high guard set up. Be kind, be gentle, be patient and most of all--let her ask you. If she's old-fashioned, then she won't be for long. Trust me.
Friday
My Interesting Idea!
So many companies have an employee of the month, yes? Awards like these can be very uplifting, but they are limited by the communication between stores and businesses. If Jane makes employee of the month at store #187543539 in Tuscon, AZ, no one knows in New York, NY at store #785987.
I would like to change that--let's get recognition out there, if only to just give that person one more thing to put on his'er resume. Anybody up for it?
What I have in mind is that you, as the boss or co-worker of the employee, send in an essay (it doesn't have to be perfect) glorifying this person. I will sort through the entries and then post however many I feel like at the time (or I suppose I could set an amount) for the general public to vote on. The winner gets the title "employee of the month" for--you guessed it--a month and his'er own page on the official Behind the Counter website! Once the month is over with, that lucky person will still have his'er name on the site, but I'll have to figure out whether I'll be able to keep a full page for that person, have to have a small overview or will just have to have that person's name and place of employment as a part of a list. Details still need to be worked out, however, the idea remains the same; accomplishments at work very often go unnoticed. Help me to correct this problem!
Disclaimer: If you get fired or have any reprocussions regarding your winning of or participation in said contest, I am not to be held responsible. It's not my fault your place of emplyment is nuts. Thank you, come again!
Next week: Funny stories? Asking out your cashier? Mishaps? CS-related news around the world?? Who knows! Tune in to find out the answer to this burning question!!
I would like to change that--let's get recognition out there, if only to just give that person one more thing to put on his'er resume. Anybody up for it?
What I have in mind is that you, as the boss or co-worker of the employee, send in an essay (it doesn't have to be perfect) glorifying this person. I will sort through the entries and then post however many I feel like at the time (or I suppose I could set an amount) for the general public to vote on. The winner gets the title "employee of the month" for--you guessed it--a month and his'er own page on the official Behind the Counter website! Once the month is over with, that lucky person will still have his'er name on the site, but I'll have to figure out whether I'll be able to keep a full page for that person, have to have a small overview or will just have to have that person's name and place of employment as a part of a list. Details still need to be worked out, however, the idea remains the same; accomplishments at work very often go unnoticed. Help me to correct this problem!
Disclaimer: If you get fired or have any reprocussions regarding your winning of or participation in said contest, I am not to be held responsible. It's not my fault your place of emplyment is nuts. Thank you, come again!
Next week: Funny stories? Asking out your cashier? Mishaps? CS-related news around the world?? Who knows! Tune in to find out the answer to this burning question!!
Wednesday
To the Inexperienced...
BELIEVE IT OR NOT, there are those in the population who have never held a job using a register. Let's allow that to sink in for a minute.
They have never dealt with late-night and even afternoon drunkards. They have never had ten people in a row hand them a twenty for a dollar tab. They have never had to tell someone to his'er face that the credit card was declined. They have never dealt--in person--with a price change in a poor neighborhood.
We as cashiers have so many things that irk us, and we get so angry at the customer...but that isn't fair. None of them realize that what they are doing is wrong. Well, some of them do, but that's beside the point.
Today, I am going to address those who have never had a face-to-face customer service or cashier job. And I'm telling you--get one.
Once you spend about a week or two cashing people out and dealing with the asinine "problems" these people have, you will understand how to behave yourself. You will finally be able to go into a store and not feel like the person across from you is your enemy. And once your one or two weeks are up, you are free to go. Unlike the rest of us.
You see, most of us are not here by choice. Most of us are just trying to pay the bills until something better happens; maybe we're waiting to graduate or save up enough for a car to get the job we really want downtown. Maybe we are high school drop outs because we are pro-life and we were raped in our own bedrooms (no, that last one is not me, don't worry). There are so many reasons why we do what we do, but for the most part, we are stuck here.
And that being said, let's delve into just a few of the things that the "inexperienced" do that makes us angry.
Money. That's all life's about right? At least, in the business world it is. So when you get up to the register, no--we can't spare some money for you. Maybe a penny. Maybe a nickel. But any more than that, and we risk losing our jobs. So yeah, you're soda is really not that important to us.
