So far this holiday season I haven't encountered any crabby customers. (Except the idiot in the shoe dept who can't tell the difference between the colors black and brown.) As usual, the Jewelry diva had this past weekend off. For some reason she gets every Friday and Saturday off during the busiest time of the year and that means I have to cover jewelry.
Have I ever mentioned that I hate covering jewelry? I mean, I hate it with every fiber of my being. Having to stand up there for 8 hours and answer the same questions over and over and over, really grates on my nerves. I don't even like jewelry. I have no interest in jewelry. As far as I'm concerned, it's a huge waste of money and the junk we sell isn't worth half what people pay for it...but I digress.
Last Friday, after having been at the counter for several hours, a lady approached and said, "Don't laugh at me but...I asked my husband what he wanted for Christmas and he just suddenly disappeared. He returned a few minutes later and handed me this."
She placed a piece of paper on the counter with a picture of a Timex watch on it. Her husband had gone online and found the exact watch he wanted and printed out a picture of it for her. It was quite large, too.
"He was very specific that this is the exact watch that he wants. Do you have it?"
I wasn't sure if we had that exact watch but I told her we should be able to find one with the same features. I mentioned that this was the kind of guy who would be easy to buy for. He knows exactly what he wants and even provides pictures. We had a good laugh.
As we were looking, a co-worker came up and asked what we were laughing about so I showed her the picture. She knew exactly which watch it was and brought one up to the counter.
Another satisfied customer.
Showing posts with label Customers. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Customers. Show all posts
12.21.2010
12.11.2010
Stupid Questions
I've been asked some really ridiculous questions during my stint at the hellhole but this one has quickly gone to the top of my list of stupid questions.
Pretty much everyone knows that it's two weeks before Christmas, everyone except a woman I checked out at the register today. The store was packed with shoppers. Lines were backed up into Fashions. The softlines lead wanted me to take some people with small orders at the jewelry counter and ring them up.
This woman only had 5 or 6 items and as I began scanning them she came up with this brilliant question..."Why is it so busy in here?"
What do you say to someone so clueless?
In case I haven't mentioned it before...I hate this time of year.
13 days and counting!!!
Pretty much everyone knows that it's two weeks before Christmas, everyone except a woman I checked out at the register today. The store was packed with shoppers. Lines were backed up into Fashions. The softlines lead wanted me to take some people with small orders at the jewelry counter and ring them up.
This woman only had 5 or 6 items and as I began scanning them she came up with this brilliant question..."Why is it so busy in here?"
What do you say to someone so clueless?
In case I haven't mentioned it before...I hate this time of year.
13 days and counting!!!
6.01.2010
Job Security
I believe that as long as there are slobs in this world (or at least here in Muskegon) I will have a job. This past weekend brought yet another dreaded holiday and the slobs were out in full force.
Our weather has been very summer-like for the past couple weeks. Hot and humid...very uncomfortable to say the least. Good swimming weather which means every woman and her sister, daughter, aunt and best friend needed to buy a new swimsuit. Of course they had to do it during Memorial Day weekend when the store is crazy busy already.
I think they woke up in the morning thinking, "Wow. It's such a beautiful day. I think I'll go to (store I work at) and trash the joint."
And that's just what they did.
On a brighter and much happier note, I put up a bluebird house last week and within two days a pair of bluebirds started building a nest. I just went out to peek inside to see if there are any eggs yet and there are none. I've done some research to learn what I can about their habits and what they like to eat. It seems mealworms is their favorite dish. (Yuck!)
No orioles have come to eat the jelly so I guess I won't have to worry about going broke feeding them.
Our weather has been very summer-like for the past couple weeks. Hot and humid...very uncomfortable to say the least. Good swimming weather which means every woman and her sister, daughter, aunt and best friend needed to buy a new swimsuit. Of course they had to do it during Memorial Day weekend when the store is crazy busy already.
I think they woke up in the morning thinking, "Wow. It's such a beautiful day. I think I'll go to (store I work at) and trash the joint."
And that's just what they did.
On a brighter and much happier note, I put up a bluebird house last week and within two days a pair of bluebirds started building a nest. I just went out to peek inside to see if there are any eggs yet and there are none. I've done some research to learn what I can about their habits and what they like to eat. It seems mealworms is their favorite dish. (Yuck!)
No orioles have come to eat the jelly so I guess I won't have to worry about going broke feeding them.
5.17.2010
Impatience is a virtue...
A few months ago I had to sign a statement claiming that if I'm caught bad-mouthing the company I work for online I know that I will lose my job. But there was nothing on that statement telling me I can't bad-mouth the customers.
Anyone who works with the public knows how difficult it is to deal with people, especially people who believe they are entitled to get whatever they want, when they want it, no matter how unreasonable their demands.
