It’s Amazing How Many Stores Can Be Improved By Installing Spines Into Managers

I work for a big box store. Our location has been struggling and outright failing, so badly that corporate took on a special initiative to get it back on track. As a part of this initiative, we received a new manager. Though she was young, she proved to have the fortitude and competence to rival those many years her senior in experience.

This is one of my earliest and favorite, exchanges of hers that I witnessed. A customer had approached the service desk:

Customer: “I demand to speak to a manager! IMMEDIATELY!”

With a fervor that was clearly from a woman waiting her whole life to say this next sentence, she threw her hands up in the air.

Manager: “Boy, do I have good news for you!”

The customer pauses, then briefly looks her up and down.

Customer: “No, I meant a real one.”

Manager: *Gleefully giggles.* “Well, this time of night, it’s just the very real me on! You can speak with me, or you can take yourself outside and come back in when you’ve found your manners, because I won’t be having you speak to my employees the way you are with me.”

Customer: “And how about I email corporate about your attitude?”

Manager: “Oh, they’re already very well aware of how I take care of things, that’s why they sent me here! If you want to give them a refresher, though, be my guest. Until then, I’m still here to help you, and the door’s still there for you to leave through it, if that doesn’t suit you. So, can I help you today?”

She looks back at him with a bright smile, and he looks back at her with a face of anger quickly deflating. He reluctantly agreed to let her help him. What was the issue? A simple fifty cent price adjustment. Our store is recovering, but we’re lucky enough to be keeping her, regardless. She remains that same, unflappable ray of sunshine to this day.