- "oh, oh, oh" Before your dirty minds start to "go there", think of a small puppy cry when hurt. This is what I heard the other morning, what I think was before 5 a.m. The other asst mgr, Dara, and I were putting out Christmas decor. Because it was early and the store isn't open yet, we were in comfy attire, which for her are flip flops, because she is constantly overheated (I also think in menopause denial) and thinks it is cooler for her. Literally, I thought a puppy was in the next aisle and had it's paw stepped on, it was that kind of whining. She had dropped a ceramic Christmas tree on her toe, and you are right, it was the top point that went into her toe. Suprised it was the whining and not the usual swearing she does, she said it hurt that bad.
- The constant walkie chatter is normal, but what gets me is the "KEEELLLLYYYY" everytime Michael has to tell me something very important (or yell at me). My response is always "MIIIICCCHHHAAAELLL????".
- "43 to Guest Services" Our code for manager on duty is 43. See, we don't want every guest in the store to automatically think something bad is happening when they hear "manager to Guest Services". Sometimes it is good information, but 99.99% of the time it's not. No one wants to get these calls, it's like a crap shoot, you never know how bad it is unless you answer it, and do you really want to know? Sometimes, you can hear crickets chirping after that page, it becomes so quiet because noone wants to answer. Worse call???? "43 to the Restrooms". That is NEVER a good one.
- "43 line one". See reason behind not answering number 3. It's always a complaint, employee calling in sick, or corporate calling to tell us to fix something.
- "Did you hear???" Our store personnel are normal when it comes to complaining about what is going on around the store. We complain alot and all day.
Showing posts with label Work. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Work. Show all posts
Thursday, September 8, 2011
What You Might Hear
Kristen's recent post got me to thinking about what I hear all day at work. I have the opposite problem that she does. My hearing senses are constantly bombarded and I will at times just come home and sit in the quiet to try to decompress. With the muzak, walkie talkie chatter, questions, babies/kids crying, and overhead announcements I can get quite overwhelmed. Here are some examples from just the past week:
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
Here We Go
Nope, not going anywhere in particular, unless you can say I'm literally falling into a pit of Holiday glitter, never to return. I am so frustrated with the holiday season, and I am sure you are all saying we are frustrated with your complaining so shut up already! Sorry, but it's my blog and I can cry if I want to.
Found out today that one of the assistants put in their 2 week notice. Yep, she's smart, leaving right before Thanksgiving. I've always dreamed of doing that, but never, ever pulled it off (yet, anyway). Know what that means????????? UGH, STRESSSSSSSSSSS worse than ever.
Nothing is finalized yet, but once again, my life will be turned upside down, along with every other employee. Yippee, I get to go back and do departments, but bet I don't lose my current job. Sure they are just gonna add it right on to the current list. I'm sure I'll never see any "retention bonus". That's another issue, because the company is now public, guess what is required for them to post for anyone with a search engine to see? That's right, the VP's "bonus" amount, which happened to fall after last year's restructure when people were being let go. On top of all of that, we know how many shares and dollar value each company "bigwig" was gifted. Some things are better not knowing. Do you think that made me happy? NOOOOO, wish my bonus was a 6 digit number, instead of the lousy 50 cent hourly wage increase some got (if they were lucky to get the top amount).
Signing off, pissed off...
Found out today that one of the assistants put in their 2 week notice. Yep, she's smart, leaving right before Thanksgiving. I've always dreamed of doing that, but never, ever pulled it off (yet, anyway). Know what that means????????? UGH, STRESSSSSSSSSSS worse than ever.
Nothing is finalized yet, but once again, my life will be turned upside down, along with every other employee. Yippee, I get to go back and do departments, but bet I don't lose my current job. Sure they are just gonna add it right on to the current list. I'm sure I'll never see any "retention bonus". That's another issue, because the company is now public, guess what is required for them to post for anyone with a search engine to see? That's right, the VP's "bonus" amount, which happened to fall after last year's restructure when people were being let go. On top of all of that, we know how many shares and dollar value each company "bigwig" was gifted. Some things are better not knowing. Do you think that made me happy? NOOOOO, wish my bonus was a 6 digit number, instead of the lousy 50 cent hourly wage increase some got (if they were lucky to get the top amount).