I've dealt with some pretty awful people over the years. I've been cussed out, spit on, tripped, threatened, stalked...you name it...people have done it. One time a man was yelling at me so loud that a coworker came running over to see if I needed help. I lost it and pretty much told the guy to ... well, nevermind. I thought for sure he would complain and that would be it. But he actually came back a few minutes later and apologized for being such an ass. (His word.)
To be fair, the majority of customers are fine. Some are even fun to joke around with but you have to be careful because some are also easily offended. You may say something in jest and they will take it the wrong way. So, I say as little as possible these days.
You never know what will happen once you walk through those doors but one thing is certain, if it's a holiday and you're working the jewelry counter, you WILL be the target of someone's wrath. It's a given. And the sad thing is, you have to stand there and take it.
Working the jewelry counter last weekend (Mother's Day) was just as I suspected it would be. Stressful, busy and surrounded by impatient customers who wait for the last minute to buy their gifts, then take out their frustrations on us. I was busy helping a women find a ring when an elderly man approached. I made the mistake of acknowledging him which he took as a sign that I was free to help him right at that instant.
Without any regard for the customer I was already helping, he asked me what the birthstone is for December. I told him I didn't know but would look it up for him as soon as I finished with the customer I was with. That wasn't good enough, he wanted to know NOW!
We have a red phone sitting on the counter that, when it's picked up, rings through to an employee who will come and help you. My co-worker had the jewelry phone so I could reach her if I needed her. I told the man that he could pick up the phone and another worker would come and help him. He couldn't be bothered. Instead, he'd rather stand there and yell at me for not having a list of the birthstones posted where everyone could see it.
I then apologized to the woman I was trying to help, walked over and picked up the red phone but my co-worker didn't answer. (She had put it in a shopping cart by the fitting rooms and left it there.) The impatient, entitled man was livid by this time, the woman I was helping was staring daggers at him, I grabbed the list of birthstones out of the drawer and put it on the counter in front of the man but he continued to bellow at me that it should be posted.
At this point I saw another co-worker and asked her to please find Deana (not her real name) and tell her I need her help up here. I then returned to the woman I was originally with and she just stood there staring at the old man. Deana came up and he started in on her. By this time my female customer had had enough and tore into the old coot. He finally shut up and let Deana help him.
These were just the first two customers that day. Thankfully, no one else yelled at me for the rest of my shift.
Anyone who works with the public knows how difficult it is to deal with people, especially people who believe they are entitled to get whatever they want, when they want it, no matter how unreasonable their demands.
I've dealt with some pretty awful people over the years. I've been cussed out, spit on, tripped, threatened, stalked...you name it...people have done it. One time a man was yelling at me so loud that a coworker came running over to see if I needed help. I lost it and pretty much told the guy to ... well, nevermind. I thought for sure he would complain and that would be it. But he actually came back a few minutes later and apologized for being such an ass. (His word.)
To be fair, the majority of customers are fine. Some are even fun to joke around with but you have to be careful because some are also easily offended. You may say something in jest and they will take it the wrong way. So, I say as little as possible these days.
You never know what will happen once you walk through those doors but one thing is certain, if it's a holiday and you're working the jewelry counter, you WILL be the target of someone's wrath. It's a given. And the sad thing is, you have to stand there and take it.
Working the jewelry counter last weekend (Mother's Day) was just as I suspected it would be. Stressful, busy and surrounded by impatient customers who wait for the last minute to buy their gifts, then take out their frustrations on us. I was busy helping a women find a ring when an elderly man approached. I made the mistake of acknowledging him which he took as a sign that I was free to help him right at that instant.
Without any regard for the customer I was already helping, he asked me what the birthstone is for December. I told him I didn't know but would look it up for him as soon as I finished with the customer I was with. That wasn't good enough, he wanted to know NOW!
We have a red phone sitting on the counter that, when it's picked up, rings through to an employee who will come and help you. My co-worker had the jewelry phone so I could reach her if I needed her. I told the man that he could pick up the phone and another worker would come and help him. He couldn't be bothered. Instead, he'd rather stand there and yell at me for not having a list of the birthstones posted where everyone could see it.
I then apologized to the woman I was trying to help, walked over and picked up the red phone but my co-worker didn't answer. (She had put it in a shopping cart by the fitting rooms and left it there.) The impatient, entitled man was livid by this time, the woman I was helping was staring daggers at him, I grabbed the list of birthstones out of the drawer and put it on the counter in front of the man but he continued to bellow at me that it should be posted.
At this point I saw another co-worker and asked her to please find Deana (not her real name) and tell her I need her help up here. I then returned to the woman I was originally with and she just stood there staring at the old man. Deana came up and he started in on her. By this time my female customer had had enough and tore into the old coot. He finally shut up and let Deana help him.
