WELL SINCE THE LAST ENTRY, THINGS ARE FOR THE MOST PART OK. "WEIRDO" CO-WORKER AND I HAD IT OUT THE WEEK BEFORE. I KNOW I'M NOT PERFECT, BUT I DO TRY TO BE AT LEAST 90%. I DO FEEL BAD TO A POINT THAT SOME OTHER CO-WORKERS HAVE HAD TO EITHER WITNESS OR HEAR ABOUT ME AND WEIRDO'S COMPLAINTS ABOUT EACH OTHER. SO APPARENTLY, IT HAD GOTTEN TO THE BOSS, AND SHE APPROACHED THE BOTH OF US AND TOLD US TO TAKE IT OUTSIDE. SO WE DID.

Inspector Gadginator

Add to My Profile | More Videos

WEIRDO FOR SOME REASON BROUGHT PAPER AND A PEN. SHE SPLIT IT IN HALF AND ASKED ME TO WRITE DOWN EVERYTHING I HAD A PROBLEM WITH. I TOLD HER POINT BLANK, THAT I WILL NOT, FOR IT DOESN'T NEED TO BE SHOWN TO ANYONE ELSE BUT US. I WASN'T BEING DEFENSIVE, BUT I THINK IT WAS HONEST TO SAY. WHEN I NEED TO HAVE A TALK WITH ANYONE, I WILL HAVE THE NATURAL TENDENCY TO BE THE DOMINANT. I DON'T KNOW EXACTLY WHY, BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I WAS RUN OVER BY SO MANY PEOPLE AND I HAD FINALLY HAD ENOUGH AND CAME TO REALIZE THAT I EITHER HAD MORE TO SAY, OR THAT MY OPINIONS WERE TO BE VALUED AS WELL. SO NOW THAT I'M OLDER, I'LL SAY WHAT I WANT.

SHE ASKED ME TO GO FIRST ABOUT WHAT BOTHERS ME. I SAID FINE. I TOLD HER EXACTLY WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE AND WHAT BOTHERS ME. ONE WAS OF HOW SHE OVER REACTS TO CUSTOMERS, AND SHE PANICS LIKE IT IS THE END OF THE WORLD. THE CUSTOMERS DON'T NEED TO SEE THAT TYPE OF REACTION OVER SOMETHING SO MINISCULE. I GAVE HER SEVERAL EXAMPLES SPECIFICALLY. HER REBUTTAL WAS: THAT SHE WAS FORMERLY ABUSED IN ONE OF HER 4 MARRIAGES. UH, OK. I GUESS THAT CAN BE VALID, BUT TO A POINT. (I THINK THAT WILL BE MY KEY PHRASE....:TO A POINT.") I DID TELL HER MY THOUGHT TO THAT COMMENT. I TOLD HER THAT THINK ABOUT WHAT AND HOW THE CUSTOMER SEES AND FEELS WHEN SHE REACTS, AND PERSONALLY, HER FORMER ABUSIVE RELATIOSHIP REALLY DOESN'T MERIT HER BEHAVIOR IN THE WORKPLACE FOR IT COULD BE PERCEIVED AS DISRUPTIVE, UN-PRODUCTIVE, AND SOCIALLY CHALLENGING. I AM JUST TELLING WHAT I THOUGHT! I TOLD HER SHE IS IN A SAFE ENVIRONMENT, NOTHING SHOULD CONJURE THAT BEHAVIOR, AND THAT IT IS A SAD EXCUSE. I WAS IN A BAD RELATIONSHIP TOO, BUT I DON'T BRING THAT TO WORK! I TOLD HER IT IS A CHOICE IN HOW WE REACT. YOU HAVE TO TELL YOURSELF TO GO INTO A PANIC MODE, AND HYPERVENTILATE AND ACT THE WAY SHE DOES OVER SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS WRAPPING A BOX, JUST SO THE CUSTOMER CAN LEAVE QUICKLY. CALM DOWN! IT'S OK. THE CUSTOMERS WILL 99% OF TIME WAIT FOR YOU TO DO A GOOD JOB OF WRAPPING. IF THEY ARE PRESSED FOR TIME, THEY'LL DO IT THEMSELVES, OR NOT HAVE IT WRAPPED AT ALL.

