Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - UH-OH!

I have to say, that I have gotten a big kick out of how companies are approaching the health issues these days.  Everywhere one looks, employees are being informed on how to live a healthier lifestyle.  And what is so ironic about this, is that it is the job itself that is probably doing us in.

Recently, I read an article titled, 'Best And Worst Jobs For Your Health".  With each job that was listed, in these two categories, there would be an explanation as to how and why these jobs were either an asset or a liability to our health.  And, the results were surprising. 

In the worst job category there were occupations such as Attorneys, Doctors, Nurses, Police, Retail, Food Servers and Cashiers; to name some.  From the very high paid jobs, to the very low paid - these jobs have proven to be bad for the health.

For the attorneys there is the stress and long hours and the medical field promotes stress and irregular hours. As for law enforcement, well that's a no brainer as to why that job is bad for the health; but retail, food servers and cashiers - really! .

Let's take the cashier; 'unrewarding', 'physically stressful', 'thankless' and  'women who work these jobs are more inclined to depression than those that do not'.  The article went on to further state that these workers are less likely to be insured, even when health insurance is made available, due to the amount of pay they receive - they can't afford it.  So much for Healthcare Reform.

The end result is that each of these jobs (even a cashier) promotes a risk of developing diabetes and heart disease - just to name a couple.

So now that we know all of this, what are we going to do about it? 


Talk at ya later!


 

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - CHILI COOK OFF, BOOK REVIEW & DREAMS

"You remember me telling you about the Chili Cook Off?", she asked.  "No." was my response as I climbed down from stocking the top shelf of the Multi Deck.  "___________BEER."  she responded.  "Oh, yeah."  "How did that go?" I asked.  She then went on to tell me about how she just missed taking first place - BUT - she got the popular vote.  Now this is one Chili recipe that I would have loved to have tasted, since I have never heard where beer is used as an ingredient.

"Hey, how's that book coming along?" he asked. "Well, I got to tell ya, I have learned so much writing the Blog that I am just full of all sorts of new ideas."  I said, as I placed fresh flowers in the floral cooler.  "You know how many times I re-wrote my book?" he asked.  "No, how many?" I responded.  "Twelve - twelve times in three years." he said. We discussed how the publishing world was changing and how ebooks had come into play and each of us gave our opinions on the future of the literary world.  "Well, so long young lady." he said.  With a wave he pushed his cart back toward the Meat Department and was gone.

"Do you know what you're doing?" came a voice from the apple display.  "I am trying to restock these green beans."  was my response.  I really was, but in the process of lifting the crate of beans - well, some fell out.  "Well, don't you think that you should put the beans where they go instead of throwing them on the floor?" he asked.  From me, he got a look.  "Well, we just got back from Capital Hill and I spoke to the man - he said, every thing's going to be okay." he said.  "So how was the trip?' I asked.  He told me about Georgetown and the restaurants, the cabbys and the monuments. "You know, I am never going to retire, I am going to keep on going until something takes me down." he said.  "Like I tell the wife, you gotta do things now because you never know when it will be over."  We spoke of our futures and where we wanted to go.  My dream is to retire in Wyoming with my camera and canvases and to ride across the prairie with the wild horses. "You're going to get there sister, I see it for you."  "See ya later." he said.  And off he went to finish his shopping.  "Bye." And I was left to clean up the green beans.

"Are you feeling any better?' I asked.  "Oh Nancy, I tell you __________."  she said.  I was coming by the U-Scan after flexing on a register, when I passed her.  There she stood ready to check out her gallon of milk and one lemon, when another customer came up from behind her and took her spot.  She looked at him and I said to her, "Here let me check this out for you."  She and her husband are retired and come to the store almost daily.  They know each of us by name.  Before she took her trip back home to Portugal, she made sure that she had said, goodbye to each of us.  I scanned her two items and bagged each one.  "Ah, thank you Nancy." she said, as she patted my arm.

These are our customers.  This was my day - a day well spent.

Talk at ya later!

CINCIGAL GROCERY STORE CLERK - FOR SANDY

We, employees, like to celebrate.  Be it a baby shower, a birthday or if someone is leaving - we will celebrate.  There will be a committee for a baby shower, making arrangements for a cake to be made in someones honor or just someone getting on the PA and making an announcement, "We would like to wish _______, a Happy Birthday."  Whatever the occasion is, we will celebrate it and eat cake.

