Just Because...: The Definition of Assorted...

Thursday, December 20, 2007

The Definition of Assorted...

This morning I was put in charge of the very important task of obtaining the Panera Bagels for our friend SL's birthday. I mean, the pressure of making sure that we had JUST enough Asiago Cheese bagels to sate the office combined with picking out the right spreads, etc. - it's daunting, let me tell you. The Asiagos are the first to go, and then we have some stragglers that pick other varied delights like the Cranberry Walnut or the French Toast or the Dutch Apple Raisin. Of course, yours truly wants to be the perfect hostess and pick just the right amount and keep everyone on an even keel. Plus, my co-worker and I were a tad evil last night and SL's cubicle has been decorated to the umpth degree (he's always the one to paper our cubicles so it's only fair that we reciprocate in kind - even if we go over the top a bit). So you can understand the pressure, right.

This morning both my father and I depart for Panera so that he can get his coffee and I can get the bagels and then off to work I go. (My father flew in for the holidays last night. He's a snowbird in training I say.) I get to the Panera Bread on 436 in Altamonte and let me preface it by saying that when I go there at night - it's great. Everyone is super nice. Everyone works together well. No issues. No drama. No attitude. Couple that with my conscious effort to be nicer this year and have more patience. There's no need for me to play Preying Mantis and bite someone's head off - unless it's warranted. Today was one of those days.

See in the morning at this particular store, they have two girls that, every time I deal with them, have an attitude problem. Every time I have to encounter either of them, they (A) act like you are bothering them; (B) don't like to be corrected when they screw up something; and (C) don't really know how to listen. [Note: I'm convinced that listening is a lost art.] And, I'm not even going to be nice and change their names or their store location to protect the guilty. Why should I? If you screw up, I'll tell you (and your manager). If you do great, I'll tell you (and your manager). Good service deserves commendation and crappy service deserves correction - that's my stance. And it's not to be nasty, per se. It's so that they will think before they act for the next customer down the line.

It's my opinion that these two are toxic; together - downright lethal. I've dealt with girls like this before - and I don't. like. it. one. bit. These are the same type of girls who I will toss out of a club at a moment's notice or attempt to give me attitude when I tell them their name is not on the list. The two characters, Iris and Kristine both need to realize that they are not at a club, they are not at a mall with their friends, and they are not hanging out. They are at work. Their place of employment. Their job. Perhaps its a concept that some individuals have trouble dealing with. I, however, won't put up with it. (Someone needs to give them Larry Winget's book "It's Called Work For A Reason")

Back to today's adventure... I go in for the bagels and am in a pretty decent mood. I ask for the "Bagel Pack" which is 13 bagels and 2 spreads and that should be enough to go around for my department with some left over. Kristine is taking my order and, from the minute she saw me, had attitude. Now mind you I've been silent before about the morning treatment figuring she was having a bad day or something, however silence was not an option - not today. Kristine asks "You want assorted or one kind". I tell her Assorted which means, by normal standards - I get to pick my bagels. What does Kristine do - picks some bag that is closed tightly shut and plops it into a bag with two spreads which she has picked and goes to ring me up.

Whoa - hold up. First of all, I don't know if the bagels in that bag are fresh or they are left over from yesterday. I don't know what else is in that bag or even if it's correct. Who the hell is this girl to choose for my office what she deems "assorted". So I question her and again she fires back with unwarranted and unnecessary attitude. She tells me that the closed bag is what "ASSORTED" means. I tell her that normally that the customer gets to choose the bagels and the amounts of each kind which is "Assorted". Again, Ms. Kristine snarls "That's NOT ASSORTED". OK - umm.. I'm done.

I shot her The Look and said "There's no need to argue over the definition of Assorted. They need to be selected". So, Ms. Drama Queen sighs, puts back the closed bag and spreads for the next victim and puts on gloves. Bonus points for not picking them out with her bare hands. But the attitude is there with a vengeance, with the snapping of her gloves and a curt "Yes". Ms. Drama Queen starts slamming the selected bagels on the counter as she picks them out of the bin. Are. You. Kidding. Me. She even has the audacity to ask "Do you want these sliced?" all with a series of dramatic sighs. "No, let's have you rip them apart with your hands" is what I wanted to say, but I behave and say "Yes please. Thank you." I've learned that sometimes after dealing with dumb attitude, politeness can grate. (OK OK Shoot me)

May I mention that during this whole tirade, one of her little co-workers went RUNNING to the back (more than likely to gossip) and her "supervisor" Iris comes out and starts speaking to her in a stage whisper with "Girl, we were just talking about you" all dramatic, quickly followed with a turn of their backs to the front line, talking in low tones and gesturing. Whatever - note to Iris and Kristine: Leave that behind at the playground. I don't have time for that. Thankfully one of her co-workers, I think his name was Jaime, came over to our area and that seemed to give signal to Iris to cut the crap and that she might actually have to *ahem* work. Case closed.

So here's my issue. Obviously there was no need for the attitude, head swagger, etc. from Kristine and no need for the commenting and "nosiness" of Iris. I mean, yes she may be a supervisor or whatnot but if she thought for one MOMENT I'd deal with her rather than an actual MANAGER - she's nuts. Because seriously, they both need retraining.

My father watched everything with amazement and I explained to him how I occasionally run across this attitude when I work at certain clubs and it's standard. But you have to stand up or else girls like that will take a mile from that one inch. And if you don't shut them down quickly, they will run right over you. I refuse to do that. And if it made Kristine or Iris more miserable, that's not my problem. If they want to get stupid with me, I'll get stupid right back. However, I'm a bit smarter about it.

Yes, I'm calling Iris and Kristine's manager today - they both need retraining stat. Or else they might not like me on the next go-round. Because when it comes to attitude, mine will trump theirs every. time.

UPDATE:

Called Iris and Kristine's manager and, let me say, he's a nice guy. Even though he's new to this store, he's aware of one, notsomuch on the other but he will definitely correct them both. Sadly, I think he's getting trial by fire in dealing with these two. Karma wise, they will get theirs in the end - without me having to pull one over the counter. Though the thought is strangely comforting. I know I know - I need a kickboxing class. :::sigh:::

Labels: Altamonte, Random Mess, Soapbox

Posted by Lys :: 4:52 PM :: 0 comments

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Thursday, December 20, 2007