SO THEN IT WAS HER TURN. SHE EXPRESSED THAT SHE CAN'T STAND TO HEAR ME SAY SOMETHING LIKE "MY CUSTOMER." SHE TOLD ME SHE THINKS WE DON'T "OWN" THE CUSTOMER, AND HOW WE WORK FOR THE COMPANY, AND IT'S THE COMPANY'S CUSTOMER. IT BOTHERS HER WHEN I SAY SOMETHING LIKE, "I NEED TO HAVE THIS SIZED FOR MY CUSTOMER FOR THEIR WEDDING COMING UP." OR LIKE WHILE I'M TALKING TO A CUSTOMER AND INTERESTED IN A SPECIAL ORDER, AND I INFORM THEM THAT "I NEED TO CALL MY VENDORS TO FIND OUT IF THAT IS AVAILABLE IN WHAT YOU WANT." YES, I DO VALIDATE THAT I DO SAY "I", "ME", AND "MY". BUT SHE DID SAY I DO SAY SOMETIMES "WE" AND "OUR", BUT FOR THE MOST PART I DO TAKE OWNERSHIP OF "MY" I THINK THAT IS FAIR TO SAY OF HER. SHE HAS THE RIGHT TO SAY THAT. I AM CERTAINLY NOT OBLIVIOUS. I LET HER FINISH WITHOUT INTERRUPTING, UNLIKE SHE DID TO ME WHEN I HAD SOMETHING TO SAY. WHEN SHE WAS DONE, I RESPONDED THAT I DO VALIDATE THAT WE DON'T OWN OUR CUSTOMERS, TO A POINT!! I DO REALIZE THAT I WORK FOR A RETAIL CHAIN AND I AM NOT THE OWNER. I TOLD HER I DO SOMEWHAT OWN MY CUSTOMERS, FOR IF THEY ASK FOR ME EXCLUSIVELY, AND THAT I HAVE WORKED WITH THEM MULTIPLE TIMES, OR THAT I AM IN THE MIDDLE OF ASSISTING THEM ETC. THAT THERE IS A POINT IN THAT. I GAVE HER SEVERAL EXAMPLES AGAIN TO WHICH SHE KNEW ABOUT. THEN I ALSO MENTIONED THAT OUR BOSS HAS BEEN THERE FOR LIKE 20 YRS AND SHE HAS "HER" CUSTOMERS. WHEN CERTAIN CUSTOMERS COME IN, AND WE KNOW THAT THE BOSS HAS ALWAYS HELPED THEM, WE JUST ALWAYS ASSUME THAT SHE WOULD LIKE TO FOLLOW THRU WITH THEM AND THE CUSTOMER LIKEWISE. THAT IS VERY FAIR TO SAY, I THINK! I TOLD "WEIRDO" THAT IF I KNEW 100% THAT ONE OF THE PEOPLE SHE WAS HELPING HAD DEALT WITH HER, I WOULDN'T INTERRUPT UNLESS SHE ASKED ME TO, OR IF SHE HAD A DAY OFF, OR IF THE CUSTOMER ASKED ME TO BE INVOLVED. I THEN TOLD HER THAT I DO FEEL LIKE I AM PARTIALLY RESPONSIBLE FOR THE CUSTOMER'S HAPPINESS. THIS IS USUALLY SOMETHING VERY IMPORTANT TO THE CUSTOMER AND A BIG PURCHASE WHERE SOME EMOTIONS MAY COME IN TO PLAY. THIS ISN'T SOMETHING LIKE TOILET PAPER, OR GROCERIES.