Price changes. When a store sells a product, that store agrees to sell it at a certain price. Sometimes, however, that number is only suggested by the manufacturer and the store can sell it for more if they want. Yes, buying a soda for more that what it's "worth" sucks. However, the cashier didn't set the price, nor do they care about it. More than likely the person you're complaining to buys their soda at a cheaper store. Call up the store owner to complain. If it is a franchise, the owner can decide what they want to sell things for. If it is a chain of stores all owned by a corporation, they have to sell it for what the big bosses decide. Make sure you know what kind of business you're dealing with before you start ranting and raving about something that that person has no control over.
Large Bills. Convenience store clerks are only allowed to have so much money in their drawers at a time. They can get money from the safe only so many times in a shift (depending on how much money is in there), and every time they get handed a twenty, this makes it harder and harder for them to make change for people later on in the shift, regardless of how much you actually owe them. Please don't try to break your fifty by buying a a stick of gum. We may just say no. And by the way, yes, we can do that. Please don't make a scene.
Cups. If you want a cup full of ice, please make sure that the store you are currently occupying gives those out for free, before you get it. Most stores don't, and don't think that for a minute that we'll give it to you just because you made up some lie about how the store down the street does it or we did it yesterday. Why? Because it costs money for those cups. When you get soda, you are not necessarily paying for the liquid. You are paying for the cup to put it in. That, of course, won't stop the store from charging for refills--otherwise they'd lose too much business. Even so, you leaving with that cup unpaid for is on camera and if the cashier gets blamed for that, s/he is out of a job. Period. So don't whine that you have to pay for it--buy a plastic cup and reuse it. Heck, buy that cup and an ice tray. That combination will pay for itself hundreds of times over, and it's "green."
So many issues, so little time. If you want to see more, then get a CS job. Stand behind the register and check people out for hours at a time and your whole world view will change. I will definitely add more in future blogs, but for today, we're out of time.
Next time, I will share that interesting idea I mention last week. Boy, I'm excited! :-)
They have never dealt with late-night and even afternoon drunkards. They have never had ten people in a row hand them a twenty for a dollar tab. They have never had to tell someone to his'er face that the credit card was declined. They have never dealt--in person--with a price change in a poor neighborhood.
We as cashiers have so many things that irk us, and we get so angry at the customer...but that isn't fair. None of them realize that what they are doing is wrong. Well, some of them do, but that's beside the point.
Today, I am going to address those who have never had a face-to-face customer service or cashier job. And I'm telling you--get one.
Once you spend about a week or two cashing people out and dealing with the asinine "problems" these people have, you will understand how to behave yourself. You will finally be able to go into a store and not feel like the person across from you is your enemy. And once your one or two weeks are up, you are free to go. Unlike the rest of us.
You see, most of us are not here by choice. Most of us are just trying to pay the bills until something better happens; maybe we're waiting to graduate or save up enough for a car to get the job we really want downtown. Maybe we are high school drop outs because we are pro-life and we were raped in our own bedrooms (no, that last one is not me, don't worry). There are so many reasons why we do what we do, but for the most part, we are stuck here.
And that being said, let's delve into just a few of the things that the "inexperienced" do that makes us angry.
Money. That's all life's about right? At least, in the business world it is. So when you get up to the register, no--we can't spare some money for you. Maybe a penny. Maybe a nickel. But any more than that, and we risk losing our jobs. So yeah, you're soda is really not that important to us.
Price changes. When a store sells a product, that store agrees to sell it at a certain price. Sometimes, however, that number is only suggested by the manufacturer and the store can sell it for more if they want. Yes, buying a soda for more that what it's "worth" sucks. However, the cashier didn't set the price, nor do they care about it. More than likely the person you're complaining to buys their soda at a cheaper store. Call up the store owner to complain. If it is a franchise, the owner can decide what they want to sell things for. If it is a chain of stores all owned by a corporation, they have to sell it for what the big bosses decide. Make sure you know what kind of business you're dealing with before you start ranting and raving about something that that person has no control over.
Large Bills. Convenience store clerks are only allowed to have so much money in their drawers at a time. They can get money from the safe only so many times in a shift (depending on how much money is in there), and every time they get handed a twenty, this makes it harder and harder for them to make change for people later on in the shift, regardless of how much you actually owe them. Please don't try to break your fifty by buying a a stick of gum. We may just say no. And by the way, yes, we can do that. Please don't make a scene.
