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The past week at my work has been 
On Monday the photo processor started jamming. After much digging out of photos stuck in the machine's racks, we discovered the problem was a broken part - it was jury-rigged and all was well.
Tuesday I am walking in after close for the store meeting, and the guy I worked with Monday informs me the film processor has been down most of that day - the belt broke.
Wednesday morning the boss comes in before his trip out of state and repairs the belt. But when placing the racks back in the machine, something else went wrong - the film processor did not work until about 4:00 (we close at 7). I was not there, but heard about it on a voice mail left for me, along with
Wednesday, after the film machine was working, the photo printer went down again. For no explainable reason. NO orders were able to be completed. Coworker called all of the customers to let them know what was going on and that we will call them when their photos are ready.
So I walked in this morning, warned but I still wanted to
- we got more film in over those two days than we usually do in a week!
There's the background for my day today......
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The photo processor jammed on me within the first 20 prints shortly after I got in to open the store. Great. Solving this involves pulling the top off, pulling off/out the crossovers that cover and connect the racks, and lifting the racks (about 2-3 feet tall) out of tanks of chemistry to remove the photos stuck in their midsts. I've been dealing with photo chemistry for about 6 years now so I know what to do - but it's not fun stuff and had me looking for opportunities with nobody in the store to wash my hands.
So starts my day...........
"Just in case"
Mom and kid comes in 15 minutes after the store opened to see if photos were ready. "We were called last night but wanted to see if they are ready...."
Me: No, I haven't been able to get ten photos through the processor without it jamming. I have no idea when anything will get done, we will call you when yours is ready. (Like you were told last night! Do you really think the problem would be solved in under an hour and all orders completed?)
Mom: Oh, ok, I wanted to check just in case....
"Why don't you know?"
Man comes in to pick up photos.
Me: Did you get the phone call last night?
Man: Yes, but they should be done by now!
Me: ("Should" doesn't count for anything in this situation, buddy) No sir, it's taken me an hour and a half to print 25 photos and the machine has jammed twice in that time.
Man: Well, WHEN will they be done?
Me: I honestly have no idea. It could be today, it could be tomorrow, it could be next week. We will let you know. There is no way of knowing when things will start cooperating.
Man: You should know. I want them done today or I'm taking my film back.
Me: You're welcome to do that since there is no way of predicting what will happen. (Bring in your Magic 8 Ball and tell us, why don't ya?)
And the kicker
We got the machine running about 11:30, after changing some settings and lots and lots of crossing fingers and sending things through in increasingly larger batches until we were sure that there wouldn't be jams. So as orders were completed, I'd call the customer to let them know.
Mr. K comes in to pick up photos.
K: Are you giving me a discount?
Me: Sure, I can take $1.50 (roughly 20% off)
K: I should hope so! There was a 24-hour delay!
Me: (When you dropped it off, there had been ongoing problems and were informed that we were currently experiencing difficulties. You still dropped off your order. You were called last night so you knew things were still not working and then called this afternoon as soon as your order was done. The choice to leave your stuff, IOW was *yours* and you were told in advance what was going on) Our machines have been down for a good part of....
K: That's not MY fault. This was ridiculous!
Me: (Not my fault either and you haven't been the one dealing with it constantly now have you?) Enjoy your photos! (buh-bye)
Do they really think we willingly lose on revenue (and have the costs of the paper that ends up jammed) and have fun when these problems occur? That we have control over this stuff? Believe-you-me, I don't enjoy the incessant beeping alerting us of jams or having chemistry that messes with your skin and stings in cuts all over my hands!
Bonus story
Gentleman comes in and asks if we take photos.
Me: What kind of photos do you need? Passport? Portrait?
SC: For an annual memory book my school publishes.
Me: Ok, we'll set you up with an executive session (that includes the copyright release so the photo can be used), let me make you an appointment.
SC: I can't have it now?
Me: No, we don't have any photographers currently in the studio......
SC: The person on the phone said you were open until 7!
Me: Yes, but we don't always have a photographer available, that is why we make appointm.....
SC: (interrupting) *Humph!* I drove all this way! Is there ANYONE else that can help me?
So I called another store in the area (we are franchises) and asked if they had a photographer available and sent him on his way.
Don't
blame me if you came to our store on incorrect information because YOU didn't bother asking the right question! There were no photographers there (out on location) no matter how much you complained!
