Week 2 in Parts

Well things are starting to make sense most of the time, but there are still those moments where I look at the customer and ask "What was it that you needed again?"  Most of the time, they are patient.  The ones that aren't get my biggest smile while I'm telling them off in my head.

There are a couple of things that I find a little amusing though.  People coming to the counter, see that there are other customers, and flit about not really in line.  This happened today to me.  A middle aged man came to the counter while I was on the phone and my colleague was with another customer.  Instead of just waiting for a minute, off he went down one aisle after another and then came back to the counter for about 10 secs.  When he saw that we were still with customers, off he went again.  My customers served, I went to look for him and asked him if I could help him.  His snarky reply?  'No I'll figure it out myself.  You guys are too busy, I can't seem to get any help around here"!  I told him to have a nice day, and walked away with a smirk.  He bought the wrong oil filter in all his impatience.  Next time maybe he'll wait his turn.

Another thing that I find amusing are the people that tell me I have to have something.  Example; "I'm looking for a 6 mm bolt for this (points to some part of a car that I can not yet identify) where are your bolt bins."  I smile and say that we don't have bolt bins to which the reply is, "Of course you do!   You have to have a bolt bin."  Actually I don't have to have a bolt bin, and we don't carry open stock bolts.  "Well this is ridiculous!  What kind of mechanic are you?"  This is where I laugh out loud and say that I'm not a mechanic, I just read the parts boxes.. oh and have a nice evening. 

I do get lovely customers that explain things and answer my questions with courtesy and patience.  I like helping those ones solve their problems.  I also get to learn things that I normally wouldn't.  For example I know now how to patch a fiberglass boat, which products to use and how to apply them, thanks to a nice man from Nova Scotia.  I also learned how to make my own gaskets (with material that we sell in aisle 6) from a shy little man.

As the day gets longer, I remind myself of these little moments and laugh off the others.  A reminder to all you out there, remember when you are in a store and the person helping you looks a little harried, be patient.