Cups. If you want a cup full of ice, please make sure that the store you are currently occupying gives those out for free, before you get it. Most stores don't, and don't think that for a minute that we'll give it to you just because you made up some lie about how the store down the street does it or we did it yesterday. Why? Because it costs money for those cups. When you get soda, you are not necessarily paying for the liquid. You are paying for the cup to put it in. That, of course, won't stop the store from charging for refills--otherwise they'd lose too much business. Even so, you leaving with that cup unpaid for is on camera and if the cashier gets blamed for that, s/he is out of a job. Period. So don't whine that you have to pay for it--buy a plastic cup and reuse it. Heck, buy that cup and an ice tray. That combination will pay for itself hundreds of times over, and it's "green."
So many issues, so little time. If you want to see more, then get a CS job. Stand behind the register and check people out for hours at a time and your whole world view will change. I will definitely add more in future blogs, but for today, we're out of time.
Next time, I will share that interesting idea I mention last week. Boy, I'm excited! :-)
Monday
The Departed
ONE DAY YOU WILL LEAVE. Whether it be because you quit, you were fired, you moved up the ranks, or because you were dragged out, kicking and screaming when you turned 69 years old. Any way it happens, you will leave the counter. And once it does there are several things you are socially obligated to do (and not do) amongst your cashier brethren.
If you quit, don't hold grudges. Don't forever glare at that one guy who always made you do his share of the work. Don't make mean remarks to the lady that left the store a mess every shift. And especially don't make it known that you are unhappy with your ex-boss. Just let it go. This step takes time if your job was particularly horrible, and that's natural. But don't let them see you grind your teeth. Making their lives easier (if you have to go back there on a regular basis) will make it easier for you to move on, because, honey, "ain't no one gunna" miss you for long. Maybe if you were a really awesome person to work with, or if you were the only one strong enough to change out the soda for the machine, but you can (and will) be replaced.
If you were fired, the same thing applies. Also, don't make life harder for the one hired to replace you. They don't care about you; all they know is that you made it easier for them to get a job. And once again, just let all of your anger go. There is no sense in losing your mind.
If you moved up the ranks, please, please don't forget what it was like pushing buttons all day. Or stocking shelves. Or sweeping the floor. Or smiling at rude customers. It sucked, remember? Don't make it worse by creating asinine policies that are detached from real life.
And finally, no matter how you left, why you left, or when you left, there are three words you need to keep in mind. No one cares. It's harsh, know, but no one cares that you had once stood where they do now. No one cares that they have it much easier than you did, or that the procedures made much more sense back then. And one more thing: don't assume that what you know is even somewhat relevant to what they have to work with now. The other day I had an old man trying to tell me that I was doing the lottery wrong, refusing to believe it was a much more modern machine than he used fifty years ago.
HOWEVER, to those who run into ex-employees, listen to their advice. They may have a precious gem stored somewhere in there that will make your life so much better. I have learned many a thing that I wouldn't have otherwise from a woman who comes in all the time.
Next up on Wednesday is an article addressing the bit of the population who has never held a register job. And after that, I have an interesting idea to share! And finally, after that, I think I will be able to break the week up into categories. More on that bit next time, however.
If you quit, don't hold grudges. Don't forever glare at that one guy who always made you do his share of the work. Don't make mean remarks to the lady that left the store a mess every shift. And especially don't make it known that you are unhappy with your ex-boss. Just let it go. This step takes time if your job was particularly horrible, and that's natural. But don't let them see you grind your teeth. Making their lives easier (if you have to go back there on a regular basis) will make it easier for you to move on, because, honey, "ain't no one gunna" miss you for long. Maybe if you were a really awesome person to work with, or if you were the only one strong enough to change out the soda for the machine, but you can (and will) be replaced.
If you were fired, the same thing applies. Also, don't make life harder for the one hired to replace you. They don't care about you; all they know is that you made it easier for them to get a job. And once again, just let all of your anger go. There is no sense in losing your mind.
If you moved up the ranks, please, please don't forget what it was like pushing buttons all day. Or stocking shelves. Or sweeping the floor. Or smiling at rude customers. It sucked, remember? Don't make it worse by creating asinine policies that are detached from real life.
And finally, no matter how you left, why you left, or when you left, there are three words you need to keep in mind. No one cares. It's harsh, know, but no one cares that you had once stood where they do now. No one cares that they have it much easier than you did, or that the procedures made much more sense back then. And one more thing: don't assume that what you know is even somewhat relevant to what they have to work with now. The other day I had an old man trying to tell me that I was doing the lottery wrong, refusing to believe it was a much more modern machine than he used fifty years ago.
