So, on this blog I post a bit about work at Safeway, and this will be no different. However, I'm going more in depth and making more than just a list of some kind. I've been put in a position at work that I'm not happy with, and there's not a whole lot I can do. There are a few things I can do, but they all have reasons why not to do them. I'll explain later.
At the end of October/beginning of November our previous front end manager quit and got another job. I was her backup at the time. I had previously told her that I didn't like doing the position, but she kept me as her backup anyway. After she left, I was thrust into the role of doing the front end manager position five days a week, a shift I didn't even like doing two days a week. Apparently, I do too good of a job at it.
Why don't I like it? It's stressful at times for one. Even just falling behind on giving people breaks stresses me out (maybe not as much as it used to). But the stressful part is having to deal with situations and customers that I either A) Don't know how to resolve too well or B) Give me anxiety because it is THAT stressful. But I think I could handle that if I had to. The biggest reason I'd say I don't like it is the hours. 10-7. EVERY DAY. Well every day you work that is. That's 9 hours of your day, not counting the couple hours of getting ready, transportation, etc. I even have to stay late sometimes because someone called out sick or it's really busy (fall behind on breaks). I just hate those hours because it doesn't give me a ton of time to do anything else that particular day. I wake up, get ready for work then go to work. I get home, I eat dinner, and then before I know it, it's 9 o'clock and I'm drowsy. Welp, there went my ENTIRE FRICKEN DAY.
I must add that I was not asked to fill in my previous front end manager's position. I was not asked if it was ok if I filled in while they found a full-time replacement. I was only asked to take the position officially, which I have repeatedly declined.
So, I'm going to make a list of what you might be suggesting I do. Here they are:
1) Ask to not get scheduled as FEM anymore
2) Find another job/quit
3) Do such a bad job at FEM that they have no choice but to demote you.
Here's why I have yet to do any of those three:
1) Our store doesn't have many other options for the position. The two people who have been covering my days off would not want to do it five times, and I'm pretty sure one of them would quit if forced to do it five days a week. The other does too many other things including night Person in Charge. Also, if I were to ask to not be scheduled, they don't have to listen to me.
2) I have been looking at other jobs, actually. I have applied for four so far I think, but none have gotten back to me. I'd apply for more, but I have limited time and most of my time is spent looking for something that suits me well. I also don't want to quit before finding another job, because I don't want to be unemployed and I need a stable income.
3) I have kinda tried doing this. But I do care about our store, having worked there over nine years. I made a silly intercom announcement that pissed my manager off, but that's it. I've ignored what they've asked me to do. My managers keep insisting that I make my checkers ask for hunger bag donations for the needy and that I ask myself, but I refuse to do so. Doesn't matter. I feel like the action required to get demoted from FEM would also be bad enough to be suspended/terminated, and I can't risk that. I've started being late recently, but only my head bookkeeper has noticed.
However, there (hopefully) is a light at the end of the tunnel. I found out from one of my coworkers that applied for the position herself that our manager will make a decision on the new Front End Manager, but after the holidays (oy). I haven't heard of anyone applying but her, and I'm being totally honest, I don't think my manager wants her as FEM. But if he has no other choice, what can he do? I'm sure he'll try reaching out to other stores. So if I can just make it through the holidays, I should be ok.
So my plan is to tough it out going into 2019. My two big New Years Resolutions will be to get a new job and to lose weight. If by mid January (my birthday), I'm still getting scheduled as Front End Manager, I'm going to spend all of my free time working towards another job. If I absolutely have to, I'll stay in retail/customer service. But if my manager continues to postpone his search for a new FEM (after the holidays), I'm either going to put my foot down and request to not work that shift, or I'll be spending all of my free time looking for another job.
Wish me luck. I'm hoping to not make it to my ten year anniversary with Safeway (which would be in April). But if I get put in a better position, I might ride it out a tad longer. Time will tell.
Monday, December 10, 2018
Customer Service at Safeway - Everything We Do, They're Positives and Negatives
Having worked over two years at customer service, I have a pretty good understanding of all we do back there. Sometimes I will do a ton of these in one day and sometimes I won't do it at all (except Lotto--people always come for Lotto).
Lotto: This is the one thing I'm guaranteed to do every time at customer service. I'm actually surprised if I cover a break at customer service if no one comes for Lotto.
