By Heather
Okay, this was something I never thought would happen in a paint store. So I'm waiting on a customer and as I finish ringing her out I look to my left in the open part of the floor and a man (a paint contractor) is doing yoga.
Not just a few small poses, nope he is full on committed to doing his entire routine. I froze there and just stared at him bewildered as to why he would feel that he must do this at nine in the morning in the middle of the store as he waited for his paint to be tinted and mixed. There were honestly no words. I wasn't angry about it but it was just really out of place.
Imagine doing your shopping and just running into a guy in downward facing dog pose. At this point I'm really questioning the chemicals they put in paint and if this proves anything its a good thing that they are making low/no voc rated paints now because if this is the result I'm glad I haven't inhaled a large amount of the fumes that may cause this side of crazy. I'm weird enough on my own, I don't need any help.
By Heather
Alright, I've had this weekend off and I took a day to rest my brain and bury myself in Dragon Age Origins. And I believe I have regained a small amount of mental stability, at least as much as there was before...yeah I know, there isn't much of it.
So anyway the past two weeks were filled with much to write about. Firstly, I don't know what frame of mind is behind this particular tactic, but I can't see where it would bare much fruit.
This man, after I tried to explain to him since he didn't know the colors he wanted and since he wanted so much paint, we could put it on custom order for him so it would hold it at the sale price and he wouldn't have to take all of the paint with him and drag it all the way back to get it tinted. Also since he wanted so much paint and it was the third day into the sale we would probably be out of the last of our supply on that particular paint. He agreed to this and as I tried to get his information down he yelled at me and told me he already did this last week with the other guy that worked there. He proceeded to throw his credit card at me.
Now having been working eight days straight at this point I was really impressed being able to keep my composure. I looked him up in the system and it didn't have his phone number, I asked for it. He yelled at me asking why I needed it. I told him that when his order was ready I'd call him and when he had his colors ready we would tint it. Now, we don't have people pay for paint till they actually have their order with them and they take it home so I gave his card back to him while I took his number down. He again chucked his card at me.
At this point there was no hiding the look on my face. I explained the payment process and it was as if a wave of realization washed over him but of course he didn't apologize.
To those of you who have never worked retail a day in your life there is a valuable piece of information I will impart on to you. Just like in your job, there are processes. We in retail are often limited to what we can do by these processes. Especially when a computer/cash register is involved. Those processes/systems only allow us to do so much. Please understand this, nine times out of ten when we say we are unable to do something, we really are unable to do it. We are not just out to ruin some random person's day.
Along with this, we are providing you a service, it is wise not to treat these people like dirt or like they are stupid. Because we do have the power and authority to royally screw you over. In the end we are all trying to make ends meet and pay the bills. There is no shame in what job you do because you have a job and you are lucky for it.
So Monday, last day of the sale, Patty walks in and I didn't see her in time enough to run away. Patty, sweetest old woman in the world. Also, most indecisive woman on the face of the entire planet. I just want to grab her by the shoulders and tell her just to pick a f***ing color to paint your stupid table of which this table's only function is to hold your phone from the nineteen twenties. She seriously has been in the store for two months trying to decide on a flippin color. And when she comes in she is there for two hours at a time.
I really don't mind but when I have a store full of customers I can't have my time monopolized by one customer for that amount of time. So I got her out of there as quickly as possible while answering all of her questions. So apparently she called while I was out at lunch and she talked to my boss. My boss told her she could have bought that day at the sale price and then brought it back to have it tinted when she decided on a color. So when I came back from lunch she called back and proceeded to yell at me for not telling her that...I did tell her that, but she was to involved in her story that the doctor did not want her playing tennis anymore because of her muscle problems in her right arm. I just sat there and took it, I wasn't about to get stuck talking to her for an hour.
By Heather
Hello, my name is Winston Roaric VonHamersmark and I am Heather's work induced tumor. I am here to tell you that Heather is taking a small break because she has been scheduled more hours at work and what ever little time she has when she gets out she spends collapsing on her living room couch and eating her dinner through a straw. The break will more than likely only last a week at most or at least till a customer enrages her into a frustrated verbal frenzy. I apologize for the inconvenience and hope to see you in future blog posts.
By Heather
So as soon as I clocked in today this guy came in and sometimes you can just tell by how someone presents themselves to you that they think you're an idiot. So he asked for All Surface Primer. Asked him if he needed a quart or a gallon. He only needed a quart so while it was in the shaker I rang him out. It took me a little while to find his account because the university he worked for had several different accounts and I was looking for the one that was active and tax exempt. So since it took longer than two minutes his attitude did not improve and he actually started speaking to me slower. So it gets done shaking, I give it to him, offer him stirs and openers. He declines and is almost out the door when he turns back and walks towards me, yelling at me. "Didn't you hear what I said! I asked for All Surface Primer!!!"
I looked at the can and then pointed it at him and pointed at the word "Primer" under the logo
. He didn't even apologize for yelling he just ran took his quart and walked out the door.
...I love it when that happens. Very little does it happen where I get to throw it back in a customers face but when it does...justice.
By Heather
Gas Prices in 2009 before Obama was elected $1.79 a gallon...just saying...
By Heather
People never cease to shock me...and I don't mean that in a good way. I'm about an hour into my work day when this customer comes in and asks me if I can match a color she has.
I tell her it depends on what the sample is of. She then whips out a thong and I don't mean a thong sandal. Nope I mean as in thong underwear.
At that point I was very proud of myself because without missing a beat I said we can't color match fabrics but she was welcome to compare her sample to what we had on the color wall and we could just walk in the color from there. She tried to talk me into just trying it out and I explained to her that the texture just casts to much of a shadow for the color eye to match it, it would turn out way to dark and its near impossible to tint it back to a light color that would match the sample, its easier to start out light and add from there. After picking out a few colors close to it she still tried to talk me into it. At that point I did kind of give her a look that screamed "I am not touching your underwear! How are you not getting this?!"
I don't care if they've never been worn, I have no way of knowing that. Seriously what if you were the one behind the counter and I handed you a pair of my underwear and demanded a color match? Wouldn't want to do it would ya!
