My retail hell week begins - worst stretch of work ever!!!

[The Fake Shemp]

Today: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, DM visit
Friday: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, LP/DM joint visit
Saturday: 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM, ASM on vacation and keyholder quit (I'm by myself!)
Sunday: 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM, time to do store ops... by myself!
Monday: 4:00 PM to 2:00 AM, Madden without my ASM or third key
Tuesday: 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Madden Part Deux (SMs are required to open as well)
Wednesday: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, must complete store ops!
Thursday: 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM, ASM returns, but we've got another DM visit!
Friday: 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, end is in sight...
Saturday: First day off

[Eric P]

ew

i used to work shifts like that then i went into IT

where are are times i wish i could go back to my youthful ignorance of how horrible work stretches could be

[bork]

Today: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, DM visit
Friday: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, LP/DM joint visit
Saturday: 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM, ASM on vacation and keyholder quit (I'm by myself!)
Sunday: 8:30 AM to 6:30 PM, time to do store ops... by myself!
Monday: 4:00 PM to 2:00 AM, Madden without my ASM or third key
Tuesday: 9:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Madden Part Deux (SMs are required to open as well)
Wednesday: 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM, must complete store ops!
Thursday: 9:00 AM to 6:30 PM, ASM returns, but we've got another DM visit!
Friday: 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM, end is in sight...
Saturday: First day off

OUCH.  That Madden part seems entirely unfair.

'least you GOT A JOB though.  I'm stressing something fierce.  Had an interview I thought went well a few weeks ago, today they tell me it's a no-go.   

[The Fake Shemp]

It sucks and is unfair.  Worst part is some other Store Manager was bitching at me to help with his inventory.  I was like, "Get the fuck out!"

I'm short staffed with legitimate keyholders and other SMs still want shifts from my store - but they never help in return.  When I asked for some assistance on Saturday, just so I could either close or open, nobody helped.  And now I can't see The Thing on midnight.

[Eric P]

time to set fire to someone in authority

[MrAngryFace]

Help with his inventory? How lazy is he? haha

[The Fake Shemp]

I'm prepared to get chewed out by my DM.  We're way behind in store ops this week, and I haven't done nearly anything on his to-do list.  On the other hand, I'm like trying to MAKE MONEY, train four new part-time associates, keep my head above water, survive without managers, etc.

Worst part about no keyholders is that I cannot leave the store unless one is there.  I'll go seven, maybe eight hours before I can even go get something to drink.

[MrAngryFace]

just make sure your reasons sounds like reasons, and not excuses. Make sure you dont pass the buck verbally either, thats a management no no

[Eric P]

hey, will, you want to go catch a brand new print of Videodrome on your day off then?

[The Fake Shemp]

I can't.

spoiler (click to show/hide)

PM for info.

[close]

Oh, MAF, I've mastered the art of "It's my fault - sorry".  I'm not going to make excuses, but I will be realistic.  The fact is the stores numbers have jumped dramatically in certain areas and that cannot happen without some give-and-take.

[MrAngryFace]

just remiiinding!

[Human Snorenado]

So your overqualified keyholder quit already, eh?  I will say that having an unreasoning DM was what did me in.  I had an awesome working relationship with my old DM, had worked with him over two companies in fact.  Then they redistricted the area and I got shunted into a real jerk of a DM's district.  At first things were good, because at my old DM's recommendation he offered me a store that needed some work to turn around.  So I went in and started turning things around, but he wanted me to fire the entire staff.  Now, I've got no problem moving people if it's necessary.  But these people weren't stealing and most of them weren't purely incompetent, they were just poorly trained.  Hell, I had that store turned around in about a month in a half for the most part, but this guy wouldn't believe me that they weren't stealing- even AFTER the inventory proved me right!  I did have to fire my ASM for gross incompetence and repeated tardiness (when corporate is in town and you're supposed to be opening and don't show up until 10:15... not a good move duder) but the girl he absolutely HATED was pulling in anywhere between 20-40 subs a week.  20-40.  And he wanted her gone based off of a bad first impression.  What a douchenugget.

Anyway, sorry for rambling but don't let them railroad you Federwang.  Also, don't ever, ever figure out how much you're making per hour.  That sure does suck.

