Goodbye...

I will miss working with you guys!
I hope to read this blog to keep up with all the lovely shenanigans of the store!

I love you all!

Kleptomaniacs

In light of the recent Klepto haunting our bookstore, I thought you all might find this video amusing. Ok fine, it's a little weird.. but can you imagine having a girl/boy friend like this?! Life is interesting! I don't really feel like telling the whole story on here... It's really really long! Enjoy!

Aged books

Today this guy came in with a paper bag full of OLD books. Like so old they smelled horrible and were yellow. He wanted me to buy them back from him. So I stood there and typed in about 20 ISBN numbers. Some of these books are so old they don't even have ISBN numbers. So I finally finish and I total the amount he was going to get. Now here's the thing, it was 11 wholesale books... but it only came out to $6.75!!! All that work for a measly $6.75! Each book was worth $0.25, $0.50, or $1.00!! I kept expecting him to say, "oh don't worry about it. I'll just THROW them away..." but noo... Seriously these books STUNK!

Power outs are not fun...

So today the power went out at 10:30 this morning, it was not fun! There were a few people that were upset that the store was closed while the power was out... ummm okay, we can't process any transactions, why be open? We did answer any questions that we could though!
Many... and I mean MANY people asked me when the power would go back on. When I told them I didn't know, they asked me why not. Really??? So I just told them... "It will be back on when 'they' fix it, that is all I know"
Some people objected and told me I could sell them their books because they were paying with cash... ummm, okay, but my computer with the prices still isn't working even though you are paying with cash.
We told many people that we would open the store back up when the power came on, however, it may take up to 15 min for us to open the store because we might have to reboot the system.

This is where it gets good...
The lights come back on, Boss Lady is out side the door, so I open it so she can come in. I am trying to shut the door behind her, because we do indeed need to reboot and wait for the registers to turn on before we can unlock the doors. Well... this really tall "tough" looking guy LATCHES onto the door, trying to open it and get in. I tell him that if may take us up to 15 min to open the store ("the system needs to load"). He then (yelling at me) says that he'll just write down his credit card number and we can charge him later. Well sir, no we can not do that, you will need to wait for the system to turn on. Now he's directing me to load the system, but he will not let go of the door. So neither do I! He (AGAIN) yells at me that I can let him in the store.
Well I don't let angry, yelling customers tell me what and how to do MY JOB! So I kindly tell him "Sir we need you to wait outside while we load the system. We will unlock the doors as soon as the registers are ready." While telling him this I am TRYING to pull the door shut. He storms off, pissed! Funny part: no sooner did he storm out of sight did the register post "SIGN ON" and we could open the door.

Sooooo... Boss Lady is trying to open the door... She is barely able to open one side (not even able to put the door stop in place) and people bombard her to get in. Needless to say, someone DRAMATICALLY falls on the door stop that was not put into place...

The day just got worse from there... Financial Aid kept varying off (NOT WORKING), the registers kept needing to be restarted, and WAY too many people wanted to do returns that were not allowed...

Yeah, long day. I was only there from 9 - 3, and of that time we were "power out closed" from 10:30 - 12:30...

Dreams

I'm doing returns in my sleep!!! With actual totals on books... I woke up and freaked out because I was in the middle of a transaction for $80.05 and I had to finish it! I'm glad it's mostly over!

opps

I have to almost laugh, just from reading entries... or lack of. You can tell that we have gone from slightly amused by customer antics, to tired and annoyed of their lack of sense.

But just remember, returns end today! That means... arguments tomorrow! hah...meh :-(

OH MY GOSH!!

i've gotten to the point where I can't even distiguish the difference between dumb.

True Customer Service

Yesterday a girl walked up to me and said, "Are you open?" I was standing at textbook info. I looked at her, looked at the wide open doors, looked back at her and said, "Well, you got this far... I guess so!"

Nicotene

Cetina had a rough day. She also got this question, "Do you sell cigarettes? My old school did.... "
WHAT?!

