Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - 'CHANGE IS GOOD' (?)

I recently received an email, from a friend, who mentioned that she had not read any new posts on this Blog.  She likes reading them, she said.  Well, I emailed her back and told her that there wasn't anything to write about.

So I thought about it. 

What was there to write about?  The morale of the employees - uh, there isn't any.  Compliments from the customers?  Sorry, haven't heard one in awhile - in fact, just the opposite. What about the closeness of the employees?  With the amount of new hires there have been, it is not uncommon to come into work and say, 'Who's that?'  And the only response you get is a blank look and shrug of the shoulders.

To put it simply, it's all changed.

And from the way it looks, I don't think that we will be able to get back what we once had.

Now I don't know if it was the intention of corporate to deliberately change this store to what it has become or, if it just happened due to the changes made.  What I do know, is that it definitely is not the same anymore.  So much so, even the customers are talking about it.

We had something once and it was kind of special.  And with the changes made it is disappearing

Which kind of leads me to that saying, I have heard repeated so many times; 'Change is good.'
To which I ask, 'For whom?'

Talk at ya later! 

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - THE PRIVILEGE OF CHRISTMAS

Christmas has changed for me, over the years.  Where once it was filled with anticipation, of what was in the beautifully wrapped presents under the tree, it is now filled with knowing who I will be spending the day with that excites me.  It's knowing that I will be able to embrace and share with those that bring so much into my life.

Having worked with the public, for so many years, I have come to the conclusion that this holiday is one of privilege for there are some who do not have anyone to be with.  Be it for lack of family, friends, home or health there are some who do not get to experience and enjoy what so many of us do - being with the ones we love.

And now that shopping, gift wrapping, baking, etc., are done, and exhaustion has begun to set in, take a moment and look around.  Look past the sparkling tree, beautifully wrapped gifts and all the decorations and into the faces of all of those that will surround you.  For having these people in your life, those that you get to be with and share with, makes you privileged.

So enjoy the moment of being together, the laughter and the pictures that will take this holiday and make it into memories.  And no matter what your belief or how you celebrate above all, don't forget the true meaning of this day for it is this that has provided you these moments - this privilege.

Merry Christmas everyone - pass it on.

 

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - THE RUMOR MILL

When I came to work at this store, it was under another company.  And the very first thing I heard, were rumors.  The rumors were not about other employees, instead the rumors were about the company itself.  There were two actually; 'The company is for sale.' & 'The store is getting remodeled.'

Well I cannot verify the first rumor but the second rumor, was just that - a rumor.  The only store that has never been remodeled; and it shows. 

And now, well actually for the last 4 years plus, there has been another rumor.  A rumor that seems to have been started by customers which just recently was put to rest - or, so they say. 

But this last week another rumor started making the rounds.

A funny thing about rumors, you never know if they are true or just someone's way of passing the time.  But no matter, they have a tendency of keeping one on their toes.  Kind of preparing you for what might be just around the corner.

If the rumors were to come true then, more or less, some employees would shake their heads, shrug their shoulders and say, 'Yeah, I knew that would happen.'

I've heard said that there is 'a grain of truth' to rumors.  If that's true, I wouldn't know. 

But what I do know is that, only time will tell.

Talk at ya later!

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - THE WAYS AND THE MEANS

Last night I attended our store's annual mandatory meeting.  It is a time used to provide employees with the latest company/store information; earnings, projections and future changes.  Kind of like where we've been and the direction we are going.

Our meeting was led by our store manager. 

Now there are some things that you have to know about the lady that manages our store.  She is one of the hardest working managers ever known.  Not only does she physically contribute numerous man hours to this store but, she does it in the best of humor.  And although there are times, we can tell, that she is completely exhausted you only have to give her a little time before she bounces back and continues on.  That is one description of her.  The other, she basically is a good person and always seems to do her level best in managing, not only corporate demands but, customer and employee issues.   Always trying to do what is best.  Not an easy task for sure.  But she does it none the less.

So with her exuberant personality, she led the meeting.  Trust me, with her attitude she could have given the State of the Union message and had all America convinced that they are in great shape.  In fact, one of her frequent sayings is, "It's all good."

But even with the numbers presented and the ideas of the changes to come, along with some rumors being put to rest in a positive nature, there was no positive impression made - at least to all of us who have been here a long time.

Not by the fault of the store manager leading the meeting - quite the contrary.  It was knowing how some of those much improved numbers came to be, that was the downfall.

All that these employees have lost is what contributed to so many of these, so called, improved numbers.