Signing off, pissed off...
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Mismates
Mismates will one day be the death of me. Seriously. They are that bad and the worst part of my job. What's a mismate you ask? Glad you did, because you are gonna hear about it anyway.
Clothing vendors and retail stores love to sell clothing sets. You remember buying those cute little baby outfits that come with both the top and bottoms for one low price? Well, you can find those sets in almost any part of a clothing store, and unless you are a perfect size top and bottom, not everyone can wear the same sizes from head to toe. The only time that actually works is when a child is under 6 months old or it applies to your pair of shoes. After that, something grows faster than the other parts, and the sets just don't work.
Our rules at the checkout is that both have to be the same size in order for you to purchase the set, and believe me, they will try. There is a VERY logical reasoning behind this law. If you want to purchase that large top with the medium bottoms, what kind of set do you still have on the floor? That's right, a medium top and a large bottom (which, you may not believe, is IMPOSSIBLE to sell like that). So, in theory, if everyone does their job, we would never have mismated sets. NOT...
Some cashiers don't care, and let it go through. Or you have a store manager who is in too much of a hurry to bother to check the sizes. When this happens, my mess begins.
In the stockroom, I have a clothing rack about 4 feet long that any mismates found on the floor are stored. Again, the theory is if you have a mismate to place on the rack, first look at the rack and see if you can find the corresponding pieces, mate them up and return them to the sales floor. Again, this theory works if the sales associate cares about doing a good job, or you have a store manager that isn't in too much of a hurry and likes to help out where he can.
This rack is sorted in three sections, by date. First section is week one, second section is week two, you get the picture. Every week I take some time out of my already overscheduled day to look through this rack. First, I find one to two sets I can match up by just looking at it. Imagine if that part time associate did that! Then I take the mismated sets and head to the sales floor to try to match up the correct pair. I don't just check the original rack it was on, I check EVERY rack in that department, because remember that part-timer that doesn't give a flying feather about their job??? That's right, it could be a toddler item in the misses swim. I also have to check every piece on the clearance racks, because that is where things "hide" from the all knowing.
After 3 weeks of not finding the said mismate, I head to the office, grab an inventory scanner, and have fun. I first have to take the item completely out of inventory, scanning it to subtract it so our numbers match. Now I get to bring 2 new sku items back INTO inventory, because we are going to sell each piece individually. The price I assign is half (or thirds if it is a 3 piece set--which are more of a nightmare and could result in a whole other posting) and put a new ticket on each item. Because these new items are not meant to be sold separately, they need to go on a clearance rack, hoping they will sell. Going on a clearance rack means it will be signed "20-60% off our everyday price" so I get to ring them through inventory again, taking the value ownership to a lower price so now there will be the "original" price and a "clearance" price on the ticket.
This is bad enough, but some vendors have jumped on a new idea: selling a scarf, necklace, toy, or hat with the two piece set. So everytime there is a missing item, I have to conduct the mismate process all over again because the tag is marked "with scarf" for example. This has increased the mismate workload tremendously. (Just in case you were needing one, we do have boys t-shirts for sale with a real skateboard attached.)
Every night that part timer will clean their department. When they find a pair of shorts on the floor that belongs to a mismate, they will walk it back to the stockroom to the rack. I would think that the matching top is hanging on the rack right where those shorts are laying, but I am probably wrong in that theory. I also love the guest who has to tear into that packaged underwear to look at it (I understand it's kids underwear and you need to look at it, but it has a seal you can open and shut back up, do you really need to rip open the plastic on the top and then throw the loose pieces on the rack? Why can't you just put it back in the package?). I also want to applaud the smart one who actually pulls apart the socks that aren't in plastic, but only bundled by a strip of paper, so you can actually feel and see the socks without opening a bag. Is there a reason you need to have the pair separate from each other in order to see if one will work, or what?
I want to thank a coworker this week for taking on a huge problem. Due to the back to school season, that 4 foot rack grew into 3 racks because there just wasn't time. It was a mess, and she spent all day cleaning it up. She actually ended up with 2 racks of stuff that she could mate without even leaving the stockroom. I am now working on cleaning up the inventory of the merchandise that is older, because it needs to get on that clearance rack--next week we are having 50% off of that clearance and it's a great way to get rid of it. I am so glad that this week is almost up!