HOWEVER, to those who run into ex-employees, listen to their advice. They may have a precious gem stored somewhere in there that will make your life so much better. I have learned many a thing that I wouldn't have otherwise from a woman who comes in all the time.
Next up on Wednesday is an article addressing the bit of the population who has never held a register job. And after that, I have an interesting idea to share! And finally, after that, I think I will be able to break the week up into categories. More on that bit next time, however.
Saturday
The Biggest Piece of Advice, Ever.
NO. No, thank you. Sorry, can't. No, I won't. No. Non. Nein. Ohi. NO!
Learn to say it.
One thing people tend to forget is that, although they may work for their company, the company does not own your soul. And they shouldn't. Just because someone quits or gets sick does not mean you have to work for 12 hours. Unless you want to, of course.
More than likely you work for a corporation. In which case they will survive without you, and that's okay. X Corp is not going to pack it in because you decided to take a day off, nor will you impress your boss by becoming a workaholic loser who is going to burn out soon anyway.
Yeah, that's right. Burn out. You don't have to work for a company for a long time in order to exhaust yourself. So how and why does this happen?
I worked with a woman, let's call her Celia. When someone was sick, she was there. When someone was late, she would not allow anyone to stay late but herself. She never gave herself a day off and finally, her biggest mistake: she volunteered for extra work.
Not that taking someone's shift to make a couple bucks is wrong. Nor is volunteering to take care of, say, the back storage area as though it were your own. But when you do all that and more, and then still say, "yes" to every job that comes up, you have a problem.
That being said, let's run down the list of reasons why this is bad, still using Celia.
In the beginning, Celia would volunteer to do jobs that no one wanted. As such, she became the "go-to" person, always being the first to be asked if she wanted to take something on. Her work piled up on her so she began to stay later and later into the day, extending her shifts until she reached overtime.
She moved up in the company quickly, all the way to a salaried position. No more overtime for her. Her normal duties increased, paperwork became a part of it. She abandoned her coworkers to their own devices while she attempted to finish it all, getting a lot of nothing done. This situation was incredibly frustrating--try bailing out a boat with a holey bucket.
If you are a boss and all you see is that nothing is accomplished when it should be, what would be your response? As you can imagine, she was not congratulated on her abilities. Nor her wonderful time management. Nor her work ethic.
This "overachiever" started to feel under-appreciated, while her bosses felt like she was slacking.
Saying "no" to a competent boss will not hinder your upward mobility. In fact, the right boss will see this as a sign of responsibility and it says, "I know my limits and I do not wish to take on a task that I am not capable of completing to the best of my ability."
Of course, if you have an "over-achieving" burnout as a boss, too, say that instead of just "no." S/He'll understand then (hopefully) and may one day take your cue.
One thing to remember is this: No working situation is ideal. If you are with a small company, they are less likely to make it out of a bad situation such as a lack of people. However, no matter the business, if your superior is unwilling or unable to put forth the effort to correct problems or to pitch in and help, you may want to start opening the classifieds.
Up next week, we explore the dos and don'ts of being an ex-employee!
Learn to say it.
One thing people tend to forget is that, although they may work for their company, the company does not own your soul. And they shouldn't. Just because someone quits or gets sick does not mean you have to work for 12 hours. Unless you want to, of course.
More than likely you work for a corporation. In which case they will survive without you, and that's okay. X Corp is not going to pack it in because you decided to take a day off, nor will you impress your boss by becoming a workaholic loser who is going to burn out soon anyway.
Yeah, that's right. Burn out. You don't have to work for a company for a long time in order to exhaust yourself. So how and why does this happen?
I worked with a woman, let's call her Celia. When someone was sick, she was there. When someone was late, she would not allow anyone to stay late but herself. She never gave herself a day off and finally, her biggest mistake: she volunteered for extra work.
Not that taking someone's shift to make a couple bucks is wrong. Nor is volunteering to take care of, say, the back storage area as though it were your own. But when you do all that and more, and then still say, "yes" to every job that comes up, you have a problem.
That being said, let's run down the list of reasons why this is bad, still using Celia.
In the beginning, Celia would volunteer to do jobs that no one wanted. As such, she became the "go-to" person, always being the first to be asked if she wanted to take something on. Her work piled up on her so she began to stay later and later into the day, extending her shifts until she reached overtime.