I KNOW FROM MY OWN EXPERIENCE WHETHER IT BE TAKING MY CAR IN FOR REPAIR, OR IN MY FAVORITE CLOTHING STORE, OR MY LOCAL STARBUCKS, THAT I DO LIKE WHEN PEOPLE TAKE THE TIME TO REMEMBER MY NAME, AND I LIKE THAT I FEEL THAT I AM BEING TAKEN CARE OF OR ASSISTED. IT'S THE EXCLUSIVENESS THAT I LIKE. FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE THAT MUCH EFFORT INTO REMEMBERING MY NAME, OR OTHER THINGS, I WILL USUSALLY "ONLY" GO TO THAT PARTICULAR PERSON. TO ME, IT SEEMS AS THOUGH THEY TOOK THE EFFORT, TIME, AND RESPONSIBILITY JUST FOR ME. DO THE SAME FOR "MY CUSTOMERS." IT MAKES ME FEEL GOOD WHEN I DO. IT IS A GENUINE FEELING. I TOLD HER THAT I DON'T SEE WHERE THAT IS A BAD THING, SINCE THE REST OF US DO THE SAME THING! I DON'T SEE HER CRINGING WHEN THE BOSS DOES IT. BUT YET "WEIRDO" WOULD GO INTO STORIES ABOUT THE SHOE STORE THAT SHE MANAGED AND WHEN SOMEONE WOULD COME IN OR WALK BY, SHE WOULD SAY "OH THAT'S ONE OF "MY" CUSTOMERS FROM MY OLD STORE." HMMMM CAN WE SAY HYPOCRITICAL? THEN I SAID IF I KNEW SHE WAS HELPING SOMEONE AND THEY CAME IN ON HER DAY OFF WOULD SHE WANT ME TO AUTOMATICALLY TAKE 1/2 OF "HER" SALE WHEN THE CUSTOMER SHE WAS HELPING COMES IN TO BUY THE PIECE SHE WAS ASSISTING THEM WITH? EACH AND "EVERYTIME?" NO, I DIDN'T THINK SO.

I TOLD HER I KNOW THAT THE TRANSFORMATION FROM SALARY TO HOURLY WITH COMMISSION PAY IS SOMETHING NEW, BUT WE ALL START SOMEWHERE. SHE'S NEW TO HAVING COMMISSION SALES. IN THE STORE FOR THE 99% OF TIME WE ARE SOOOO FAIR IN ASKING WHO THEY WERE BEING HELPED BY. THAT IS TIME AND EFFORT AND COURTESY TO OUR FELLOW CO-WORKERS.

THE NEXT THING THAT WAS BROUGHT UP WAS THE FACT OF A CUSTOMER THAT HAD BEEN HELPED BY 3 PEOPLE, NOT 1 OR 2. IN OUR COMPUTER, WHEN WE SELL, IT ONLY GIVES AN AREA TO SPLIT SALES BETWEEN 2 PEOPLE. WELL, THIS PARTICULAR CUSTOMER CAME IN WHOM I'VE HELPED BEFORE. APPARENTLY, HE CAME IN ON MY DAY OFF. THE BOSS AND WEIRDO HELPED HIM. THE NEXT DAY I CAME TO WORK THE NEXT DAY, AND THE SAME CUSTOMER CAME IN. I HAD JUST EMERGED FROM THE BACK ROOM, AND THERE WAS THIS GUY IN FRONT OF THE COUNTER, AND HE ASKED FOR ME BY NAME! SO THAT USUALLY INDICATES THAT I'VE HELPED HIM FOR HIM TO REMEMBER MY NAME. HE WAS OUT THERE FOR PROB NO MORE THAN 30 SECONDS. BOSS AND WEIRDO WERE NOT BUSY WITH ANYONE. SO HE COULD'VE BEEN HELPED BY EITHER OR BOTH SINCE THEY HELPED HIM THE NIGHT BEFORE, BUT HE ASKED FOR ME. SO, MY BOSS TOLD ME HE CAME IN THE PRIOR NIGHT, AND SHE TOLD ME WHAT PIECES HE WAS INTERESTED IN AND SHE LEFT ME ALONE TO SELL TO HIM.