Clothing vendors and retail stores love to sell clothing sets. You remember buying those cute little baby outfits that come with both the top and bottoms for one low price? Well, you can find those sets in almost any part of a clothing store, and unless you are a perfect size top and bottom, not everyone can wear the same sizes from head to toe. The only time that actually works is when a child is under 6 months old or it applies to your pair of shoes. After that, something grows faster than the other parts, and the sets just don't work.
Our rules at the checkout is that both have to be the same size in order for you to purchase the set, and believe me, they will try. There is a VERY logical reasoning behind this law. If you want to purchase that large top with the medium bottoms, what kind of set do you still have on the floor? That's right, a medium top and a large bottom (which, you may not believe, is IMPOSSIBLE to sell like that). So, in theory, if everyone does their job, we would never have mismated sets. NOT...
Some cashiers don't care, and let it go through. Or you have a store manager who is in too much of a hurry to bother to check the sizes. When this happens, my mess begins.
In the stockroom, I have a clothing rack about 4 feet long that any mismates found on the floor are stored. Again, the theory is if you have a mismate to place on the rack, first look at the rack and see if you can find the corresponding pieces, mate them up and return them to the sales floor. Again, this theory works if the sales associate cares about doing a good job, or you have a store manager that isn't in too much of a hurry and likes to help out where he can.
This rack is sorted in three sections, by date. First section is week one, second section is week two, you get the picture. Every week I take some time out of my already overscheduled day to look through this rack. First, I find one to two sets I can match up by just looking at it. Imagine if that part time associate did that! Then I take the mismated sets and head to the sales floor to try to match up the correct pair. I don't just check the original rack it was on, I check EVERY rack in that department, because remember that part-timer that doesn't give a flying feather about their job??? That's right, it could be a toddler item in the misses swim. I also have to check every piece on the clearance racks, because that is where things "hide" from the all knowing.
After 3 weeks of not finding the said mismate, I head to the office, grab an inventory scanner, and have fun. I first have to take the item completely out of inventory, scanning it to subtract it so our numbers match. Now I get to bring 2 new sku items back INTO inventory, because we are going to sell each piece individually. The price I assign is half (or thirds if it is a 3 piece set--which are more of a nightmare and could result in a whole other posting) and put a new ticket on each item. Because these new items are not meant to be sold separately, they need to go on a clearance rack, hoping they will sell. Going on a clearance rack means it will be signed "20-60% off our everyday price" so I get to ring them through inventory again, taking the value ownership to a lower price so now there will be the "original" price and a "clearance" price on the ticket.
This is bad enough, but some vendors have jumped on a new idea: selling a scarf, necklace, toy, or hat with the two piece set. So everytime there is a missing item, I have to conduct the mismate process all over again because the tag is marked "with scarf" for example. This has increased the mismate workload tremendously. (Just in case you were needing one, we do have boys t-shirts for sale with a real skateboard attached.)
Every night that part timer will clean their department. When they find a pair of shorts on the floor that belongs to a mismate, they will walk it back to the stockroom to the rack. I would think that the matching top is hanging on the rack right where those shorts are laying, but I am probably wrong in that theory. I also love the guest who has to tear into that packaged underwear to look at it (I understand it's kids underwear and you need to look at it, but it has a seal you can open and shut back up, do you really need to rip open the plastic on the top and then throw the loose pieces on the rack? Why can't you just put it back in the package?). I also want to applaud the smart one who actually pulls apart the socks that aren't in plastic, but only bundled by a strip of paper, so you can actually feel and see the socks without opening a bag. Is there a reason you need to have the pair separate from each other in order to see if one will work, or what?
I want to thank a coworker this week for taking on a huge problem. Due to the back to school season, that 4 foot rack grew into 3 racks because there just wasn't time. It was a mess, and she spent all day cleaning it up. She actually ended up with 2 racks of stuff that she could mate without even leaving the stockroom. I am now working on cleaning up the inventory of the merchandise that is older, because it needs to get on that clearance rack--next week we are having 50% off of that clearance and it's a great way to get rid of it. I am so glad that this week is almost up!
