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Working at Christmas

    Working for a living is a fact of life. Not many Christmas movies or TV shows show this, but have their characters on vacation before the holidays. Working when I'd rather be decorating, baking, or housecleaning, or wrapping or shopping, isn't so bad.

    However, covering for employees who call in sick or don't show up is a real pain, especially in retail and service jobs. Shopping, traveling, dining out is heavier during the holidays. You need all scheduled employees to show up at the appointed times. During these lean times, with scheduled manpower cut so close, appearing at work on time is crucial. People who choose to stay out are being cruel to their fellow employees and hurting their employers. Those of us who are faithful, even when we have colds or problems of our own, end up working harder, longer, and getting more stressed out. Customers, whether shoppers, travelers, or diners wait longer and get short-tempered.

    Since I'm griping: the average consumer has no idea how to make their own experience quicker and smoother. When buying clothes, whether it's a nice boutique, department store, or WalMart type store, remove the hangers before you get to the counter. Leave them in the dressing room or on the rack. You will save time for yourself and the ones behind you, if the clerk doesn't have to remove all the hangers while you wait. Be sure everything has a price tag. When you try things on, tags frequently fall off. "Price checks" are a painful waste of time, when you can avoid it by thinking ahead.

    And, no, the clerk cannot take your word for it; were you born yesterday? First rule is: Don't believe a price from someone who is going to be parting from his or her money. And with modern registers, a price alone is not enough; they need a sku or inventory number. I have waited in line behind people who actually tried to convince a cashier of a price while she waited for someone to come up and verify a price. They get mad when the cashier doesn't just trust them! It's so obvious they could be making up what they're saying. Or they want to argue about it being on the sale rack. Maybe it was, maybe they put it there, maybe someone else put it there by mistake. It happens all the time in stores; things are put in the wrong place by customers, and the store does not have to honor the wrong price.

    Another thing I see all the time where conveyor belts do not exist. People place their items out of reach of the cashier. I know from my manufacturing and engineering experience that the faster and more productive work is done when the materials and tools are within easy reach of the worker. Every time the worker has to reach arm's length, time is added to the process. If he has to lean, even more time is added. Yet, people will put things on a counter and not try to move them closer to the register or the cashier's work space. The consumer has been made lazy by the conveyor belt, yet they get steamed up over standing in line and waiting. When there is no conveyor belt, keep placing your items in front of the cashier and move them closer as her work space clears up and your bags get filled.

    Don't decide you need additional items after you get in line. Doesn't it make you angry when the guy at the grocery store decides he needs two more things close by, and you have to wait while he goes to get them because the cashier already started his order. He gets distracted or can't make up his mind and takes way too long? It is rude to you and everyone else in line.

      Then there's the cell phone. Turn them off, people. If you plan on shopping and paying for something, do not answer the phone or talk on the phone while trying to conduct business. It's really rude. You're saying to the cashier, you are unworthy of my time and attention. Whey should that cashier be polite to you or give you good service? You're treating him like a robot. And the extra noise is just a nuisance to everyone around. Save your phone calls for outside. Be honorable and polite. Believe it or not, people who work in retail are humans worthy of your good manners.

      Remember, you can't be responsible for an underpaid employee's attitude or a young person's distraction. But you can do simple things like discarding hangers, checking price tags, turning off the phone, making your kids behave, using basic manners, and giving your undivided attention to making your "checking out" process go faster and smoother.