She moved up in the company quickly, all the way to a salaried position. No more overtime for her. Her normal duties increased, paperwork became a part of it. She abandoned her coworkers to their own devices while she attempted to finish it all, getting a lot of nothing done. This situation was incredibly frustrating--try bailing out a boat with a holey bucket.
If you are a boss and all you see is that nothing is accomplished when it should be, what would be your response? As you can imagine, she was not congratulated on her abilities. Nor her wonderful time management. Nor her work ethic.
This "overachiever" started to feel under-appreciated, while her bosses felt like she was slacking.
Saying "no" to a competent boss will not hinder your upward mobility. In fact, the right boss will see this as a sign of responsibility and it says, "I know my limits and I do not wish to take on a task that I am not capable of completing to the best of my ability."
Of course, if you have an "over-achieving" burnout as a boss, too, say that instead of just "no." S/He'll understand then (hopefully) and may one day take your cue.
One thing to remember is this: No working situation is ideal. If you are with a small company, they are less likely to make it out of a bad situation such as a lack of people. However, no matter the business, if your superior is unwilling or unable to put forth the effort to correct problems or to pitch in and help, you may want to start opening the classifieds.
Up next week, we explore the dos and don'ts of being an ex-employee!
Wednesday
Second Day of Work (part two)
Now that you have settled in a little more to your job, there are just a few more things I have to say about your general day-to-day procession. These things, if applied, will make everything easier for both you and (believe if or not) your employer.
The Biggest piece of advice I can ever give you...I'll tell you in a minute.
But first, there a couple of things most people don't really think about, but will help out tremendously. One, is to become interested.
Become interested in your coworkers, your bosses, your customers, and your company. You don't have to love them. You don't have to know every little detail, either. Just ask questions, make them feel like they are more than just another dollar (or step up) to you. Customers have an odd habit of divulging more information that it takes to complete a transaction, so take advantage. Like if someone buys a bag of ice from me. If he adds, "I need this for drinks," I ask, "Oh yeah? What are you doing?" I look interested and sincere--but for the most part, I couldn't give a flip about them. The customer might tell me that he has relatives coming into town for a reunion and none of them drink beer. This bit of information? Useless. But they feel better.
But why? Why should we make it seem like we care about some stupid middle-age guy with no life and big, non-alcoholic family? Because, my friend, he won't care as much if you mess up.
People are more prone to forgiving those they like. Think about it: if your friend from kindergarten rings up more than one of something, do you feel threatened? Do you automatically write them off as some stupid store clerk who is trying to cheat you out of your money? No. You let them know they messed up, pay them, and move on.
Also, your boss will forgive you faster for neglecting to do something in the store before you left that day. That is, if they think that you were too busy caring for them and their customers in the first place to notice.
Finally, you will understand more the why's and how's of store policy if you really pay attention to every aspect of business. Even if you are just a lowly little clerk, learn the paperwork, watch the sales records; pretend like you are working for the competition when it comes to paying attention to the mechanics of the store. In the long run, this will make it easier for you to learn how to take your boss's job (and the higher-ups tend to notice this sort of thing as well).
And the biggest piece of advice I can give you...will come in a minute.
The other half of becoming interested is becoming interesting. If you continue to show you care about your customers, then many of them will start to care about you. Before this happens, be prepared. As you may have noticed, speaking to someone as boring as a gray wall is not fun and will quickly make us wish we hadn't tried. The same goes for cashiers. Identify with people and don't be afraid to share a little about yourself.
The why of this one is a little more simple: for fun. Who do I normally share with? Friends. How do I normally make friends? Sharing with strangers. When I go to work, I am accompanied by my co-workers, yes, but also by my customers. Most people don't have time to stand in a store and chat (some do; that's not the point). So while your co-workers have the opportunity to pry and wheedle something fun out of me, my customers do not. If you volunteer harmless information ("why, yes, I was born of two parents!"), then you can make fast friends, and "fast food friends."
"Fast food friends" are the patrons who come into the store that I know enough about and our personalities are compatible enough that I feel like I've had a friendly visit rather than just had to check someone out. These encounters usually last as long as it takes to get fast food, hence the name.
And finally, the moment you have all been waiting for! It is time for me to tell you that the biggest, most valuable advice that money can buy................is going to have to wait until Friday. I know, I'm evil.
The Biggest piece of advice I can ever give you...I'll tell you in a minute.
But first, there a couple of things most people don't really think about, but will help out tremendously. One, is to become interested.
