We managed to get 398,787 kms on this car. It was due for the Drive Clean test and passed with flying colours. Regular oil changes do wonders! ! !
Anyway, we were out for breakfast two weeks ago and as I turned a corner it made a different noise. Ears perked up and I started to pay better attention. We pulled into Gage Park where we walk the dog on Saturdays and I lift the hood to track down the noise. I thought power steering, hubby said water pump.
Checked all the fluids and the PS fluid is low. So we buy some on the way home, he test drives it and the noise is gone! Anyway, too-long story shorter, it will START at $2500.00 to fix the power steering etc.
Now, I had just, and I do mean just, paid for the license sticker for my car when this started. SO now I have to turn in the plates (I think, not sure, as I've had them forever) and try to get a refund on my license fees.
A N D
This has lead to yours truly having to take the bus. One word for that experience:
YUCK
I want wheels again! I know its better for the environment etc, but I can't take standing around waiting for a bus. And with the summer not even started!!!?!???? I HATE HEAT!!!
I missed the bus on Monday coming home, which made me miss my transfer which meant I stood, (because heaven forbid there be a bench at the bus stop) in the hot sun, (no shade either) for twenty five minutes. I left work at 2:02, so missed the 2:04 bus, ran into a customer that wanted to chat (I wished I had been rude) so missed the next bus, caught the following bus which missed my connection and got home at 3:20 or so. That's too long to go 6.5 kms.
* * * * * *
Work is interesting. I got all day shifts this week which I am very happy with. Its nice to be home in the evening and still have some evening left and a normal supper time.
Breaks are normally pretty close to half way through your shift. For some reason 'they' have decided that it will now be at about 15 minutes later than that.
? ? ? ?
In one sense I don't mind because the further through the shift you are when break comes, the faster the second 'half' goes. But there are plenty of times when I can barely make it through to the half way mark. I think its the principal of the thing that bothers me the most. It almost seems like they are trying to piss off the employees any way they can.
They probably aren't, but the impression is there. There is a tension in the work place again, which is not good for the employees, the employer or the customer. Especially the customer. Its very hard on us to be working with lots of customers and not enough staff, but to have those same customers standing in line for longer and longer times, is just not right.
We, as cashiers, hear the complaints and have to field the anger. Customers tend to not speak with their mouths so much as with their money and if this kind of service keeps up they will go elsewhere.
After all, SERVICE is what the customer needs and wants. They are paying out hard earned money and they sure don't want t be inconvenienced or made to feel like their time is worthless. They come to our store because it is local, its nice and clean, AND the people are, for the most part, nice. There is a certain 'small-town' feel to our store and we need to maintain that.
There are a lot of elderly customers that have said to me that they like the store because the staff is so nice to them and the selection is good. To me they've said they like to see a smiling face and someone so cheerful. It makes them feel good to be greeted by someone happy to see them.
THAT'S why they love our store. So lets remember CUSTOMER SERVICE is the important part of this whole thing.
People HAVE to eat, but they DON'T have to come to us.
One example: As I was getting on the bus to go home, a couple (probably early 60's) asked me if this bus would take them to downtown. I said yes it would and they got on. They were carrying a large box with a chicken dinner from our store, two FULL plastic bags of groceries and one of our recycle bags FULL of groceries on the bus with them.
Now, they took the bus PAST the competition over the bridge to get to us. They didn't have to.
We want to keep those kinds of customers.
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