Taco Hell
I love Taco Bell and who doesn't at 1:00 in the morning. However yesterday I was reminded of my first boss Bill Mamakos when I worked at his deli/cookie shop called Applebee's he owned in Pittsburgh. I used to work 6:00 am till 3:00 pm in the summers during college. If I do say so myself I was good with customers. I just love chatting it up with people I don't even know. (I get the BS from my mother.) But by about 2:00pm on my shift when lunch slowed down I dreaded waiting on people. I was burnt out. I'd avoid eye contact and acted busy so someone else would have to wait on the customer.
My boss noticed this after awhile and started to take over the register and told me I could stock the cooler instead if I wanted. It was the best gift ever and the sign of a good boss paying attention. I could decompress and be left alone. Not to mention the customer was better off. He could have scolded me for my behavior but instead he recognized the reality and stress of retail. And he knew that the customer relationships that I built for his business the first seven hours of my shift was a good investment of his time to jump in and lead by example and give me an occasional break.
Back to Taco Bell. Yesterday the girl working the window was in a foul mood. When I told her my order was wrong she grabbed it from me, pulled it in the window, turned around and threw it against the wall and started yelling at people. She just lost it. This girl was in serious need of a break.
If you're a manager keep in mind taking care of customers all day can be draining and an unexpected break from you the boss for even five minutes to change duties can be a big relief.
My boss noticed this after awhile and started to take over the register and told me I could stock the cooler instead if I wanted. It was the best gift ever and the sign of a good boss paying attention. I could decompress and be left alone. Not to mention the customer was better off. He could have scolded me for my behavior but instead he recognized the reality and stress of retail. And he knew that the customer relationships that I built for his business the first seven hours of my shift was a good investment of his time to jump in and lead by example and give me an occasional break.
Back to Taco Bell. Yesterday the girl working the window was in a foul mood. When I told her my order was wrong she grabbed it from me, pulled it in the window, turned around and threw it against the wall and started yelling at people. She just lost it. This girl was in serious need of a break.
If you're a manager keep in mind taking care of customers all day can be draining and an unexpected break from you the boss for even five minutes to change duties can be a big relief.