So, when I was getting ready to leave work yesterday, I discovered something interesting. Turns out, the idiot has been reprimanded about not giving full time people their full time hours. Not just me, but everyone who’s supposed to be full time. She was told to stop taking hours away from the full timers just to give the part timers more hours. Also, she scheduled me to open next Saturday, and my medication just won’t allow that. Anita said to her “What part of after 7 did you not understand?” I thought that was funny. I switched with another girl for that day, so I don’t have to worry about not being able to wake up. I can occasionally do a 6am, like around the holidays, but not just some random Saturday, and not 5am. Sorry, but my medication just won’t allow that. Oh, and I told Anita that Carrie gave me two reasons why I wasn’t getting my full time, which were the two areas of improvement that I’m already aware of and already working on. Anita rolled her eyes and seemed angry… gee, could that be because there’s NO reason for me to NOT be getting my full time? Hmm…
Oh yeah, and Alex has admitted to me, on more than one occasion, that she has anger management issues. She’s supposed to be full time, has been there over a year, and still hasn’t gotten her hours. I assume this was to discourage me from thinking I’d get mine. Well, yesterday she told me that if she wasn’t happy, she wasn’t going to smile at the customers. She wasn’t going to pretend she was something she wasn’t. WTF? You don’t have to be HAPPY to SMILE at the CUSTOMERS! That’s just part of CUSTOMER SERVICE! No wonder she hasn’t gotten her full time hours! She has anger management issues and apparently is lacking in the customer service department. I like her okay, but for that I’m not going to be sad when she’s gone. Today’s her last day. The areas she lacks in are areas where I excel, and while she was trying to discourage me about hours, I actually felt more *en*couraged. I feel like I’m a much better person than that, with much better customer service skills, and that entitles me to get the hours I deserve.
Over the past week, I’ve received many compliments from management about my work performance. Patrick, for instance, was just beaming that I actually *work* when I’m there, unlike Rachel who just stands around talking all day. He told me he loves when I’m on his shifts, because I actually *work.* Imagine that… I go to work, and… work? I’ve also received compliments from others, which I think I may have mentioned before. Overall, it feels great.
I was talking on the phone to the other Patrick not too long ago, and was demonstrating how much I love my job. For instance: There’s a guy, Tom, who comes in every Sunday. Tom usually pays with cash, and always has the cashier keep the change for a tip. Now, when I first started, I was rather excited, to see Tom, for the tips. Tom has a remarkable resemblance to Robin Williams, and he’s a really nice guy, so over time I have started to just enjoy seeing HIM and not caring about the tips. Well, Sunday he came in, and there were two customers in front of him in my line. This meant the likelihood of me being his cashier was slim to none. And, for a split second, I was rather hoping to be his cashier, and it did cross my mind, for even a moment, that I’d get a tip. But, that passed, and I didn’t care about the tip, but I was still hoping to help him, because I enjoy seeing him when he comes in. Well, I was helping the one customers, and took my sweet time with them because they’d never been to Panera and I wanted to ensure they’d enjoy their experience to keep coming back. I must have spent 5 or 10 minutes with them, all the while Tom still in my line. The other cashier pulled the customer in front of Tom over to her line, and then more customers ended up coming in line behind Tom. Well, when the cashier went to pull Tom, next in line, to her line, he instead sent the customer behind him to their line. I was still helping the same customers. Call me crazy, but it was seeming to me like Tom really wanted *me* to be his cashier. So I was finally done with the newbie customers, and Tom was up in line. He didn’t have cash this week, so he was paying with debit. He asked if I could put a tip on the debit card, which I can’t. I told him not to worry about it, it doesn’t matter, but he said he’d see me next week to make up for it. That’s really not necessary, which is what I told him. I just enjoy helping him, he’s a nice guy and a pleasure to help.
That’s just one example of how good customers make me feel… he waited and passed up the other cashier just to be helped by *me.* That made me feel special. Other customers have complimented my hard work when I’m there, and Suzy gave me a card the other day for housewarming. I love my customers, and can’t imagine not being there to help them, and to talk with them when there’s ever a chance.
I love my job, and any time I think about the possibility of finding an office job that may pay more and may guarantee full time hours and benefits, I just don’t want to do that. I LOVE working at Panera, and I really want to see myself go FAR there! I am so gonna run that place one day!
