The Friday Five ~
1. What sets you apart from your friends?
Before I say this, let me just emphasize that this attitude happened before I met Joshua. I feel what sets me apart from most of my friends (this does not include Anna or Becca) is that I can accept that I don’t need a man to make me happy. Quite a good chunk of my friends obsess around the ideal they need a man to make then happy or complete them. I read a piece of interesting advice, “You should never look for someone to COMPLETE you…a relationship consists of two WHOLE individuals…look for someone complimentary…not supplementary.” Besides, I live my life by the book: He’s Just Not That Into You.

2. What sets you apart from your family?
Probably that I don’t give up without a fight. I argue to the end.

3. What sets you apart from your coworkers/fellow students?
With my coworkers, it’s probably my determination to get ONCs and the fact that I am new to this store. I kinda feel like I don’t belong, like I am an outcast even though I’ve worked with the company itself for over a year.

4. What is the one thing about you that is most unique?
I’d like to think it’s my ability to be honest and not beat around the bush. This is why Becca and I get along so well because we’re both honest, assertive bitches who aren’t afraid to tell it like it is. Either you love us or hate us.

5. What is your most interesting quality?
I don’t know if I find any of my qualities interesting. I guess if they were interesting someone else would think so. I don’t know how to answer this question honestly.

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I got my first customer complaint yesterday at my new store. And while normally I don’t consider customer complaints a big deal this one got to me not because of the complaint itself, but how I was treated by my supervisors about it. Here is what happened. I was in charge of the fitting yesterday and this is where it all went down. May I remind you that we no longer use walkies to communicate with our staff, and whoever is in charge of the fitting is pretty much bound to the fitting room. We’ll call this lady I dealt with Marin Mommy or “MM”.

Marin Mommy: *comes in with two kids*
Me: Hi there! Let me get you a room!
MM: Hi, can we get a large room?
Me: I’m sorry, but I have to keep that room open for mom’s with strollers or handicaps because we only have one.
MM: OH. Okay…
Me: *shows them to room and continues processing clothes*
[5 minutes later]
MM: *brings out a pair of toddler jeans* I’d like to find more of these.
Me: *assumes she wants to run out to the floor to look* Oh yeah no problem!
MM: No, I meant can you look for more.
Me: I actually have to stay here, but if you like you can bring those up to the register and they’ll do a Merchandise Locater for you.
MM: Can’t you use your walkie-talkie?
Me: We don’t use walkies anymore. We’re walkie-less.
MM: FINE. *goes back into fitting room*
Me: *continues processing clothes until MM comes out for good* Hi, you can leave any of the items you don’t want on the counter here.
MM: OKAY, you know you’re being really unhelpful here. First you can’t do a locater for me and then you want me to bring out my clothes I don’t want.
Me: I’m sorry, part of our policy is that because we allow you to take as many items as you want all we ask is you just bring out what you don’t want.
MM: This is horrible customer service.
Me: I’m sorry you feel that way.
MM: *storms out and bitches to cashier up front*

MM ended up bitching about my behavior to the cashier who just happened to be the one girl I’ve felt doesn’t like me very much. She said that I was very rude and unhelpful. What pisses me off about this is the whole time I am sticking to policy AKA what I was trained for not only at my old store but by a temporary training guest, and yet it’s all getting contradicted here. My supervisor came back and was all, “You know we don’t have to tell them to bring out what they don’t want.” I’m sorry but I am no one’s mother and making it seem like being lazy is okay is not okay with me.

At my old store I never had to worry about customer complaints because management knew people were stupid and they knew me. They know I am a hardass when it comes to policy and I stick to it because I am a supporter of my company. In retail the customer is not always right and in fact most of the time they’re just plain stupid. So when I get told that I shouldn’t enforce the policy I was trained on in order to compensate for a customer’s laziness and lack of understanding, it makes me feel very uncomfortable in my work environment.

It’s stuff like this that is making me want to start looking for a new job. And I hate to say this, especially because of all the feminists out there, but damn there is something to be said about female management versuses male management. At my old store, I totally knew where I stood, and I could trust my boss 100%. Here, where it’s practically all female staffed I feel like I am being sweet-talked one minute and being gossiped about the second I turn my back. It’s the same vibe I got with working at BBW. I don’t like it.

I’m going to try to stick it out for the summer and see what happens. I just don’t know how much more of this I want to deal with.

3 Comments

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3 Comments

Carolynne commented on Friday, July 6th, 2007, 11:15 am

OH MY GOD! This layout is absolutely fantastic! It is so creative. You have done a great great job on it I am in love with it. But I am sorry to hear about what happened at work. I would have done the same thing as you. It was good that you stood by the store policy. It just sucks that the other workers didn’t think it was that important. But don’t change because of other people. Do what you know is right!! ;)

Miranda commented on Sunday, July 8th, 2007, 12:06 pm

Wow, sounds like that customer was the only one being rude. I know what you mean about the female management.. I used to work at an elementary school with 30+ women. They were all nice to my face, but you never knew when they might be gossiping about your clothes or especially your age. But at the same time that they were saying I was too young to work there, they were also asking me to watch their kids while they went out for a break.. what?? haha, so Im not sure that I would want to even try retail. Good luck if you start looking for something new!

Marie commented on Sunday, July 8th, 2007, 12:23 pm

Ugh, it`s ALWAYS like that!!! I hate people like that MM bitch!! If you don’t do exactly what they want, they’ll bitch about you to your supervisors, UGH!!!