Retail Hell Underground

Iron Man's Day Job

 

 

Walgreens Writes Up Cashier For Not Working On Easter

Sorry to say, DrugStore Diva is no more.

I have quit Hellgreens.

When I interviewed I was told they had no problem with me having off on Sunday for church. I soon found out, they lied.

One of the managers made a mistake putting my availability in their system and ended up putting me down for Sundays. I tried several times to get them to fix it and they never did.

The last straw came when the schedule for Easter weekend was posted. I was scheduled to work on Easter Sunday. Christmas and Easter are the two main Christian holidays. Jewish take off for Yom Kippur and Rosh Hashanah, Christians take off for Christmas and Easter. When I said I couldn't work on Easter because it was a religious holiday I was told that if I didn't work I'd be written up.

Since I have been written up in the past for going to church instead of work, this would have resulted in termination. I decided to save them the trouble and quit.

Of course hindsight being 20/20, I should have stayed and let them fire me then collect unemployment. I've been job hunting, putting in applications but so far no luck. However I did decide to go back to school and get the degree that could get me out of retail. I start my first class in May. Once I find another job I'll come up with another 'handle' and make a new graphic.

--Formerly DrugStore Diva

 

Drug Store Diva's Retail Bingo

 

From Drug Store Diva:

Here are the rules:

Each board is good for one shift.  Mark off each box once when you come across it.  You may play more than one card, but only the fullest card will count.

Scoring is 10 points per square, 50 points per line Bingo.  Blackout will be 750 points.  Points double for any bingo before lunch break (if you worked an 8 hour shift without a lunch break, add 100 points to your score)

Wild Cards:  Use these to cover any square (one square per situation per card)

Woman with "Freddy Krueger nails" trying to dig a coin from her purse

Custy does not know how to use their credit/debit/EBT card

Custy argues with you when you try to help them.

Custy leaves checkout line to finish shopping and expects to get their place in line back when they return.

Angry last minute shopper, upset that the seasonal items are sold out the day of a holiday.

Custy wants coupon pricing without a coupon.

Custy has you ring out every item then at the end says "Oh by the way, this will be WIC" (causing you to void and redo the transaction)

For food service workers: 

Custy spends several minutes reading the menu before ordering, even though the store has a well known menu that has not changed in 50 years.

Custy in drive through searching under the car seats for spare change

Custy orders food only served at your competitor

 

--Drug Store Diva

 

 

 

Friday the 13th Hellgreens Style

I'm normally not a superstitious person, I didn't even realize it was Friday the 13th until my Facebook friends posted about it. 

The last several Friday the 13ths were pretty uneventful, however this one is worth writing in about.

I thought it would be a pretty good evening, because I was scheduled to work the floor instead of the checkout (yay, I can hide from the crustys in the back room!).  Being the floor person also meant I was the back up checker (or IC3 in Helgreens terms).

Friday is our "Smart Fill" day.  That is when we get about 10-15 totes that is just merchandise to help fill the shelves, usually just a few pieces that another store had an over abundance of overstock and was willing to share. 

I was working the Smart Fill totes for the baby aisle.  I open a tote, pick up a box of toothpaste (yes, Hellgreens considers toothpaste as "Baby", don't ask me why) and it is all sticky and gooey. 

Before I can figure out what it is, I get an IC3 page.  No time to wash the sticky off my hands (as there is a "Nobody waits" policy at Hellgreens), so I'm trying to wipe this stuff on my pants as I'm heading toward the front of the store. 

First crusty has a greeting card, says "Your hands look dirty, I don't want you touching my card", so she had to hold the greeting card  while I try to maneuver the hand scanner to scan the UPC.  

Finally get back to my tote, find out that it is a leaking bottle of Vanilla PediaSure.  Find another soaked box of toothpaste, put it off to the side to damage out, get another IC3 page. 

I get up front and the checker gives me an attitude about taking so long, so I told her "Sorry, but I have a tote full of leaky PediaSure that I need to get cleaned up before a customer gets into it (yes, customers have gone through our totes thinking they were mark downs).  I FINALLY get uninterrupted time to clean it up. 