But, for the first time, we now have a different type of celebration -  an engagement.

There she stood with her ring finger out to display a dazzling, sparkling ring and while sporting the biggest smile, I have ever seen, she announced her engagement. 

To state that I am happy for her, goes without saying.  In fact, I am ecstatic.

Over the years, I have been around this lady as she has handled some very tough situations in her life.  With grace and dignity, she tackled each and every issue that was thrown her way and it is partly due to this, that she gained my respect and friendship.  Throughout the years I have watched her grow from a hardworking woman going through life, day by day, to a lady in control, working hard at her job as well as her life.

And now, she is shining.

I guess, good things do happen to good people - she is proof.

But, you know what I like best about her?

She calls me, 'Friend.'

Talk at ya later!

Grocery Store Clerk - SAY WHAT?

I think that one of the first lessons which I learned, in this business, is that you cannot please all of the customers, all of the time.  The second lesson which I learned, is that there are times when you just have to forget about those, which you cannot please. 

"I got a complaint about you."  said the FL Manager.
"Really."
"She (customer) said, that you were slow (checking her out), but that she gave you a look and you got faster," said the manager.
"No one gave me a look, everything has been fine."

These are the incidences that kind of stay in your mind, but you don't really give them much thought - but, they remain with you anyways.

There are two different kinds of customers'; those that are loyal shoppers and those that shop at the local competitor.

The loyal customers love the service and attention they receive when they come to shop at our store.  And we, quite frankly, enjoy giving it to them.  Now those that frequent the competitor are most generally of the opposite nature; no personality and most generally are rude; total opposites.  Perhaps that is the way they are treated when they shop at their store of choice.

Last year, I had a customer from that other store come through my line and while she stood in line, I continued to check out and bag another customer's order. This waiting customer stood there frowning and hollered, "Are you open?" "Then you want to ring me out?" 

I turned, smiled at that customer and said, that I would be right with her and then continued bagging.  And what did our customer say, "Honey you pay her no mind."  Which brought a bigger frown to the waiting customer's face.

Once I was done with the transaction, I proceeded to ring out the waiting customer.  She threw her purchase down on the belt and then threw me the money to pay for it.  She mumbled a few words of disgust during the process and then the sale was over.  It was quite clear that she was trying to get me to act on her rude behaviour towards me - but, I could have cared less how she was treating me and besides, I wouldn't have stooped that low. 

We have found that most of the shoppers from the leading competitor display this kind of behaviour.

There will always be customers that are going to be impossible (and unhappy), so you might as well just put up with it.  But, on the other hand, their rude actions have taught me something and that is how I should act when I am out shopping.

If nothing else, they have made me a more courteous shopper.

Talk at ya later!

 

Grocery Store Clerk - HERE'S TO A JOB WELL DONE

Along with the change of the season, comes changes of another kind - employees.  Over the last two months, we have lost (I believe) a total of six employees and are now about to lose two more.  While most have moved on to other jobs, a few are pursuing their dreams, their ambitions.

And I, for one, am tired of writing these farewells. 

Behind each act of assistance/kindness, every creative idea and all the hours of hard work, stands an employee.  An employee who demonstrated the ability to not only maintain a job but, was able to provide a part of themselves in the process. 

And at the end of a shift, their achievements would depend on their own personal satisfaction.

This is what companies are made of - people; the doers.

And when these employees feel that it is time to move on, they take with them all of the assets that helped to maintain the company that they worked for and in the process, leave a vacant spot.  A spot that will most likely not be filled.

So, off they go!

 Most of them will be remembered fondly and missed by their co-workers and every once in awhile, their names will come up in a conversation followed with a, "I sure do miss them."  The ideas and work ethic, that they demonstrated, will always be remembered and their friendships will never be forgot.

To all of you, THANK YOU - for a job well done.

Talk at ya later!

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - HACKER/BEWARE

BROKENCONTROLLER.COM has hacked into Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk Blog.  Although this BROKENCONTROLLER.COM no longer posts any blog pages from Grocery Store Clerk, it remains on Google search as a site for Grocery Store Clerk Blog.

Do not hit on BROKENCONTROLLER.COM to visit Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk Blog.