Peeves in everyday life...

[T3G]

Self check out is starting to really grate on my nerves. I have no idea how anyone could've thought this was a viable business proposition, because any cost savings that are made by having one person in charge of monitoring various stations are cancelled out by the fact that the slightest niggle in a transaction (which are common, because the average shopper is dumber than a brick) will cause lines to pile up and customer satisfaction to plummet. I don't really know of anyone who actually, genuinely, prefers self check out over a regular cashier except for the asocial, but the amount of problems that they generate are biblical in scale.

Shipping label not removed from the box - customer scans this - invalid scan - employee has to interfere
Customer has item without barcode - employee has to interfere
Customer has item with a bin number instead of barcode (screw, etc) - employee has to infere
Customer has discount slip - employee has to intefere
Customer wants to pay cash (bonus points if they want to dump all of their change on you) - employee has to interfere
Customer is lazy and doesn't want to "do someone else's job" - employee has to interfere
Customer is confused and doesn't know what to do - employee has to interfere

Now try to do all of this while being on the look out for sketchy people and woe betide you if you didn't notice someone walk out! And of course, it's the summer, so hours are down, because apparently it's "not as busy" (utter nonsense that could only come from an office dweller), so we have to make do with less employees. So now you're stuck there, on your own, you don't have any cashiers that can open any regular lanes and help clear up the line, so crowds build, and customers take it out on you. Be they old people who are angry that there's no lanes open because they don't understand technology (this is excusable, the verbal abuse is not); or entitled contractors who don't feel like doing the work.

One of my most notable interactions, if you can call it that on account of there being no words from the customer, featured him pulling his cart up in front of me, and then jerking his head in the direction of the register! I am going to have to start playing dumb with these people.

And speaking of dumb, if any action requires an override, the customer gets to see the employee back end screen, which is a terrible idea, because the unwashed masses have no idea how to do your job but think they do. Today at the self check out, there was a customer that wanted to pay a credit card bill with cash. For cash transactions with exact amounts (say, rounded up to $65), there is a button that the cashier can press instead of keying in that same quantity manually. This woman was owed a higher amount in change, but pointed to the screen and said "no, no, that's not right", before I even started counting up the change. Yeah, I know it's not right, did you SEE me giving you $65 in change?! Mind your own business!

How exactly does it make sense from a scheduling perspective to have two people finish at 1 pm, but the next person doesn't come in until 4 pm?

[Greatcoinz]

Work calling me everyday to pick up a shift. Tired of this shit. Everyday I'm off or just getting out of a 12 hour shift, sooner or later, I'm left with missed calls or voicemails. 

Obvious reasons, I gave work my personal cell as part of the requirements. But what I didn't expect was for them was to use this to bug everyone during work or off time to stay late or come in. Them calling me doesn't change my mind about coming in with or without premiums. Back then, if you wanted to pick up a shift, there was a posting or email asking if anyone wanted to come in. This was so simple and people including myself often picked up to help out. Also you could've just walked into the office and ask and they'll work something out with you. 

While the calls and voicemails annoy me, it's what the top managers told me not long ago. Saying we got sufficient staff and equipment for the operation. So why are they calling everyone to come in or stay late? Clearly they never see the big picture as there are staffing problems in the company and are talking out of there asses. After being burnt-out and them telling me to drop out of school and continue working there full-time instead when I asked for something that can balance both work and school, I'm somewhat glad that my time at that company is over in the coming weeks.

[captaintrolley]

1 hour ago, Greatcoinz said:

telling me to drop out of school and continue working there full-time instead

Don't do it.   I gave up a great Provincial Government job AGES ago because a private company offered me more money per hour. I was young and naive. and never gave a thought about company pension and securing money for the future. At that age, hardly anyone thought about pensions. A higher wage sounded sweet.  Anyhow a bunch of us were laid off two years later.

