I will survive

I know I will survive this period of the unknown unwanted and uncertain.But I can tell you now it is not enjoyable. 2010 seems to have got off to a shaky start. What with the weather the credit crunch and being short staffed I just don't seem to be able to get in to the swing of normality that is my comfort zone.
I have spent the week interviewing prospective "idiots?" fellow co. workers. I have sifted through the applicants thinking I am weeding out the duds and arranging informal interviews with the possibles. It has to be an informal interview because whilst trying to ascertain if the interviewee is remotely any good I am serving the customers and answering endless telephone calls so it would be pointless trying to be formal. It's amazing how people really turn out once you get to chat to them. In bowled one interviewee just like a whirl wind. "Take a seat" says I "This is nothing scary I just a want to tell you about the job and what you would be required to do." I then quickly run over the requirements making sure they understand that holiday and sickness cover is very important. (I have decided I definitely want holidays and I would really like to stay at home when I'm ill, instead of working and taking so much longer to get better.)"No problem" she said. And then we chatted some more. The more we chatted the more eccentric she became. She went on and on about a life changing event that made her want to grab life by horns. This life changing event was why she wanted part time hours, and it only affected her ability to stand for long periods, walk very far, and her eye sight. Of course once I found out all the reasons she would not be very suitable I just wanted to end the agony and get on with my day.I tried all ways I could to end her chatter, but she wouldn't take the hint. At some point she had babbled on about her beautiful pink car she seemed really into the vehicle so I came up with an idea. "I will show you where we take deliveries" I said "It's out in the car park and then you can show me your car." Out we went. I opened the back door of our unit and scanned the car park for her pink car. No pink car to be seen. "what do you think?" she said. I couldn't think of an answer. "Lets have a proper look" I finally came up with. So she took me over to a silver car. It did have a pink gear stick and some pink accents on the interior, but during our chat she had told me it was pink with pink flowers all over it. We finally said our goodbyes and I went back to work. Later that morning I checked my e-mails she had e-mailed me thanking me for my time.She also informed me when she gets the job she will give me a manicure and cut my hair. I am hoping Gok Whan is coming for an interview this week and he can give me total make over.

I've survived the first week

It's Friday today and I've survived the first week in the showroom on my own without an assistant on Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday. And the doddery assistant on Monday and Friday. On the whole it's not been too bad, helped considerably on Wednesday by the weather I have managed to do everything I needed to. The major downsides to being on my own are firstly and most importantly I can't use the ladies powder room without making a grand entrance in to the warehouse to greet whom ever has entered whilst I am powdering my nose. I don't know why but someone always does come in whilst I am making use of the facilities. I usually make some Witty comment about even the queen needing to use the loo, and sometimes I get a smile other times I get a grim look as if to say "my god what are you on?" other times by the time I've washed my hands and swept into the warehouse they've turned around and left the building!The other downsides to being on my Larry are I have to serve every customer and take every delivery. At times this week I have considered that if I don't get an assistant I could lose a couple of stone from all the running around and not having time to eat so this could be an added bonus. I have started to speak to prospective assistance on the telephone today. So far it looks like it might take a while to find someone.

One of those days

Yesterday was definitely one of those days. We had a delivery of a big order ready for fitting on Monday. I don't know why but at around lunch time something triggered in my mind that all was not well. I looked at the delivery note and alarm bells started to ring.The product had a different name to the one I had ordered, sometimes this is not a problem as it is not unusual (don't ask me why) for a range to have more than one name. I dug out the sample of what I had ordered and went to the delivery unit and cut open the bags. Today was not my day, it was the wrong product. In to a flat spin I went, phoned the customer and informed her, and then phoned the supplier to inform them, of course they don't have any stock of the right product to replace it so without further ado I reorganise Monday and then try to sort the mess out. Down came the customer to the showroom to inspect what had been delivered, she didn't dislike it so took the samples home to see if she would accept the item delivered. If she was going to have this product instead this would mean changing another product ordered for another area as this would not match. It is now 2.45 on a Friday afternoon not the best time for sorting out problems. The customer decided she would go with the delivered item. BUT it must be fitted Monday as the original plan. This meant sorting out the order for the alternative product and rearranging the fitting plan for Monday once again. Not an impossible task, but it would mean a lot of running around and organising. Up popped a fellow co. worker ("idiot?") as I am running around getting product codes etc. was she going to be any help? you wonder NO she was not.She stood right in the way of the things I needed and started to tell me about a programme she had watched on television during the week. I managed to run around her and get things done. I was sitting at my desk just after this incident when in came a customer, the door buzzer alerted my fellow co. worker to the customers entry, so up she popped from the warehouse, looked all around the show room, shrugged her shoulders and then went back to whatever she was doing, which was probably combing her hair. The customer was duly served by another fellow co. worker ("idiot?"). The end of this truly trying day finally came. The key was turned in the lock and I looked around. My fellow co. worker ("idiot?") who spends so much time combing her hair had supposedly vacuamed the showroom, but it was all covered in fluff from the samples. I think she must push the vacuam around because she likes the sound of it not really looking to see if she is improving the state of the floor.I spent the next twenty minutes making it fluff free ready for today.

