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Frustration
11 years ago
I work at a gas station, and even though its at a location that means it will be busy (like it was on Christmas x-x It was non-stop waves of people, buying things they should have bought days/weeks ago), I still loved working there. We always deal with stupid, people who are rude and yelly as hell, but we can only do what we can. It won't change how much I love working here.
Well... Today, was just something that tests my nerves against that love. Even though I was pushed upon two straightforward weeks of 35+ hours (money's nice, but I would rather be with 20+ hours as a part time to balance my art), I was tired, sore, and struggling to keep a smile on my face as I work there.
Twice i had to deal with customers that will be painstakingly annoying towards me, and twice I had to deal with my Shift-leader over riding what I was taught (and morally felt right) to do. Twice I had to feel like my words feel nothing of worth. She's a great person, caring and will focus on her tasks to the best she could. But when it comes to situations like this.... I just feel lost and upset.
First customer was caught by her, he was taking some of our cigarillos. It was technically behind the counter, even if the door was taken off quite a bit ago. We have always asked nicely for the customer to avoid doing that in the future, even if they were going to pay for said item. They apologized and moved on their merry way with their tobacco purchase. But this customer just kept on saying things like it was there and he was going to buy it, and thought it was alright to grab them. I should have kept my mouth shut, but I told him it was common sense. Then he went on a whole tangent that tobacco stores always let you pick said items from the shelves (even if I responded by stating we are not a tobacco store, but a gas store)... Trying to move things along, I asked for his ID, he said it was in the car, I suggested that he goes and get it. He called ME rude and kept on his tangent. I asked him that if he doesn't stop, i'll have to request for him to leave. But things gotten worse, and it gotten to the point where he made a bigger fuss WHILE asking his friend to go get the ID. I asked him to leave because he wouldn't stop (He told me I should be happy, smiling, and be NICE to the customer, which I usually would towards most in the first place). All his BS was wasting too much time and I needed to take care of the next customer. The Shift-leader decided to override my decision and serve him.... Despite me telling her what was going on
Now... Whether I was in the right or wrong, this was one I would have normally let go. The leaders usually have the higher say than me, its in the past, and I should focus on my work. But the next one didn't prove so... nice..
Another customer, asked for the same sort of cigarillo, I asked for her ID, she didn't have one. I set the product aside, and told her calmly that I couldn't sell it to her as she didn't have it. She walked off, called me a bitch, and practically sent a man to buy it for her. Right away he pulled his ID, and went for the product too (kept changing the flavor). I told him that I know its for someone else, and he went in denial while proving that it wasn't for her (I didn't state it was for a female). He kept saying its for him, he's legal age, and what nots. I still declined, and he still fought me. I even saw her walking towards the door and look at him before she went off again to the car. My shift leader, once again, took control, he told her the same story, I told her mine... And she went to serve him anyways. I protested, and told her I will NOT allow it on my register.
Afterwards, she went to talk to me, I yelled at her to get away from me. Few minutes later, she asked if the customers I declined went to the same car, which made me blow up.. As calmly (enough to not yell in the store) explained to her that I don't like how she does this to me. She overlooks my words just to make the customer happy. No matter what I say she pulls this shit, enough to get me to be at risk to be in trouble.
I don't care if she takes over for certain people. Like the first Customer. Because I would always try to breath and accept it. Learn from it, and try to be better at this, like keeping my mouth shut. But when I try to put my foot DOWN and uphold the rules and laws and all sorts of bullshit.... Shouldn't I be friggen backed up upon this? Its not a Right, its a Privilege.
Either way, I'll be talking to my manager about this when he gets back from vacation. If I am truly in the wrong (for the second part), I won't be happy about it -sighs-
Well... Today, was just something that tests my nerves against that love. Even though I was pushed upon two straightforward weeks of 35+ hours (money's nice, but I would rather be with 20+ hours as a part time to balance my art), I was tired, sore, and struggling to keep a smile on my face as I work there.
Twice i had to deal with customers that will be painstakingly annoying towards me, and twice I had to deal with my Shift-leader over riding what I was taught (and morally felt right) to do. Twice I had to feel like my words feel nothing of worth. She's a great person, caring and will focus on her tasks to the best she could. But when it comes to situations like this.... I just feel lost and upset.
First customer was caught by her, he was taking some of our cigarillos. It was technically behind the counter, even if the door was taken off quite a bit ago. We have always asked nicely for the customer to avoid doing that in the future, even if they were going to pay for said item. They apologized and moved on their merry way with their tobacco purchase. But this customer just kept on saying things like it was there and he was going to buy it, and thought it was alright to grab them. I should have kept my mouth shut, but I told him it was common sense. Then he went on a whole tangent that tobacco stores always let you pick said items from the shelves (even if I responded by stating we are not a tobacco store, but a gas store)... Trying to move things along, I asked for his ID, he said it was in the car, I suggested that he goes and get it. He called ME rude and kept on his tangent. I asked him that if he doesn't stop, i'll have to request for him to leave. But things gotten worse, and it gotten to the point where he made a bigger fuss WHILE asking his friend to go get the ID. I asked him to leave because he wouldn't stop (He told me I should be happy, smiling, and be NICE to the customer, which I usually would towards most in the first place). All his BS was wasting too much time and I needed to take care of the next customer. The Shift-leader decided to override my decision and serve him.... Despite me telling her what was going on
Now... Whether I was in the right or wrong, this was one I would have normally let go. The leaders usually have the higher say than me, its in the past, and I should focus on my work. But the next one didn't prove so... nice..
Another customer, asked for the same sort of cigarillo, I asked for her ID, she didn't have one. I set the product aside, and told her calmly that I couldn't sell it to her as she didn't have it. She walked off, called me a bitch, and practically sent a man to buy it for her. Right away he pulled his ID, and went for the product too (kept changing the flavor). I told him that I know its for someone else, and he went in denial while proving that it wasn't for her (I didn't state it was for a female). He kept saying its for him, he's legal age, and what nots. I still declined, and he still fought me. I even saw her walking towards the door and look at him before she went off again to the car. My shift leader, once again, took control, he told her the same story, I told her mine... And she went to serve him anyways. I protested, and told her I will NOT allow it on my register.
Afterwards, she went to talk to me, I yelled at her to get away from me. Few minutes later, she asked if the customers I declined went to the same car, which made me blow up.. As calmly (enough to not yell in the store) explained to her that I don't like how she does this to me. She overlooks my words just to make the customer happy. No matter what I say she pulls this shit, enough to get me to be at risk to be in trouble.
I don't care if she takes over for certain people. Like the first Customer. Because I would always try to breath and accept it. Learn from it, and try to be better at this, like keeping my mouth shut. But when I try to put my foot DOWN and uphold the rules and laws and all sorts of bullshit.... Shouldn't I be friggen backed up upon this? Its not a Right, its a Privilege.
Either way, I'll be talking to my manager about this when he gets back from vacation. If I am truly in the wrong (for the second part), I won't be happy about it -sighs-
As for the second situation, your shift-manager was very much in the wrong and I would have thought that they would be more concerned about someone attempting to buy cigarettes for a minor. It sounds to me like you were only trying to do your job and to uphold the law, and no doubt the rules of the store and this person needs to learn to listen to other people once in a while.