Positives: It's a game, and anyone who's worked over a game (amusement park, bowling alley) can agree that there is some aspect of fun to it. And VERY rarely is dealing with a lotto customer stressful. I know enough about the games that if they dispute something I have a good argument to back it up.
Negatives: People that complain about never winning. It's not exactly designed to payout a lot, people. People that play it so often that it gets annoying. People that pay with exact change in cash that could do that very same thing at the lotto machine.
Western Union: This is the one thing I was most apprehensive about when learning customer service. Now that I have it down, it's pretty darn easy. There's always the occasional snag I'll run into (more on that below).
Positives: If I'm having a slow day, WU's help the time go by. Most of them are fairly straightforward, and about half are with customers I help fairly routinely, so they know the drill.
Negatives: Helping someone and another person is right behind them and has to wait a long time to be helped with a quick thing. Also, when snags happen, such as a customer not understanding something, or a change occurring in WU (such as a fee going up). The worst is a customer needing a change on their WU that requires me to call and get their transaction refunded, and send it through again. UGH!
Returns: This is something I was already accustomed to doing as a checker and SCO attendant before customer service. And I didn't mind it at all. But after working customer service for a while, I hate it. People constantly try to scam us by returning items without a receipt which in that case always puts me in a tough position.
Positives: Nothing difficult about it, most of the time fairly straightforward.
Negatives: What I mentioned above. Scammers. I know I've returned items that customers have stolen. There's not a lot Safeway does to help me. They don't set out clear parameters on what I can or can't do refunds/returns on. The more I've worked customer service the more I hate doing returns and refunds.
Orca: Dealing with Orca Cards is one of the easiest things at customer service. Most people will just add money to their card when necessary.
Positives: Like I said, one of the easiest things to do. Plus, it is informative for myself as a fellow Orca Card holder.
Negatives: When customers want to do the monthly pass and are clueless as to what amount they want. When customers have questions about it (nearest Orca/Transit office for example) that I don't know the answers to.
Rug Doctor: Rug Doctors have to be one of my least favorite things to do. I've never used one myself so it can be tough to answer people's questions about it.
Positives: Fairly straightforward, and when people return them it's very easy to deal with.
Negatives: Time consuming, usually makes people behind the person I'm helping have to wait. Also when people have literally any questions about it. I don't know how to use one myself, nor do I have the need to (I don't own, I rent).
Phone Calls: The thing I was most dreading when being trained at customer service. Whenever I hear that "Attention Service Staff, 2, 0, 0" I always have to let out a groan.
Positives: Most of the time it's fairly straightforward. Most of the calls are either for someone else (a manager, DotCom) or are a fairly quick question, often about a product.
Negatives: I don't like talking on the phone. I have kind of bad hearing and have a lot of trouble hearing people through any static or an accent. Also when people complain to me. I've even gotten prank called once. I felt a little violated.
Bookkeeping: My favorite part. Get to handle money, account for it, balance tills, etc.
Positives: Very fun, VERY few stressful moments, get to handle money.
Negatives: When I'm bothered by a customer in the middle of balancing a till or doing something important, bookkeeping-wise, or when a till comes up quite a bit short.
Questions: This is a surprising amount of people that visit customer service. Sometimes it's people simply wanting to know where something is (a product, the restroom), or sometimes it's a customer asking if we have more of a product.
Positives: I'd say over half are fairly straight-forward and easy questions to answer, and usually just take a few seconds.
Negatives: However, there are always customers who want something not in stock, or want us to carry a product, or want a particular item and are upset we don't have it. If it was me in their shoes, I'd either go to another store or be content with getting a similar product.
Money Orders: This is very simple, just ask the customer how much they want on their money order, they pay for it, the machine prints it out for them.
Positives: Very easy, most people know exactly what they want and have the right payment method handy.
Negatives: Before we changed our policy from Cash Only, people that would get upset that we wouldn't take Debit. Fortunately, we do now. Also, people that have no idea what to put on their money order, or the rare occasion that people try to get a refund or get it cashed (No can do, amigo).
Well, that's pretty much all we do at customer (now guest) service. There are odd requests here and there, but this is 95% of it.
