Apparently, I'm too 'negative'

I am trying not to be, but it happens. Most people will tell you that it is like that where ever you go/ I know that, better the devil you know than the one you don't.

BUT....

It's not fair to change the rules of the game part way through. This used to be a great place to work. Wonderful. Not too much stress, lovely customers, and great people to work with that really care about their jobs and doing it well.

I won't go on, again about some of the basically useless young people we have as cashiers, but suffice it to say I hope the batch that starts applying in the fall have some sort of work ethic.

Most of us are part-time and as such get paid minimum or, as you collect more and more hours. your pay rate goes up infinitesimally. That's okay, for me, as I can't make too much money or I have to give some back. And, the customers and work ethic used to make up for that. Well, it seems since we went to new ownership a couple years ago, that things are just not as nice.

Unfortunately, because it is a business, they really are only concerned with bottom line. I just wish it didn't have to be so.

* * * * *

The other day I was on express, and I was enjoying it as always, because you are almost constantly busy. You get to deal with a lot of people, and even though about 15% can't seem to count, what the heck. If you're lucky a customer will point it out for you.

Anyway, I'm working away and earlier that day I had been thinking of my elderly gentleman friend who lost his wife last year. I hadn't seen him in a while. I happened to look up and he was going by. He was really smiling. I said hi, and then I had to excuse myself from my customers and just go give him a hug and a kiss. He returned the gestures and it made my day and REALLY made several customers smile. I again apologized for leaving them standing there and every one of them didn't mind and seemed genuinely happy that I took the time to do that.

And, THAT, is one of the reasons I love my store and customers.

________

(So, management, don't screw that up.)

:-)

So what is going on in the minds of management? ? ? ?

I am not sure what they are trying to do at my store. It seems that they may be trying their hardest to make every one, and I MEAN EVERYone, angry or fed up with the store. The workers are having hours cut like crazy and having to work harder and harder to keep the few customers that the store tries to chase away.


What do you accomplish when you keep cutting hours?

Well, you may save on wages, but..... the workers are getting tired and frustrated because they just see a line of angry people and take the brunt of the complaints.

Let me walk you through a customer experience as even I have experienced it at my store:


The customers are on their way home for supper and they stop in, quickly, at the store. They stop at produce, where, because hours are cut, they have to dig through the strawberry containers to find some that are nice looking and not moldy. (No one is there to take out the packages with bad berries in them)

They go to deli but there is no one there because they are covering hot foods. Another frustrating situation. Next stop is bakery and they have to wait for the one person working there to get back from her break because that's the only time she could take it as she's been running her a** off doing two people's work.

The customers end up waiting in longer and longer lines because there aren't enough cashiers to serve them. One regular and one on express??? And a customer service person that can help, only as long as they aren't selling lottery, doing money transfers, answering the phones, renting Rug Doctors, handling complaints, writing rain checks, auditing trays, or paging for a carry out, which can't happen any too quickly, anyway as the grocery clerk is out collecting the few buggies we have left.

So they wait in the line, some patiently, some not so much, and finally get to you and you scan an item that the price is questioned. You page the dept., and they don't answer because they are chasing buggies, having their break, covering somebody else's station, or don't like to speak on the phone. If you can, you run and check the price or in most cases you are lucky enough that the other cashier knows the price and can holler it to you. Or, you have to make an educated guess because you don't want to lose the sale and you don't want to hold people up. You are also handling question from customers because you are in one spot and they can't find any one else.

* * * * *

I have had several customers tell me that they come to our store because they DO NOT like the competition. So why do we try to chase them away?

• Why are we getting some strange manufacturers that haven't been heard from before and making the store look more and more like a bargain basement with out the bargain prices?

• And a lot of our prices are the same as our low price sister stores? Lets drive the customers to the competition there as well ! ! ! ! !

• Why aren't we listening to customers when they ask for a certain item to be carried in the store?

• Why do we insist that they put up with being treated so badly? They are NOT going to keep doing that. Sure the customers that walk to the store will, but the ones with cars? Its just a short drive down the street for them.

Anyway, I am really concerned about the future of our stores. I have even gone so far as to personally write to them with a location that would be ideal for them to open a new store. It is in a section of town where there are new apartments going up next to already established ones. The area has money. There is not another store along that stretch of roadway until you get to the next part of town. More than 5 KMS.

* * * * *

Well that's the rant for the day. Just wanted people to know why work has not been fun anymore. Also it doesn't help when some of the few people we have are kept on when they are constantly late for work or show no consideration for their fellow employees, by being late for work or late back from break.

THE END

New Look, New Stuff

What do you think of the new look? I felt it might be time to change it up a little. As I was looking around I saw this little gadget for my blog that shows how many countries have looked at my blog. It's to the right and down a bit. It might be interesting to see how many people read me.

* * * * *

Still haven't heard from the police re: The Stalking. Doesn't that make that incident even more of a threatening action from the Red Light Runner?

* * * * *

Its quiet at the store lately. Well, other than irate nutbars threatening to punch me in the face. The students are mostly all gone so with the teachers off and the kids gone it is pretty much just the regulars. That's okay. It will be insane again in September.

* * * * *

I know what I forgot to put in here!!! Canada Day (July 1st, to anyone outside the country) the store was closed. I had taken the dog for a walk and the way I went I was going to pass within a block of the store. I decided to add the block and just drive by to see if anyone was banging on the doors trying to get in. As I approach I notice the parking lot looks messy. So I pulled into the lot and some schmuck(s) had been by during the night and thrown several of the 33 pound bags of soil around. Many had been stomped on so as to break them open, but luckily they were not spilled. Also, our garbage pail had been tipped and dumped. What kind of useless person does that? Why, just because we were closed? What did it accomplish?

