Threadless

KahRistAhn
KahRistAhn aka Kristin Cameron is a 23.17 year old girl, has been a member since October 16, 2007, has scored 134 submissions, giving an average score of 2.57, helping 7 designs get printed.
AIM: KayC32689
Time to complain about life!

The other day when I was at work ( and I WAS having a good day, figures.), some lady came through my checkout line with a bunch of boxes of Pizza Rolls. See, we had this coupon for those, it was 12/$10. Well, naturally a lot of people took advantage of this deal, so we didn't have 12 left at the time. She asked me if she could still use the coupon if she didn't have 12 boxes, since we didn't have enough left. I asked one of my managers, he said no, but told me to write a rain check. So I said to her " No, sorry, but I can write a rain check for you.", to which she responded, " No, that's just too much work!", and just left her cart in my lane, and left the store. So...naturally, I said, " Um, she just left her cart here, so should I just put these back or...?", and yeah, I went and took the Pizza Rolls back to their spot, and that was the end of it. Or so I thought.

Later on in the day, a co-worker came up to me and said, " Hey, I'll take over for you, they want to talk to you in the office.", and I said (cheerfully), " Oh, okay!" I was scared, but at the same time I thought maybe I was getting a raise or something. When I got to the office my boss said, " Shut the door and come up here, we have to talk to you." I knew I was in trouble then.

He proceeded to tell me that he was just on the phone for 20 minutes with said woman, and apparently I "rolled me eyes at her", and that's why she left, and she never wanted to come back again. I guess I made her feel like writing a rain check was too much effort for me, or something, and that wasn't even the worst part. She was also upset because we were talking about it afterwards...even though we kinda needed to discuss the order that she'd left. He tried to convince her to give us another chance, but she refused. He reminded me that we're supposed to take care of the costumer and without them they don't need me. He also told me that now he (our store), was going to get reported, all because of me.

I was completely shocked and upset. I still don't understand where she got that from, because I would NEVER, and pretty sure I didn't, roll my eyes at a costumer. So, being the baby who can't hold back her emotions that I am, I started crying right in front of my boss and everyone else. I went to the bathroom to try and gather myself, but once I got to the register, I just cried in front of costumers, and it was so humiliating. All of my co-workers were staring at me and it was really obvious I got in trouble. So, I went back to the bathroom, and eventually got myself back together, to finish the rest of my shift.

But I still felt like shit.

God, that was the worst day I've ever had at work. It really sucks knowing that we lost a costumer and got reported, and I'm the reason. And I don't even think I did anything.

I have 22 hours this week (which is a surprise, I usually get around 10) , so everyday except today and Saturday, I have to go back to that humiliating place and feel terrible. And if they were actually starting to give me more hours, well I already blew that for sure.

I still feel like such a pathetic moron right now. Ugh.

Well, if you read that whole thing, I love you.

Perudoesitbetterthanu
   Perudoesitbetterthanu on Jan 07 '08 at 12:42pm
wow, that was pretty intense.



Sorry for your bad day. Things like that happen and the customer is not always right.
Ste7en
   Ste7en on Jan 07 '08 at 12:42pm
I worked in a grocery store. I know the feeling. If your manager wouldn't allow you to let the customer use the coupon its his fault. Hes probably pissed because he'll get shit from corporate for making the wrong call in the first place.



All that talking to crap is just tactics anyway. Now you wont ask for a raise, and you'll do more if they ask you to. Don't let it get to you.
Manos
   Manos on Jan 07 '08 at 12:43pm
That lady probably hasn't got laid for a looooong time.
Perudoesitbetterthanu
   Perudoesitbetterthanu on Jan 07 '08 at 12:43pm
i agree....
ekaj47
ekaj47 on Jan 07 '08 at 12:43pm
a budy of mine has worked at an albertsons for about 5 + years -



basically all the stories he has told us ='s customers in a grocery store suck balls - dont beat yourself up about it
Steve The Great
Steve The Great on Jan 07 '08 at 12:44pm
FUCK HTML
marblecargirl
marblecargirl on Jan 07 '08 at 12:44pm
I'm sorry dude. I totally understand. I cried at work today. Sometimes days are just shitty.
Steve The Great
Steve The Great on Jan 07 '08 at 12:44pm
KahRistAhn
KahRistAhn on Jan 07 '08 at 12:45pm
Yeah, I was sort of afraid I'd get fired for being such a baby. I don't know.



