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Background: Hey all. I've been lurking here long enough, so I thought I'd unload some of my own frustration from Wally World Electronics.
You have to pay for that, ma'am
This was an average day early in my sentence in Electronics. A lady walks up and asks me how she can get wireless internet. As this is before we've started selling prepaid broadband, and I haven't yet learned of the available broadband contracts through two of the carriers we sell, I'm assuming she's talking about WI-FI.
Me: Self-explanatory
SC: Universal term by now
SC: Can you tell me how to get free wireless?
Me: Sure! We carry a variety of wireless routers over here *motions for her to follow*
SC: And these will get me internet?
Me: *not picking up quite yet* As long as it's hooked into your modem, it'll send out the wireless signal to your wi-fi enabled devices.
SC: I don't have a modem.
Me: *Thinking "new customer"* Well, you're provider should set one up when they install the line.
SC: I don't have a provider. I want wireless.
Me
Oh shit...
) You need an internet provider to get the internet, ma'am.
SC: No. You need to tell me how I can get free internet.
Me: You could take your laptop to <bookstore that has free wi-fi> or <other bookstore>.
SC: I have a desktop. I want free wireless on it.
Me: You have to pay for internet access in your home, ma'am.
SC: (Everyone sing along with the chorus, now!) Well thanks for nothing! *storms off*
Memories of the Front
Before electronics, I worked as a cashier. Less BS with management, but infinitely more BS with customers.
Me: Meaning well, being helpful. But I'm at the EXPRESS lane next to the exit. All bets off.
SCM: Sucky Customer Man
SCW: Same thing, but female
SCM/SCW walk up to the express lane with a cart piled high with stuff to overflowing. Obviously our sign written in 2 languages that this is a 20 items or less lane is illegible.
Me: (rather meekly, because pointing this out is considered "bad customer service" by both management and customers) That's quite a bit more than 20 items. A lane with a belt would be able to check you out faster...
SCM: Hi! *piles items on tiny counterspace AS FAST AS HE POSSIBLY CAN*
I don't know what school of physics you graduated from, but if you're putting a shitload of stuff on the counter as I'm reaching for stuff, that's gonna slow me down. Whether or not EVERYTHING is on the counter, I can still only check out as fast as I have enough bags on the carousel. Speaking of which, when the bag is full, take it off the damn carousel. Or pick it up off the floor as I set it there to make room for more of your shit.
Roughly five to ten minutes later...
Me: OK, your total comes to $xxx.xx.
SCW: I'm paying for the food items with EBT (Washington State Food Stamp debit card. They don't have to tell me. The system tells me. I don't want to hear either person's voice at this point.)
Me: Okee dokee. Just slide your card.
SCM: Have him bring up what's covered by the EBT.
SCW: Yeah, show me.
Me: Our machines can't do that.
SCW: *bitchily* Why not?
Me: It's just not programmed to.
SCW: Well how would I know what's paid for by EBT?
Me: What is covered will be deducted from the price.
SCW: We'll see. *swipes card, enters PIN*
Me: Your new total is $xxx.xx
SCM: Can you show us what was covered by the EBT?
Our machines are old. I'm not even sure if the new ones can do that. I know the registers we use can't. Also: I just explained all this!
Me: Our machines can't do that.
SCM: Then how do we know we're not getting scammed?
Me: You're not.
SCW: Whatever... *pays and they leave, grumbling about how long it took*
Looking at the receipt as I hand it to them, I spot that it says they bought 85 items. The hell? Is it really that hard to read?
Zoning in DVDs
Those of you in retail know the woes of zoning. Those of you who also work at Wally World know how we need to zone ALL THE TIME.
In my adventures in zoning DVDs, I've witnessed some baffling and irritating occurrences. I've seen people pull a DVD off the shelf from a spot right in front of their face, look at it, and reach aaaaaaallll the way to their left or right to put it in an empty space or a space with a different DVD.
I know that this contraption on our shelves it soooo complicated. Far be it from me to assume you could have ever learned what a "spring" is or how it works. So of course it's completely understandable that you have no other choice but to throw the DVD behind the shelf when the one behind it moves forward or there's the slightest bit of resistance from it in the off chance that you'd try to put it back.
In the words of one child who is likely to be a politician some day: "These are hard to put back"
That's what I said
SC: Do you have <insert item name here>
Me: Sorry, I've been out of stock for a few hours now.
SC: So You're out of stock?
Me
Do not repeat what I say in the form of a question. I do not have a reason to lie about such a thing. If I had one in the back, I'd happily go look for it just for the chance to spend time away from you and others like you.