While I was covering lunch for the cashier, I end up with an IC3, which was more like an IC10.  I paged three times and nobody responded.  Finally the manager notices the line is as far back as the aisle she was working in (She was in aisle 6, the register is even with aisle 2.)  She wasn't happy when I told her that 3 pages were unanswered.  My next one after that was answered within a minute.
Later in the evening as I was facing the store (was a complete mess), started straightening Valentine's Day only to find that an entire box full of bubbles had busted open.  The vacuum cleaner stopped working, got that unclogged (with the help of the closing manager).  Finally get the store cleaned and we all go.  Driving home, the inside of my car window fogged up.  Pull over for 10 minutes to let it defrost.

Got to work today to find out that the opening manager thought the store was a complete mess when she came in, she wanted to write up everybody who closed last night (she didn't....but since the closing manager said the store was fine, we can't really say "No, it's crap, let's stay longer")

She took a ton of pictures of what she didn't like, and of course last night's cashier tried to blame me for her bad facing "This section wasn't faced well last night"..."This was your area last night, don't try to blame me for it".

Nobody said anything about the aisles I had last night though so I have no idea what wasn't good about my area.

Oh, tonight, our new Assistant Manager locked himself out of the office.  He couldn't do anything until the other Assistant came with his key to unlock the door.  Since the safe is in the office, he couldn't do any cash pickups or make change...much to the 'joy' of the crustys, who seem to think Hellgreens has it's own bank and an unlimited supply of money.

--Drugstore Diva

 

 

 

After Holiday Hell At Hellgreens: Dumbass Custy Parade

From Drugstore Diva:

Last night must have been shopping day for the idiot asylum.  I swear all the dumb people were at my store.

One custy wanted to return a Scarlet Crustacean gift card. 

First off, she was in Hellgreens, and gift cards are not returnable anywhere.  I told her to find a friend who likes seafood and sell it to them.

*    *    *

One custy came up with two carts full of various store merchandise. 

I start ringing her out while calling for back up, and by the third item, she says "Wait, isn't everything 50% off". 

I tell her that just Christmas was half price, not including Hallmark (because they give us full credit on unsold merchandise). 

She then decides she didn't want any of it and left her two carts in the checkout line.

*    *    *

Woman comes in with her two teenage grand daughters. 

The woman and one girl were no problem.  The second one hands me some candy and a $25 Visa gift card, still in the cardboard wrapper they're sold in so I scan and activate the gift card.  She seems surprised when the amount ends up over $30 so I mention the gift card. 

She looks at me like I sprouted three heads and said "I was paying with that". 

So I told her that she needs to take the card out of the wrapping to use it, the stripe on the wrapper is just for activation and won't work to make a purchase, and they're not handed to the clerk, they're run on the EFTPOS. 

The girl looked very confused so grandma paid for her candy and as they were leaving the line the girl gets snotty saying that she'll shop at WalMart where they're smart and know what to do with gift cards. 

I heard Grandma tell her "It's not her fault you don't know how to use a gift card." 

(Go Grandma!)

*    *    *    *

There was also the crusty who threw a fit because her baby formula was recalled and now what was she going to feed her baby (maybe another brand...or get infant rather than newborn, there really is no difference).

Later on, I had several people, last minute of course with WIC checks and every one had the wrong items.

Last one, the woman who at 9:59pm says "Oh, I left my wallet at home, can I go get it and come back?" 

Nope, because we're closing at 10:00 and you won't make it back in time.

--Drugstore Diva

 

 

Live From Hellgreens Halloween Hell: Running Out of Candy

Happy Helloween from Drug Store Diva.  

We were crazy busy until about 7pm, when trick or treating in my area ended.  

For the most part, custys were friendly and patient, probably because if they were wearing a costume, we gave them a piece of candy. We kept the second register running until about 8pm, and we had somebody scheduled just to work the Halloween aisle to keep the candy stocked, and to keep the piggies from messing it up too much.

We actually ran out of candy at the store.  manager started pulling from the basic section to fill in, and even cleared out any basic overstock.  Of course we had a few "How can you run out of candy, it's Halloween!"  Um, because the smart people bought it BEFORE Halloween!

People liked my costume...however several people must be gender confused because I kept getting called Harry Potter. Thing is, Harry is a boy, I'm not. Harry wears glasses, I wear contacts. Harry has black hair, mine was sprayed purple (and I'm dark blonde).  So after a while, I'd just wave my wand and cast an intelligence charm (it didn't work) and say "Have a nice Day."

--Drug Store Diva

 

 

Live From Hellgreens Halloween Hell Part 2

Drug Store Diva reporting from Hellgreens Helloween Weekend!