No sense of humour

Oh dear. I think one of my fellow co. workers "idiots?" is definitely suffering from a lack of humour. In he meandered at 2.30 today he is not supposed to work on a Wednesday by choice and I am pretty damn sure today is Wednesday. So me being me I looked up and said "no point in meandering in now the day is nearly over" and instead of just ignoring me and carrying on, he threw a wobbler and walked out! either I am in big trouble for upsetting him or all the other "idiots?" will get me a thank you card for saying what they think.

Not a great start to 2010

HELP! Tuesday lunchtime one of my part time assistants in the show room told me they had been offered a full time job they couldn't refuse. I understand completely that they have been offered a fabulous opportunity. But boy am I in the sh**. I now have to advertise the position and then IF a suitable applicant is found train them and then watch them for months to see if they are telling the customers the right information and showing the right products. It would be so much easier just to do it all myself. BUT I've done that for so many years I just don't want to go back there. Over the years I have had seven previous part timers. One didn't tell me she had had an illness that meant she had no short term memory, this meant you asked her to do something and before she got out the door it had been forgotten. One was always moving house and came to work one day in her slippers and told me if I wanted her to serve the customers I would need to lend her my jumper, because she couldn't find any of hers. Another threw a wobbler when the magic word NO was used when she asked for a day off. I've even had a Saturday morning assistant who was male and supposed to be there to help me carry the heavy stuff who was as much use as an handbrake on a canoe, so I used to carry it out myself! So I am so not looking forward to meeting the rabble who apply. I've done this before so I know how it will go. I will advertise the position and state apply in writing, because I know I can't handle the endless phone calls that will ensue from potential applicants or the extra foot fall from the ones who will just wander in. The position will be advertised on a Wednesday and Thursday Friday will be taken up answering the phone and speaking to people in person telling them to APPLY IN WRITING!! A few I hope will be suitable enough to interview. Then I will explain it's not like selling beans. There is a lot of product knowledge to take in and it's all maths working out the the M2 of the room and giving the price etc. plus you need to have a personality that is condusive to customer service and getting the sale.Hopefully after all this I am going to find a treasure who is going to fit all the critera required. If I don't it's just me again with between ten and fourteen hours per week assistance which is not much when I work at least forty three and a half hours per week. No more blogging at work for a while. I think I wont even have time to use the loo in peace. Please let me win the lottery tonight and then I wont have to worry about it.

It's all about image

Yes it is very cold BUT did my fellow co. worker "idiot?" have to come to work today wearing his christmas cardie with fur trimmed hood black track suit bottoms (nylon) and white trainers? I don't think so! the rest of us managed to get dressed in suitable clothing to keep us warm and managed to look clean and tidy so why couldn't he?
In he trotted about half an hour after every one else "what have you go on?" I chanted. "It's cold" he told me as if I didn't already know. Then he swished into the office. The office that is really toasty and warm, unlike the show room that we can't get warm because people keep opening the door and letting the cold air in and here he stayed. He did pop out once or twice during the day in to my cold world but he didn't stay very long.

It really is snow joke

I was right the trusty four by four got me to work again today. I don't know if I'll get any customers but I you just got to try.

This morning I was drinking my tea just thinking about the journey home yesterday. The trusty four by four was packed with fellow co. workers who were having a lift home. I got in the back. I was swapping my shoes for boots, because I knew the weather would be far worse where I live. "You all right?" my fellow co. worker who was in the back with me enquired. "yes" said I as I struggled into my boots. I thought I was struggling because I didn't have much room. I got out of the car at my house and then all became apparent. I had forced my boots on to the wrong feet. You would think at my age I would know my left from right.