Friday, August 6, 2010
Holding Back??
I am writing about work, again. I am sitting here enjoying the start of my four day weekend, when I get a call from, are you ready for it....WORK. It is my fault. I realized when I got off the phone that sometimes I don't tell anyone how to do certain parts of my job. I don't know if it's my desire for being needed, or maybe my hope that they realize the place would fall apart without me, thus saving myself from ever losing my job.
Of course, I knew it was them and answered the phone. I don't call the other assistants to ask them questions about merchandising, because it can wait until they get back. My job, however, always needs an answer immediately it seems. I do bother Michael sometimes at home, but he bothers me too.
Sidebar: the other day the new assistant was told that Michael and I argue like an old married couple by one of the associates. Made me laugh and realize that we have been working together for 16 years now. That lasted longer than my marriage. Scary thought.
Of course, I knew it was them and answered the phone. I don't call the other assistants to ask them questions about merchandising, because it can wait until they get back. My job, however, always needs an answer immediately it seems. I do bother Michael sometimes at home, but he bothers me too.
Sidebar: the other day the new assistant was told that Michael and I argue like an old married couple by one of the associates. Made me laugh and realize that we have been working together for 16 years now. That lasted longer than my marriage. Scary thought.
Wednesday, August 4, 2010
Back to School
It's that time again. Summer has flown by and school will be starting up again very soon. Yes, I am sad that it is Faith's last year, but I am mostly upset that another final 4 months of the year is soon upon us. Back to school starts the craziness that is my work life. We get a good taste of what is to come very soon. We are talking "fourth quarter" every day, knowing that the holiday season is soon coming. We are discussing when that first actual shipment of all holiday home will be arriving, and to wet our appetites, some is already trickling in. Yes, we unloaded our first Christmas item last week. Right now we are just throwing the boxes in a corner, hoping that they will slowly disappear, but unfortunately past years has taught me they will soon multiply like rabbits, until our lives are nothing but box after box of stuff I can't believe people spend their money on.
Why don't I just bite the bullet and call this job quits? I ask myself that every day, but every day I go back for another, always to be disappointed that things never change, they only get worse. It's really hard to throw away that almost 20 years aside and start all over. Change is not a good thing for me. I have yet to rearrange any of my furniture in any of the rooms I use in the apartment we have been living in for I think about 8 years. I keep hoping that the change in Faith's life that will be happening soon will awaken a desire in me to just do it, just change the lifestyle I have dug into and can't seem to see over the edge of that hole. Maybe I'm just tired tonight. Tomorrow is another day and I did get a four day weekend this week. Tomorrow I will love my job.......ok, who am I fooling????
Why don't I just bite the bullet and call this job quits? I ask myself that every day, but every day I go back for another, always to be disappointed that things never change, they only get worse. It's really hard to throw away that almost 20 years aside and start all over. Change is not a good thing for me. I have yet to rearrange any of my furniture in any of the rooms I use in the apartment we have been living in for I think about 8 years. I keep hoping that the change in Faith's life that will be happening soon will awaken a desire in me to just do it, just change the lifestyle I have dug into and can't seem to see over the edge of that hole. Maybe I'm just tired tonight. Tomorrow is another day and I did get a four day weekend this week. Tomorrow I will love my job.......ok, who am I fooling????
Friday, June 18, 2010
Stupid Is as Stupid Does
I am always very busy at work. Even in February I am busy just trying to finish all of the stuff that should have been done in December, although it is so slow we could close the doors and not have any problems. I have realized that I am so busy because of all the extra work caused by stupidity. Yes, stupidity, but not on my part-it never is my fault.
Just yesterday I was running around trying to get schedules together and help out at Guest Services. I answered a manager call to the desk, and went up to help a guy. He had a printout of a charge to his store credit card and was wondering what the extra shirt was on his statement, because he only bought one shirt. He did not have his original sales receipt, so getting his card information, I had to go back to the office and search for it on the electronic journal. The only smart thing he did was give me the corret date of purchase (not when it went through on his account which is always 1-3 days later--that is very important to remember!) and his credit card number. When I pulled up his itemized receipt it showed that the 13.99 mens shirt was charged twice, but the cashier did void it once. I then went to another computer to look up the sku numbers to find out description and brand of this shirt, because he did not remember it. I showed him the itemized receipt and explained which shirt it was, so he remembered what he bought. Then he asked why there were two shirts on his statement. I pointed out that yes, there were two shirts on there, but right below it was the term "line void" meaning the cashier did remove the extra charge. After his confused look I then took the four items he had, added them together in front of him, added tax and showed him he was charged correctly. If he had been charged two times for that shirt, it would have been $14 more. AHHHHH, that is what that means.
