It's Not Always the Customers

So far most of my stories have been about outrageous situations, and strange customers.
But sometimes the stories have nothing to do with the customers, and everything to so with the employees and managers with in the retail environment.

This was an experience a friend of mine had while at work on day.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

After clocking out for lunch one day, I was invited by one of my managers so come in to the office and have lunch and talk with him. It was his last day at our store. He was transferring to a different store, near by, but in another "district". So we were chatting eating our lunch in the managers office, when our district supervisor called.

Now, the policy with personal relationships between management and upper management, within the company, are that they are allowed, but not with in the same district. So if you were to start a relationship with someone within your district, one of you would be expected to transfer to another district.

Now this wasn't why he had decided to transfer. He was actually being promoted to a store manager. And the policy for being promoted to store manager, is that you can't be the store manager of a store you've worked in before.

So when the district supervisor called, he answered the phone by putting it on speaker. More so that he could hold his burrito with both hand while talking, than to share the the conversation with me.

But the first things that came out of the supervisors mouth when he answered were, "So now that you're moving to another district, that means we're at least not breaking that rule when we fuck in the back room".

To which my manager gave me a terrified looks, while simultaneously taking the call off speaker phone, and signaling me out of the office quickly.

Though he exchanged a few worried looks later, he never said anything more. I never mentioned to anyone within the store...

Language Barriers

When ever you work with people, especially customer service jobs, you are always going to encounter language barriers of some sort or another. I've helped many people who have spoken very little, to no English, and even at times deaf customers. Sometimes it's a challenge, but it is one of those things that feels good and rewarding when you ARE able to make some sort of connection without the language.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Recently at work, I had a group of customers with which communication proved a challenge.

I was going about my "work tasks", when a young girl came out of an aisle very quickly. She looked me dead in the eye, and said something very fast. And as it turns out, in French.

Confused, and said "Sorry?"

To which she started talking even faster in french, while rubbing her hand over her face in embarrassment.

I asked if she needed help, or had a question.

At this point her mother walks up and starts talking quickly with the girl, entirely in french.

As I stand there awkwardly, I can tel by the tone of the conversation, that it quickly moves from quick words, to flashes of anger. With the mother looking at me between sentences with death stares. While the daughter looks like she's about to cry.

And I'm still standing there. With no idea whats going on, but feeling like it would be extremely rude to just turn and walk away.

Finally, with no other ideas on how to move on and away from the missed placed angry looks, I ask them one last time if they had any questions.

To which the mother flashes me yet another angry looks, looks at her daughter and says one last thing to her, before barking at me in English "NO! OKAY?!"

So I made my slightly awkward exit, continuing on with my work. Occasionally coming across the group while I worked, who looked at me suspiciously each time they passed.