I have two fellow co. workers who live in the same village. I have spoken to both of them today the one agreed with me that we had about 1ocm or so of snow. The other fellow co. worker "idiot?" must be prone to exaggeration because he insisted that he had 18 - 20cm and obviously he couldn't come to work. He didn't even falter when I told him this seemed a bit odd as I had spoken to **** about the snow and he only lives just up the road from him. If the exaggerating fellow co. worker didn't annoy me so much I would go and pick him up in the trusty four by four and bring him in, but I think I prefer it without him!

Snow joke

How are we supposed to get back to normal when the weather keeps messing everything up?
Living as we do in the good old Forest of Dean the snowy weather plays havoc with getting out and about. Customers just don't understand if they live in town, that us poor "idiots?" that live in the Forest can't get off our drives or out of the roads we live on to get to work. But hey I'm guessing unless there is a significant snow fall tonight boss "idiot?" husband and myself will be negotiating the slippery sloaps in our trusty four by four just in case a Towny wants to come in to our store and purchase. Today once again when the snow started one of my fellow co. workers "idiot?" started to get restless, this is the fellow co. worker "idiot?" that's always bragging he can drive anywhere in the snow it's other people that can't. I suppose it had been snowing for about an hour when he couldn't contain himself any longer and anounced to one and all he was going home. I will admit he does live in the Forest and driving was a bit tricky, but it wasn't too bad, and if he would just admit he doesn't like driving in the snow, instead of spouting off to one and all what a clever bast**** he is and how he can get anywhere in the snow I would respect his decision to go home. But I know as soon as the snow has gone he will stand in his favourite position in front of the heater by my desk and tell me what a brilliant driver he is. And what will I do? roll my eyes and maybe make a smart comment, knowing as soon as there is another snowy day off he will race like a whippet as soon as it starts to stick. And I will still be at work and I will have to drive home in the snow and I HATE driving in the snow!

Can you guess who it was?

Yesterday I went out shopping. I was just going down the road heading for Marks and Spencers when I heard "Are you not working today?" I turned around and it was a fellow co. worker "idiot?". He was wearing his brown christmas cardie with fur trimmed hood, black nylon jogging bottoms and huge white trainers. In fact the very same outfit I last saw him wearing on Thursday when we were completing the shop make over. Can you guess which fellow co. worker this was? If you need another clue he dug into his pocket and pulled out a W H Smith voucher. "Do you think I can still use this?" he asked. He had found it over the christmas break. I can't remember if it was one or two years old. I tootled off to carry on shopping, he went to W H Smith to see if he could still use his voucher.

When we're open the doors unlocked

I would like to inform any customers who follow my blog when the show room is open the door is unlocked!
After a long day yesterday our show room make over is complete. And I think it looks fabulous. contemporary and modern without being too clinical. During the make over customers kept knocking on the door, down the ladder we would get look for the keys and open the door "Are you open?" they enquired. "NO" I mean to say I think a show room without any samples and two scruffy people pasting wall paper and a locked door is a bit of give away that you are not actually open for business.
Yesterday was the last big push to get it all put back together so we could at least have the long weekend to enjoy a break before it's back to normal trading next week, and me and some of my fellow co. workers "idiots?" set to to get it finished. The fellow co. worker "idiot?" who helped on Sunday with the glossing even turned up. I don't think he intended to do much because he was wearing his new christmas cardie with a fur trimmed hood.No one told him that the evening before was spent re-doing most of the glossing he did on Sunday because he had missed lots of areas. I don't think they said anything because on Sunday he told us he was really good at painting and could have done it for a career he just doesn't enjoy doing it. I love listening to this fellow co. worker "idiot?" because according to him he is good at everything and I know different. As the day wore on it all started to take shape and we got to the point where it just needed another vacuam through but I had to pop out. When I got back one of the "idiots?" told me the vacuam cleaner wasn't picking up so I told him to empty it. It turned out he meant on the tools option so I told him there is a two pence stuck in the tube all you have to do is take the tube out and only use the hose. Would he do this? NO he spent the next half an hour trying to remove a two pence that I knew was well lodged and would go no where. I wandered off and did something else. When I came back he told me had fixed the vacuam by swapping parts with another. Good thinking I thought. Until I came to use the vacuam cleaner, when you used the tools option the hose wouldn't stay on the tube at all, so how is this fixed? I thought you can still only use the the tube if you hold really tight on to the hose and tube, so you might as well have not bothered!