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We've hired a few new people lately. A total of about 6 or 7 I think. Anyway, its interesting to see what you get. I have had the pleasure of doing secondary training on two, a girl and a guy. Primary training is done by one of our head cashiers and then an experienced cashier will be assigned to watch them through a shift and to be there to offer help and advice as needed.
Its pretty 'easy' work but taxing because you aren't doing the job but have to be very alert to make sure mistakes don't happen.
I really like the young lady I worked with. Very smart, great with the customers and at ease with the job. The young man I trained, has worked one other job before. He didn't have to use his head as much as you do on this job and I wonder if he'll stick it out. I hope so. It is great training for the future for any young person.
Actually, I feel that EVERY one should have to work my side of a counter for at least a week just to know what it is like. Maybe they'd be better customers ! ! ! !
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I have had more customers over the past few weeks comment about how nice it is to see me there. They like my attitude (always cheerful), they LOVE the way I pack their groceries, and they love that I treat them with respect. Conversely, I have also had several customers tell me they were wondering where I was as they hadn't seen me. That's strange because I have been there almost every day.
A week or so ago, I had a bit of a melt down at work. I have been working in pain for quite a while. I need my knees done and I shouldn't be standing for long periods of time. So I have myself to blame really. I could ask for a chair but then I think I'd be admitting defeat. (Yeah, I know . . . . stubborn).
So, I am working away, talking to a customer I deal with quite a lot, and putting his groceries at the back. He has bags, but hasn't given them to me yet. Okay. Then he puts them at the end and I just haven't grabbed them yet, when a superior comes over and tells me "the bags fit in here you know. (indicating the brackets we have). You are supposed to bag the groceries. " That implied to me that I wasn't doing my job. It was inappropriate and plain petty if you ask me.
Later that day I get told I have to go see the boss in his office. Immediately I wonder what I have done, because they have NEVER called any one into the office to tell them they did something good. So I close down when I can, go knock on the door, and get invited in. By now I am pretty upset. On the verge of tears, which really ticked me off. I guess I have been in more pain than I thought and more tired than normal because suddenly the stress got to me. When I am in the office I am 'counseled'. Apparently I forgot to write down the employees name after giving them a discount on their order. The silly thing about this rule is, that I, personally can't do a discount. I must call a head cashier person to come and key it in. So, it is NOT like I just arbitrarily did it.
Secondly, I am told that I am supposed to be wearing black dress pants and black shoes. I asked what these were that I was wearing and was told that they are jeans. That's odd, because when I bought them they were black dress pants. They even have a small stripe in them. I explained that and also said the reason I wore them was because "the arse is torn out of my other pants from all the jagged edges of metal on our registers." I further told him I had been promised new pants from the company over a year ago and still hadn't received them.
I said that I need to wear orthotics. My knees are bad enough without having to stand for long periods of time in dress shoes in a position where my shoes can not even be seen.
I then went on to explain that I thought it rather odd that we make a big deal about pants and shoes hidden behind a counter but nothing is done about people that show up late, don't show up at all because they were out drinking the night before they had a shift, leave early, don't stay at their register, take overly long breaks, etc, etc, etc.
All this was said by a blubbering cashier, who was fed up with being picked on about such trivial things when the service to customers is not even take into consideration.
I intend to talk to them again. The way people are treated there is getting to be a little much. For some reason every once in a while there is an "eat the weak one" attitude that pervades the place.
You know this job is a lot of work for very little money. When you get people that are good with the customers and do a decent job, then they should be given consideration and treated well.
It isn't right that we feel like we're walking on eggs sometimes.
My blog is international now (well, Canada AND The United States). I have a follower from California and one from Utah.
* * * * *
And last, but by no means least. I have met our customer who won the free groceries for a year. He is a really nice young man. He calls me by my name like he's known me forever and I saw him twice in three days. Yesterday, him and a friend were to be my last customers and they were goofing around while I served the person in front of them. I told him I saw what he was doing, and then when serving him and his friend I got yacking with him about all kinds of silly things. Just small talk stuff. I mentioned that he looked like he had party type stuff there, and he said" you want to come party with us?" I said sure, next thing I know he's asking me for my phone number. (Yeah !)
Anyway, we were just goofing and it was fun, but I told him that story would make it into the blog. So here it is.
Thanks for making me smile. :-)
* * * * *
A week or so ago, I had a bit of a melt down at work. I have been working in pain for quite a while. I need my knees done and I shouldn't be standing for long periods of time. So I have myself to blame really. I could ask for a chair but then I think I'd be admitting defeat. (Yeah, I know . . . . stubborn).
So, I am working away, talking to a customer I deal with quite a lot, and putting his groceries at the back. He has bags, but hasn't given them to me yet. Okay. Then he puts them at the end and I just haven't grabbed them yet, when a superior comes over and tells me "the bags fit in here you know. (indicating the brackets we have). You are supposed to bag the groceries. " That implied to me that I wasn't doing my job. It was inappropriate and plain petty if you ask me.
Later that day I get told I have to go see the boss in his office. Immediately I wonder what I have done, because they have NEVER called any one into the office to tell them they did something good. So I close down when I can, go knock on the door, and get invited in. By now I am pretty upset. On the verge of tears, which really ticked me off. I guess I have been in more pain than I thought and more tired than normal because suddenly the stress got to me. When I am in the office I am 'counseled'. Apparently I forgot to write down the employees name after giving them a discount on their order. The silly thing about this rule is, that I, personally can't do a discount. I must call a head cashier person to come and key it in. So, it is NOT like I just arbitrarily did it.
Secondly, I am told that I am supposed to be wearing black dress pants and black shoes. I asked what these were that I was wearing and was told that they are jeans. That's odd, because when I bought them they were black dress pants. They even have a small stripe in them. I explained that and also said the reason I wore them was because "the arse is torn out of my other pants from all the jagged edges of metal on our registers." I further told him I had been promised new pants from the company over a year ago and still hadn't received them.
I said that I need to wear orthotics. My knees are bad enough without having to stand for long periods of time in dress shoes in a position where my shoes can not even be seen.
I then went on to explain that I thought it rather odd that we make a big deal about pants and shoes hidden behind a counter but nothing is done about people that show up late, don't show up at all because they were out drinking the night before they had a shift, leave early, don't stay at their register, take overly long breaks, etc, etc, etc.
All this was said by a blubbering cashier, who was fed up with being picked on about such trivial things when the service to customers is not even take into consideration.
I intend to talk to them again. The way people are treated there is getting to be a little much. For some reason every once in a while there is an "eat the weak one" attitude that pervades the place.
You know this job is a lot of work for very little money. When you get people that are good with the customers and do a decent job, then they should be given consideration and treated well.
It isn't right that we feel like we're walking on eggs sometimes.
* * * * *
My blog is international now (well, Canada AND The United States). I have a follower from California and one from Utah.
* * * * *
And last, but by no means least. I have met our customer who won the free groceries for a year. He is a really nice young man. He calls me by my name like he's known me forever and I saw him twice in three days. Yesterday, him and a friend were to be my last customers and they were goofing around while I served the person in front of them. I told him I saw what he was doing, and then when serving him and his friend I got yacking with him about all kinds of silly things. Just small talk stuff. I mentioned that he looked like he had party type stuff there, and he said" you want to come party with us?" I said sure, next thing I know he's asking me for my phone number. (Yeah !)
Anyway, we were just goofing and it was fun, but I told him that story would make it into the blog. So here it is.
Thanks for making me smile. :-)
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