As some of you may know, I'm working at Joann's! I took Cameron's place once he went back to school a month ago.
Working retail is very interesting. You learn a lot about human behaviors. A lot of these behaviors really bother me.
1. When people don't put things back where they belong. What's really sad about this, is that most of the people that shop at Joanns are mothers. Don't they teach their kids to pick up after themselves? They should follow their own advice. While I was cleaning up after closing last night I found bolts of fabric on the jewelery isle, things taken out of their packages, random carts left all throughout the store, baskets full of random things left on the ground, bolts of fabric in piles on the ground, and the Halloween isle was torn apart!
2. When a customer makes a huge deal over saving a couple dollars! Sometimes a customer will bring in 2 of the same coupon and expect me to take them both. If they had read the coupon, they would see that it cannot be used with another coupon, and it can't be used on sale items. Grown women get so upset! They say biting remarks under their breath and leave giving me the silent treatment. Seriously? HA HA HA! I laugh at them when they leave.
3. When a customer is impatient. We are only allowed a certain amount of hours and employees in a day because of our current economic situation. So, obviously there are going to be longer lines and longer waits. We are working as fast and efficiently as we can to help all of our guests. Sometimes, while I'm at the cutting table, I can hear ladies waiting impatiently and commenting on the long wait. Sometimes they get so impatient they put their material they were going to have cut smugly on the cutting table and leave in a huff. We then have to take their material that they didn't put away and add that to our already long to do list!
From this job I am definitely learning how to be a better shopper. I can no longer go into a store and leave anything I've touched unfolded. Sometimes I'll even recover an entire isle while I'm just looking around. You have no idea how great it is to have a customer who respects us and the store that they are shopping in.
Other than some of the horrible guests we get in, we also have some wonderful people shop at our store. I cut fabric for a lady yesterday, she and her husband own the Missionary Mall and the Sister Missionary Mall. We had a good chat about my friend that was going on a mission, her mission, and my own thoughts of serving a mission myself. She left making me feel a lot better about my work and her few kind words made that hour go by a lot faster. I also love it when customers greet me warmly at the register. When they seem to understand the stress of the day and how long I've been on my feet. I especially love it when they're patient with me when I make mistakes, and I have made my fair share.
One day I had a lady come up to me and thank me for my work. It always feels good to know that someone appreciates what you do.
When I'm cutting fabric I like to ask what the person is going to make with it. It's so fun to see their faces light up and share with me what they're about to create. It makes me want to pick up sewing again! One time, this quilting teacher, showed me some pictures she had in her wallet of some of her quilts. They were absolutely amazing! So many creative people shop at our store.
One of the friends I've made is my manager, Janelle. We're going to start going to a mission prep class on Tuesdays at the Orem Institute! I've missed being in a religion class since I've left Idaho.
Thanks for reading!
~Mandy