Lotto: This is the one thing I'm guaranteed to do every time at customer service. I'm actually surprised if I cover a break at customer service if no one comes for Lotto.
Positives: It's a game, and anyone who's worked over a game (amusement park, bowling alley) can agree that there is some aspect of fun to it. And VERY rarely is dealing with a lotto customer stressful. I know enough about the games that if they dispute something I have a good argument to back it up.
Negatives: People that complain about never winning. It's not exactly designed to payout a lot, people. People that play it so often that it gets annoying. People that pay with exact change in cash that could do that very same thing at the lotto machine.
Western Union: This is the one thing I was most apprehensive about when learning customer service. Now that I have it down, it's pretty darn easy. There's always the occasional snag I'll run into (more on that below).
Positives: If I'm having a slow day, WU's help the time go by. Most of them are fairly straightforward, and about half are with customers I help fairly routinely, so they know the drill.
Negatives: Helping someone and another person is right behind them and has to wait a long time to be helped with a quick thing. Also, when snags happen, such as a customer not understanding something, or a change occurring in WU (such as a fee going up). The worst is a customer needing a change on their WU that requires me to call and get their transaction refunded, and send it through again. UGH!
Returns: This is something I was already accustomed to doing as a checker and SCO attendant before customer service. And I didn't mind it at all. But after working customer service for a while, I hate it. People constantly try to scam us by returning items without a receipt which in that case always puts me in a tough position.
Positives: Nothing difficult about it, most of the time fairly straightforward.
Negatives: What I mentioned above. Scammers. I know I've returned items that customers have stolen. There's not a lot Safeway does to help me. They don't set out clear parameters on what I can or can't do refunds/returns on. The more I've worked customer service the more I hate doing returns and refunds.
Orca: Dealing with Orca Cards is one of the easiest things at customer service. Most people will just add money to their card when necessary.
Positives: Like I said, one of the easiest things to do. Plus, it is informative for myself as a fellow Orca Card holder.
Negatives: When customers want to do the monthly pass and are clueless as to what amount they want. When customers have questions about it (nearest Orca/Transit office for example) that I don't know the answers to.
Rug Doctor: Rug Doctors have to be one of my least favorite things to do. I've never used one myself so it can be tough to answer people's questions about it.
Positives: Fairly straightforward, and when people return them it's very easy to deal with.
Negatives: Time consuming, usually makes people behind the person I'm helping have to wait. Also when people have literally any questions about it. I don't know how to use one myself, nor do I have the need to (I don't own, I rent).
Phone Calls: The thing I was most dreading when being trained at customer service. Whenever I hear that "Attention Service Staff, 2, 0, 0" I always have to let out a groan.
Positives: Most of the time it's fairly straightforward. Most of the calls are either for someone else (a manager, DotCom) or are a fairly quick question, often about a product.
Negatives: I don't like talking on the phone. I have kind of bad hearing and have a lot of trouble hearing people through any static or an accent. Also when people complain to me. I've even gotten prank called once. I felt a little violated.
Bookkeeping: My favorite part. Get to handle money, account for it, balance tills, etc.
Positives: Very fun, VERY few stressful moments, get to handle money.
Negatives: When I'm bothered by a customer in the middle of balancing a till or doing something important, bookkeeping-wise, or when a till comes up quite a bit short.
Questions: This is a surprising amount of people that visit customer service. Sometimes it's people simply wanting to know where something is (a product, the restroom), or sometimes it's a customer asking if we have more of a product.
Positives: I'd say over half are fairly straight-forward and easy questions to answer, and usually just take a few seconds.
Negatives: However, there are always customers who want something not in stock, or want us to carry a product, or want a particular item and are upset we don't have it. If it was me in their shoes, I'd either go to another store or be content with getting a similar product.
Money Orders: This is very simple, just ask the customer how much they want on their money order, they pay for it, the machine prints it out for them.
Positives: Very easy, most people know exactly what they want and have the right payment method handy.
Negatives: Before we changed our policy from Cash Only, people that would get upset that we wouldn't take Debit. Fortunately, we do now. Also, people that have no idea what to put on their money order, or the rare occasion that people try to get a refund or get it cashed (No can do, amigo).
Well, that's pretty much all we do at customer (now guest) service. There are odd requests here and there, but this is 95% of it.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)