So, I need to share my latest story with you, my readers. Yes, I'm calling those of you that take a few seconds out of your busy days to check my blog, my "readers." But even if you don't read this particular post, I really just have to vent and get it off my chest any way, because I can't believe this happened. Now some of you may read this and think, well, that's really not that big of a deal. But in my eyes, it was a big deal.
Sometimes I am completely amazed at certain people out there that call themselves professionals, who hold real, grown-up jobs, and who spend most of their day handling other people's money. I would say the majority of people who serve us on a day-to-day basis, do so with hard work and integrity. But every once in a while, I will have a "business" interaction with someone who really just doesn't have a clue. Like our McDonald's Drive Thru experience Ryan and I had one day. If you ever want to hear that story, I'd be happy to share. It all goes back to the principle. Take this latest story for instance...
The other day, I was at Target. I love Target. It continues to be one of my favorite places to shop. So I was there buying a few necessary items, such as milk, vegetables and baby food. I don't always buy Graham's baby food there, but I was happy to see that they started carrying the brand I like - Earth's Best. I was excited, because it was cheaper than it is at Homeland. So, I took my time picking out what G likes to eat. I got several Earth's Best options and several Gerber Organic options. After my cart was full of those tiny little jars, I headed to the check out counter. It was a nice person that began scanning my purchases. Through the small talk, I realized that she was saving the baby food for last. Then I noticed, she wasn't
scanning the baby food. She was
counting it. After counting, she typed in 40 @ $.84/each. I gently spoke up and said, "Do you know that I got different types of baby food?" She quickly responded, "Yes, but all the baby food is the same price." I quietly said, "Oh, ok." Then she proceeded to tell me a story of how this one lady bought tons of baby food, and she scanned every item, and it was all the same price. Well, something in me did not feel right. She gave me the total and I swept my credit card. But I was churning inside. I could have sworn the baby food labels said Earth's Best $.64 and Gerber Organic $.84. But this lady was so confident when she told me they were all the same price... Or was she?? I had not hit "confirm" yet on the credit card machine. So I politely brought it up again, "I'm not trying to be difficult, but I think those baby foods were priced differently. I got two different brands, and I thought one was $.64." She looked at me like, you're really not going to make me take all of these jars out of the bag and re-scan them are you??? So, I asked her if she could just check the price for me. I mean, I had to
ask her to check the price - and I had to ask her twice! She wasn't going to check; she just wanted to keep the line moving. I could tell she was a bit annoyed. But, I cancelled the credit card so she could check the price. She scanned the Earth's Best, and sure enough, it was $.64. But here's the kicker.... So she looks at me and says, "Yeah, it's $.64......so, um, did you want me to re-scan all of this? Or..." Or, what?? Or just have me walk out of here paying money that I didn't owe you???? That's how she was looking at me!! I'm not kidding. She wanted me to leave, paying $.84 for baby food that was $.64. NO WAY! Of course you have to re-scan the items and give me the correct price!! So, the poor girl had to re-do her job.... She took out all the baby food, but again, instead of scanning all of the items, she just counted them. She counted the Earth's Best: 20 jars. She counted Gerber Organic: 20 jars. So she typed in 20 jars at $.84 and 20 jars at $.64. Inside I was standing there thinking, I can not believe this just happened. I can not believe that there was a question about whether or not I wanted her to correct her mistake. I mean, seriously. So, the difference was only a matter of $4.50. But I don't care. It's the PRINCIPLE of it. There was no apology. No admitting that she had made a mistake. No remorse, no sympathy, nothing. Actually, there were no words at all. It was almost like it was my fault for slowing down her checkout lane.
Let me be clear here. I'm not saying that people in the work force can't make mistakes. I make mistakes all the time. But please, people, let's take credit for our mistakes and apologize for them. This would have been a totally different interaction had this woman, either, 1. Scanned every item in the first place to get the correct prices on there, or, 2. Apologized and said I am so sorry that I did that. I really thought those items were the same price. But please let me fix this for you..., or SOMETHING like that. But there was NOTHING. Absolutely nothing. So instead, I leave target, with not a satisfied feeling, but rather a feeling of distrust, wondering if everything else on my receipt was wrong. Are you guys getting the full picture here?? When we go into a store, we expect to pay the listed price for the items we buy. And we have confidence that the people at the register will do everything they can to help us have a pleasant experience and do their job with integrity. If a mistake is made, it's not up to the customer if that mistake is fixed. It MUST be fixed, and it must be fixed by the employee, no doubt about it, or the transaction should not happen. Do you not agree? I've also learned in my years of being in business that when professionalism and customer service are at fault, it's not always the employee's fault. Most of the time it goes back to the training. But I think taking credit for our mistakes should be common sense and common courtesy.
So, I didn't get ripped off at Target the other day, but I almost did. I'm glad that I spoke up when I needed to. It makes me wonder how many other times that has happened to me and I didn't know it. I'm not mad at that woman who made a mistake. I just got frustrated at the situation. I got frustrated that a person would consider letting me walk out of their store, overpaying for 20 items, when they knew it wasn't right. Would that bother anybody else? Please share your thoughts with me.
When I think back on my childhood, some of my fondest memories are found running through fields, fishing in ponds, playing in creeks, shooting off fireworks, relaxing with family and eating great food on my grandmother's farm. Nine years ago this month, the world lost a beautiful woman who l
ived fully and who loved well...really, really well. I miss her. I miss her face. I miss her hugs. I miss the candy jar she kept, with the tasty orange slices in it. I was reminded of her and the strength of her love just recently, when we decided to take a little road trip over to Figure Five. Not far from the town of Van Buren, AR lies a beautiful farmhouse on 200+ acres. But its more than the scenery that tugs on my heart when I see the farm...it's the stories, the memories, th
e family... that draws me in and reminds me of the important things in life. Every family has a history - some more colorful than others. And we don't always get to choose what those colors will be. But what I learned as we reminisced over the events that took place on and off the farm, is that it's those "colors" that make us a family. The "colors," no matter how crazy, bland, beautiful or dramatic, tie us together. And I think my grandmother knew that long before any of us did. She loved through all of the colors. And because of that love, even though she's not with us now, I still feel her holding us all together.