But wow, fast replies, didn't expect that. Thanks guys.
Kookaberry
   Kookaberry on Jan 07 '08 at 12:47pm
I got written up at work a few months ago for raising my voice at a client (I work with the mentally ill and we basically have to be their mommys at times and yes, I did raise my voice but I was at the HR office and those people are idiots that don't understand that in the grand scheme of things I'm waaaay nicer to my clients than many other case managers). Long diversion. Anyway, long story short I'm now being nominated for an excellence award for some other stuff I did. I worked at Trader Joe's for a couple years, too, when I was about your age and I had my share of complaints, esp from one customer who said that I was fast, polite and knowledgeble but I just wasn't "upbeat" enough. Anyway long story about my boring life short, customers are numerous and you're bound to have one be a total asshole and not take a liking to you. Your boss should know this and he is a douchebag for not realizing this fact of the retail business. Don't worry. It will blow over. And the worst case scenario possible is that you will be fired and have to find another crap retail job. In the long term, it's amazing how much stuff that seems so horrible is basically nothing in retrospect. I hope you feel better.
noodlezoop
noodlezoop on Jan 07 '08 at 12:47pm
Yeah, don't feel bad. P.S., get out of front end if you can, and into a department. I quit after two weeks at my grocery store experience, but I know a guy who was a produce monster for like four years without sustained thoughts of suicide.
nikolina100
nikolina100 on Jan 07 '08 at 12:48pm
oh jeez! that sucks...I'm pretty sure your manager that said no to the woman in the 1st place is the one that really caused the conflict. You deserve better! hang in there girl, but keep your eyes open for a new opportunity!
squirrel67
squirrel67 on Jan 07 '08 at 12:48pm
Aww..sucks. Remember "the customer is usually an arsehole".
Torakamikaze
   Torakamikaze on Jan 07 '08 at 12:49pm
oh man... i worked at a grocery store for almost 5 years. Customers are fucking nuts there. People would freak out all the time. Like this one time I had to tell a guy we didnt beans and weanies in a can or something and he just threw his cart into the shelves and stormed out.
KahRistAhn
KahRistAhn on Jan 07 '08 at 12:53pm
Wow! I am glad to know that someone else cried at work! And yeah, I've had other crazy costumers come through, but this is the first time anyone's complained about me personally.



Thanks guys, your replies are really helping. :)

Torakamikaze
   Torakamikaze on Jan 07 '08 at 12:53pm
grocery stores just have an abundance of crazies. i guess it's cause everyone needs groceries... especially the crazy.
nikolina100
nikolina100 on Jan 07 '08 at 12:54pm
low blood sugar - they are all hungry, which = crazy!!!
phones
phones on Jan 07 '08 at 12:55pm
i work in a supermarket too- it's a savage world.



Is there a union rep you can talk to?



i'm sure you'll be ok- just hold your head up and don't let them look like they've won.



there are people like that lady in every town in the world- it was just your bad luck to run into her
lemonalle
lemonalle on Jan 07 '08 at 12:58pm
That lady's an asshole. She lied to make her experience sound worse than it was. Who needs a customer like that anyway?
KahRistAhn
KahRistAhn on Jan 07 '08 at 12:58pm
Ah, I love the way people actually care and comment here. I get less comments from my friends on Facebook!