I couldn't leave it looking like that. I don't know why I couldn't just drive by and let someone else worry about it themselves.

Its where I work!! I care about the look of the store. So I spent 1/2 an hour carrying them all back and piling the damaged ones to one side. Carrying 15 or so HEAVY bags was not easy. It was close to 500 pounds by the time I was done. And I was done. I didn't have it in me to pick up the garbage and I was hoping someone else would. Don't know if they did.

It was one of those things where I thought afterward maybe I shouldn't have done anything because the police might need to see it or whatever. Anyway, when I mentioned it at work no one really seemed to care so..... at least I did what I felt was right.

* * * * *

I've been taking a lot of pictures lately. I love to practice composing photos. I like to have pictures that make you say 'wow'. Hope you like this one:

It just kept getting better. (a long post)

Sorry this is so long, but with all the excitement it caused I promised I would post the story.

*****

Yesterday my snake died. I really didn’t want to go to work because I knew I wouldn’t be thinking about just the job.

Anyway, I started in to work, and I go to Cathedral Park to sit in the shade a little. When it comes time to leave I pull up to the entranceway and wait until it looks like the way is clear. Also, I have to get across about three lanes to get to where I want to be. I pull out, and a car that was quite a way back comes up behind me pretty fast.

One of those “you’re not filling in my spot” people. He speeds up so that he’s right at the back end of my car and has to slow down hard. He then determines that I am going too slow and pulls out around me. He lays on the gas and promptly drives through a red light.

I get to the store parking lot and I’m about to turn in when I see his car sitting at the corner of Longwood and King. Being the impulsive person I sometimes can be I decided to go and see what an idiot looks like. I pulled up behind him and put my right signal on. He turns and starts to speed up Longwood, I sped up a little but then slow again as the speed is 40kmh on that street. He pulls away from me as I come to the stop sign that he just coasted through. I make a proper stop and look in all directions. Clear to go. I look up and he’s gone and I have to get to work anyway so I turn at the intersection. He’s sitting in the middle of the road at the other end of the street. I pulled past him, smiled and waved and stopped at the corner. I then turned right up Paradise and I hear a screeching of tires behind me. He has come around the corner very fast and is now right on my bumper. He stays there even as I slow down to a crawl. I make my proper stops and he follows me through. (apparently, my stop covered us both)

When I get back to King I turn right again then make the left into our parking lot. I have just got backed in when there is another screeching of tires and he has parked across the front of me. I look up and I smiled and waved because I didn’t know what to say to him. He yells at me “so you like f***** following cars do you?” With that he pulls away and goes back down Longwood.

One of my fellow employees came over and asked what that was all about. I briefly told him and he said the guy was an idiot.

We are still talking when I see the car again. He parks at the other entrance to the store, across the parking lot, and motions his fingers to me like “bring it on”. I just look at him so he points and indicates I come here again.

It’s almost time to go in to work but I still have a few minutes so I take my time. As I approach the store I can see one of the head cashiers looking out the door at me. By now my fellow employee has entered the store and is at my defense telling the guy to leave the store. I have now clocked in and got to the customer service desk where he is waiting for the manager. They are busy. Another person comes out and he proceeds to tell her what ever. I think he wanted me fired, killed, stoned, set on fire and other wise disposed of.

Because nothing happened on store property, they tell him there is nothing they can or would do.

He left and then came back again later to again speak to a manager. He thought I had left because my car was moved. (He appeared to me to be irrational enough to do something to my car, so I thought it best to move it where I could see it.)

After my break I heard that he came back and told them that he had got my license number and reported me to the police. They would be talking to me.I start to hear what his complaints were from what he has told people, All the things he says I did are what he did to me.

I cut him off, I tail gated him, I forced him through a yellow (it was red) light and the only reason I thought it was red was because I didn't have the guts to go through it?????

Now, I try to be a good driver. I really follow the speed limits and signs on the city streets. I have had my car rear-ended three times; two times by people that didn't think they should slow down or stop, plus one time on the highway by someone following too closely.

*

The next morning I drove over to the store to get some items that were on sale and as I am driving through downtown I see a white car out the corner of my eye. I glance over and son of a gun if it isn't the same guy. This was at 5:10 AM.

He never looked over at me and as soon as the light changed he went speeding off and left me in his dust. Within seconds he was several blocks ahead of me and crossing lanes without signaling. I wonder what he would have done if he'd seen me?

*

I am not sure whether I should contact the police myself. He has told lies about the situation. He has told people in MY store that he would punch me in the face. He has tried to scare me by telling fellow employees that he has my information.

He has basically threatened me.

* * * * *

While this was going on at work, no one from management asked if I was okay. They DID call me and tell me to "do something" and then later sent out a printout from a transaction I performed where I where I keyed in a quantity instead of a ten digit number six times. "You only use the quantity button for produce and bakery."

I know people think I'm weird but...

I am extremely sad today. A pet I have had since it was 14 inches long and 1 month old, died last night. This was a beautiful animal. She has been at show and tell (so to speak) at the store a few times and always drew a crowd in the parking lot.

I was also invited to do a kid's birthday party and one person who was petrified of snakes actually ended up with the snake around her neck. THAT is how gentle this snake was.

I'd like to think that her and I enlightened a few people about how amazing these beautiful creatures are. I am going to miss Feather very much. Yes, I know they don't come when you call, or show any kind of recognition or emotion towards you, but they are very interesting anyway. When she died she was 8 1/2 feet long and twelve years old.