The changes to come will be primarily what other companies are doing; technical changes which I read about last summer.  And there was no mention of how, or if, employees would get back their original status.

Over the last year, or so, there has been much written about the employee market and the job market.  The companies that pay minimum wage, dropping full-time hours to part-time hours and benefits that have been taken off the table, followed with the cost of health care,  are now beginning to be faced with some realities.  A public with lack of spending power.

Not only has the job market changed the economical standards but it seems to have changed the very employees who work it.  Along with uncertainty there seems to be a change in the work ethic - something that, at one time, was of so much value to an employer.  Now people are busy working two, if not three, jobs in order to survive.  And with this kind of schedule, who has time to become invested in their jobs?  Not to mention, there is no incentive to give it your all and to extend oneself to benefit the company they work for.  So, one goes to work and collects their earnings and then heads off to their next job - no thought given.

This is just a glimpse of what is to come. 

Now you will not see these numbers or hear about these statistics in a company annual meeting when reviewing and providing future goals.  Most generally it will be where to cut in order to meet projections.  And that is a shame.  Because when discussing the future of company growth it might be better to talk about future investment.  And what better investment for growth then the very people that work the business. 

So as we witness workers protesting and making waves, maybe it's time for these companies to change their future projections when they do their annual meetings. 

Just maybe, it's time to embrace the employee market.

Talk at ya later!

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - STILL GOT IT!

As in all holidays, one working in a grocery store always is prepared.  You are prepared for the crowds, the requests, the foot work and the exhaustion to come.  One never stops - or so it use to be.

Today some of us stood, out on the floor, and looked around the store.  Wow, we said, things have changed.  What use to be the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping has now turned into more of a trickle of last minute shoppers. 

And the one thing we all agreed on was how much we missed the way it use to be.  And, at that time, we never would have guessed that this would happen.

Tonight, as I worked the floor culling the tables, packaged Brussels Sprouts and stocked the Celery, I noticed something very familiar - the personalities of the customers and employees.  There was a lot of laughter and everyone seemed to be wishing each other a Happy Thanksgiving.

I took a moment and  looked around again.  There it was, the 'vibe'.  And just when I thought we had lost it.

The sales may not be there, anymore, and that bottom number may not look too good on paper but, there is one thing that still remains the same - the people.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Talk at ya later!



 

Nancy Gifford's Artshow

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - LASTING IMPRESSION

Customer Service - Oops, here we go again. 

In my opinion, this remains the most over-used caption in the retail world.  Somewhere along the way it was decided that, to smile and say, 'Hi, how are you today.',  would be the ticket to attract and maintain customers.  But, as I have witnessed, it aint so.  As one customer informed me. 'I don't care if they smile or even look at me - as long as I am saving money.'   Once I asked a manager as to why the company continued to emphasize Customer Service when, in all reality, so many other things were being overlooked.  Things that made a much bigger impression on the customer.  The manager's response was simple and to the point, 'That's all the company has to offer.' 

Which leads one to think that Customer Service is sometimes used as a cover-up.

But I also believe that Customer Service has another side, and it all depends on the person/employee that provides it.

When an employee has a connection, with their job, they demonstrate it in their performance.  How one does their work, treats the customers and can be depended on shows the sincerity of the employee.  And it is that sincerity that provides a connection with the customers.  Not only is the employee assisting the customer but, the employee establishes a bond with the customer that makes them want to come back.  Unfortunately, this can only be attained by the type of people that are hired to perform this service.

What got me to thinking about this was due to a conversation I had with a customer.  And this is how it went;

"Excuse me." she said.  I turned around and there stood this young woman with a smile on her face. 
"Have you worked here for a long time?" she asked.  "Yes, I have."  I replied.  She went on to say that it had been 14 years since she had been to the store in fact, she was 6 years old her last visit.  She asked me if I had worked in the Deli at any time.  I told her that I hadn't and that I had only been working here for 12 years.
"There was a lady who worked in the Deli and every time my mother brought me in, this lady would give me a piece of Pepperoni."  "She was so nice to me - you look so much like her." she said.

We chit chatted a little bit and then she said, "When I looked over here and saw you I didn't want to go by without speaking - just in case you were the same lady I remembered."  With that she said, goodbye.

A long time ago, there was an employee who worked in this store that apparently had a very outgoing personality.  It was just not the customer service, she provided, but the touch of sincerity that is remembered the most.

Well I don't know who this employee was but, I really wish that she were still here. 

I would like telling her that a long time ago there was a little girl who, still to this day, remembers her kindness.

Talk at ya later!