You have to pay for that, ma'am
This was an average day early in my sentence in Electronics. A lady walks up and asks me how she can get wireless internet. As this is before we've started selling prepaid broadband, and I haven't yet learned of the available broadband contracts through two of the carriers we sell, I'm assuming she's talking about WI-FI.
Me: Self-explanatory
SC: Universal term by now
SC: Can you tell me how to get free wireless?
Me: Sure! We carry a variety of wireless routers over here *motions for her to follow*
SC: And these will get me internet?
Me: *not picking up quite yet* As long as it's hooked into your modem, it'll send out the wireless signal to your wi-fi enabled devices.
SC: I don't have a modem.
Me: *Thinking "new customer"* Well, you're provider should set one up when they install the line.
SC: I don't have a provider. I want wireless.
Me
Oh shit...) You need an internet provider to get the internet, ma'am.SC: No. You need to tell me how I can get free internet.
Me: You could take your laptop to <bookstore that has free wi-fi> or <other bookstore>.
SC: I have a desktop. I want free wireless on it.
Me: You have to pay for internet access in your home, ma'am.
SC: (Everyone sing along with the chorus, now!) Well thanks for nothing! *storms off*
Memories of the Front
Before electronics, I worked as a cashier. Less BS with management, but infinitely more BS with customers.
Me: Meaning well, being helpful. But I'm at the EXPRESS lane next to the exit. All bets off.
SCM: Sucky Customer Man
SCW: Same thing, but female
SCM/SCW walk up to the express lane with a cart piled high with stuff to overflowing. Obviously our sign written in 2 languages that this is a 20 items or less lane is illegible.
Me: (rather meekly, because pointing this out is considered "bad customer service" by both management and customers) That's quite a bit more than 20 items. A lane with a belt would be able to check you out faster...
SCM: Hi! *piles items on tiny counterspace AS FAST AS HE POSSIBLY CAN*
I don't know what school of physics you graduated from, but if you're putting a shitload of stuff on the counter as I'm reaching for stuff, that's gonna slow me down. Whether or not EVERYTHING is on the counter, I can still only check out as fast as I have enough bags on the carousel. Speaking of which, when the bag is full, take it off the damn carousel. Or pick it up off the floor as I set it there to make room for more of your shit.
Roughly five to ten minutes later...
Me: OK, your total comes to $xxx.xx.
SCW: I'm paying for the food items with EBT (Washington State Food Stamp debit card. They don't have to tell me. The system tells me. I don't want to hear either person's voice at this point.)
Me: Okee dokee. Just slide your card.
SCM: Have him bring up what's covered by the EBT.
SCW: Yeah, show me.
Me: Our machines can't do that.
SCW: *bitchily* Why not?
Me: It's just not programmed to.
SCW: Well how would I know what's paid for by EBT?
Me: What is covered will be deducted from the price.
SCW: We'll see. *swipes card, enters PIN*
Me: Your new total is $xxx.xx
SCM: Can you show us what was covered by the EBT?
Our machines are old. I'm not even sure if the new ones can do that. I know the registers we use can't. Also: I just explained all this!
Me: Our machines can't do that.
SCM: Then how do we know we're not getting scammed?
Me: You're not.
SCW: Whatever... *pays and they leave, grumbling about how long it took*
Looking at the receipt as I hand it to them, I spot that it says they bought 85 items. The hell? Is it really that hard to read?
Zoning in DVDs
Those of you in retail know the woes of zoning. Those of you who also work at Wally World know how we need to zone ALL THE TIME.
In my adventures in zoning DVDs, I've witnessed some baffling and irritating occurrences. I've seen people pull a DVD off the shelf from a spot right in front of their face, look at it, and reach aaaaaaallll the way to their left or right to put it in an empty space or a space with a different DVD.
I know that this contraption on our shelves it soooo complicated. Far be it from me to assume you could have ever learned what a "spring" is or how it works. So of course it's completely understandable that you have no other choice but to throw the DVD behind the shelf when the one behind it moves forward or there's the slightest bit of resistance from it in the off chance that you'd try to put it back.
In the words of one child who is likely to be a politician some day: "These are hard to put back"
That's what I said
SC: Do you have <insert item name here>
Me: Sorry, I've been out of stock for a few hours now.
SC: So You're out of stock?
Me
Do not repeat what I say in the form of a question. I do not have a reason to lie about such a thing. If I had one in the back, I'd happily go look for it just for the chance to spend time away from you and others like you.
He is my Black Dragon (and yes, a good one) strong, protective, the guardian. I am his Silver Dragon, always by his side, shining for him, cherishing him.
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