HE THEN ASKED IF I HAD FOUND OUT ANYTHING FROM WHEN HIS FIANCEE CAME IN TO SPEAK TO ME ABOUT ANOTHER RING, AND IF IT WERE AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER. HE SAID THIS IN FRONT OF EVERYONE. SO THERE'S ANOTHER INDICATION THAT I HAD ALREADY BEEN INVOLVED IN THE PAST. I WENT TO MY INBOX TO FIND HIS FIANCEE'S PAPERWORK I HAD ALREADY STARTED FROM 2 MONTHS AGO. HMMM ANOTHER INDICATION RIGHT?? SO ALL IN ALL, I ENDED UP SELLING HIM A RING FOR THEIR WEDDING. THE WHOLE PROCESS WAS, THE FIANCEE REALLY DIDN'T LIKE THE FIRST RING THEY HAD CHOSEN IN PORTLAND OREGON. SO THEY CAME TO ME MONTHS AGO ABOUT DECIDING ON TRADING THE RING IN FOR ANOTHER STYLE. SO I TOLD CUSTOMER I CAN SELL HIM THE RING AT $2000 AND AFTER THE WEDDING, HE'D COME IN WITH THE ORIGINAL RING TO HAVE ME RE-RING THE SALE FOR 1/2 THE PRICE FOR THE TRADE IN. (THIS WAS FOR A SURPRISE AT THE WEDDING WHEN THEY EXCHANGE RINGS! HOW SWEET) ANYHOO, WHEN I RANG THE SALE, BEFOREHAND MY BOSS TOLD ME THEY HAD BEEN HELPING HIM, BUT SUSAN HAD NOT HELPED HIM FOR VERY LONG. USUALLY WHAT THAT MEANS IS THAT IF SOMEONE HELPED HIM INITIALLY, THEN THEY ARE THE PRIMARY PERSON. THEN IF SOMEONE ELSE HAD TO HELP THE SAME PERSON AND THEY ENDED UP SPENDING LIKE A HALF HOUR WITH THEM, THEN IT WOULD BE A SPLIT SALE. FAIR ENOUGH RIGHT? CUZ IN THAT 1/2 HOUR, THEY COULDA SOLD TO THEIR OWN CUSTOMER THAT WOULDA COME IN, BUT SINCE THEY WERE BUSY WITH THIS CUSTOMER, IT WOULDN'T HAVE HAPPENED. SO, WHILE RINGING HIM UP, I ACCIDENTALLY NOTICED THAT I HAD ONLY PUT JUST MY EMPLOYEE # IN, INSTEAD OF ME AND THE BOSS. IT CAN BE FIXED LATER I'M THINKING. SO THE GUY LEAVES. THEN "WEIRDO" COMES OVER AND INVESTIGATES HOW IT WAS RUNG UP. SHE THEN GOT SNOTTY AND ASKED HOW COME HER # WASN'T ON THE RECEIPT. I TOLD HER THE BOSS TOLD ME THAT "WEIRDO" DIDN'T SPEND ALL THAT MUCH TIME W/HIM. SHE GOT PISSED. I TOLD HER TO CALM DOWN, AND WE'LL TALK TO THE BOSS ABOUT IT, AND IF WE ALL DON'T AGREE, THEN THE BOSS WILL TAKE THE ENTIRE SALE FOR HERSELF SINCE THE BOSS DOESN'T MAKE COMMISSION.

THE NEXT DAY, "WEIRDO" AND I WERE BOTH SCHEDULED OFF, AND I CAME IN TO TALK TO THE BOSS ABOUT THE ERROR I HAD MADE AND ALSO ABOUT HOW "WEIRDO" BLEW UP. BOSS TOLD ME THAT YES, I WAS AWARE OF MY MISTAKE, AND THAT I WAS BEING VERY FAIR TO APPROACH IT FIRST. SHE TOLD ME THAT "WEIRDO" WAS IN THE WRONG, AND THAT MAYBE SHE WOULD NEED TO SIT DOWN W/HER TO EXPLAIN IN DETAIL HOW THINGS REALLY WORK IN OUR STORE SINCE SHE'S STILL KINDA NEW. SO THE NEXT DAY BECOMES OF WHEN "WEIRDO" AND I HAVE TO HAVE THIS WHOLE MEETING TO OURSELVES. I TOLD HER THAT I DIDN'T THINK SHE WAS INVOLVED WITH THAT CUSTOMER AS SHE THOUGHT, AND I HAD PROOF. I TOLD HER HOW I KNEW THAT SOMEDAY SOON THAT THE CUSTOMER WOULD BE TRADING IN THE RING FOR ONE THAT SHE WOULD MUCH RATHER HAVE. SO IN TURN, YES, I DO THINK THAT I HAVE A VALID PARTAKING IN THE SALE. SHE THINKS THAT SINCE THE MAN CAME IN THAT IT IS SOMETHING ENTIRELY DIFFERENT. I TOLD HER THE FACT REMAINS THAT HIS GIRLFRIEND/FIANCEE IS THE ONE WITH THE RING TO TRADE IN AND I HAD WORKED WITH THEM BOTH. THAT'S WHY HE HAD ASKED ME IF I HAD FOUND OUT FROM THE MANUFACTURER IF THE RING THEY HAD IN MIND COULD HAPPEN! DUHHH. THE END RESULT WHEN "WEIRDO" AND I WENT BACK TO THE STORE, I HAD MY REPEAT CUSTOMERS FROM OUT OF TOWN HAD BEEN WAITING FOR ME FOR AN HOUR, WHILE WE WERE OUT DUKING IT OUT! WE WALKED IN AND BOSS SAID OUT LOUD, "MY" CUSTOMERS HAD BEEN WAITING ONLY FOR ME! HAHAHA. TAKE THAT "WEIRDO" THERE IS SUCH A PARTIAL THING AS "OWNING" YOUR CUSTOMER. SO LATER THAT SAME DAY, THE BOSS HAD ASKED US WHAT ALL WE TALKED ABOUT. "WEIRDO" EXPLAINED THE WHOLE THING THAT BUGS HER ABOUT ME, AND HOW I "CLAIM" CUSTOMERS.