Become interested in your coworkers, your bosses, your customers, and your company. You don't have to love them. You don't have to know every little detail, either. Just ask questions, make them feel like they are more than just another dollar (or step up) to you. Customers have an odd habit of divulging more information that it takes to complete a transaction, so take advantage. Like if someone buys a bag of ice from me. If he adds, "I need this for drinks," I ask, "Oh yeah? What are you doing?" I look interested and sincere--but for the most part, I couldn't give a flip about them. The customer might tell me that he has relatives coming into town for a reunion and none of them drink beer. This bit of information? Useless. But they feel better.
But why? Why should we make it seem like we care about some stupid middle-age guy with no life and big, non-alcoholic family? Because, my friend, he won't care as much if you mess up.
People are more prone to forgiving those they like. Think about it: if your friend from kindergarten rings up more than one of something, do you feel threatened? Do you automatically write them off as some stupid store clerk who is trying to cheat you out of your money? No. You let them know they messed up, pay them, and move on.
Also, your boss will forgive you faster for neglecting to do something in the store before you left that day. That is, if they think that you were too busy caring for them and their customers in the first place to notice.
Finally, you will understand more the why's and how's of store policy if you really pay attention to every aspect of business. Even if you are just a lowly little clerk, learn the paperwork, watch the sales records; pretend like you are working for the competition when it comes to paying attention to the mechanics of the store. In the long run, this will make it easier for you to learn how to take your boss's job (and the higher-ups tend to notice this sort of thing as well).
And the biggest piece of advice I can give you...will come in a minute.
The other half of becoming interested is becoming interesting. If you continue to show you care about your customers, then many of them will start to care about you. Before this happens, be prepared. As you may have noticed, speaking to someone as boring as a gray wall is not fun and will quickly make us wish we hadn't tried. The same goes for cashiers. Identify with people and don't be afraid to share a little about yourself.
The why of this one is a little more simple: for fun. Who do I normally share with? Friends. How do I normally make friends? Sharing with strangers. When I go to work, I am accompanied by my co-workers, yes, but also by my customers. Most people don't have time to stand in a store and chat (some do; that's not the point). So while your co-workers have the opportunity to pry and wheedle something fun out of me, my customers do not. If you volunteer harmless information ("why, yes, I was born of two parents!"), then you can make fast friends, and "fast food friends."
"Fast food friends" are the patrons who come into the store that I know enough about and our personalities are compatible enough that I feel like I've had a friendly visit rather than just had to check someone out. These encounters usually last as long as it takes to get fast food, hence the name.
And finally, the moment you have all been waiting for! It is time for me to tell you that the biggest, most valuable advice that money can buy................is going to have to wait until Friday. I know, I'm evil.
Second Day of Work
So you have decided that CS is the job for you (or you were too lazy and broke to continue looking)...now what?
Now, you (hopefully) have years and years ahead of you to perfect your CS abilities and move up the corporate ladder! While you're on your way, however, let me share some advice with you:
First and foremost, you need to learn to be patient with yourself. Everyone makes mistakes, even you. When you hand back incorrect change or press a wrong key on your screen, just remember that it is NOT the end of the world. All you need to do is to make a mental note of what you did wrong and try not to do it again. The only stupid mistake out there is one you never tried to learn from, even if the lesson is just to never do it again.
Secondly, you need to learn to love your job. Every morning, while making coffee at our coffee bar, I overhear so many of our customers say, "I don't want to go to work," or "I'd be fine if I wasn't on my way to work." And I can't help but reply, "If you feel that way, maybe you ought not work there." Not everyone can have an awesomely cushy job. And maybe your only talents are something that won't feasibly earn a living. That's okay. What you need to do is to find pleasure in the little things dealing with your line of work. Even if for the strangest reasons. For example:
I find great enjoyment out of exceeding a customer's expectations. This is not because I enjoy being subservient, but because it will either wipe that smug look off of their face, or it will truly brighten their day. I also feel a strange satisfaction in getting on my knees and scrubbing, well, anything. This is probably related to a freak floor-cleaner accident when I was a wee lass and is not really the norm. However, I take this with me every time something needs to be cleaned (as a side note, I'd like to say that done right, scrubbing equals zen).
Thirdly, multitasking. This can be one heck of a tool for when the balance of things to do versus time to do them with is out of whack. However, you want to use this sparingly. If you overdo this particular method, you will start to go a little crazy. Symptoms include, but are not limited to: dizziness (due to running around the room), headache (from trying to cram too many to-do lists in your brain), forgetfulness (when tasks started before extensions to said lists start to fall out), and finding you have more to do than before. An example of the last one is when you carry too many things at once because you have a limited amount of time before, say, your first batch of coffee is done brewing, and end up spilling whatever you were carrying.
