The Bitch Box

Freebase Dali · 05-12-2013, 10:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sparky

yeah working retail is awful

I'm currently doing it (again, god bless my poor soul.) It never works well for me because I am always forced to live a double life. The last few times it's been the same cycle, and naturally I have difficulty learning from my mistakes. I lie my way into getting hired, work really hard and don't break any rules and immediately get a ton of hours(already getting overtime my second pay period). This causes the corp to become curious about my success which leads them to further inquire on to my previous work history, to which they unfortunately find out it's awful and not at all like what is stated on my resume. After this they do an actual background check(not the outsourced instant one just to screen potential candidates, fortunately my stuff is out of the state im current living in so it never appears on this) to which they also find some...lets call them "red flags".

This puts the corp in an awkward position, on one hand they have a very hardworking (because i need the money very badly) punctual, reliable employee successfully imitating a wholesome, respectable person. On the other, they are left with an employee who has committed minor fraud, is not at all the personality he is at work.

This means the company cannot (so far, god bless my soul) terminate me(altough they certainly can any time) because it would not make sense to the co workers who appreciate my effort. This forces the company to send very, very many secret shoppers my way who try to make my life difficult and lead to to induce mistakes that would be obvious and and clear reasons to everyone to terminate me. The constant secret shoppers lead me to be stressed out and not at all personable because I know any mistake can be the end of it. This causes my sales and overall customer satisfaction to deteriorate, which eventually leads to less hours and me getting a new job and repeating the cycle again.

What confuses me is how the corp is able to convince my entry-level co workers to turn against me and monitor me. People think im crazy when i try to explain this modern company climate, but anyone observant, and who has worked retail I believe has a pretty easy time figuring out who the secret shoppers are. And it's also clear to me when my co-workers are aware of my true nature because all of a sudden they are asking me questions about rules and regulations they already know, and are likely being given incentive to see me slip-up.

At first glance, that seems like massive paranoia, but I've never worked in retail so I don't have any basis for that assumption. It just seems to me that if a corp is going to hire (or otherwise contract) people to f*ck with you so they can fire you for doing something you wouldn't otherwise do, that's a fiscally retarded corporation, and you're probably better off working for a company that doesn't waste time and money on creating problems.

I mean, intuitively, the whole situation just seems bizarre. And when it comes to huge corporations maximizing profits, your scenario makes it even more bizarre that they'd waste time and resources to make you f*ck up for grounds to fire you out of some ethical basis...

I mean.. really.

Really.

Does that make any sense to you?
It doesn't to me. Perhaps you can explain it better?

Sparky · 05-12-2013, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Freebase Dali

At first glance, that seems like massive paranoia, but I've never worked in retail so I don't have any basis for that assumption. It just seems to me that if a corp is going to hire (or otherwise contract) people to f*ck with you so they can fire you for doing something you wouldn't otherwise do, that's a fiscally retarded corporation, and you're probably better off working for a company that doesn't waste time and money on creating problems.

I mean, intuitively, the whole situation just seems bizarre. And when it comes to huge corporations maximizing profits, your scenario makes it even more bizarre that they'd waste time and resources to make you f*ck up for grounds to fire you out of some ethical basis...

I mean.. really.

Really.

Does that make any sense to you?
It doesn't to me. Perhaps you can explain it better?

The "secret shoppers" I'm referring to are actually very common place, google "mystery shopping", you could apply yourself, though beware many of the sites are scams, and i hear it's a pretty crappy job (they don't reimburse you for gas and expect you to travel long distances)

Other shoppers could be ex-employees coming in and pretending to be customers, they can be managers from other stores, people who work in the office, etc.

It's usually pretty clear because they will have a gift card, ask some very specific uncommon questions, or try to cause issues that you have to notice. For example today i had a lady who had handwritten a different SKU on a product that was 300$ more than the price on the typical barcode sticker. This was to see was to see if i'd accidentally charger her way too much in which case i would have to call my supervisor and look like an idiot.

They rate you on everything from speediness to how well you hold a conversation, it's very subjective and thus very damming if you don't have a generic personality.

It makes sense from a corporate standpoint. You get to see how your employees work without the influence of management around. Management also gets to seem worker friendly because most of the quality control comes from the customer keeping employee on employee relations healthy.

Stephen · 05-12-2013, 11:30 PM

There is so much crap in my house. As soon as you put something down it disappears into the background. It's like where's fucking wally after a land fill explosion.

Burning Down · 05-13-2013, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stp

There is so much crap in my house. As soon as you put something down it disappears into the background. It's like where's fucking wally after a land fill explosion.

Have you ever lost yourself in your own house?

