Put-Back In Their Place
(In high school I get a job at a high-end dollar store where the majority of the staff are teenage girls like me. There have been a few instances of drama, but I keep to myself and mind my own business so most of it goes over my head. Our store keeps a basket at the register for items customers decide not to buy at the last minute, and figuring out where those things came from can be difficult since we have so much random stock, so everyone hates putting them back. I just came back from lunch, and before I left I was in the middle of putting out new merchandise. One of my coworkers at the register calls to me as I walk into the store.)
Coworker: “[My Name], [Manager] wants you to do the put-backs.”
(I’m already suspicious, because why wait for me to come back and not ask one of them to do it? I could confront her, or just go ahead and take care of it, but as I’m House Slytherin, I smile and say:)
Me: “Okay, let me ask her if she wants me to finish my project first.”
Coworker: *insistent* “No, she wants you to do the put-backs.”
Me: *giving her a vague, confused stare* “Okay, but I was in the middle of a project and it’s not done, so I’m just going to ask her what she wants me to do first.”
Coworker: *even more impatient and insistent* “Did you HEAR me? She WANTS you to do the PUT-BACKS.”
(At this point, if she had fessed up and apologized, or even just backed down, I would have let it go. But she doesn’t, so I keep staring at her like I am honestly confused, and say:)
Me: “Okay, but I need to know what she wants me to do first, so I’m just going to go ask her.”
(I head for the back office and poke my head in.)
Me: “[Manager], [Coworker] said you wanted me to do put-backs. Would you like me to finish my project first?”
Manager: “I didn’t tell her to ask you to do that.”
Me: *cue look of vague confusion* “Oh…?”
Manager: “Go finish your project.”
(They called her over the PA a few minutes later, and apparently she got fired for that. I regret nothing. Never try to play a Slytherin.)
Question of the Week
Have you ever served a bad customer who got what they deserved?