Anyway, I'm gonna go get cleaned up and whatnot, but I'll be on later! Thanks again everyone!
Steve The Great
Steve The Great on Jan 07 '08 at 12:59pm
I was somewhere the other day where the cashier lady was in the worst mood ever. I froget where. I tried to make my brother go do the paying instead of me.
Torakamikaze
   Torakamikaze on Jan 07 '08 at 12:59pm
you're one of us now
Steve The Great
Steve The Great on Jan 07 '08 at 12:59pm
OH!



it was at blockbuster.









the poor girl was so pissed at something.
Torakamikaze
   Torakamikaze on Jan 07 '08 at 1:01pm
it was probably the shitty, shitty hours she had to work. The employees at the Blockbuster by my old job we're always disgruntled cause they hated their job so much.
lemonalle
lemonalle on Jan 07 '08 at 1:04pm
When I went to see Atonement this weekend, there was this woman waiting at the end of the snack counter while I was putting cream in the coffee I'd ordered. The guy behind the counter asked her if she was waiting for a pizza and she said (quite pissily), "I've been standing here for ten minutes waiting to have my order taken." He was all "I'm sorry ma'am but the lines and the cash registers are on the other end of the counter". This should've been beyond obvious to anyone who isn't a moron. Unfortunately the woman actually was a moron because she started yelling at him, asking how she was supposed to know that. I was like this close to calling her an a-hole. Instead I just said, "Boy, people sure have entitlement issues around here."
Torakamikaze
   Torakamikaze on Jan 07 '08 at 1:05pm
oh lemons... always the gentlelady
noodlezoop
noodlezoop on Jan 07 '08 at 1:27pm
Aw, lemonalle, if any of the workers heard you, they heart you 4-eva. I used to work at a Panera, and people would stand at the other end of the store at registers that said "CLOSED", and then get soooo irate at the people who came over to apologize & direct them to the correct locations. I used to tell the trainees not to get too flustered, since customers are very limited people, incapable of even such simple tasks as sandwich preparation. I liked to think of them all as furious cripples, deserving my compassion in answer to the self-loathing they projected upon me.



Other times, I fantasized about beating them savagely with the Crispani rolling pin, which was also therapeutic.
Jewstice
Jewstice on Jan 07 '08 at 1:33pm
I used to work at Target and once got scolded for laughing when a woman knocked her baby out of her cart by accident. That was an awkward moment, but hey, the baby just fell.... it was impossible not to laugh...
mad cat
mad cat on Jan 07 '08 at 1:42pm
that kind of bullshit comes from customers all the time.It was not your fault and your bosses are assholes for making you feel bad. customers are important but with out you that place wouldn't run.
shutyourface
shutyourface on Jan 07 '08 at 1:46pm
all you need to do is say she's lying, and if your boss doesnt believe and keeps giving you crap you can claim harassment
FionaB
FionaB on Jan 07 '08 at 1:49pm
aw:(

It sounds like it really wassnt even your fault!

I sort of had a situation like that...only I was really rude to a customer bec she was treating me like crap



...so I guess its not the same situation :/



LOL Jewstice
Chipmnk
Chipmnk on Jan 07 '08 at 1:50pm
Aw, bummer. Boo to stupid customers!
J-Ray
J-Ray on Jan 07 '08 at 1:54pm
That's the kind of cheap, lazy customer that nobody needs! Your store is better off without her, thanks to you =)
KahRistAhn
KahRistAhn on Jan 07 '08 at 4:51pm
Blah, I am so nervous to go to work tomorrow.Guess I'll just have to act like I'm over it. Sigh.



What if, like...I really /did/ do something and I just didn't know it?
skafiend007
skafiend007 on Jan 07 '08 at 5:00pm
old people are the worst... well not all old people but a lot of them. I used to work at a grocery store too and they made my job hell.



"Don't pack too many things in my bags! I can't carry the bag if it's too heavy."

Lady I put one can of soup and a plum in this bag... is that enough. Besides, no matter how heavy I make one bag, you still have to carry ALL OF THEM HOME.



"Can you put all 500 of my items into this tiny tote bag."

Yeah, sure, no problem.



"Don't smash my eggs with those heavy cans."