Once again, it was crazy busy however today was not as nice as last night.  Tonight we got the piggies, the NATs, discount rats, and hellspawn.  

First off, I shouldn't be surprised to find a verbal warning (aka write up) for being 2 1/2 hours late...because I went to church.  I let last night's closing manager know, actually I asked him about mid-shift how I should let tonight's closing manager know I would be late.  He shrugged, so I asked if I should leave a note, he said "I guess so", so I left a note.   Store policy states that a call in has to have at least 2 hours notice. 

Today's manager came in at 3, I was supposed to start at 4 so she considered that one hour notice, despite me telling the manager last night.  Her reason...I didn't call her cell phone.  Why didn't I call her cell phone?  I don't have the number!  Then she basically said I can't just change my availability on a whim (which I'm not, according to my application I have no Sunday availability) and with the holidays coming up the chances of her scheduling me like that are pretty nil.  So I made the decision to look for a non-retail job and will put in my notice when something comes up.

The customers:  Hellspawn yelling for candy, discount rats wanting last week's price on candy, and the "Why don't you have this candy, tomorrow is Halloween!" custys. 

The Halloween aisle was a mess with a ton of opened and empty costume packages, we even found makeup smeared on one of the shelves.

I worked 6 hours with an excruciating backache, hoping it subsides by tomorrow's shift....when I'll be working dressed as a Hogwarts student.

--Drug Store Diva

 

Live From Hellgreens Halloween Hell

From Drug Store Diva:

I will be so happy when they stop surprising us with these sudden holidays that happen on the same day every year.  Halloween has been on October 31 for eleventy billion years yet people wait until October 29 to look for a costume, candy, makeup, etc.

Lucky me, I'm scheduled for Halloween and the two nights prior.  The Hellgreens powers that be allowed the peons to wear costumes the entire weekend, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday.  For tonight I decided to go as an escapee from the psych ward....or your average Hellgreen's customer :)

We had one potential NAT call claiming she bought two packs of cigarettes but only had 1 in her bag.  Since I rang her up, I KNEW I put both packs in her bag, and she took the bag with her.  The manager told her he'd check the camera video and get back to her.  So we watch the video and it shows that I rang up two packs and put two packs in her bag, and showed her taking the bag out the door with her.  Sorry, but no free cigarettes for you!

Most custys were pretty good, some were dressed up on their way to a party.  The best one was a guy dressed as Snooky...complete with the orange skin.  I asked "Are you Snookie or an Oompa Loompa?" to which he replied "I don't think there's a difference."

Stay tuned for part two where you'll see Drug Store Diva dressed as a church lady and hoping not to get a write up for going into work 2 1/2 hours late.

--Drug Store Diva

 

Dumbass Custys + Broken ATM = Retail Hell

Quiz time with the DrugStore Diva!

Question:  You walk into your local Hellgreens and see a big sign on the ATM screen saying "OUT OF ORDER", and a smaller one covering the card reader saying "DO NOT USE" you:

A:  Walk away to find another ATM that is working

B:  Buy a 25 cent item and get cash back at the register

C:  Remove the signs and try to use it anyway

D:  Rage-fit when the machine takes your card and doesn't give it back

I had all 4 happen last night in the closing shift. 

The machine was out of order because earlier in the day a customer lost his card in the machine (by inserting it wrong...how he did that I'll never figure out).  Most of the custys were A or B but we had one woman later in the evening who was C and D. 

First off, she couldn't get her card to go in at all (because the first one was still stuck in there) so rather than using options A or B, she forced her card in then proceeded to rage-fit when she couldn't get her card back out (and after we told her at least 4 times the ATM was out of order).  I'm trying to wait on custys (Monday is our busiest night) while she's raging that she wants her card back. 

I told her there was a number to the bank on the machine and she'd have to call them because it was not our machine and we could not do anything with it.  We do not have tools or codes or anything to open it up or anything, basically store employees are not allowed to even touch the ATM (unless we're using it for our own personal use).  Even the manager told her the same thing....and was even nice enough to call the bank for the raging custy. 

Of course custy wanted her card back NOW (after she was dumb enough to force it into the machine after being told it was out of order) so when the manager wasn't back in 20 seconds the custy left the store in a huff. 

