CHRISTMAS IS OVER - THE SPENDING HANGOVER BEGINS!!!

RETAIL IS HELL. NO REALLY, IT IS.

Middle-aged women are dangerous at Christmas. Don't mess with them. They will chew you up and spit you out. They will eat their first born for a bargain. There is no reasoning with them. Look into their eyes - see the dilated pupils? Yep. It's Christmas Shoppers Euphoria. When these addicts come down. They come down HARD. The only thing worse than dealing with the middle aged female shopper at Christmas - is facing her in January. She comes in with a vengeance, making all manner of unreasonable demands. She will not take no for an answer. She is here to make a point, and you are in trouble for taking advantage of her at her weakest moment, her Christmas Spending Rapture.


Here's the thing: I changed the retail establishment I worked in to acquire a change of pace, and gain back some sanity. Home Décor = Middle age ladies, less intensity and a certain calmness prevails over the building. Staples = Predominantly male customer base, intense interactions and an extremely chaotic environment to work in. Working for a retailer that sells electronics is one of the lower circles of retail hell.


Overall, Home Décor is a great piece of Retail to work in. I adore our middle age female customer base. They are great to work with, and the experience is quite satisfactory over all. Now we get to the raison d'être for this blog:





THE COLD IS MAKING THEM BONKERS...


It's been extrememly cold here for a very long time. We had an exceptionally mild fall, and suddenly around Christmas the weather gods woke up and put an end to it all. This Saturday just passed, it was very cold out: -25 c with a -35 c wind-chill factor. The roads were terrible. On my way to work, I thought no one would be venturing out in this on their days off. Why leave the house if you don't have to? Who wants to drive in that? We have had too many days of roads you can't go over 60 km on, well unless you are driving a 4x4. Then you are completely indestructible and can freely continue on at your regular speed of 160 km, which you maintain regardless of the regulatory speed posted.

My point is, that the roads are also making the people crazy. Snares, cranky and crazy like looms.




SO TOTALLY NOT RELEVANT TO THE SITUATION: SEARS AND SECURITY

So I am standing at the front of the store, watching the interactions at the tills and ensuring everyone is happy and the service is up to par. Each of the tills is lined up four customers deep or more. Then I notice her. The lady with the frizzy red hair, beginning to elevate her voice at the cashier. I come over and receive a grateful look from the cashier. She explains the situation, I reiterate what she has explained and the lady (term loosely used) goes ballistic! Then, instead of addressing myself, she continues screaming at the top of her lungs and berating the poor cashier. What abominable behavior! Obviously she's a bit of a power monger. Pick on the little guy. At this point, I am just completely disgusted with her, and empathy goes out the window. I'm sorry ma'am, but you can not get a refund without your original receipt. No, your credit card payment slips from the till will not suffice. No, it is not enough to prove that you are a customer. Without an original transaction, the till will only give us the option of store credit for your return. I'm sorry you feel that is bullshit. I assure you that it is in fact true. I understand you don't believe me but a fact is a fact. No, we can not look up all your transactions with our companies on the till. I am happy to hear you worked for Sears, that is not actually relevant to this issue. That's wonderful that you could look up any credit card and it's transaction through the till there. I only wish we also had that feature but we don't. Well, you may not believe it but that is in fact true. (Why oh why do these snarkalicious customers insist on telling us how our tills work? What is with that? Hey, just because you say it, doesn't mean it's true. If the cashiers could look that all up, there's no end to the Losses and charges that would ensue. Talk about not protecting your customers!) Yes, I understand that you have driven in -25 c temperatures to get here. No we are not calling you a thief. Listen, no one has called you a thief nor would we. I am sorry you feel that we are embarrassing you in front of these customers. Okay, so you worked in security, I don't see how that is relevant. (More screaming at the top of her lungs, as I spoke discreetly, but very firmly) LOOK. NO ONE IS CALLING YOU A THIEF. AT ALL. MY CASHIER WAS SIMPLY POLITELY STATING THE RETURN POLICY, WHICH IS CLEARLY STATED ON THE BACK OF YOUR RECEIPT YOU ORIGINALLY OBTAINED. IT IS ALSO STATED AT EVERY TILL. YOU MUST HAVE YOUR ORIGINAL RECEIPT FOR A REFUND.

Blah, Blah, Blah... it went on and on endlessly. Until she finally apologized, accepted that it just wasn't going to happen and we finally got her out the door.

What a witch. My poor cashier was going to cry her eyes out. And she had actually rattled me somewhat! I am cool as a cucumber in these situations. People always remark and how it's amazing that I keep it together, and resolve the situation favourable. But this was the third completely unreasonable person in the last two hours. And she was so completely rude. I just lost it with her.





LET'S USE OUR INDOOR VOICES...

Let that be a lesson to us all. If the weather is so inclement that you are going to go over the edge when you get to your retail destination: STAY HOME. WE WON'T MISS YOU.

Most companies have a specific return period. Some, like mine, do not. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT. COME WHEN IT'S CONVENIENT. AND YOU ARE WILLING TO BEHAVE YOURSELF IN PUBLIC.

If you are feeling like having a battle, don't take it out on the cashiers. Once the manager is involved save your communication for them. Cashiers and Sales associates do not make policies. Rarely are they in charge of their own destiny with the company, never mind your own. USE YOUR INDOOR VOICE.

DON'T SWEAR. IT'S THE HEIGHT OF RUDENESS. And it really pisses me off. But I can't tell you that because I am at work (the environment of which you are currently making hostile...) and you are in public where other customers and children can hear you.


Read the return policies of the stores you shop at. If you don't like them, then DON'T BLEEDING SHOP THERE!

DON'T TELL SHOP PEOPLE WHAT THEIR TILLS CAN DO. You will invariably sound like a complete lunatic. They will laugh at you once you leave. People in line will join them. Trust me, it happens.


And the top lesson for all your crankmeisters I have seen in the past week or so:

Keep your original receipt always. Ensure it is put into your hands always. If you are handed a stack, ensure it's in there. OTHERWISE, SHUT YOUR CAKE HOLE AND FOREVER HOLD YOUR PIECE.


>^..^<


Well, it wasn't the release I got fom the first draught, and not as funny but it's a post. And there's still some satisfaction in airing that abominable woman's atrocious behaviour in my blog. That is a good thing.