Customised Failure

(I work as a shift leader for a fabric store. Toward the end of my shift, I go to the office to finish the paperwork for a few orders. I’m seated at the computer finishing up an email when my general manager enters the office to start her shift. The office is also where we store custom orders when they come in, so they don’t get confused with regular stock. A few items are standing in one corner waiting for pick-up, clearly marked.)

General Manager: “Hey, [My Name]! How’d today go? Did the truck come in okay?”

Me: “Afternoon, [General Manager]. Not bad, though they didn’t include the new holiday decorations that were in the inventory. I was just putting through a couple of custom orders before I head home.”

General Manager: “Oh, okay. Sales are good?”

(By now, she’s put her purse away and has started shuffling around the custom orders in the corner.)

Me: “A bit slow, but not the worst we’ve had this week.”

General Manager: *suddenly annoyed* “[My Name], why aren’t these on the floor yet?”

Me: “Pardon?”

General Manager: “These rolls, they’re the restock for the home decor, right?”

Me: “No, they’re custom orders. The customers haven’t picked them up yet, but I called them this morning and left messages that their fabric was in.”

General Manager: “So, why aren’t these on the floor?”

Me: “Because they’re not for the floor; they’re custom orders that are waiting to be picked up.”

General Manager: “Oh.”

Me: “Anyway, I’m going to clock out now.”

General Manager: “So, why aren’t these on the floor?”

Me: *exasperated by now* “Because we can’t sell them!”

General Manager: “Why not?!”

Me: “Because they’re custom orders, and the customers already paid for them, and they would be pissed!”

General Manager: “Oh.”

Me: *still exasperated* “Is that all?”

General Manager: “I guess.” *muttering under her breath as I leave*

(I didn’t work another shift for two days. When I came back, the assistant store manager informed me that the general manager had put the custom orders on the floor, despite what I had told her, and despite the tags plastered on the rolls with the customers’ names and phone numbers. One roll had been cut by the time the customer came to pick up her fabric, and she was understandably furious. From then on, the general manager had nothing to do with custom orders.)