The Sister, as many of you Figments may well know, is currently 16 and works two jobs. Both are in food service, which is disgusting, one is at a private local University as a caterer which she doesn't mind so much, and the second is at a internationally well known fast food franchise which she hates.
First off - I want to commend her for being 16 and holding down two jobs. Lots of 16 year olds barely hold down one, or none at all. She's a good responsible reliable smart kid who works really hard, and she's a cutey patootie too. Personally, I'm not sure how we're related because she's freaking gorgeous.
So the second job, which is at a fast food join who tells their employees to make every moment a 'Golden Moment' for customers (that should help you figure out who it is) is one where The Sister is constantly being verbally and physically harassed and abused by the customers. Since the customers are 'always right' - a saying that I, as a business owner completely disagree with, you do everything you can for your customer to a point, but if they become physically or verbally abusive then they are not the type of customer you want for your business - the managers and other employees do nothing to step in and help each other out.
I love how in America everyone is so expendable. Employees are a dime-a-dozen, so lets treat them like they are shit, and then pay them less then a living wage so they just
barely scrape by, and maybe even have to get a second shit job. As long as we make the Almighty Dollar, that's all that matters, and who cares who gets screwed in the process, employees
or customers.
That, also, is a crap way to run your business. I see it all over. I have friends who work for major companies who handle major clients who are told that they are too friendly or too helpful to their clients, they are just supposed to smile and nod and shove them on their way to get to the next buck as soon as possible.
Oh, oops...I was ranting. Ok, so The Sister has a job thats none too good. Take for instance a few weeks ago, the store was understaffed, the lines were out the door, and all the managers had gone to a softball game or to get their hair done (with money from the safe...no less). There were three people working, The Sister at the counter, Worker #1 at the window and Worker #2 making food. Worker #2 was being trained by The Sister at the same time because it was her first day.
So The Sister is out working trying her hardest to get everyone taken care of, and this woman comes up and places this huge order while her half-dressed kids climb all over the counter and other people. TS calls it back for Worker #2 to get going, and W2 has some problems so TS goes back to help. She serves this woman her order, and moves along.
Within five minutes this woman's husband comes back with a complaint, TS fixes it, then the woman comes back with the
same complaint and TS tells her she already fixed it and the woman walks off huffy. The woman comes back
three more times with complaints, screaming and cursing at TS. Then, the whole fiasco ends with this woman smearing hamburger all over the counters and throwing a hamburger at TS.
Yeah. Threw it at her.
Was anything done to this woman? Of course not, she received
three refunds one for food at the counter, one for food and money at the window, and she called in a refund for money about four hours after this happened.
This, however, isn't the end of it.
Two days ago TS was working counter and a woman came up and said her fries were cold. TS replaced them and the woman left, but came back. This is the conversation, as transcribed by me, from TS:
Woman: Can I talk to you for a moment?
TS: Can I help you?
Woman: There are two boys outside who say they know you
personally (take that as you will, Figments!), and they say you have herpes and I need to know before I feed these fries to my son.
TS: excuse you?
Woman: It's ok, you don't have to be embarrassed, I understand these things happen with young girls, you should just tell me the truth.
TS:
Dumbfounded...Woman: I don't see any sores on your mouth yet!
At this point TS went and got her manager, who only told the woman he didn't see any signs of herpes. TS was pissed. I was pissed for her, Figments.
Then yesterday one of her friends mom came in, and let the kids go play while she ordered food, and another woman got in her friends mom face and cursed her out and so she got her kids and left, and then another woman got into the other woman’s face and cursed her out...all while the manager was standing right there and did noting.
So, TS is fed up.
TS put in an application for a job as a customer service assistant at an upscale grocery store in the town where she lives. The grocery store is part of a chain, but it's a local chain, rather then national, that is owned by a local man who is very involved with the community and takes care of his employees. Yesterday she had an interview and got the job within five minutes, today she's giving her two weeks notice at both places.
I say, good for her. Nobody deserves to be treated like that, especially not over some poorly made hamburgers and fries that are going to clog arteries and kill someone anyway. "It's food service, that's what happens" is not an excuse, it's a cop-out.
HotD:
Today is Tuesday.
Weirdness abounds my Figments,
In the shape of jobs.