Last week had to help a guest who was charged twice on her check card for the same amount. She did not have the receipt information, but could give me the exact date of purchase and the credit card numbers. Looking it up, she had done two different purchases for two different items on the same day. After calling her back to see if this information was helpfull, AHHHHH, sorry, my mistake, sorry for your trouble. This has happened more than this one time. Because our coupons are limited one per purchase, people go through the line twice, sometimes buying the same priced item and automatically assume the cashier screwed them by charging them twice.
A couple of months ago a guest called claiming she had a charge to the store and lived out of town and it wasn't hers, her number must have been stolen. We were able to research the information and our security agent became involved, so she looked on the camera to see if she could get a description in case the police needed to be involved. We were a little perplexed when we were watching a nice looking older lady buying home products. Calling back the card holder and asking if she knew any lady with a that description buying those items, she became flustered, explaining that it was her own mother using the company credit card, shopping because she had asked her to stop when in town to save herself some time. AHHHH, sorry to waste your time, thank you very much.
Right after the last holiday season, a frantic guest called saying her grandson had tried to use his gift card she had given him for Christmas and was told it had a zero balance. She did have her original receipt so I could back track and find out when it was used and for what. Another camera adventure gave us a description of a young man buying shoes and jeans using that exact gift card. Our agent called her back, and after talking with her it was discovered that the young man using the gift card was her other grandson who had "borrowed" it without permission from his cousin. Well, she chose not to press charges, hmmmmm.
This kind of stuff happens all of the time. I am not saying that we don't make mistakes, but don't always assume that the mistake was not made by you. There are many times we have to look for a missing bag because "oh the cashier FORGOT to give it to me" and we find that the guest walked away from the counter, leaving the bag right there, or forgetting it in their shopping cart and someone else grabs it. My favorite it the cashier charged me for these $50 shoes and didn't give them to me, no I don't have my receipt, why can't you just give them to me now, only to find out that they never intended to buy them in the first place. Do I have "Stupid" on my nametag?????
Just yesterday I was running around trying to get schedules together and help out at Guest Services. I answered a manager call to the desk, and went up to help a guy. He had a printout of a charge to his store credit card and was wondering what the extra shirt was on his statement, because he only bought one shirt. He did not have his original sales receipt, so getting his card information, I had to go back to the office and search for it on the electronic journal. The only smart thing he did was give me the corret date of purchase (not when it went through on his account which is always 1-3 days later--that is very important to remember!) and his credit card number. When I pulled up his itemized receipt it showed that the 13.99 mens shirt was charged twice, but the cashier did void it once. I then went to another computer to look up the sku numbers to find out description and brand of this shirt, because he did not remember it. I showed him the itemized receipt and explained which shirt it was, so he remembered what he bought. Then he asked why there were two shirts on his statement. I pointed out that yes, there were two shirts on there, but right below it was the term "line void" meaning the cashier did remove the extra charge. After his confused look I then took the four items he had, added them together in front of him, added tax and showed him he was charged correctly. If he had been charged two times for that shirt, it would have been $14 more. AHHHHH, that is what that means.
Last week had to help a guest who was charged twice on her check card for the same amount. She did not have the receipt information, but could give me the exact date of purchase and the credit card numbers. Looking it up, she had done two different purchases for two different items on the same day. After calling her back to see if this information was helpfull, AHHHHH, sorry, my mistake, sorry for your trouble. This has happened more than this one time. Because our coupons are limited one per purchase, people go through the line twice, sometimes buying the same priced item and automatically assume the cashier screwed them by charging them twice.
