Life As A Trainee, Pt 4

Day #5:
Discovered M was going to be training at the service desk, so I was paired with Allyson, a 20-y/o college student.  During the 1st half of our shift, she pretty much just watched me do everything, and reminding me about little things, such as hitting F9, or tabbing over to the phone #.  Everything was going smoothly until right before lunch.

A customer paid his order with three gift cards, and emptied all of them.  I checked the receipt, and the balance was zero, so put all of them in the cash drawer.  The next customer stepped up, and also paid with a gift card.  I noticed 'balance zero' onscreen, and slid the card into the drawer.

"Hey, there should still be over $40 on there."

Oops.  A called for the Head Cashier, who's the only one allowed to open the drawer w/o a transaction, to retrieve it.  Fortunately the customer wasn't in a hurry, and when he found out I was still training, ribbed me good-naturedly while it was being corrected.  I thanked him for his patience, and we went to lunch, where I consumed a bologna sandwich and a ham, cheese, and cracker Lunchable.  I also bought a pack of gum and a Snickers from the machine ($1.25), then after we clocked back in, I took the bite-sized Butterfinger up to M, who thanked me for the snack!

Then the craziness began.  A decided to let me run Register #2.....and I think a neon sign was posted above me...."All Problem Orders Check Out Here", for suddenly all the large orders, including ones that the bar code was either missing or wouldn't work, were in my line.  A would get several people in line, and I'd mess something up, or we'd have to look up an order.  One guy had a discounted item, then wanted to pick it up later.  I'd never done that before, so we had to wait for A's line to clear so she could walk me through it. 

A couple had paid for a cabinet, then discovered it was damaged.  I tried to call back, but was transferred to CS, who told me to call the manager.  I did, and he offered them 30% off, and told me to send them back to CS.  Fortunately, their other purchases rang up w/o any problems!

I also had to look up an LAR, and thankfully the customer knew the steps and walked me through it!

I rang up one military discount wrong, then realized it after they'd left....the second one, I kept getting a weird screen, but after A came over, it was discovered I'd hit the wrong F key, so only a minor mistake there.

At the end of the night, all customers were happy; we all got a good laugh at my goofs, and now the only complaint I have is, my schedule.

I'm scheduled to work the front, regular register the next two weeks, plus a shift in Lawn and Garden.  I thought I was being hired only for Lumber....but M said it's because they want to make sure I know how to work all 3 departments, in case of a shortage.  (13-14 registers, plus 2 self-checkout; ten Head Cashiers and 28 regular cashiers.....and there will be a shortage?  *eye roll* But I guess it *could* happen....)  Plus, there's one Wednesday I'm scheduled, and I thought I'd made it clear I couldn't work Wednesdays until mid-May!  Sigh.....maybe it will all work out....I also need to go in and request off for my Chrism Mass Choir practice and Mass.  Just remembered that.....

As we were leaving, Brandon the manager asked me how I was doing, and I told him all right, but was not happy with being yanked out of Lumber.  He said he'd talk to Jess (another manager??) about it.  So I guess I'll find out where I'm supposed to be when I go in tonight.  I'm comfortable with cash, credit card, and gift card transactions (as long as I read the receipt!), so as long as the curve balls are a minimum, I'll be fine.  The good thing is, tonight's a karaoke night, so I can go have some fun after my shift, and payday is next Friday.