So I have to say that yesterday had to have been my worst day every at THD (the home depot: for you tard balls).
Let me begin with the night before...
Sunday was excellent! My only full day off in a long time. I spent the day doing laundry and playing with my dogs and just enjoying the now mid 70's weather. The evening was beautiful, we barbequed. As usual, Scott and my self stayed up late (we usually call it a night at about 11.) No big deal I had to get up at 4:30, five hours of sleep usually last me until I can get home and take an hour nap. But... we decided to umm you know late night... details not needed.. anyway we didn't get to bed until about 2:30, I had to be up in 2 hours, it was so worth it but anyway.
4:30 rolls around way too soon, I lump myself out of bed and into the shower. Point 1 on why yesterday was a shitty day: I was dead tired.
Point 2: I arive at work at 5:15, my phone dies at the FRONT ENTRANCE so I have to walk to the other side of the store and bang on the door as hard as I can to get someones attention to let me in. Ok I'm in. Store opens at 6 go to get everything ready to open the store, no problem other then there is a call in from my mid head cashier (that's what I am, I run the front end when my supervisior isn't there, make sure cashiers and lot attendants get breaks and that the front end doesn't fall apart with mass quantities of customers & too few registers open (get it?))No mid for me means no lunch or break coverage for me... So I look at our "War Board" schedule for the day... no cashier scheduled for up front until 7, joy that means I get stuck on self check out until 7 when Cat gets there. Next I notice a note from the ASM (assistant store manager: once again for you tard balls.) My 8am returns cashier has called in sick... wonderful!!! so luckily Steven was scheduled at 8.. the only other returns certified cashier but also a Head cashier! yeay.. I get to have lunch on time.... maybe, The only thing is I needed to have him cover a break in lumber first then returns and then last but not least myself at finally 9 o'clock. Only 30 min from my scheduled lunch. Jamie has a lunch at 9:45 at returns, Merrilyn has a lunch at 9:30, damn it I am one person short to cover everything on time. Pricilla is the computer room tech, fixes comps in the store when needed (note). She leaves at 9:30 for her lunch break, at 9:33 ALL DEBIT AND CREDIT NETWORKS IN THE WHOLE STORE GO DOWN!!!!! Retail HELL has offically broken loose! Pricilla is gone so who do they come to fix it ME! We had lines down the aisle almost to the center of the store, if you've been in THD you know how big they are... Did I mention it was 80* out side and everyone and there flipping great grandma was out. Anyway, system error kept on showing up on every computer "offline PLU" I don't (didn't) know what the hell that was. I as ten different people, no one knows. I am doing my best to get thing fixed. I called teck support (NCR) and let them know what was going on and they tried to help but couldn't really do much.... we are talking about every single register and computer in the store down now... it has been 35 minutes now.. ooop lunch is definitely late now. so we finally figure out how to fix it ...kinda... well 10:30 is coming up soon and I Have to go to luch before then no exceptions, I pass the phone and schedule off to Steve.. comps still not fully functional but at least taking Credit cards, Debit network still down. I thought on my way back to clock out I'd stop by the managers office since it was on the way to ask anyone there if they knew what PLU was. I get to the office and Micaela is there.. I ask her and she says no.... I said that I was just wondering because the nextworks are down... She's like " I know that. And if you were paying attention the other managers are up front right now" I was SOOO PISSED at this point. There was no reason for her to say that to me.. NON WHAT SO EVER. So I said "oh... umm I know they are, no one knew what it was, sorry" and turned to go to lunch.
SO that was the almost draw point for me. I mean come on, I made it so at least some money flow was still coming in the store at least she could be a little bit more kind to me. I had already had a shitty morning, we were understaffed up front while her stupid ass was just sitting back in the office with her thump up her butt or something.. I don't know. But I got to see what I was made of. There was a problem and I fixed it to the best of my ability with out showing my cashiers that I was stressed out. I believe that I was a positive role modle for them yesterday by not cracking under soooo freaking much pressure. When I'm in charge everything runs so smoothly, I just know now that I can do it if I give it my all, my best, because it is good enough. Good enough to get the store through time of crisis and total shut down. I think I'm ready for more challenges, it'll just make me better at what I do.. I just have to not let the stupid people ( manager in the office) get me down or discuraged.
So that is why yesterday was my worst day at THD, oh and did I mention that it was my 1 year anniversary with the company too..
Anyway. I now it's not my last worst day... but hopefully from learning from this one, the others really wont be so bad :)
Thanks for listening
PS: PLU means " Price Listing Unit" and in my case it was the " Price Look-up Unit" So all of our online prices (every store is connected to a central database for pricing based out of Atlanta,GA) We had to locate the items in the store and manually in-put the shelf price for each item.... You take a guess at just how much fun that is to do in a store with over 50,000 item and under staffing.... good night