2011 is slowly winding down.
We'll be ushering in 2012 in a few days...
Rumor has it, we will be experiencing a shift in the way we view the Universe (and with it, our preconceived ideas about the "Divine")! Our relationship with the "Divine" will become more "direct". As it should be!
Science: has made some interesting observations in 2011. Most recently...several planets out there similar to ours, highly capable of supporting life! (This "new" bit of science, might come in handy once we're done destroying our current residence!)
Washington--what to do? We're too eager to complain...but yet--the corruption stays the same! (This "corrupt" thing; must be a prerequisite for holding any public office...very sad.) Aren't you tired of the lies & deception?
Is there a crystal ball for 2012? Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?
Gandhi once said: "Be the change we wish to see!"
Therein lies the challenge for 2012!
What changes do YOU wish to see?
Whatever happened to "respect?"
So often, it's necessary to deal with disrespectful clientele when working in a retail establishment. It's usually taken in stride--after all the, "customer is ALWAYS correct!"
This "customer is ALWAYS correct" attitude (often blatantly utilized by some customers), has often lead to some VERY disrespectful behavior on behalf of the customer!
It's one thing, when you're trying not to react to a customer (a "senior" customer) who is yelling across the check-out counter, that we are "trying to kill them, with the awful taste of Stevia!" and is threatening to call the police! (Really!) You bite your tongue and try not to laugh!
But, when you're in the process of fielding a phone call from someone who has just been diagnosed with breast-cancer, and they're seeking some guidance--and in walks another customer yelling "GET OFF THE F***ING PHONE!" (What's up with that?)
We've had customers root through pretty much everything in the store (as if it's THEIR house!). Nosy customers have purposely walked into the back-dock area to see what's beyond the closed doors (even though it's CLEARLY posted "personnel only!")
We've offer hot tea and cookies during the colder months, only to have several customers pocket ALL of the cookies--or worse, take a bite of one and throw it back in the pile (or spit it back--as one of our youngest customers did!), once it's been decided they don't care for their selection!!! (We won't mention names in order to protect the guilty here!)
We've had UNSUPERVISED children involved in "flour fights" with the flour out of the bulk-bin unit (parents often get upset if you remark about unsupervised children's bad behavior!).
We've had adults eat merchandise, throwing the wrapper on the shelf, not paying for the item.
We've experienced some VERY disrespectful behavior from customers, when a store item has become broken or damaged! ESPECIALLY if a child has done the damage--dealing with the attitude of the parent, is often less than pleasant! (We have often been cited as being, "at fault" by parents, for having "breakable items" in-store in the first place!) (Huh???)
The sad part is...this kind of behavior (and sometimes worse!), only seems to be escalating!!! Whatever happened to our manners? To being respectful?
The "customer is NOT always right" when this kind of attitude leads to disrespectful and belligerent behavior on the customer's part!