[Greatcoinz]

30 minutes ago, captaintrolley said:

Don't do it.   I gave up a great Provincial Government job AGES ago because a private company offered me more money per hour. I was young and naive. and never gave a thought about company pension and securing money for the future. At that age, hardly anyone thought about pensions. A higher wage sounded sweet.  Anyhow a bunch of us were laid off two years later.

No I easily made the decision to going to school instead. I put this off for a year as I didn't want online classes. I paid my tuition for the semester a few days ago. RIP six grand but it's well worth it. I really don't want to leave. While I certainly dislike the company, this was a job I was born for. I got really comfortable with I do of working on planes and became friendly with many of my colleagues. I asked them in advance if anything was possible to keep my job while going to school full-time, but in the end, this is how the company thanks me for the last three years of effort. I rarely called in or ever showed up late for my 4AM shifts, took my job seriously, always was willing to help out and teach people so they can be more efficient or so they know the proper procedures but they didn't want to reason with my request. They told me I can talk to the union or the upper management but this was the last straw where I decided I didn't want to nail down to a company or someone who treats their employees as peasants anymore. Even working at McDonald's was reasonable for scheduling where I easily balanced both work and school! Its their loss, not mine. I asked my former employer if I can work for him part-time again when I return to college as he told me I was more than welcome to come back. If that doesn't work, I got some other ideas in mind before digging into my savings. Let's hope everything works out before everything changes in the coming weeks. Also, it isn't the end for me working on planes after I quit! I'm going back to school for something related to aviation! 

[J. S. Bach]

On 8/7/2022 at 4:44 PM, Greatcoinz said:

 ...snip... I got really comfortable with I do of working on planes a ...snip...

Hmmm, I was in a similar situation; however, the pitching/rolling of the flight deck made the work a little bit more interesting.

[Greatcoinz]

Relatives overseas who think I'm rich cause I live in Canada and only love me for my money.

So 90% of my extended family is in Asia. I only learned about them in my late teens / early 20s and at first due to a family emergency. It was quite remarkable to learn that I got a few aunts, uncles, nearly 15 cousins and a handful of niece and nephews. At first I was intrigued by it. Now I grown to despise it. Ever since I found out, I only gotten close to one or two of them as they consider me family while others only want me in their life to try to use me as a hand out. 

After they discovered that I exist and was born, raised and live in Canada, a bunch of them just want me in their life just so I can send money back home. While this is the norm for a lot of families and I do the same for one or two who really need the money for rent, food and bills, I didn't expect them to bug me frequently for non-essential needs as some of them have kids of their own who work there and in other countries. They think that I'm from Canada, I'm living a luxury life, and while I DON'T, yet the quality of life is way different there from here. Many got kids of their own who work there and oversees, why aren't they asking them instead of me? Cause I live in Canada? One wants a fancy watch, one wants a new TV cause their black and white one sucks and so on. So? Be happy with what you got. I wear a $15 watch from Wal-Mart, tells the same time as a $500 watch. If not, ask your kids who have jobs to get you the non-essentials. If it was a life and death situation or if you are that desperate for my help to survive, I am more than willing to take care of the situation but this is just frustrating. It's especially most frustrating and disgusting to me when they lie to me in the first place, I've had that happen a couple times. They ask me for rent money or for baby needs, only for them to spend the money I sent on a new laptop or beer and cigarettes after finding out the truth on Facebook or from their spouses and other family members. I had to cut ties with a few them cause they lied to me or just want me in their lives for monetary gain. In all honesty, after what I seen and dealt with, I wish I never got to know most of them. There are couple who don't bother me yet found me cause they didn't know I existed and just want to say I'm related to them in some way which is cool. I feel the same. Those who need my help yet are trying their hardest to pay their dues, my family and myself got no problem with helping out when we can and we've gotten close. I don't want anything in return except for respect for me and my family and them to do their best in life. But I don't want anything to do with them when they either lie or just don't want to work, thinking I'm rich cause I live overseas and relying on other family members to support them. Most of the time, I just ignore or block them after translating the messages as it bothers me for a while. Most don't know that I'm returning to school in a few weeks, but even if I told them, they would assume I got money to go to college. I'll be working max 20 hours a week at another job or living off savings till spring time. 

