Cafe- The worst job in the store.
Posted by PeaberryPicker at 02/02/2005 - 15:07
Oh, how many times I have heard the lament of the booksellers'woe; to be sent the drudgery of the cafe and have to toil there in the worst of all jobs in the entire store. Woe be to the sinkfull of chemical water, woe be to the grime, the tile floor, and the most unfashionable head gear! Woe most of all to the hepititas carrying, saliva slick, encrusted in dried caramel and baby bunt reminents petri dishes. 'Tis the lowest of all chores to stuff the top of the rubbish down enough to twist shut the garbage bag, praying that this container be free of any discarded sirynges and undergarments. (Don't think I have not found the aformentioned items from time to time) But wait! Who is this who stands close and within earshot of your complaints? It is the cafe staff, who must endure the whines and chimes of the book staff at every turn of the end cap, and upon each lunch break.
Hey folks, this is our job, and we would rather hear something more positive about the work we do. Try this one instead, "I shure have a lot of respect for the folks who work in the cafe, that's a tough job to do, and to do it well."
How do you feel when a customer sais something along the lines of:
"I used to work retail, until I got though school and got myself a real job."
Or
"Get me this title, I'll be in the history section once you have retrieved it" as if you were their servant or something.
I bet all the booksellers have heard customers utter disparaging remarks from time to time, just think how it feels to hear it from your co-workers.
Personly, I know my way around an esspreso machine, and I would choose it over alphabetizing in a flash. In fact, it is my choice to work the cafe, as it is for almost everone I have worked with.
More than any other complaint I have heard is that the booksellers cant work the esspreso machine, or even if trained on it, they dont feel comfortalbe. There is no doubt a skill to the preparation of proper drinks. This is something that has been elevate by some cultures to an art form. It requiers skill, practice, experience, and the right touch. Its like the golf swing, and not everyone can do it. But hey, I have to run the ABC's through my head to know which letters come before L. I make a crappy shelver.
It is for this, if nothing else, that cafe workers recieve tips. No one claps for me when I swing a golf club, but I have regulars who will complain if I am not the one to prepare their drinks. They say it just isnt the same.
Keep it positive,
The PeaberryPicker
― nijoli (nijoli), Saturday, 27 August 2005 17:38 (twenty years ago)
Famous? Shop for free at borders!!
Posted by blankemployee at 04/05/2004 - 12:43
On March 19th, Britney Spears entered the Borders Books and Music Store at 150 North State Street in Chicago at around 3:15 pm. For 45 minutes she shopped the store with a young child and her bodyguards while most of the employees were either trying to get a good look at her, or to stay as far away as possible. Things went smoothly until she got to the register. Ready to pay for the Merch that she had picked out, our events coordinator waved her credit card away and told her not to "worry about it" and that what she wanted was "on us". She proceeded to thank him up and down and leave her basket so she could get more stuff and take advantage of the offer our store was giving her. After all was said and done, she obtained well over 300 dollars worth of Merch from our store.
Needless to say, when employees heard about this they were outraged. What we so casually offered this celebrity worth millions was the cash equivalent of one week's work to any employee at our store. Our store has not given back hours to people they cut down to 35 or 34 per week from 40 approximately a year ago. Our store apparently can't afford to pay us overtime for a monthly store meeting on Sundays so now we just don't have them. Apparently though if you're famous, this is all over-looked and you can be sure that you won't have to charge that 300 dollar bill on your Visa or MasterCard.
Just to end this on an even lower note, an employee asked one of the Supervisors what they thought of us doing this, to which she said that our GM told all the supervisors not to mention it to employees because he did not want it getting around. If that doesn't admit guilt then I do not know what does.
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― nijoli (nijoli), Saturday, 27 August 2005 17:41 (twenty years ago)
seven months pass...
two years pass...
Famous? Shop for free at borders!!
Posted by blankemployee at 04/05/2004 - 12:43
On March 19th, Britney Spears entered the Borders Books and Music Store at 150 North State Street in Chicago at around 3:15 pm. For 45 minutes she shopped the store with a young child and her bodyguards while most of the employees were either trying to get a good look at her, or to stay as far away as possible. Things went smoothly until she got to the register. Ready to pay for the Merch that she had picked out, our events coordinator waved her credit card away and told her not to "worry about it" and that what she wanted was "on us". She proceeded to thank him up and down and leave her basket so she could get more stuff and take advantage of the offer our store was giving her. After all was said and done, she obtained well over 300 dollars worth of Merch from our store.
amateur
― WHO DEY and the blowfish (roxymuzak), Sunday, 29 March 2009 05:19 (seventeen years ago)
three months pass...
two years pass...