A couple of months ago a guest called claiming she had a charge to the store and lived out of town and it wasn't hers, her number must have been stolen. We were able to research the information and our security agent became involved, so she looked on the camera to see if she could get a description in case the police needed to be involved. We were a little perplexed when we were watching a nice looking older lady buying home products. Calling back the card holder and asking if she knew any lady with a that description buying those items, she became flustered, explaining that it was her own mother using the company credit card, shopping because she had asked her to stop when in town to save herself some time. AHHHH, sorry to waste your time, thank you very much.
Right after the last holiday season, a frantic guest called saying her grandson had tried to use his gift card she had given him for Christmas and was told it had a zero balance. She did have her original receipt so I could back track and find out when it was used and for what. Another camera adventure gave us a description of a young man buying shoes and jeans using that exact gift card. Our agent called her back, and after talking with her it was discovered that the young man using the gift card was her other grandson who had "borrowed" it without permission from his cousin. Well, she chose not to press charges, hmmmmm.
This kind of stuff happens all of the time. I am not saying that we don't make mistakes, but don't always assume that the mistake was not made by you. There are many times we have to look for a missing bag because "oh the cashier FORGOT to give it to me" and we find that the guest walked away from the counter, leaving the bag right there, or forgetting it in their shopping cart and someone else grabs it. My favorite it the cashier charged me for these $50 shoes and didn't give them to me, no I don't have my receipt, why can't you just give them to me now, only to find out that they never intended to buy them in the first place. Do I have "Stupid" on my nametag?????
Sunday, June 6, 2010
People Are Strange
This post has an alert: if you get sick easily stop here. Bet you can't stop now, your interest is piqued!
I was at work today and called up to the service desk. There was a guy standing there looking a little stressed and everyone standing around looking at a small bag on the counter. I was told not to touch the bag, and I could see that there were bits of something stuck to the inside of it. Well, the associate told me that someone had thrown up in the bag.
WTF?????? It was not the guy standing there, although it was what he had purchased just a few minutes before. Evidentally he was walking out the front doors when some stranger, a woman also leaving at the same time, lost her cookies. Guess she tried to cover her mouth and ended up spewing it all over the poor guy and some landed inside the bag.
The associate said he came back in and cleaned up, and wanted to return the items he had purchased. SERIOUSLY? Well, I really didn't want to screw with his sanity any more than needed so I read the receipt through the side of the bag, returned the money and threw the bag in the trash.
To make matters a little worse, he misplaced his cell phone during all of this. Thankfully it was located or we would have had a breakdown. Definitely goes in the record books of strange happenings.
I was at work today and called up to the service desk. There was a guy standing there looking a little stressed and everyone standing around looking at a small bag on the counter. I was told not to touch the bag, and I could see that there were bits of something stuck to the inside of it. Well, the associate told me that someone had thrown up in the bag.
WTF?????? It was not the guy standing there, although it was what he had purchased just a few minutes before. Evidentally he was walking out the front doors when some stranger, a woman also leaving at the same time, lost her cookies. Guess she tried to cover her mouth and ended up spewing it all over the poor guy and some landed inside the bag.
The associate said he came back in and cleaned up, and wanted to return the items he had purchased. SERIOUSLY? Well, I really didn't want to screw with his sanity any more than needed so I read the receipt through the side of the bag, returned the money and threw the bag in the trash.
To make matters a little worse, he misplaced his cell phone during all of this. Thankfully it was located or we would have had a breakdown. Definitely goes in the record books of strange happenings.
Monday, May 24, 2010
Tornados
Wonder what this post is all about? First things first: is it tornadoes or tornados? Just putting that out there.
It's nights like tonight that bring back those memories, and I am sure you already know what I am talking about. Those twilights we are taken to the basement because the hot wind is blowing and the clouds are that ugly black color. I know there was a reason we kept that ugly green huge desk in the basement, I think we could all fit under there as kids. Mom being Mom has made us aware that nature is unpredictable, and why take chances? Just go to the basement, but NEVER, EVER, go to the actual shelter underground. Too creepy...too many spiders...and possibly snakes.
I don't know if you are aware of what we have to do while at work when there is dangerous weather. First, we get that dreaded call from every single manager sitting at home in front of the TV watching Keloland putting the fear of god into Sioux Falls. Reason why every single one calls? Because there is a chance that noone may call. When you are inside the store you can't tell what is going on outside.