I've debated for the longest time to deactivate and take a break from my social media pages due to this and other personal reasons. After using it for over 10 years daily, it's going to be a challenge itself. I won't disappear completely, as I'll tell my closest friends to text me and closest relatives to message mom so we can stay as a family despite being on the other side of the world. 

[J. S. Bach]

1 hour ago, Greatcoinz said:

 ...snip... as I'll tell my closest friends to text me and closest relatives to message mom so we can stay as a family despite being on the other side of the world. 

A thought. That just may defeat the whole purpose of what you are trying to do.

[Greatcoinz]

28 minutes ago, J. S. Bach said:

A thought. That just may defeat the whole purpose of what you are trying to do.

Not exactly as it's been planned. My mother uses my messenger to communicate with the few relatives we still communicate with. She plans to open her own messenger under a different name or alias and strictly tell the few who we still communicate with on a daily basis not to give out her account to the others if I decide to close my accounts. They will listen as my mom has zero tolerance for anyone not keeping their side of the deal. She'll cut them off like the rest. We'll see if what happens. So far it's been quiet for the last few days with the relatives who bother us for money and all. 

[J. S. Bach]

Well, whatever you decide to do, I hope that it does NOT include leaving CPTDB.

[Greatcoinz]

2 hours ago, J. S. Bach said:

Well, whatever you decide to do, I hope that it does NOT include leaving CPTDB.

I got no plans of leaving CPDTB. They haven't found me yet on this platform or other forums! . Just Facebook and Instagram if I decide to take a break from it all. 

[T3G]

Dog owners who allow themselves entirely too many liberties. When I was in Bratislava, I was walking down the street when a woman emerged from an apartment building with three large dogs, Rottweilers or something of a similar size category, only two of which were on a leash. The two that were started barking at me and tugging on their leashes as I was passing by. Why wouldn't all of these dogs be on a leash? Because you have such good control over your murder machine?

When you're travelling on a bus or plane and there's a child sitting in the seat behind you and they keep kicking the back of your seat for the duration of the journey. What a terrible day to have a spine.

[Greatcoinz]

Kids knocking on my door and running away. This isn't the first time it has happened. Do kids have anything better to do? With tons of technology and other active things to do, do these little bastards got anything better than to do? It doesn't make you cool, my reaction will make you laugh till I feel like scaring the shit of them or chasing them down the road if I get fed up with it. I do enjoy running and hiking so I don't mind a race! 

Since I wasn't expecting any packages from Amazon or UPS, I exactly knew who it was. I looked through a window and I see them hiding behind my father's truck expecting someone to open the door. The double doorbell ring was a dead giveaway. Might just disconnect the doorbell completely. I get instant notifications for deliveries or when told in advance when someone is coming. 

[Tom1122]

When a computer program doesn't respond.

When you type something but there's a disconnect between what you type to what appears on the screen.

Raccoons or other animals getting into the green bin.

[T3G]

The designers of product packages putting QR codes right next to barcodes. To make things as annoying for as many people as possible.

People who buy industrial quantities of product in a retail setting. We had a customer, about a month ago, buy an ENTIRE pallet of water softener salt. This should not be allowed. We didn't get any new shipments for several weeks and in the interim, some bright spark had the idea to put road salt in the space vacated by the pallet, instead. Several times a shift I would get people asking if it was water softener salt, we ended up having to put a sign clarifying that the pallet contained road salt and not to put that stuff in your water.

When you're searching for a place on Google or Google Maps and it finds you something entirely unrelated to what you're looking for. NO, if I'm searching for "King and Spadina Toronto", I don't want "King Road" in King City. If I'm searching for Barcelona, I want results for the city, otherwise I would search for Barcelona FC. If I'm searching for London, I don't want Fake London, Ontario. Why would anyone, ever, search for that?!