These were just the first two customers that day. Thankfully, no one else yelled at me for the rest of my shift.
12.12.2009
There's a First Time for Everything
I worked the jewelry counter today (Friday) and it was very busy. Almost steady customers from the time I walked in until I left at 5:30. A couple of women were making some purchases and I had spent several minutes helping them. As I rang them up I heard a man call my name. It's always a bit off-putting when a total stranger calls you by name...as a matter of fact, I hate it. But that's what happens when you wear a name badge.
Anyway, the man asked if he would be next and I looked around to see if there were any other customers gathered around the counter. Seeing that he was the only one there I told him, "I believe so."
"Good," he said, "then I'll wait."
He had already waited quite a long time as the two women ahead of him looked at several different pieces and couldn't seem to make up their minds. That's par for the course at the jewelry counter, though. And 9 times out of 10, the customer ends up buying nothing after you've spent 20-30 minutes helping them.
After I finished up with the two women I asked the man how I could help him. He was looking for a gold, heart shaped pendant with diamonds that would cost around $100.00 and of course, the one he liked the most was close to $800.00. I hated to tell him that we didn't have any diamond pendants around $100.00 in gold but we might be able to come close to that in silver.
As I was showing him several pieces my manager came and started helping some other customers that had gathered around. After about 20 minutes the man finally decided on a pendant, I rang him up, thanked him and moved on to the next customer.
He then called my manager over and was talking to her about me. I couldn't hear what he was saying but I was sure he was complaining because he appeared angry. That seems to be all that customers do these days, complain. So, I'm wracking my brain wondering what on earth I had done to make him angry and knew that I was gonna be in big trouble and probably get written up for it.
Once he left my manager approached me and I'm thinking, here we go! She asked, "Did you hear what he said?"
I answered, "No."
She replied, "He said if he owned a store he would steal me away from her. He was so impressed with all the help you gave him that he just wanted to let me know how much he appreciated it."
I was floored!
She went on to say that she thought for sure he was going to complain because he seemed angry (he did to me, too) but instead, he was very grateful.
I have worked at that store for 9½ years and this is the first time any customer has ever done anything like that. Mostly they treat us like we're dirt under their feet.
That made my day.
Anyway, the man asked if he would be next and I looked around to see if there were any other customers gathered around the counter. Seeing that he was the only one there I told him, "I believe so."
"Good," he said, "then I'll wait."
He had already waited quite a long time as the two women ahead of him looked at several different pieces and couldn't seem to make up their minds. That's par for the course at the jewelry counter, though. And 9 times out of 10, the customer ends up buying nothing after you've spent 20-30 minutes helping them.
After I finished up with the two women I asked the man how I could help him. He was looking for a gold, heart shaped pendant with diamonds that would cost around $100.00 and of course, the one he liked the most was close to $800.00. I hated to tell him that we didn't have any diamond pendants around $100.00 in gold but we might be able to come close to that in silver.
As I was showing him several pieces my manager came and started helping some other customers that had gathered around. After about 20 minutes the man finally decided on a pendant, I rang him up, thanked him and moved on to the next customer.
He then called my manager over and was talking to her about me. I couldn't hear what he was saying but I was sure he was complaining because he appeared angry. That seems to be all that customers do these days, complain. So, I'm wracking my brain wondering what on earth I had done to make him angry and knew that I was gonna be in big trouble and probably get written up for it.
Once he left my manager approached me and I'm thinking, here we go! She asked, "Did you hear what he said?"
I answered, "No."
She replied, "He said if he owned a store he would steal me away from her. He was so impressed with all the help you gave him that he just wanted to let me know how much he appreciated it."
I was floored!
She went on to say that she thought for sure he was going to complain because he seemed angry (he did to me, too) but instead, he was very grateful.
I have worked at that store for 9½ years and this is the first time any customer has ever done anything like that. Mostly they treat us like we're dirt under their feet.
That made my day.
11.25.2009
Tis the season...
Well, it's here. That time of the year that I dread the most. Tomorrow is supposed to be a day of thanks but I'll be thankful when it's over. Sales start at 5AM and Thanksgiving is one of the busiest shopping days of the season. (People who shop on Thanksgiving ought to be roasted alongside the turkey.)
I'll never understand the mentality of shoppers who are so willing to put up with the craziness year after year. If I didn't have to be there I wouldn't be caught dead in a store this weekend.
Hopefully no one will be trampled to death this year.
I'll never understand the mentality of shoppers who are so willing to put up with the craziness year after year. If I didn't have to be there I wouldn't be caught dead in a store this weekend.
Hopefully no one will be trampled to death this year.
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