Toddlers

What a week.

Predicting when customers will shop is very difficult. Friday was one of the top ten busiest days EVER, in the existence of our store. After that we were gearing up for an incredible Christmas Eve, but were disappointed. We had 99% of our employees working, but ended up with an average Saturday. Granted, shorter hours with the same sales as a normal Saturday, but still--it's Christmas Eve--I expected a lot more people/sales.

Then surprise again.......today was INSANE. Quite a few returns, but most were exchanges where the customer ended up owing more money, so that was fine. People using gift cards, spending Christmas cash, enjoying the day off of work/school. We had a few more people than normal working (with the high school employees still on school vacation) but could have used some more help.

Most customers were civil; the others obviously needed a nap.

Toddler 1: We had one register closed to switch between cashiers. All of the other registers were open and running at full speed. A woman loudly complained, "Can't they open another register?!" when it was VERY CLEAR what we were doing. No one else was complaining, because they realized that no one can work 14 hours straight. The register must be closed between cashiers! It takes maybe 10 minutes. Deal with it.

Toddlers 2, 3, and 4: I was packaging items for a customer while THREE other parties stood nearby, staring at me, as if that would make me move faster. I took my time finishing with the first customer and by then two of the toddlers had found someone else to help them and the third wanted to know where the widgets were. "Yeah, right there," next to where you've been standing for the last ten minutes.

Toddler 5: Asking stupid questions, and I do mean STUPID. Then expecting me to walk her to each and every product that has to do with the issue and spend a half hour explaining each of them. Do you see any other customers in the store? How about do some of this research for yourself, then come back with some idea of what you want to buy. I don't get some people--anytime I spend that much money I have some idea of what I'm buying and what I need and how to keep it running well.

I can't think of any more examples right now because I'm too tired.

Oh, in employee news, an employee I've been having MULTIPLE problems with did a no call/no show on Christmas Eve. He had some kind of excuse, but he's lied so many times that I don't believe anything he says anymore. Boss is being entirely too lenient. A no call/no show deserves disciplinary action. If you can't come to work, you call. You're never that far away from a phone. If you're unconscious or dead, then I'll excuse you for not calling. Otherwise, I EXPECT TO HEAR FROM YOU.

And on Christmas Eve, a day we were expecting to be very busy, doubly so for something concrete to be done against him. But was he disciplined? No. I may go into more details about him later, or not. Eventually either he's going to leave or I am. His behavior is completely unacceptable, and Boss is letting him get away with it. I've considered taking it above Boss's head, but that would make things more difficult between Boss and me and probably not do much good. Long story, for another day.