Plastic

Cetina was dealing with a customer and told him the whole book return policy. She finished and the guy looked at her and said, very seriously, "So, when I remove the shrink wrap, I should keep it with the book?" Nom had to run away laughing hysterically... and Cetina had to explain to the poor person that no, it was in fact, ok to throw the plastic away. Can't you just picture him walking around the school with all the plastic tucked carefully into his books binding?!

Coupons?!

So this guy called today and said that he was a little confused.. yeah, you and every other college student that walks through our doors.. so I asked him what his question was. Get this, he wanted to know if he could get coupons to make his books cheaper. YOU FREAKIN HAVE FINANCIAL AID!! What the heck do you need coupons for?!

YOU'RE IN COLLEGE...

don't be dumb!!

WAIT?! There's a line?!

Spazms of people clumping up the walk space, standing in a scattered mass one behind the other (respectively). To their left side, I pink sign stating: LINE STARTS BEHIND HERE... on the opposing side it says: LINE STARTS HERE -->

I speak in a louder tone. "Can You please make a line behind the sign that says 'Line starts behind here' please?! Thank You!"

The mass then form a, somewhat, decent line...however, there are still some stragglers. I repeat my stated favor one more time, a little louder!!


Now tell me.

If there is a line of people with a sign next to them, clearly stating line starts here...

wht the hell do other people not understand that...well....THERE'S A LINE.

"I'm sorry, but you have to wait in line, like everyone else."
"Oh! There's a line?"

Seriously!

i can't even begin to explain..!!!

Awkward...

Today I handed a guy his receipt and asked him to sign his bottom.... I nearly died..

HUH?! part t-whoa!

So basically...

This is how I sounded today.

"You have until the ten thuv seplambarm blishma pah!"

"All bluhh mli cla mnikis..nish."

"Last day floor a rehrerrn..."

"Mnlehn mnlah!"


...yeah.

Huh?!

I tried to scan someones books with a pen... just thought you all would find that amusing!

Get Over It!

We do not take Starter Checks. Someone could easily find them on the floor and use them as their own...

A woman comes up to me with her check. I told her: "We Do not accept starter checks..." for the above reason. She replies with a "It take 900 years to send me my real checks and I have money in the account!" While she's telling me about the money situation, she places here account (handwitten btw) in my face... (Cause that proves it's YOUR money...)

Then I told her. I'm sorry, It's store policy to protect the holder of the checking account...

"That's rediculous!"
(yeah...I know, out of context, but that's basically what she meant...)

I'm sorry (I'm actually not), but i'm not gonna argue with you...we don't take them!
GET OVER IT!!

Computer Labs, Financial Aid...Bookstore!!

I'm not even at the bookstore and I'm helping people! Why the Hell do I have AMAZING customer service?!

I'm not even wearing my "Yes! I can help you!" shirt...

:(

my life is sad.

Exhaustion...

next time dan and lis take a day off... remind me to call in sick... i don't have any interesting quotes from today... it was way to busy!!

In honor of the blog address.

There was a rather long line at the registers at one point today, so I had to open a 4th register. Now because classes have not started yet, we only have three registers with cash in them... Will I asked "A" to jump on a register....

Me: "A will you please jump on that (pointing to a certain) register? You can do any transactions except for cash, there isn't any in the drawer."

Student: "WHAT!?! YOU DON'T TAKE CASH?!?!"

Me: "Whaaat?"

Student: "You just said you don't take cash??"

Me: (not able to help myself) "What's cash?"

Student: ... ... ... (look of concern crosses his face)

Me: (DUH!) "I'm kidding, we do take cash. Just don't go to that register.




I never thought I would be so happy to move... I have Friday through Monday off!!! Thank you Labor Day and Moving Day!!

A Spazm Of People...

So...no severely dumb people today. At least none I've encountered. (Seriously, I think "encounter" is THE word!!! ...okay, yeah.)

But once meaghan punched out for break, a WHOLE crap load of people decided to come in and use financial aid! So, there was me and Annette - didn't know where Tina was (probably visiting the llamas...), pretty much all of them had SFA, and pretty much ALL of them were new students!! So they weren't in the system. Putting people into the system (without screwing up) takes time - or extreme concentration. but when you're dealing with a lot, A LOT, A LOT of people...it gets a little hard.