Number one there is the tornado watch. That means I stand at the door in front of I don't know how many panels of glass to watch the sky. Next becomes the actual warning. That means I stand at the front door in front of all of that glass. This is the only way I can hear the sirens, of course.
Once the sirens are going, we have to make an announcement (and I won't bore you with it because I can recite it by heart--not really but I've made it enough). Every single person in the store has to go to the hallway by the restrooms because of the sirens going off. Why the bathroom hallway you may ask? It is the safest area in the store (not really, but my personal study shows that there is ALWAYS some little boy or very old lady that has to pee during this, so why not there? I really don't want to clean up pee if the tornado does not rip us apart). Oh--I forgot to mention that when we get the warning BEFORE the sirens, we are arming up with flashlights, our walkie talkies (and cell phones), and locking up the registers, because if the sirens do go off, we want to be sure that when the till is flying through the air the money is kept neat.
Now we are in the shelter. But not me, the fearless leader. I am standing once again at the front doors by all of that glass. You see, we have to leave the front doors UNLOCKED because we want anyone who needs it to be able to seek shelter inside. I also have to tell those that look like they are seeking shelter that no, they can't go find a red pair of heels to go with their new dress, can't you see that tornado you nitwit? Yes, I am not making that up. I have actually had people look at me like I'm the crazy one not letting them shop.
We have to stay in the shelter until the warning is lifted, not necessarily the sirens stopping. There have been times I have let people leave, I can't force them to stay, but they have to leave completely. I am the expert when it comes to the tornado procedure (specifically section 14-11 in the Store Safety Manual). I have been the only manager on duty when this has happened, and the scariest was the night quite a few years ago when that tornado completely destroyed Spencer. I wouldn't allow any of the employees to leave even after closing, and had many of their scared parents telling me how relieved they were knowing their teen wasn't trying to get home in that. I even had a guest bring in her two big shephards because I didn't think it was safe for the dogs to be in the car either.
We may laugh that Mom overreacted during this weather when we were younger, but I thank her. I don't think it is worth risking your life to prove you are brave, and there are too many lives I have to be in charge of when at work. It is a running joke at work that every time the sirens go off in town, it means Kelly is at the store. For some reason it usually works out that way. By the way: I close this Thursday night---don't be suprised if we have another tornado warning.
It's nights like tonight that bring back those memories, and I am sure you already know what I am talking about. Those twilights we are taken to the basement because the hot wind is blowing and the clouds are that ugly black color. I know there was a reason we kept that ugly green huge desk in the basement, I think we could all fit under there as kids. Mom being Mom has made us aware that nature is unpredictable, and why take chances? Just go to the basement, but NEVER, EVER, go to the actual shelter underground. Too creepy...too many spiders...and possibly snakes.
I don't know if you are aware of what we have to do while at work when there is dangerous weather. First, we get that dreaded call from every single manager sitting at home in front of the TV watching Keloland putting the fear of god into Sioux Falls. Reason why every single one calls? Because there is a chance that noone may call. When you are inside the store you can't tell what is going on outside.
Number one there is the tornado watch. That means I stand at the door in front of I don't know how many panels of glass to watch the sky. Next becomes the actual warning. That means I stand at the front door in front of all of that glass. This is the only way I can hear the sirens, of course.
Once the sirens are going, we have to make an announcement (and I won't bore you with it because I can recite it by heart--not really but I've made it enough). Every single person in the store has to go to the hallway by the restrooms because of the sirens going off. Why the bathroom hallway you may ask? It is the safest area in the store (not really, but my personal study shows that there is ALWAYS some little boy or very old lady that has to pee during this, so why not there? I really don't want to clean up pee if the tornado does not rip us apart). Oh--I forgot to mention that when we get the warning BEFORE the sirens, we are arming up with flashlights, our walkie talkies (and cell phones), and locking up the registers, because if the sirens do go off, we want to be sure that when the till is flying through the air the money is kept neat.
Now we are in the shelter. But not me, the fearless leader. I am standing once again at the front doors by all of that glass. You see, we have to leave the front doors UNLOCKED because we want anyone who needs it to be able to seek shelter inside. I also have to tell those that look like they are seeking shelter that no, they can't go find a red pair of heels to go with their new dress, can't you see that tornado you nitwit? Yes, I am not making that up. I have actually had people look at me like I'm the crazy one not letting them shop.