On Monday the photo processor started jamming. After much digging out of photos stuck in the machine's racks, we discovered the problem was a broken part - it was jury-rigged and all was well.
Tuesday I am walking in after close for the store meeting, and the guy I worked with Monday informs me the film processor has been down most of that day - the belt broke.
Wednesday morning the boss comes in before his trip out of state and repairs the belt. But when placing the racks back in the machine, something else went wrong - the film processor did not work until about 4:00 (we close at 7). I was not there, but heard about it on a voice mail left for me, along with
Wednesday, after the film machine was working, the photo printer went down again. For no explainable reason. NO orders were able to be completed. Coworker called all of the customers to let them know what was going on and that we will call them when their photos are ready.
So I walked in this morning, warned but I still wanted to
- we got more film in over those two days than we usually do in a week!There's the background for my day today......
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The photo processor jammed on me within the first 20 prints shortly after I got in to open the store. Great. Solving this involves pulling the top off, pulling off/out the crossovers that cover and connect the racks, and lifting the racks (about 2-3 feet tall) out of tanks of chemistry to remove the photos stuck in their midsts. I've been dealing with photo chemistry for about 6 years now so I know what to do - but it's not fun stuff and had me looking for opportunities with nobody in the store to wash my hands.
So starts my day...........
"Just in case"
Mom and kid comes in 15 minutes after the store opened to see if photos were ready. "We were called last night but wanted to see if they are ready...."
Me: No, I haven't been able to get ten photos through the processor without it jamming. I have no idea when anything will get done, we will call you when yours is ready. (Like you were told last night! Do you really think the problem would be solved in under an hour and all orders completed?)
Mom: Oh, ok, I wanted to check just in case....
"Why don't you know?"
Man comes in to pick up photos.
Me: Did you get the phone call last night?
Man: Yes, but they should be done by now!
Me: ("Should" doesn't count for anything in this situation, buddy) No sir, it's taken me an hour and a half to print 25 photos and the machine has jammed twice in that time.
Man: Well, WHEN will they be done?
Me: I honestly have no idea. It could be today, it could be tomorrow, it could be next week. We will let you know. There is no way of knowing when things will start cooperating.
Man: You should know. I want them done today or I'm taking my film back.
Me: You're welcome to do that since there is no way of predicting what will happen. (Bring in your Magic 8 Ball and tell us, why don't ya?)
And the kicker
We got the machine running about 11:30, after changing some settings and lots and lots of crossing fingers and sending things through in increasingly larger batches until we were sure that there wouldn't be jams. So as orders were completed, I'd call the customer to let them know.
Mr. K comes in to pick up photos.
K: Are you giving me a discount?
Me: Sure, I can take $1.50 (roughly 20% off)
K: I should hope so! There was a 24-hour delay!
Me: (When you dropped it off, there had been ongoing problems and were informed that we were currently experiencing difficulties. You still dropped off your order. You were called last night so you knew things were still not working and then called this afternoon as soon as your order was done. The choice to leave your stuff, IOW was *yours* and you were told in advance what was going on) Our machines have been down for a good part of....
K: That's not MY fault. This was ridiculous!
Me: (Not my fault either and you haven't been the one dealing with it constantly now have you?) Enjoy your photos! (buh-bye)
Do they really think we willingly lose on revenue (and have the costs of the paper that ends up jammed) and have fun when these problems occur? That we have control over this stuff? Believe-you-me, I don't enjoy the incessant beeping alerting us of jams or having chemistry that messes with your skin and stings in cuts all over my hands!
Bonus story
Gentleman comes in and asks if we take photos.
Me: What kind of photos do you need? Passport? Portrait?
SC: For an annual memory book my school publishes.
Me: Ok, we'll set you up with an executive session (that includes the copyright release so the photo can be used), let me make you an appointment.
SC: I can't have it now?
Me: No, we don't have any photographers currently in the studio......
SC: The person on the phone said you were open until 7!
Me: Yes, but we don't always have a photographer available, that is why we make appointm.....
SC: (interrupting) *Humph!* I drove all this way! Is there ANYONE else that can help me?
So I called another store in the area (we are franchises) and asked if they had a photographer available and sent him on his way.
Don't
blame me if you came to our store on incorrect information because YOU didn't bother asking the right question! There were no photographers there (out on location) no matter how much you complained!
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