Crankies, Customer Service, Clocking Out and Caffeine.

For the last two days I've felt a bit cranky. Which is odd considering for the past few weeks or, perhaps, even longer, I've felt elated….I've been walking on air. Maybe it's reality setting in, but more than likely, its that I'm a bit overwhelmed with some things I'm not going to elaborate on and well, a bit disenchanted with that which has enchanted me.

For my part time life I work in a retail store selling cell phones. In short the company is fantastic and I highly recommend them to just about anyone who is willing to work hard and have a positive attitude and who can work well with customers. They will reward and recognize you and build you according to your strengths so that you remain happy, positive and productive.

I am a happy, positive and productive employee, my numbers prove that. I am thrilled every day that I am there to be there. I love each and every one of my customers (even the guy who dreamed up a whopper of a lie so he could return his phone…..not necessary, you're within 30 days we'll do it with a smile as long as it is in like-new condition). What is very important to this company is customer service. As a team member you must, above all else, provide excellent customer service, over delivering and exceeding the customer's expectations every chance you get. A happy customer is one who will return. If you come into my store I will do everything to make sure you are happy, even if you do not purchase anything today, you may tomorrow, or the next day because we were nice and attentive to you. It pains me when I hear horror stories of customers walking into the store because another one was mean to them. They actually say that…. "they were just mean to me". NEVER should anyone experience that. The word no is not an option. One of the things I was taught in training was to find the path to yes. That doesn't mean roll over and hand out everything for free but to exhaust every avenue so that we can help you get the service and products you need, even if that means we can't help you I will still help you find a solution. Why? Because it's about you, not about me. I do not work on commission. (remember that) Let me say that one more time for the kids at home… I DO NOT WORK ON COMMISSION. Of course the store needs to do well to stay open and we get incentives for being successful but the bottom line: I do not work on commission. So I will provide you service, mostly because I've been in your shoes. I've been the customer who never gets waited on. I've been the customer on the other end of rude employees. I've been the customer who has been made to feel like they are just an interruption in the employee's otherwise busy existence texting or surfing the web or socializing or cleaning the scum from under their fingernails. I have felt like a burden to the EMPLOYEE who was hired to serve me, the customer. Hmmmm that's backwards. I have vowed to never be that horrible employee. And I have not been.

BUT, let me say this one more time in case you missed it….. I do not work on commission. I have a family I adore. I have a full-time job. And even if I had neither of those things guess what, I have a life. My life. One outside of that little store. Even if that life that I live consists of driving home and sitting on the couch eating Fritos and watching Conan that's my life to decide what to do with it.

But I'm cranky. I don't feel like going there for the first time since the day I started. I'm downing caffeine, my one really addictive drug. (Also the chocolate addiction is in high gear but I view chocolate as essential for sustaining life.) I have been cranky for 2 days. And I realize the reason I don’t want to go back is the one thing I love the most…you! Not all of you are the reason I don't wish to return. But you, you who find the entertainment value in coming into the store to screw with me. You who actually think it is funny that you are asking me to activate another phone at 8:58 pm. I have one guy who has done this to me 4 times. 4. And each time asks "What time do you close?" "9" "What time is it now?" "9:07 sir" *he smiles* Yes sir, you are screwing me out of spending any time with my son or really doing anything and you think this is fun. You probably go out and tell your buddies how you're pulling one over on "the man". Did you know I need to stop for gas on the way home? Did you know by camping out in the store until 9:45pm I cuss at Sheetz' very existence because I don’t feel like stopping? I hate my car for daring to use the gas I put in it despite actually driving? And did you know that after you leave and I close the gate I can't just walk out? Did it ever dawn on you I have a list of responsibilities I need to do before I can actually leave? And so help me if a register is off or some other issue crops up like a computer crash (those are loads of fun given how long they take to boot back up) And this isn't unique. There is a joke in the store that if I'm closing, a customer will 100% walk in right before closing to activate phone(s) and 9 times out of 10 there will be an issue and I will have to call the carrier. And then it will be a perfect sale where they want an Invisishield installed, and oh dear that data transfer which takes a year and a day to complete! Remind me again WHY you think this will take a total of 120 seconds when you walk in at 8:58? Wanting 3 phones (3 phones was 2 days ago and broke me)? And oh, yes, please be mad at me when I can't transfer the data from your 1982 phone that no longer works to your new phone, I love that. I will still do what I can, I will try my best. And I will smile and be courteous and I will THANK YOU even though in my head I have other scenarios playing out. I will smile because I have pride in myself, I have pride in my store and even if you don't respect me one little bit I will respect you. Treat others as you would like to be treated, isn't that how it goes? But guess what, what comes around goes around. Someday you too will experience someone who is not respectful of you and I do hope you learn your lesson and change your ways. And for the record, I am NOT ON COMMISSION. So when you keep me late, I get nothing. I'm not a used car salesman. When you keep me late, you are now on MY time and that is what makes me really really cranky. And just so we're completely clear, I was not put on this Earth to serve as your play thing and I don't work on commission.

Maybe customers don't expect good service anymore and there are reasons that some seem to calculate the way to hurt an employee the best they can. I do believe customer service in this country is messed up and backwards. I have always believed companies should provide the best and that too many non-customer service oriented people are in a position where they should be providing it but won't. But I will provide it, I promise, but please respect me as well. I am human too.
And….tonight, the store closes at 8:57 (not really, I've tried to shut the gate minutes before 9 and felt guilty. Stupid stupid rule follower that I am) I really hope you let me clock out on time.