This one is for my friend Phoebe who just had a baby girl...Jane Marie Flynn. I hope she loves it! It is pink and blue together to give it a purple hue.
Hike @ Hansville Greenway #6
1 week ago
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Saturday, May 15, 2010
The Problems with An Old Store
So I haven't been on my blog much since I became a Store Manager. I think it is only fair to explain what I deal with 7 days a week. I have 6 assistant managers. Of these six, I have three that were in college less than 12 months ago!!! Five are from the generation that doesn't have a name yet...Gen Y or Millennials...whatever you want to call it. And only 1 was in this store a year ago!!! Needless to say, I am having to choreograph and teach and guide many individuals in many different capacities.
Second, I have a very old building. This aspect affects me in two ways: structure and personnel. So, have you ever had a situation where you are trying to sell stuff....but you have water bugs and sewer water coming up out of your floor (in four different places) and the customer sees it and smells it? Well this happened to me about two weeks ago. We had a backup in our main sewer line and every time a customer flushed a toilet it purged more water up on to the floor. Apparently there are caps that are supposed to be screwed tightly into these access panels, but mine were not, so they floated to the surface and did not prevent anything from coming up. I had the fire department show up because a customer panicked and called them about a gas leak and was concerned b/c we were not evacuating the store!!! Great...another thing to deal with. :)
Yesterday our Chiller essentially died. What is a Chiller you ask? Well, it is what an old building uses to cool the store. We do not have an air conditioner...rather a Chiller...it fits well with my boiler room. Yes, I have a boiler room too. Now the company is trying to decide what is the most cost effective way to cool this store to within acceptable levels for the customer as well as the employee. So I have a replacement Chiller in place but it won't be hooked up until Monday. I can't believe they still make these things. Who do I need to call...Popsicles and cold water is only going to last for so long with the team.
As far as the personnel, a good number are resistant to change. (No...say it ain't so!) My boss expects me to turn this store from "not on company programs" to "on company programs" and they are fighting me....so I spend 15 hours a day talking to the team members and persuading them ALOT!
And...you all thought I just sold stuff and told customers where to find "off the wall" stuff that they are looking for. :) To update everyone, our customers still ask for weird stuff. Lately....crazy bands (rubber bands that are shaped like animals)...heavy duty lock up a fence chain (we don't sell except for bicycles)...watch batteries (in our electronics department)...fancy trash bags for the car...The Blindside (popular movie)...As Seen On TV bra strap converter... I must say the customers in my new store are much more polite than those that I was dealing with a year ago. I haven't had to roll my eyes or bite my tongue as much.
I was at a store in Bloomington Indiana on Thursday and found it funny when we were asked to help a customer figure out what numeric waist size corresponded with S/M/L sizes. We told him he was a Medium and you would have thought we told him he was UGLY. His ego deflated right in front of us. I was laughing on the inside.
Hopefully this gives you a small glimpse of what I am doing. I know for many of you school is ending...and you are looking forward to the summer. I on the other hand am up to my ears in Back to School planning. This job is very consuming and it is very hard to find that work/life balance. Fortunately my JMS and wonderful husband don't let me forget to take a break....I love them so much!
Second, I have a very old building. This aspect affects me in two ways: structure and personnel. So, have you ever had a situation where you are trying to sell stuff....but you have water bugs and sewer water coming up out of your floor (in four different places) and the customer sees it and smells it? Well this happened to me about two weeks ago. We had a backup in our main sewer line and every time a customer flushed a toilet it purged more water up on to the floor. Apparently there are caps that are supposed to be screwed tightly into these access panels, but mine were not, so they floated to the surface and did not prevent anything from coming up. I had the fire department show up because a customer panicked and called them about a gas leak and was concerned b/c we were not evacuating the store!!! Great...another thing to deal with. :)
Yesterday our Chiller essentially died. What is a Chiller you ask? Well, it is what an old building uses to cool the store. We do not have an air conditioner...rather a Chiller...it fits well with my boiler room. Yes, I have a boiler room too. Now the company is trying to decide what is the most cost effective way to cool this store to within acceptable levels for the customer as well as the employee. So I have a replacement Chiller in place but it won't be hooked up until Monday. I can't believe they still make these things. Who do I need to call...Popsicles and cold water is only going to last for so long with the team.
As far as the personnel, a good number are resistant to change. (No...say it ain't so!) My boss expects me to turn this store from "not on company programs" to "on company programs" and they are fighting me....so I spend 15 hours a day talking to the team members and persuading them ALOT!
And...you all thought I just sold stuff and told customers where to find "off the wall" stuff that they are looking for. :) To update everyone, our customers still ask for weird stuff. Lately....crazy bands (rubber bands that are shaped like animals)...heavy duty lock up a fence chain (we don't sell except for bicycles)...watch batteries (in our electronics department)...fancy trash bags for the car...The Blindside (popular movie)...As Seen On TV bra strap converter... I must say the customers in my new store are much more polite than those that I was dealing with a year ago. I haven't had to roll my eyes or bite my tongue as much.
I was at a store in Bloomington Indiana on Thursday and found it funny when we were asked to help a customer figure out what numeric waist size corresponded with S/M/L sizes. We told him he was a Medium and you would have thought we told him he was UGLY. His ego deflated right in front of us. I was laughing on the inside.
Hopefully this gives you a small glimpse of what I am doing. I know for many of you school is ending...and you are looking forward to the summer. I on the other hand am up to my ears in Back to School planning. This job is very consuming and it is very hard to find that work/life balance. Fortunately my JMS and wonderful husband don't let me forget to take a break....I love them so much!
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Roses for a Mom
Happy Mother's Day...what a nice gift. Five rose bushes planted and mulched for me: 1)Floribunda Moondance: Creamy White Clusters smell like raspberry; 2) Mister Lincoln Rose Hybrid Tea Rose: Red; 3) Scent From Above: Yellow Climber 4)Cut Rose Hybrid Tea: Red; 5) Climbing Joseph's Coat Rose: Orange/Pink
1....Moondance
2...Mister Lincoln Rose 
3...Scent From Above 
4... Cut Hybrid tea 
5...Climbing Joseph's Coat 
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