How 'bout I smash your head with these heavy cans? Do you think Im an idiot?



"This bag of cookies is open. You should sell it to me for half price."



We have 500 other bags of the same exact cookies. Go get one of them, skinflint.



Ah, the joys of working retail.



don't sweat it kiddo, it will all seem funny when you're rich and famous.
Puma7
Puma7 on Jan 07 '08 at 5:05pm
I read it. I dunno what to say, retail sucks.
ofthecoast
ofthecoast on Jan 07 '08 at 5:12pm
oh I feel you. I once got bitched right out because the store was too hot.



She was going to write a letter. About me. Making the store too hot.



Tazocat
Tazocat on Jan 07 '08 at 5:20pm
unfortunately, anytime you work with the public, it can suck. Many people are moody,mean and rude to store personel. You'll find that you may not have done anything wrong and she was really pissed at not getting the discount. I agree it was wrong of the manager to deny her the cents off, and he needed someone to blame when she complained- after all he made the choice to screw her over in the first place.

Keep your head up, try to look past this to all the kindness you've shown other people, and most important- remember to defend yourself when you are stepped on like that.

and... its ok to cry...honest.
gotMOXY
gotMOXY on Jan 07 '08 at 5:36pm
Here's my bit of sympathy:

I used to work at Macy's in the handbag area. I was helping a lady with a purse that was in a locked case and another woman came up and wanted help. She just happened to be black. I couldn't walk away from the lady with the purse from the case, so I told the other lady I would be with her in a moment.



To make a long story short, she reported to a manager that I didn't wait on her because she was black. That one stings, lol.



So I feel your pain. Just keep smiling. That's all I can suggest :)
DaveSmith
DaveSmith on Jan 07 '08 at 6:00pm
Thats just the bullshit beuracracy (sp?) of chainstores. Your manager was going to catch shit for it so he took it out on you alittle bit. Dont let it phase you. And dont let anybody come down on you like that just because you're young or you're just a cashier. Theres plenty of jobs out there and you dont have to put up with crap like that from a manager.
KahRistAhn
KahRistAhn on Jan 07 '08 at 10:42pm
Blah, I am so nervous about going to work tomorrow....
iPear
iPear on Jan 07 '08 at 11:21pm
I actually read this whole thing when you first posted it, but I didn't comment, I forget why...I think it might've been because I was just, I was so disheartened by your story. I cried, for many an hours.



many an hours?



does that make sense?



I cried alot.
DaniellesGarden
   DaniellesGarden on Jan 07 '08 at 11:27pm
read the whole thing.. but sounds like your boss is an ass to make you feel like that.. customers are always asses, i know because I am most of the time a customer and a pain in the ass, so you can't blame them, but your boss should know that already and shouldnt have tried to shame you like that, thats ridiculous, go find another job. Im not saying quit your current one, but look for something else, because if he/she reacted like this to this situation, I wouldn't want to see how they would react to your drawer being short or something.
iPear
iPear on Jan 07 '08 at 11:28pm
I was also going to say that I was totally in that same situation, and I totally started balling. But that's not true, and lying is a sin.
KahRistAhn
KahRistAhn on Jan 08 '08 at 12:56am
I guess I should mention, he really wasn't an ass about it, I guess. He had to let me know. And I'm pretty sure my drawer's been short before, just a guess. Ha. By the way, the boss and the other guy who was also involved are not the same person.



Gah, but now I am just scared to go back there.
marblecargirl
marblecargirl on Jan 08 '08 at 12:56am
hahaha... balling
DaniellesGarden
   DaniellesGarden on Jan 08 '08 at 12:59am
ok.. you are probably just making more of this than you should then..



Just tell them you were PMS-ing if they say anything to you about it. especially if they are both males, and say your emotions were going crazy and then that happened, etc.





You must be logged in to leave a comment.

My gallery photos


All about me

I love singing, friends, and art. And other things.

I am in love. :]

Oh, and I can do a perfect Jigglypuff impression.