Tail Between My Legs

I learned a big lesson yesterday at Big 5 (I expect the next four to follow soon). I learned you should never talk about a customer on the sales floor...ever.

This lady had come in to the store with her 5ish kids and was yelling at them so I decided not to ask her if she needed help, because I could see that she was a little busy. She flagged me down though and told me to help her with the skim boards. She yelled at her kids some more then told me that she wanted two of the ones that were on sales but she wanted them to be different colors. She was upset because we didn't have two different colors and that's what she wanted. I apologized and told her that sale items usually sell quickly. I also told her that we had gotten a truck in that morning but all of our new skim boards had been put out on the floor already. She was upset at the news and started complaining about how she had driven all the way from Shelton and they had just left McDonald's and that was a nightmare (well duh) and that driving all the way from Shelton was a big deal for them and she couldn't believe we didn't have the product she wanted. The reality of it was that we, in fact, did have the product she wanted, but she needed two different colors. I apologized and told her that we could either do a rain check or call the Lacey store. She decided to do a rain check. Then barked at her kids to go sit in the car. I told her to have a nice day and walked off to help some more customers.

A few minutes later I walked up to my manager and another sales associate who were in the middle of talking about an irritating customer. I asked them who they were talking about and they described the same lady I had been talking to earlier. I told them that she had been ornery to me too. I told them how she was complaining about driving all the way from Shelton and that I drive from McCleary every day and it's the same distance, but I don't' take it out on other people. The three of us "discussed" it a bit then the other sales guy proceeded to mock her, when suddenly she stepped out from behind him and said "I've decided to call the Lacey store."

My stomach felt like it was going to explode, my heart stopped beating for 2 whole seconds, my jaw dropped to the floor and I stood there frozen like a deer in headlights. My manager said she would call the Lacey store and started leading her back to the front of the store. As the lady passed me she said "same distance as McCleary, whatever" or something to that extent because apparent my brain was in shut down mode too and decided to turn off my ears.

After she left my lungs started working again and I ran to the back room with my co-worker. My manager came to the back after a few minutes and told me that the lady was pissed and acting dramatic (I think, my ears were still shut off). I told her I was going to stay in the back until she left and my manager gave me permission. Then a different sales guy came to the back and told me that Jordan, who was the one complaining with us on the floor, had done it again! He was telling the cashier the story and the lady was right behind him!

Unlike my co-worker I have learned my lesson. I was right though. McCleary and Shelton are the same distance from Olympia.