Pet Peeve

[laundryhater]

One of my pet peeves is people who don't follow directions or don't listen long enough to hear all the directions.



If I had a dollar for every customer who did not follow directions, I would be rich!



Examples: Never fails at least twice a day whenever I say, "Please have a seat in booth # 1" customer sits down in the waiting room chair instead of booth #1 so I have to repeat myself "Have a seat in booth # 1, please." They only listen long enough to hear me say "please have a seat" and ignore the most important part. One day, after the 3rd customer to do this that day, I just let the customer continue sitting in the waiting room and made the employee go looking for the customer and then the customer felt foolish for not listening to me.



When people only fill in part of a form. I don't create forms just to waste paper. There is a purpose for asking for this information. Especially when they fill out only part of the sign in sheet for the visitor's badges. I think from now on I will not let them have a badge until they fill out the whole thing. Some people did not fill in the portion asking for their address or purpose of visit. I feel this is a security issue and will require them to do it from now on.



Ugh! It drives me crazy. I learned how to follow directions and instructions when I was a child. It's not that hard to do. Why can't everyone do this? Must I "hold their hand" for everything?

[goldenearring]

laundryhater:

Girlfriend, YOU have got an attitude problem!  Let's take a closer look at this, please.

The customers, regardless of whether they bug the snot out of you or not, are the

bread and butter of your company's business.  I suggest slowing down with them a

little bit, making them feel a bit more welcome by explaining the importance to them

of sitting exactly where you are directing them to sit and that sitting anywhere else

will likely delay the onset of their appointment.  Then thank them for taking the time

to stop by and visit your company today.



When I've gotten upset about relatively minor things like this, I've had to look at myself

and see what else is going on in my life that I'm upset over such a little thing.  Remember,

you're dealing with people, and until you learn to love them and work with their endearing

little quirks (and the good Lord knows, we ALL have our own special set of them), you'll

never get much farther than you are.  All of this velvet hammer stuff meant to help, not

to hurt.  GE

[laundryhater]

I don't know. Maybe it's the fact that I work two jobs and it's taking its toll on me and wearing me down. I just get tired of having to repeat myself all the time because they don't bother to listen the first time. Is it supposed to be my problem that they are bad listeners?



I'll continue to repeat myself and not leave them in the waiting room. But it still irritates me.

[laundryhater]

Maybe I need a vacation. I haven't had one since 1999.

[goldenearring]

We ALL could use a vacation this time of year.  Have you tried different methods of getting the customers to do it your way the first time?  Maybe it is not clear to them what you are saying.  If it's possible to escort them to where you want them to sit, maybe that's your ticket.  Put candy where you want them to go, and maybe that will help. LOL



Working two jobs can be hard.  For me the key is having a goal in mind of what I want to achieve by holding those two jobs.  Maybe tonight, laundryhater, a bubble bath and a N.A. cocktail are in order, followed by your favorite book.  We all get stressed from time to time about the little stuff.  Hope a good weekend will bring things back into perspective for you. Sweet dreams!

[bethalize]

Change your word order. Say: "Please go down to booth number one and take a seat". I'll bet you any money that works.

[radaro]

Laundryhater - You do need a vacation if it has been over two years since you took one.  What are you waiting for?  No one is going to take the vacation for you.  Are you saving the days up for something special?



Which brings me to another question: Why are North Americans (myself included) workaholics to the detriment of their own health and sanity?  Correct me if I'm wrong but Europeans START with 4 weeks vacation but most North Americans only get 2 weeks vacation because it is legislated.  Europeans don't miss their vacation and most of Europe "shuts down" for the month of August.



LH take your vacation time, they CAN manage without your.  If they can't, then you are too irreplaceable to ever get a promotion.

[vegasadmin]

There is no legislated vacation in the US.  Employers are allowed to give as much or as little vacation as they choose.  Many still start out at one week after one year, two weeks after five (the general manager where I work did that in his own business before retiring - at the age of 50! - and will advise my boss to give that when - if - my boss ever implements vacation benefits).  Many places offer no vacation at all.  Mine does not.  Some dictate when you're allowed to take your vacation and some dictate how - i.e., some employers won't allow their employees to take partial or even single vacation days but require them to be taken in one-week increments.  Some places of business have an annual seasonal shut-down and require their employees to use their vacation time then.  If laundryhater hasn't had a vacation in two years, it may be because she hasn't had the opportunity or been allowed to.  (Just because you have the time doesn't mean you'll be allowed to use it.)

[radaro]

Man-o-man that was a real eye opener for me. I thought slavery in the US was abolished at the end of the civil war!  I just took a course in Industrial Relations and apparently unions are far less popular in the US than in Canada.  Maybe it is time that unions became a bit more popular!



In Ontario, because of the historical contributions of unions it is the LAW that everyone gets a minimum of 2 weeks vacation per year, even non-unionized employees!  While your employer can prevent you from taking your vacation at certain times of the year, they can't prevent you from taking it at all.

[laundryhater]

I have plenty of vacation time that I can use whenever I want (I hardly ever use it so I've accrued a lot). My husband, on the other hand has very little vacation time.



Also, we can't afford to go anywhere.



We are going to take a long weekend in September to visit my best friend who moved to Minnesota. She and her husband just bought a house up there.



You are all right. I need to learn not to sweat the small stuff so much. That is my goal from now on. I'm going to work on being more patient and pleasant. It's just really going to be hard because our customers are not always patient and pleasant with me and that sets me into a defensive mode. I started out in this job patient and pleasant, but over time the rude customers wore me down. I need to get that back.



Thanks for making me see this flaw in me. I'm turning over a new leaf.



And who knows, maybe I'll take off early on Friday. Last Friday I was one of the few who stayed in the office all day. It's my turn to knock off early on a Friday.

 

[winkiebear]

You go laundryhater!!! Empower yourself, baby!!



When you feel like you need a virtual cup of tea, try this site - it's one of my faves, once mentioned by the much-loved and missed Ms. Robbie:  www.comfortqueen.com - oh how I love this site ... and the book ... and the calendar ... and the - whoah, ok I think you get the picture.  

[twhfan]

Laundryhater:  2 years without a vacation!!!  If you have some accrued time, take it!  It's so hard to maintain a friendly, helpful attitude if you haven't had some time off to rejuvenate.



My husband isn't able to take much time off during the summer, but that doesn't stop me!  I take a Friday or a Monday off (sometimes both), to just stay at home, relax, read a book, or if I'm feeling energetic, I do my housework, gardening, errands, etc., so that when my husband is off for the weekend, we can spend all the time together.



You don't have to go anywhere to have a vacation.  Sometimes staying at home relaxing, doing your favorite hobby, etc. is the best vacation of all.



I hope you'll take some time off soon to take care of yourself!  

[laundryhater]

While I was doing my timesheet, the timesheet software popped up a warning message informing me that I am 24 hours away from reaching the maximum vacation accrual. Which means I have to take vacation time or lose it.



So, I am taking a couple much needed days off next week to just sleep in,watch my soaps, and pamper myself.



Good news!  

[radaro]

You go girl! Take care of yourself because no one else (at the office anyway) will!