THE BOSS SAYS TO HER THAT YES, WE DO "EARN" OUR OWN CUSTOMERS. WE PUT IN HARDWORK TO HAVE A REPOIR WITH PEOPLE SO THAT THEY WILL MORE LIKELY COME BACK FOR BUSINESS. THAT'S WHAT MAKES US SUCCESSFUL! I SOOOO WANTED TO YELL "TOLD YOU SO!" THE LOOK ON HER FACE WAS PRICELESS. ALSO, IN THE CASE OF THE SALE THAT SHOULDA BEEN A SPLIT, IT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ME AND THE BOSS. "WEIRDO" WAS WHINING, AND THEN THE BOSS TOLD HER SHE DIDN'T HARDLY DO SQUAT! OH YEAH. TAKE THAT EVIL DO-ER! IN THE VERY END THE BOSS GAVE IT AWAY TO "WEIRDO" JUST TO SHUT HER UP SHE TOLD ME. HAHA.

THE BOSS DID MENTION THAT SINCE "WEIRDO" IS STILL SOMEWHAT NEW, THAT I'VE BEEN AROUND THE LONGEST OF WHO'S LEFT IN THE STORE, AND THAT I KNOW WHAT'S RIGHT AND WRONG. SO, THERE. DOES THAT DICTATE THAT I'M NOT OUT TO DESTROY HER? I WOULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO MAKE "WEIRDO" COMPROMISE HER JOB. UH, HELLO?! IT WOULD GET BACK TO THE BOSS IF I LET HER DOWN. I'D NEVER DO THAT. THAT WOULD BE REALLY DISRESPECTFUL. PLUS, I HAVE A JOB TO KEEP. DUH!!! WELL, I'M GETTING BORED OF MY OWN SUBJECT. I KNOW I'LL RAMBLE ON AGAIN SOON.

TODAY I JUST SAW AN AD ON TV ABOUT CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT FOR SOME BIRTH CONTROL FOR PEOPLE HAVING BLOOD CLOTS THAT OBVIOUSLY DANGEROUS OR LETHAL. FREAKY SHIT ESPECIALLY WHEN THE WOMEN ARE SMOKING WHILE THEY'RE ON THE BIRTH CONTROL, WHICH LEADS ME TO THINK OF MY SISTER! I THINK SHE SAID SHE'S CUTTING BACK, BUT I HOPE THAT SHE'LL JUST STOP SMOKING PERIOD BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE! PEOPLE DON'T NEED TO HAVE UNNECESSARY BLOOD CLOTS! I'VE KNOWN WAY TOO MANY WITH THOSE, BUT THE MAJORITY OF THEM HAVE THE CLOTS WHILE THEY ARE PREGNANT. STILL, VERY BAD JUJU!I'LL SEND HER AN EMAIL AT WORK TO PESTER HER ABOUT THE SMOKING CONNECTION TO BIRTH CONTROL FOR HAVING BLOOD CLOTS.

UNTIL THEN READERS!

�|