If you find that you are suffering from one or more of these symptoms, please stop everything, breathe, and if possible, get some help from a co-worker! You cannot and should not do everything in you store. Do a limited number of things really well; don't do a half job at everything. But also make sure your boss knows what responsibilities you are perfecting.
So far, we've discussed being patient with yourself, learning to love your job and multitasking. These are important things to remember in making your job easier. The next post will continue this subject. Points will include becoming interested, becoming interesting, and the biggest bit of advice I can ever give you.
Now, you (hopefully) have years and years ahead of you to perfect your CS abilities and move up the corporate ladder! While you're on your way, however, let me share some advice with you:
First and foremost, you need to learn to be patient with yourself. Everyone makes mistakes, even you. When you hand back incorrect change or press a wrong key on your screen, just remember that it is NOT the end of the world. All you need to do is to make a mental note of what you did wrong and try not to do it again. The only stupid mistake out there is one you never tried to learn from, even if the lesson is just to never do it again.
Secondly, you need to learn to love your job. Every morning, while making coffee at our coffee bar, I overhear so many of our customers say, "I don't want to go to work," or "I'd be fine if I wasn't on my way to work." And I can't help but reply, "If you feel that way, maybe you ought not work there." Not everyone can have an awesomely cushy job. And maybe your only talents are something that won't feasibly earn a living. That's okay. What you need to do is to find pleasure in the little things dealing with your line of work. Even if for the strangest reasons. For example:
I find great enjoyment out of exceeding a customer's expectations. This is not because I enjoy being subservient, but because it will either wipe that smug look off of their face, or it will truly brighten their day. I also feel a strange satisfaction in getting on my knees and scrubbing, well, anything. This is probably related to a freak floor-cleaner accident when I was a wee lass and is not really the norm. However, I take this with me every time something needs to be cleaned (as a side note, I'd like to say that done right, scrubbing equals zen).
Thirdly, multitasking. This can be one heck of a tool for when the balance of things to do versus time to do them with is out of whack. However, you want to use this sparingly. If you overdo this particular method, you will start to go a little crazy. Symptoms include, but are not limited to: dizziness (due to running around the room), headache (from trying to cram too many to-do lists in your brain), forgetfulness (when tasks started before extensions to said lists start to fall out), and finding you have more to do than before. An example of the last one is when you carry too many things at once because you have a limited amount of time before, say, your first batch of coffee is done brewing, and end up spilling whatever you were carrying.
If you find that you are suffering from one or more of these symptoms, please stop everything, breathe, and if possible, get some help from a co-worker! You cannot and should not do everything in you store. Do a limited number of things really well; don't do a half job at everything. But also make sure your boss knows what responsibilities you are perfecting.
So far, we've discussed being patient with yourself, learning to love your job and multitasking. These are important things to remember in making your job easier. The next post will continue this subject. Points will include becoming interested, becoming interesting, and the biggest bit of advice I can ever give you.
Tuesday
Congratulations!
YOU HAVE CHOSEN to enter the world of Customer Service (or CS)! But before you get too excited, first let me say that if you have another option, please consider it. Let's start with some pros and cons:
As this list could go on for days, let me sum it up. This job can both rock and suck hardcore at the same time, depending on a lot of factors. These factors can change day by day and hour by hour. Basically, if you don't have any other choice but to work in CS, or if you've simply decided that you're in it for the long haul, stick with me. I've been there and done that for the passed five years and, accordingly, will be able to throw some advice your way. Not to mention the random, awesome story.
Pro: You make money.
Con: Depending on where you work, you don't make much.
Pro: Once you get the hang of it, your job is relatively easy.
Con: You are also easily replaced.
Pro: You get to meet many interesting people.
Con: You get to meet many horrible, cranky, rude, mean, perverted people.
As this list could go on for days, let me sum it up. This job can both rock and suck hardcore at the same time, depending on a lot of factors. These factors can change day by day and hour by hour. Basically, if you don't have any other choice but to work in CS, or if you've simply decided that you're in it for the long haul, stick with me. I've been there and done that for the passed five years and, accordingly, will be able to throw some advice your way. Not to mention the random, awesome story.
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