[bork]

Should of hired me, Wilco. Now you have to suffer because of a bunch of lazy fucks.

You don't want retail.  You.  don't.  want.  it.

[Human Snorenado]

Should of hired me, Wilco. Now you have to suffer because of a bunch of lazy fucks.

You don't want retail.  You.  don't.  want.  it.

Seconded, but at his age what choice does he have?  Actually, knowing what I know now I would go back and get a job busing tables somewhere, then maybe at least you could work your way up to server and get good tips and shit.

[Tauntaun]

Should of hired me, Wilco. Now you have to suffer because of a bunch of lazy fucks.

You don't want retail.  You.  don't.  want.  it.

Seconded, but at his age what choice does he have?  Actually, knowing what I know now I would go back and get a job busing tables somewhere, then maybe at least you could work your way up to server and get good tips and shit.

Knowing what I know now I'd buy guns and become an assassin.    They'd make a game about me and it'd be the best FPS ever.  You could hump people to death in it.

Tauntaun: Dead or Alive....or Humped

and of course the sequal:

Tauntaun 2: Still Humping

[xnikki118x]

That's the worst schedule.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

just make sure your reasons sounds like reasons, and not excuses. Make sure you dont pass the buck verbally either, thats a management no no

this is probably the toughest real world lesson to learn, mostly because we live in such a whiny society

everyone at my office is a super straight talker

if you fucked up, say "dammit, I fucked up" and they will be "yeah, you fucked up homes"

if you are like "wellll QA should have caught that bug and really I can't be responsible for everything my subordinates do or do not do waaaah" they will be like "you're fired"

[Van Cruncheon]

just make sure your reasons sounds like reasons, and not excuses. Make sure you dont pass the buck verbally either, thats a management no no

this is probably the toughest real world lesson to learn, mostly because we live in such a whiny society

everyone at my office is a super straight talker

if you fucked up, say "dammit, I fucked up" and they will be "yeah, you fucked up homes"

if you are like "wellll QA should have caught that bug and really I can't be responsible for everything my subordinates do or do not do waaaah" they will be like "you're fired"

yes. i swear, all the whiners and buckpassers have made me double-plus love the straight talkers, who often get more of a pass from me than they should.

"drinky, i fucked up."
"ah, we all fuck up from time to time, don't do it again, now let's fix it together"
"tee hee, off the hook!"

still, if i hear "drinky, x screwed up and really the process should have better documentation and so-and-so was a total blocker during the whole thing and iiii didn't knooowww because nobody told meeee" the answer is ALWAYS going to be a "what the fuck, what are you doing to fix it and this is going on your review"

[Fragamemnon]

I've mastered the art of the early email if it looks like i'm on course for disaster.

yeah this. the art of sounding the alarm early while management can actually compensate for it-no matter who was at fault, including me, is what made me team lead for my group, despite having less experience/years than the other team members.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

I've mastered the art of the early email if it looks like i'm on course for disaster.

yeah this. the art of sounding the alarm early while management can actually compensate for it-no matter who was at fault, including me, is what made me team lead for my group, despite having less experience/years than the other team members.

I find that if you do fuck up, the key steps are:

1) admit you fucked up and don't try to pass the blame
2) identify where in the process things broke down (and usually feel stupid because it would have been easy to prevent)
3) create steps to ensure it doesn't happen again
4) communicate these steps to interested parties so they can see that you learned from your mistake

If you do that, people usually end up with a warm and fuzzy feeling despite the disaster you just caused.

[Howard Alan Treesong]

Nothing feels better than being brought in for a dress down and beginning with "didn't you get that e-mail I sent out?  I sent it to both producers."

Yes...unfortunately "document everything in e-mail forever" is usually a lesson that has to be learned by harsh counterexample.

When you boss is yelling at you, "why the fuck didn't you do X!" and the answer is "because you told me not to do X," unless you have it signed with his digital blood you had better Not say that.

on the other hand, nothing rules more than when there's a huge fuck up and all eyes are on you and your team...

...and you reach into Outlook and within 2 minutes have pulled out the Get Out of Jail Free card

you're all like,