Of course now the bank wanted to talk to the custy (which is why we tell the custys to call themselves, because the bank needs information that we do not have) and since the custy left, there was nothing they could do.  

The bank DID send somebody out to work on the machine, because of the two jammed in cards, we will probably be without an ATM for a day until they can bring out a new card reader.

Rage custy did call back about an hour later wanting to know when she could pick up her card...she wasn't happy when we told her the bank had it and she had to deal with the bank as Hellgreen's has nothing to do with the ATMs except to rent out the space.

She wasn't happy, and it looks like we have another "I'm never using your ATM again."

--DrugStore Diva

 

 

Drugstore Diva's FAQ For Custys Seeking Help: Read This First!

Drug Store Diva bringing you the "FAQ for retail customers". 

The answers to where customers can go to get the service they're looking for, that we do not offer. For those who are not aware, I work at Hellgreen's, a nationwide drug store chain.  Notice, I stated DRUG store which would imply...we sell drugs...more specifically mainly health and beauty items...and a small amount of food for convenience.  It never fails that on a daily basis, somebody comes in and gets upset that we do not carry an item, or offer a particular service and say "Now I have to go to...." 

Here are a few of the most popular. 

"What do I give my 2 year old for sniffles?", "What do I put on this rash?", "What's good for excess ear wax?"  

Ok, you have a good start here, however the employees are not medically trained to answer medical questions.  Please consult a physician, or the pharmacist.  You really don't want to put your health in the hands of a stocker who hasn't graduated high school yet.

"Can you break a $100 bill?"

No.  We are a drug store.  You need a bank.

"Why can't I get $100 cash back with my purchase?" 

See above, we are not a bank, nor do we have a bank on the premises.  The cash we have on hand is dependant on the cash that other customers pay with.  If everybody pays with $100 bills, we quickly run out of smaller bills in change.  If everybody pays with credit, we don't get any cash to refill the till.  If everybody pays with their debit and gets $20 back, that quickly empties the till.   If we don't have it, we can't give it to you.  We DO have an ATM by the entrance.

"I don't like the fabric on this dog bed.  Where can I find a different one?" 

Try the pet store.

"Where can I find a bulb for my car headlights." 

The auto parts store is on the next block.

"Can I buy a single postage stamp?" 

No, but the post office is behind the auto parts store.

"You don't have beef broth?  Now I have to go to the grocery store!" 

You should have tried there first.

"Where can I find Jack Daniels?" 

Liquor store (and quite possible the grocery store)

"My son fell off his bike and hit his head on a rock.  Should I give him Tylenol?" 

You should probably take him to the ER or at least consult the pediatrician.

"It's my wife's birthday, how can I get a dozen roses?" 

Go to a floral shop

"Can I leave my baby here while I run to the car?"

HECK NO!  We're not a day care, keep your children with you!

--Drugstore Diva

 

 

Hellgreens Bitch Encounter At Closing Time

From DrugStore Diva:

I have to write in about a custy I had in the store last night. It was right at closing, and I'd already made several announcements stating the store was closing.

At 10:00 we locked the doors, and I started making my walk before taking in my drawer.

There was a group of 3 adults and a child still shopping in the candy aisle. I nicely told them "I'm sorry but the store is closed now, you'll need to check out."

Walking back toward my drawer I heard one of the group "hiss meow!" so I knew right away I'd have a troublemaker.

They take almost 5 minutes (and about 4 announcements) to finally get to the checkout.

Immediately one woman starts in with "Do you have a problem with me being in your store because I can always leave and go somewhere else."

What I wanted to say: "I do have a problem you nasty cunt, I've been here since 3:00 and I'd like to go home."

But what I did say: "I don't have a problem with you in the store, but we are closed."

I start to ring her up while she's complaining that she wasn't finished shopping. I tried to ignore her just to get them out of the store, while my co-worker is trying to help hustle them out.

Then she tries to pay with an out of state food stamp card, which we do not accept. Commence, "Well I used it at XYZ store!"

Fine, but they have different policies than ours. If the card is not accepted I can't force the issue. She finally paid in cash and left, all the while complaining that she wasn't shopping there anymore.

Well dear, you're out of state, of course you're not going to make a 3,000 mile trip again to put a candy bar on your food stamp card.

Other than that one though, my corner of retail hell hasn't been all that bad lately.

--DrugStore Diva

Weekend In Drugstore Hell: Not Enough Drugs in The World To Ease The Pain

Drug Store Diva with another report from hell. 

