Magazine woes.

[depechemodefan]

First, there is this guy who is always looking for the latest issue of Nature. Generally he's nice; not really sucky. This is the conversation from last week:

me:
Ng: Nature guy
cw: coworker

thoughts in italics.

Ng: do you have the latest issue of Nature?
me: let me see what the latest issue is. According to the computer, it's Sept. 29.
Ng: I don't see it on the shelf.
me: someone could have taken it and gone to another floor with it.
Ng: Oh. Can't you go look for it?
me: We don't know where it could be. If my co-workers on other floors find it they will send it up here.
Ng: The one I read had...It had something on the cover.
me: Oh yeah, that helps.
Ng: What is the latest issue you have.
me: I just told you, dumbass Sept. 29.
cw went looking for it. Someone misplaced it but it was in the magazine area. cw handed to me and I gave it to the guy.
Ng: I've seen this one already.

And he takes it to a computer he reserved. And just lays it down there.

I go over.
me: are you going to read that issue?
Ng: nah.
me: You could have left it with me and I could have put it back and let someone else read it.
Ng: oh. Ok.

I hate when people complain about stuff (books, magazines, movies, cds, etc) not being in their place, but then they take the stuff away when they don't want it.

Second dude (sd) had placed his bottle water on one of our magazines. He is at one of our internet computers, so he is not reading the mag. Granted, he might read it latter or might reference it in an email so he needs it there.

Me: sir, you can't have that bottle wate on the magazine.
sd: Que pasa?
Me: ah great, now I have to speak spanish. My Spanish sucks, though I understand it completely. Sir, you can't have your bottle on the magazine.
sd: It's not condensating on the magazine.
me: ok, just take the bottle off the magazine.
Of course, he doesn't do it.
me: If you are not reading it, I'll just put it back.
sd: You are being rude to me!
I take the magazine back.
sd: *comes up to me at the magazine ares* what's your name?
me: *gives it* can I have your name please *he gives it to me*
sd: You should be so rude.

sigh.

So last week the manager says he complained about me. She also mention he must be one of those guys who starts speaking spanish hoping that I would go away, since he does know English. His complaint was written in English.

So the manager has to "correct" me. Next time, she says, I should move the water bottle to a piece of paper.

yeah, like that will fly, me touching people's stuff.

Today, it was brought up again and I had to sign some formal thing saying I spoke with my managers about my behavior. This complaint along with 3 others http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=54287, http://www.customerssuck.com/board/s...ad.php?t=54176 (I forgot the 4th complaint) got me in hot water. Because obviously the customer needs to be sided with. blah.

[bainsidhe]

Have your bosses ever worked with the same public you do? Why are they so quick to take the side of the patron every. single. time? Oh wait, I forgot who we were talking about for a moment. Another spineless management type.

[HYHYBT]

They let people bring drinks into the library now?

[NateTheChops]

Have your bosses ever worked with the same public you do?

That's a silly question.

If the person hired to manage any store, library, cruise ship, starship, timeship or any other ship capable of traveling any and all known times, dimensions and spaces had ever at any point interacted with customers on the floor level they long ago forgot what it was like.

There really is no winning.

[Dips]

Do yourself a favor to save your job and your sanity.

Stop worrying about stuff like this. If your bosses don't give two hoots that people are bucking the system or ruining the magazines, then why bother?

If they refuse to make it their problem then don't make it yours. Concentrate on the areas where you can make a difference and let the other stuff go.

I know it's easier said then done because I've been there myself. I can't stand to see people getting away with stuff they shouldn't be and I used to try to change that.

The fact is that it happens all the time and will continue to happen until the end of time. People jaywalk, speed, make noise, lie to scam extra activations, forget to say "please," leave the toilet paper roll empty and just do irritating things all the time. Trying to fight every single thing is just as futile as keeping the tide from coming in.

Just practice breathing and telling yourself it's OK. Nobody will die from this. I won't die from this. My bosses don't care, therefore I don't care. I'm going to make myself busy doing something else until I forget this. Then I'm going to go home and vent on my favorite web forum."

[trailerparkmedic]

People at your branch scare me. I went there once--never again!! I'll wait the few days it takes the library to send stuff to my local branch.

I wish I could complain about being around your customers to your management.

[depechemodefan]

They let people bring drinks into the library now?

yes, because we want to be a welcoming place to the public

Do yourself a favor to save your job and your sanity.

Yeah, I try. Today I see some teens at the back of the library. The are sitting at the end of the aisles, their legs strethed out blocking the back aisle, though they did move their feet when I came by. I figured it would have been an easy thing to tell them, "excuse me, there are other places you sit at, like by that wall, where you won't be in the way." But I figured it would back fire on me.

I wish I could complain about being around your customers to your management.

Please do. You can do it on the website, there should be a customer comment form. If you can write what scares you about our patrons maybe the management will back us up when we try to remove people for being smelly/loud/rude (cursing and stuff)/etc.

REally, the management doens't want us to remove smelly patrons unless other patrons complain!

[infinitemonkies]

Yeah, I can see management not wanted to remove rude, offensive, smelly, violent and/or abusive patrons because a customer is still a customer, and they need to bring in all the revenue th..... oh wait. What exactly the f##k is managements problem?

I understand I can't be allowed to spray down assholes with the library's fire extinguisher because in the event of an actual fire, it would be needed.... but what if I brought my own with me?

[JustaCashier]

So the manager has to "correct" me. Next time, she says, I should move the water bottle to the patron's rectum.

Modified to what we wish management would say!

Mike

[otakuneko]

Next time, she says, I should move the water bottle to a piece of paper.

*turning on voice recorder hidden in a pocket*
"So I'm supposed to quietly move the patron's water bottle?"

"Yes, that's right."

"And when they complain about that?"

"Er.. well we'll see."

"Can I get all this in writing?"