[81-717]

29 minutes ago, T3G said:

People who buy industrial quantities of product in a retail setting

On 8/21/2021 at 10:30 PM, Wayside Observer said:

…should have an account with an industrial supply company.

 

29 minutes ago, T3G said:

When you're searching for a place on Google or Google Maps and it finds you something entirely unrelated to what you're looking for. NO, if I'm searching for "King and Spadina Toronto", I don't want "King Road" in King City. If I'm searching for Barcelona, I want results for the city, otherwise I would search for Barcelona FC. If I'm searching for London, I don't want Fake London, Ontario. Why would anyone, ever, search for that?!

Same thing routinely happens when a common word/phrase/term gets used as the name of a company/product. The word/expression eventually loses its original meaning.

To the point...

[GTAmissions1]

Was reading this article regarding aggressive behaviour here:

https://www.ktnv.com/news/rude-behavior-on-the-rise

Of course, labour shortages, supply chain issues and other conflicts aren't really helping. Depending on what side you view it as either employee or customer. 

There are some employees that aren't cut out for the job. Sometimes you can tell by those that go above and beyond along with being knowledgeable versus one that literally act like they don't understand a simple question or request. Other than asking for a positive review.

Sometimes, I just go use the self-serve checkout if that option is available depending on retailer. If I don't have to deal with a cashier that feels like their money is being lost for certain transactions, then better for me. Or if the cashier/employee has a problem and takes their frustration out on the customer. 

[Wayside Observer]

On 12/3/2022 at 1:02 PM, 81-717 said:

 

Same thing routinely happens when a common word/phrase/term gets used as the name of a company/product. The word/expression eventually loses its original meaning.

To the point...

I had to try that out for myself and sure enough, that's exactly what came up in Google.  One of the guys up at HCRR likes throwing that phrase around at people he doesn't like, so pretty much everybody, which means I'm going to have to keep that in my back pocket and drag that out the next time that nonsense gets started up.

And I broke my own rule about bulk quantity purchases at retailers a week ago.  I ended up in a situation where I needed a lot of 50 Ohm BNC cables* all of a sudden and didn't want progress on a project to stall out while an order got fulfilled so I cleared out most of the stock at the nearest Sayal Electronics.

*  If this was a truly back against the wall situation, I'd have bought a couple bare minimum of video cables to get by and sucked up the impedance mismatch while an order from one of the usual places came in.  It's good to have Plan A, Plan B, Plan C etc. even if they get crappier as you work your way down the list of contingencies.

[T3G]

I hate how every meaningless job tries to make itself into something it's not.

Being a cashier is not enough anymore. Now you have to push credit cards and customer surveys and bug every customer that comes near us and woe betide you if you don't do each and every single one of those things perfectly. You can't be an introvert or not speak English as your first language, you have to be a salesperson and a diplomat and all the rest. You always have to be smiling and happy and radiant, there is no room for anyone to have bad days or bad months or to just not feel like radiating off fake positivity at all times, especially as working conditions and living conditions continue to pall. 

I am not exactly an introvert, but customer service is profoundly emotionally draining and I have no wish to push all these "extras" on top of having to listen to everyone's inane problems, and even less desire to have to justify to management why I'm not meeting their arbitrary metrics. I'm a cashier, I don't add to this world. At my job, I am completely disposable. Please let me be disposable in peace.

[captaintrolley]

2 hours ago, T3G said:

I'm a cashier, I don't add to this world. At my job, I am completely disposable. Please let me be disposable in peace.

You are also extremely valuable to those of us that refuse to do the Self Checkouts. ( I did try the self checkouts and got tired of having to tell it to shut up all the time.).

[MCIBUS]

12 hours ago, captaintrolley said:

You are also extremely valuable to those of us that refuse to do the Self Checkouts. ( I did try the self checkouts and got tired of having to tell it to shut up all the time.).

