Lately I've been working my days off at other markets. Mostly Safeway. Safeway may be a good place to shop, but it's a terrible place to work. Well, I guess it's not too bad since I accept the jobs. The only thing worse than working there would be being unemployed.
It seems to me like most of the employees are terrified of losing their jobs due to failing to comply with stupid rules or not saying/doing the exact right thing with customers.
I keep hearing two different greetings said to customers "what brings you to the meat (deli, produce, etc.)department today?"
and "welcome to the seafood (deli, bakery, etc.) department, how may I help you?"
and then they almost always notify the customer that we also have this, and that, and that. "would you like to sample some cooked shrimp?" It's very robotic and phoney. I'm NOT going to do it. I'll just say things like "may I help you?" or "may I help who's next please" and after the item, "what else may I get for you?"
and then "thank you, we'll see you next time". But no serving suggestions unless asked, no telling of other items for sale.
This goes back to my secret shopper post. I'm sure you all know they get fewer points if they don't say all those things. As a customer, I find it irritating. As a worker, it's embarrassing and humiliating.
I really dislike the way the retail meat industry has become in the large chain stores. Some of the customers at Safeway are really stupid, lazy, or paid testers and you can't trust any of them (because they might be testing you). You don't know if they're a secret shopper or not. And there's a lot of them.
A lady asked me if I could tell her where the frozen spinach was.
Ok, here's where I'd never pass probation if I worked there (unless I had no alternative, then I'd adapt). I got mad. I'm alone. Never been there before. I told her
"well, if it's frozen spinach, then it's probably in the freezer. Usually freezer aisles are in the middle of stores. Lets go to the middle and see if we can find the freezer aisle"
I walk there, she follows.
"Yep, there's the freezer aisle" I take another 10 steps. "hey there's a sign that says vegetables, maybe it's there. Yes. there it is" Oh, on the way to the spinach, some other person wanted to know where something was. I failed to ask her if I could help her with anything else.
I bet they were mad at me the next day for not cutting anything after they left. I tried, but couldn't. It's the Sat before Fathers Day. Full service counter is busy, I have to clean up. I have to take people to the sour cream.
Anyway, to work there and pass probation, and not eventually get fired or at least get yourself and your manager(s) in trouble, you have to become like one of those Stepford Wives from the 1975 movie, only you're the Stepford Meatcutter instead. An insane robot.
I was so mad when I got out of there. It would be an every day thing if I worked there and I could see how it could ruin a marriage, family. I'm surprised no one has gone postal yet. A lot of good people have been fired over almost nothing.
It's so nice to know I don't have to go back if/when I don't want to. I can just take it one day at a time "stick and stay and make it pay"
Larry you're a seasoned vet with nothing two worry about as far as job security but it sounds like you might need to relax and take a day or two off and just relax.Let those young journymen chase down those crazy customer requests for a day or two-or get fired for not suggesting the cheap shoulder roasts!
Larry you're a seasoned vet with nothing two worry about as far as job security but it sounds like you might need to relax and take a day or two off and just relax.Let those young journymen chase down those crazy customer requests for a day or two-or get fired for not suggesting the cheap shoulder roasts!
Well, my problem is not in my regular 40 hour job (which I love). It's when I go to other stores on my day off. Wednesday I have Safeway on Almaden & Cherry 11-8 (I shop there, it's near my house) and Thursday Safeway #919 in Saratoga 11-8. I guess I just worry too much that I'm not getting enough done. I need to NOT worry about that and just do what I can do.
Today at Safeway 4950 Almaden Expwy was very good! I like this store a lot more than #695 from Saturday. This is a real nice store. The largest meat cooler I've even seen. I bet you can put 20 pallets in there. HUGE warehouse. Plenty of help. Nice equipment. Today all I had to do was cut as much as I can until lunch and then clean up the shop and work the counter. Total opposite from Saturday. Like I said in the previous post: my problem is I worry too much about everything. I'd like to cut more, I'd like to clean up better, I'd like to work the wall deli real good, etc. No matter how good a job you do, there's always a chance someone won't be 100% happy and that's what I worry about (sometimes).
