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So, you decided to play the "No English" card?
Beware, because this is my first proper submission. All my other contributions have been comments to other people's suck. I'd love constructive C&C if you could give it to me.
Finally, the Summer, and I've got a job that's worth mentioning, but a certain confidentiality agreement and dedicated "security team" says otherwise. Doesn't mean I can't share some anonymous tales, though.
I managed to secure a job in a certain popular tourist attraction. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it's pretty high profile. You can take your guesses by looking at my forum profile, but I won't confirm or deny it if you guess right or wrong.
So, part of the job involves standing in various positions, swapping around at even intervals, basically being there for the visitors when they need assistance, or if they misbehave.
Guess what I'm going to tell you about today? That's right. The latter. One of our policies involves a strict intolerance for food or drink of any assortment. That means no picnics, mints, gum, soft drinks (coke, lemonade), ribena or otherwise. The only exceptions to this rule are plain water and medication - I allowed some indigestion tablets the other day, because it's hard to tell between food and consumable medicine unless they tell you.
What's the most common violation, I hear you say? Well, surely you can guess? Gum. Chewing gun, bubble gun and anything related. Most people comply and spit it into a tissue the moment I catch them. Some of them deny, and I regret to say, a few of them even swallow it.
A potential barrier to tackling this gum issue is a language one, but by performing various basic hand gestures, such as pointing to the mouth and gesturing "pinching something from the mouth" seems to work most of the time. However, yesterday, I had a rather problematic guest who sounded Spanish, but made out as though he can't understand English. Fair enough, but not understanding English doesn't mean being incapable of comprehending hand gestures. I asked the gentleman three times, but instead ended the exchange by shaking his said, saying "No", even though I could clearly see a white piece of gum and walked-on without giving it another thought. I wanted to summon a supervisor, but in the end, felt all the fuss wasn't worth it.
Have you had any particularly memorable incidents regarding uncooperative customers that pretend not to understand you, or make no attempt to take whatever you have to say seriously? I'd also like to know how compelled you felt to read-on, to see if I should alter my writing style appropriately.
If I have any more dodgy encounters, or remember any I've already had, I'll remember to post it.
/rant
Finally, the Summer, and I've got a job that's worth mentioning, but a certain confidentiality agreement and dedicated "security team" says otherwise. Doesn't mean I can't share some anonymous tales, though.
I managed to secure a job in a certain popular tourist attraction. I know it doesn't sound like much, but it's pretty high profile. You can take your guesses by looking at my forum profile, but I won't confirm or deny it if you guess right or wrong.
So, part of the job involves standing in various positions, swapping around at even intervals, basically being there for the visitors when they need assistance, or if they misbehave.
Guess what I'm going to tell you about today? That's right. The latter. One of our policies involves a strict intolerance for food or drink of any assortment. That means no picnics, mints, gum, soft drinks (coke, lemonade), ribena or otherwise. The only exceptions to this rule are plain water and medication - I allowed some indigestion tablets the other day, because it's hard to tell between food and consumable medicine unless they tell you.
What's the most common violation, I hear you say? Well, surely you can guess? Gum. Chewing gun, bubble gun and anything related. Most people comply and spit it into a tissue the moment I catch them. Some of them deny, and I regret to say, a few of them even swallow it.
A potential barrier to tackling this gum issue is a language one, but by performing various basic hand gestures, such as pointing to the mouth and gesturing "pinching something from the mouth" seems to work most of the time. However, yesterday, I had a rather problematic guest who sounded Spanish, but made out as though he can't understand English. Fair enough, but not understanding English doesn't mean being incapable of comprehending hand gestures. I asked the gentleman three times, but instead ended the exchange by shaking his said, saying "No", even though I could clearly see a white piece of gum and walked-on without giving it another thought. I wanted to summon a supervisor, but in the end, felt all the fuss wasn't worth it.
Have you had any particularly memorable incidents regarding uncooperative customers that pretend not to understand you, or make no attempt to take whatever you have to say seriously? I'd also like to know how compelled you felt to read-on, to see if I should alter my writing style appropriately.
If I have any more dodgy encounters, or remember any I've already had, I'll remember to post it.
/rant
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