I totally agree. I have a visual disability find it hard to do self-check out myself, and glad that are still induvial like you who are there to still help out those that require assistance with paying or other  IE Banking, corner stores or what have you in completing our tasks. I thank-you for your service.

[T3G]

12 hours ago, captaintrolley said:

You are also extremely valuable to those of us that refuse to do the Self Checkouts. ( I did try the self checkouts and got tired of having to tell it to shut up all the time.).

Self check outs are a big bane of my existence, too. We don't like them any more than the customer does.

It's a cheap excuse not to pay someone for doing the labour of multiple people when they reduce hours, leaving you as the sole person monitoring the self check out, and then demand that you go up to every single customer that comes by and assist them with their purchase (even if they don't request it!) This may be feasible in times of quiet, but in overflow times is completely impossible.

 

You know what else would do that job even better (well, except in the views of the shareholders)? Ditch the self check outs, put regular lanes in their place, and hire more people. 

[GTAmissions1]

19 hours ago, T3G said:

I hate how every meaningless job tries to make itself into something it's not.

Being a cashier is not enough anymore. Now you have to push credit cards and customer surveys and bug every customer that comes near us and woe betide you if you don't do each and every single one of those things perfectly. You can't be an introvert or not speak English as your first language, you have to be a salesperson and a diplomat and all the rest. You always have to be smiling and happy and radiant, there is no room for anyone to have bad days or bad months or to just not feel like radiating off fake positivity at all times, especially as working conditions and living conditions continue to pall. 

I am not exactly an introvert, but customer service is profoundly emotionally draining and I have no wish to push all these "extras" on top of having to listen to everyone's inane problems, and even less desire to have to justify to management why I'm not meeting their arbitrary metrics. I'm a cashier, I don't add to this world. At my job, I am completely disposable. Please let me be disposable in peace.

I have been feeling that especially when having to deal with the employees pushing surveys or products. I remember when I went to Canada Post to mail something and the employee wanted me to do the survey before checking out. Like, I am just here to mail something and pay the cost. Nothing more.

Feeling like a lot of organizations, including government departments are always wanting surveys or positive reviews. While at the same time, the same organization wants to do the bare minimum for even the most basic tasks. How about the employee do their job properly and accurately rather than put it under the wrong item and having to try and fix the issue that shouldn't have to take 10 times to get it corrected. Claiming "we have a labour shortage and we are taking on a higher workload."

How does one expect a positive review if the employee doesn't do their job correctly and simply says "I am unaware of x." Seems like the more experienced employees are either getting shifted or taking retirement if available with their pension if one is available. While the newer employees don't have a clue and instead take the most easiest route rather than the correct route. Not inspiring much confidence if the senior employees are leaving in droves and the new employees feel like the cheap way is the best way.

[81-717]

- People talking to you while you're eating with your mouth full

- People talking to you while you're in the bathroom

- People talking to you while you're wearing headphones

[T3G]

Being micromanaged at work!

[Greatcoinz]

Customers who asked me where a million items are to where are to the point I am doing the shopping for them. This happens with mostly customers who are Instacart or some other delivery service. 

 

My job is to help stock up shelves and assist customers to find a couple items, not an entire grocery list and certainly not doing someone else's job for them. Either they are too lazy to look or are under time press when doing a order and as arrogant or cheap I might sound, I want a piece of the profit as I am doing your job for them with the exception of you delivering the order. I don't do favors for free or get a reward for doing someone elses work. I get paid to maintain the isles. Yet I can't call the customer out for that. It doesn't benefit me, I am just held up for some lazy bastard when I got a pallet to work on. I keep myself busy to kill time. Want someone to get the stuff for you? Order through the delivery service where someone who's job is to do that, gets the order and delivers it to the their car and let the customer pay the fee. I like working the shelves as I can always find something to do, work at my own pace and sometimes enjoy interacting with customers, but this pisses me off. This is why I sometimes prefer Recieving where I just deal with truck drivers but time goes by more slowly and when it gets busy, it gets busy.