Oh! Now I remeber you!

At our store, we are able to give out a "Friends and Family" discount to those we consider in one of those categories.

A lady comes into my store:

Her: "Hi! I know you. Remember me!"
Me: "No, sorry, I don't."
Her: "We met through our friend Jeff!"
Me: "Jeff who?"
Her: "Jeff who?! You know! Jeff X!"
Me: "Jeff's more like a friend of a friend..."
Her: "Oh, you did! I remember you!"
Me: "Oh, really? Okay."
*I go on to help her find a few items. She comes up to the till.*
Her: "Jeff said that you'd give me the friends discount!"
Me: "Oh did he now? Well, we usually reserve that for our FRIENDS. Sorry."


- TSP -

Communication is the key. Pt 2

Adjectives - like big, small, blue, purple, round, straight - are your friends! Please use them.

When you tell me you are looking for a particular toy, but you can't tell me it's name, OR a description of it...well, sorry sir/madame, you are shit out of luck. I am still a young Jedi and I have yet to hone my mind-reading skills. So until I level up you'll have to bring me a picture, or send me link or SOMETHING. Because frankly I have no.fucking.idea what you may be after...

kaythxbai.


- TSP -

The "What's that?" game.

Sometimes people come into the store and play the "What's that?" game. Here's how it's played:

The game is usually schedule (beyond your knowledge) to start on a slower day customer-wise but when you have a ton of paperwork to do at the computer. This ensures that no other customers will interrupt game play and that the customer receives all of your productivity points. You know game play has started when the customer asks you if they can ask you a question about a product and they walk you to the toy wall. After they get you there they will proceed to ask you a question about a particular product. You answer, and the next round of play continues with the customer pointing to the product beside it asking "What's that?". You answer, and then they point to the product beside it and ask "What's that?".

The game play continues in an infinite loop until everything in the store has been talked about or until the customer replies "Oh." in a knowing tone and exits the store hurried manner (as it's now been anywhere up to an hour since they entered the store and they are now running late) - only then may game play end and points be awarded.

Note: Purchases are never to be made during game play. The customer always wins no matter how many knowledge points you dispensed during play.


- TSP -

This will be on the test...

Customer: "Do you have any massage oils?"
Me: "Yes. Let me show you."
*I walk with them past several shelves pointing at the different lines we carry, describing them in detail*
Me: "We also have scent testers up at the till so if you would like to smell any of them just let me know."
Customer: "Yes, could I smell them?"
*We walk back to the till where I open up several testers for them to smell. They go through several of them and pick their favorite.*
Customer: "Okay, I'll go with this one." *stares at me for a while*
Me: "Would you like me to go get one off the shelf for you?"
Customer: "Oh, you don't have them behind the till?"
Me: *head-desk*


- TSP -

This is why I love my job.

Every once and while that person who is a ray of sunshine comes into the store and you get to honestly help out another human being and touch their life. It's an amazing feeling.

This one day a pretty average looking, middle-aged lady come into the store. As she was looking over the toys I went over to check on her - she seemed to be distraught and confused. As we were talking she confessed that her partner has just told her that he was seeing someone else. And if that wasn't bad enough, it was due to the fact that due to medical reasons she didn't find intercourse pleasurable so their sex life had suffered because of it. She burst out into tears as she was telling me this story.

I helped calm her down and after she had composed herself again we talking it out more so that we could find a toy that was to her liking. She was sill very shy but as we finished at the till she sincerely thanked me for my help. A few days later she returned to the store to thank me again for my help and patience.

Helping people find themselves, gives one a wonderful feeling of accomplishment.


- TSP -

Communication is the key.

I completely get that not everyone feels as comfortable as I do talking about this type of thing. Really, I do.

However, I would LOVE if you could at least manage to make simple sentences to express yourself to me as I don't know you'd like to be left alone unless you tell me. Please don't get snappy at me when I ask you how your day is going and if you need help finding anything. It's my job. I happen to work here y'know...

Also, if you are a customer who asks me questions, I'm going to assume you'd like the answers to them. Don't cut me off before I can finish the first sentence of my reply. It really angers me... and you wouldn't like me when I'm angry! ;)


- TSP -