We have to stay in the shelter until the warning is lifted, not necessarily the sirens stopping. There have been times I have let people leave, I can't force them to stay, but they have to leave completely. I am the expert when it comes to the tornado procedure (specifically section 14-11 in the Store Safety Manual). I have been the only manager on duty when this has happened, and the scariest was the night quite a few years ago when that tornado completely destroyed Spencer. I wouldn't allow any of the employees to leave even after closing, and had many of their scared parents telling me how relieved they were knowing their teen wasn't trying to get home in that. I even had a guest bring in her two big shephards because I didn't think it was safe for the dogs to be in the car either.
We may laugh that Mom overreacted during this weather when we were younger, but I thank her. I don't think it is worth risking your life to prove you are brave, and there are too many lives I have to be in charge of when at work. It is a running joke at work that every time the sirens go off in town, it means Kelly is at the store. For some reason it usually works out that way. By the way: I close this Thursday night---don't be suprised if we have another tornado warning.
Saturday, April 10, 2010
It's Been a LONNG Week
Was back at work this past Tuesday, and while I only actually worked 4 days, it became a long week. During my vacation the previous week, there were about five different phone calls about work. I really didn't mind, because I didn't need to actually go to the store to deal with a problem, but you would think that sometime during those five conversations someone would have said: "By the way, on your first day back you will be training a manager for another store." When I walked in and was given this information, I asked, "Why didn't you call me so I could be mentally prepared?" (The night before I had already gone through what I needed to start accomplishing the next day in my head.) My manager's response was that he didn't want to bother me on my vacation. WTH???? He was one of the few phone calls I had gotten while on vacation (and one of those calls was how to order toilet paper of all things--but I admit I was responsible for doing that before I left and I had forgotten)!!
My trainee arrived at 9 a.m. ready to go, but I sure wasn't. He is doing my job only in another store, so how hard could it be to train, right?? WRONG. I was not prepared at all and felt like a fool having him read manuals for the first day so I could get my sh...stuff together.
I love training, don't get me wrong. I agreed to be a designated corporate trainer for my job (without any extra pay) because it was quite an honor and it is more job security, which these days is a very important part of the job. My issue is the planning when they send out these trainees, and sometimes I wish I could be in on the interview process. I know, that sounds snobbish, but seriously, where do they get some of these people? My fear is that every single one goes back and says "Kelly told me to do it this way" when they do something wrong, or give the reason they weren't trained correctly when they can't handle it back at their own store working by themselves. I am one to just dig in and do it, even when I don't completely understand what I am doing, my job is not that hard. Why do I need to tell an adult who has been in the workforce for more than 20 years after explaining how to do it, they really need to practice and get "hands on" training. I shouldn't have to stand over your shoulder the entire day for 14 days.
Let's just say after last week I am going to have the song "Me and My Shadow" running through my head all next week. Sometimes I just want to say "go do something, I showed you how, now just do it!!!".
My trainee arrived at 9 a.m. ready to go, but I sure wasn't. He is doing my job only in another store, so how hard could it be to train, right?? WRONG. I was not prepared at all and felt like a fool having him read manuals for the first day so I could get my sh...stuff together.
I love training, don't get me wrong. I agreed to be a designated corporate trainer for my job (without any extra pay) because it was quite an honor and it is more job security, which these days is a very important part of the job. My issue is the planning when they send out these trainees, and sometimes I wish I could be in on the interview process. I know, that sounds snobbish, but seriously, where do they get some of these people? My fear is that every single one goes back and says "Kelly told me to do it this way" when they do something wrong, or give the reason they weren't trained correctly when they can't handle it back at their own store working by themselves. I am one to just dig in and do it, even when I don't completely understand what I am doing, my job is not that hard. Why do I need to tell an adult who has been in the workforce for more than 20 years after explaining how to do it, they really need to practice and get "hands on" training. I shouldn't have to stand over your shoulder the entire day for 14 days.
Let's just say after last week I am going to have the song "Me and My Shadow" running through my head all next week. Sometimes I just want to say "go do something, I showed you how, now just do it!!!".
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