Trollheart · 05-13-2013, 08:02 AM

It's not so much a bitch but a question. I noticed it yesterday on the bus but I do it all the time myself. If you're in a telephone (or even face to face) conversation with someone who is basically driving the conversation and you're reduced to saying "yeah" at appropriate junctures, do you get worried that just saying "yeah" is a) going to seem like you don't really care about what they're saying b) going to seem rude, that you're not making an effort or c) just seem repetitive? Do you start to vary it with "uh-huh?", "Is that so?" "I know what you mean" and so on?

This is very much assuming not that you're not bothered with the conversation but that you can't get a word in edgewise. Does it bother people to be reduced to essentially a nodding head, or does it matter? Do you think the other person is at fault for not taking a moment to let you speak your piece, or are you for not pushing into the conversation and taking a more active role? Or is there anything wrong with this?

It definitely worries me when all I can say is "yeah" and I do try to at least vary my responses, but in the case of a conversation with my 95-year old aunt, even if I say something she often doesn't hear it and just ploughs on, so I usually just keep "nodding".

Is this any sort of an issue for anyone? I know, first world problem and all that, and it's not even important, but I just wondered what people think, if anything, or am I the only one?

Stephen · 05-13-2013, 08:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Burning Down

Have you ever lost yourself in your own house?

Does metaphysically count?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Trollheart

Is this any sort of an issue for anyone?

Usually when it gets to that stage I will be looking for an out. I mostly feel bombarded and start screaming internally. The worst ones won't even shut up when you are trying to say your good byes and get off the damn phone.

djchameleon · 05-13-2013, 08:11 AM

With certain people I usually end up being that "yeah" person but I really don't mind and I'm more of an active listener. Sometimes instead of saying just "yeah" I will throw in a question based off of what is being said or say "I understand" but majority of the time. I just let them talk and get whatever they need to off their chest.

There are certain people that just love to talk and even if I had something valid to say or an opinion to share about a particular thing. I will just let it go because they obviously didn't want my opinion, they just wanted to share their stories.

RoxyRollah · 05-13-2013, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

With certain people I usually end up being that "yeah" person but I really don't mind and I'm more of an active listener. Sometimes instead of saying just "yeah" I will throw in a question based off of what is being said or say "I understand" but majority of the time. I just let them talk and get whatever they need to off their chest.

There are certain people that just love to talk and even if I had something valid to say or an opinion to share about a particular thing. I will just let it go because they obviously didn't want my opinion, they just wanted to share their stories.

who doesn't want your opinion?

djchameleon · 05-13-2013, 08:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RoxyRollah

who doesn't want your opinion?

When a person is venting, they just want to vent. They don't want my opinion and I get that. So, "yeah" "uh huh" "right" is just fine.

Key · 05-13-2013, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by djchameleon

When a person is venting, they just want to vent. They don't want my opinion and I get that. So, "yeah" "uh huh" "right" is just fine.

Some people do find it a bit irritating when a response from someone is as what you said. When someone is coming to you personally to vent about something, a "yeah" or "uh huh" is sort of insulting.

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05-13-2013, 08:02 AM	#11845 (permalink)
Trollheart Born to be mild Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 404 Not Found Posts: 26,992	It's not so much a bitch but a question. I noticed it yesterday on the bus but I do it all the time myself. If you're in a telephone (or even face to face) conversation with someone who is basically driving the conversation and you're reduced to saying "yeah" at appropriate junctures, do you get worried that just saying "yeah" is a) going to seem like you don't really care about what they're saying b) going to seem rude, that you're not making an effort or c) just seem repetitive? Do you start to vary it with "uh-huh?", "Is that so?" "I know what you mean" and so on? This is very much assuming not that you're not bothered with the conversation but that you can't get a word in edgewise. Does it bother people to be reduced to essentially a nodding head, or does it matter? Do you think the other person is at fault for not taking a moment to let you speak your piece, or are you for not pushing into the conversation and taking a more active role? Or is there anything wrong with this? It definitely worries me when all I can say is "yeah" and I do try to at least vary my responses, but in the case of a conversation with my 95-year old aunt, even if I say something she often doesn't hear it and just ploughs on, so I usually just keep "nodding". Is this any sort of an issue for anyone? I know, first world problem and all that, and it's not even important, but I just wondered what people think, if anything, or am I the only one? __________________ Trollheart: Signature-free since April 2018

05-12-2013, 11:30 PM	#11843 (permalink)
Stephen I sleep in your hat Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: Melbourne, Vic. Aus. Posts: 1,847	There is so much crap in my house. As soon as you put something down it disappears into the background. It's like where's fucking wally after a land fill explosion.