It just keeps getting worse, and I think the weekend is to blame. Not that it's a special weekend, but just that it IS a weekend.  One of these days I'm going to take a tally of exactly how many people say "You shouldn't have to work on the weekend, that really sucks!"  Yeah, if you didn't have to SHOP on the weekend, I wouldn't have to WORK on the weekend.

Tonight was a mix of disgruntled crustYs and a few nice ones.  I had an entitled WIC crusty who got mad because I refused her WIC check because it was pre-signed, and she couldn't provide an ID with a signature to match. 

Of course "I changed my signature" um, changed signatures don't differ THAT much and when you change your signature, you change your ID so they match, then there was "They always take my checks this way." and "The store across the street takes them." and "You're the only one who gives us a problem with this." 

Well, if I'm the only one who follows the rules then please feel free to go across the street or come shopping when I'm not working, but as long as it's my cashier number on that check I'm not going to break the rules for anybody.

Then there were the two hellspawn having a pillow fight with the Happy Nappers.  When I told them not to play with the pillows, their mother said "Don't you tell my kids what to do." So I said "Ok, tell your kids not to play with the pillows." Commence dirty look.

There were the custys who thought we were a bank instead of a drug store.  Sorry, but I am not going to take a $100 bill for a $4 purchase.

There were about 3 custys who came in right at closing, one just wanted to use the bathroom.  She was told no, because we were closing and the bathrooms had already been cleaned for the night, so she bought a pack of chewing gum and said "I purchased something, NOW can I use the bathroom?"  Nope, cuz now we're closed.

One custy actually walked into the locked front door then stood there waiting for us to open it for her.  Um sorry, come back in the morning!

There were a few nice customers though. I had a horrible back ache (still do), it was getting so bad that I faked a bathroom break just so I could sit down for a minute and take an Aleve. 

A few custys noticed I didn't look comfortable and offered some advice and said "hope you feel better".  A couple laughed because to help with the backache, I would crouch down behind the counter so all that could be seen was my head until I stood up to ring them up.

I'm also starting to have scheduling issues. The same as with my last job, they're not wanting to give me off to go to church, saying one hour a week is enough when it's not.  In the mean time, I have the DM's office address and phone number so if nothing happens at store level I'll give her a call.  I also have a friend who works with a Christian company who's stores are closed on Sundays so he's trying to pull some strings.

--Drug Store Diva

 

 

 

Hell Night At Hellgreens

I've decided to call myself Drug Store Diva, because for the last 10 years of my life I've worked at drug stores. 

My last one resulted in me walking out due to religious discrimination, then I got a job at their biggest competitor, and it's not much different.

I don't know if tonight we were giving something free and they forgot to tell me, but it was crazy mad busy, and the custies were the worst I've ever dealt with.  I actually asked the manager if it was too late to call in sick :)

Right at the beginning of my shift I got what I call the Entitled Food Stamp Custy, the one who can be the nicest person until you tell her that her food stamp didn't approve the entire purchase of soda and potato chips, and she still owed $1.52. 

Commence tantrum and hollering "MANAGER!!!!  HEY BOSS!!! MANAGER!!!!!" and her insisting that it was our fault they rejected $1.52.  

I really wanted to tell her "It's a dollar...you're holding up my line and throwing a hissy over a DOLLAR!" but just stood there while she's yelling at the manager, and the manger telling her there was nothing we could do, if they won't approve it.  

She said if we wouldn't take her card for the full purchase then she didn't want anything, and all she wanted to do was get a snack for her kids (Getting them a healthy snack from the Fresh Market across the street was just too much effort).

 

Manager voids the transaction, then custy starts arguing about the money going back on her card and if the money was off her card she was going to sue.  Hmm OK, you can't afford $1.52 to feed your kids but you have a lawyer to sue a major drug store chain?

Then of course there were the non-English speaking custys who didn't know how to use their credit cards, I don't speak a lick of Spanish so I kept having to call a co-worker to translate or get another custy to try to explain how to use the card reader and keypad.

I also had the "you didn't take off for the coupon" people...who didn't give me a coupon to take off, that's why I didn't take off a coupon!

For a Monday, it was definitely Hell.  I'm so glad I don't have to work tomorrow, otherwise I'd probably end up going ballistic.

--Drug Store Diva