Yesterday was a mixed bag, work-wise.
I went in and the manager said we had had a secret shopper and I thought it was going to be a reminder about how customer service is most important, etc., but it was actually to tell me that we got an absolutely GLOWING report, 99% due to me.
I helped the shopper with potentially switching to a new food, and she was impressed with the questions I asked, my knowledge of the difference between senior and regular dog food, and said I "artfully" recommended two store brands. She was not expecting an hourly employee to be that knowledgeable about the products. She also liked that I told her how to go about transitioning to a new food, all to do what's best for her dog.
I also signed her up for the membership program to get sales and points, and she liked my enthusiasm and engagement. Said I was "exceptional" and "a standout" and gave us 10/10 for customer service, would come back to this location without trying any others.
My manager is planning on printing out the relevant parts of the secret shopper assessment and putting them in the daily huddle that all employees read when they first come in, as an example of what TO do.
.
And then there was a bitter old lady who asked if we could special order a product, and while a manager was checking if we even carried that product, she told me she'd buy more if she could carry it, and I didn't respond bc that doesn't require a response, plus my manager was trying to update me on my headset re: the product, and the lady said, "HELLO?!? I'm talking to you!"
And when I told her I was listening to my headset, she said "you're talking to ME, not talking to him on the headset!" and when I tried to explain that it was relevant to her purchase, she told me I needed to tell her when I was talking to someone on my headset versus talking to her.
We don't carry the product, which the manager told her when he returned from checking, because obviously I hadn't heard him on the headset because of the lady, and she asked if we could order it anyway, and he said no, we don't carry it, and she argued with him a bit, then asked why he was chuckling, and when he didn't respond right away she said "You know, chuckling? It means laughing."
And my manager told her that what we sell is up to corporate, and she said, "Let me guess, corporate's not here, are they?" and made a comment about corporate being in the Rio Grande valley, which was maybe racist but I don't know.
And was absolutely unpleasant to everyone. My manager stayed with me at the front because he could tell she was a troublesome customer and wanted to give me backup, and she asked if he was just observing, and he said that's his job as manager, and she was a bitch to absolutely everyone.
After she left, though, two cashiers (including one who I didn't think cared about me) came to my defense and said I wasn't even doing anything, and what was that lady's problem, and the store manager chimed in and said, "She's old, doesn't she want to spend her final years happy?"
So the solidarity was actually very vindicating and supportive.
But it was a day!!