Luckly, Most of them were deaf, so the people that took up space were the translators. (That sounded so mean, but I meant it in the nicest way.)

Which reminds me, How come all of the deaf customers are SUPER nice, and all of the other customers are SUPER dumb, or mean...?

[yeah..i'm just venting a little. Don't take it personal...]

What?!

So the last post was really by Dan.. We are still figuring out how that one happened.. haha! Today this lady walked up to me and wanted her books. I finished finding them and then she asked if that was it. I said yes and then she asked another question that blew my mind!
"Isn't there a math book also?"
I just looked at her and said, "umm nooo... you aren't taking a math class..."
OH MY GOSH!!! I'm on break right now.. I have to go back soon. I wanted to put that one up before I forgot it.

boss lady's encounter

So, this lady wanted to purchase a bag pack with her financial aid... and then RETURN IT (?!?!) for CASH BACK!!! wtf?!!

Really?? Seriously??

"Can I pay for that here" no mind you, they are asking me this at Textbook information where there is OBVIOUSLY no register....

my answer... "No... you pay for it at the register..." (THE ONES YOU WALKED PAST ON THE WAY IN!!!!)


Oh and a good one, after I have given them their books... "Ok, thanks. So I can just leave now... Riiiight???"

me... "WHAT? NoOoOo you need to go through the register (pointing to the location, so they don't ask where it is)"

My "Favorite" Quotes

"I'd like used, please."

"I ordered a used one."

"When wil you be getting more used in?"

"How many used do you have of ...?"

"It's your fault I got the wrong book!!"

"No one told me there was a deadline!"

"What does that mean..?"

"I order my books online with my financial aid..."

"I don't have an ID..." "Oh..! You mean a liscence?!"

"..Don't you mean student ID?" "Well, can't I just give you that instead?"

"Hi! I'm looking for a book...?"

"Is this the bookstore?"

"Are you guys Open?"

"What do you mean I don't have a dollar amount? They said I was in the system. They told me to come here, and that I was all set!"

Not only do the questions come in person....

This one was in the form of a phone call.... UGG!! Poor Lis!!!!!

Lady: So my son is taking classes, that I guess start next week...
Me: (thinking - okay why is he not calling)
Lady:... Hello??
Me: Hi... I was just waiting for your question.
Lady: Oh well my son starts classes next week...
Me: uh huh...
Lady: Umm Well what does he need to do for his books? Does he come in and pay for them all at once or is there a payment plan?
Me: You need to pay for the books at once, there is no payment plan.
Lady: well I could do a payment plan with the tuition.
Me: We aren't NECC, we are actually B&N. You have to pay upfront... Sorry (no... no, not really).
Lady: Oh okay.... well how do I do that.
Me: you come into the store and pay for the books when you pick them up
(really, am I really explaining this?!?)
Lady: Well how do I pay then?
Me: (WHAT?!?) cash,check,charge....
Lady: oh okay.


REALLY??? REALLY????
Ummm I am afraid for my life with the quality of STUPIDITY that is out there!!!

Common Question #1 (w/ dialogue)

Guest: Hi! I'm looking for a book...?
Worker: Uh-huh...
Guest: Can you help me find it?!
Worker: Umm...what book are you looking for?!

Duh!

Q: Hi! Is this the bookstore?
A: No. The bookstore is actually located in Methuen. Next to the mall...not rockingham though!

Dumb and Dumber

Q: Do you take cash?
A: Nope. Sorry. We only take Hawaiian and Alaskan money.

From Dan's Blog!

sometimes you just gotta look at people and say:

HUUUUUUUUUUH?!?!

When working at the bookstore it's important to remember that you're at a COMMUNITY COLLEGE! For some reason, I forget that. Don't know why...but I do. I had a bunch of reminders today!! Let me tell you!

1. A Man came up to me with his SFA voucher. I put him in the system for $250. He has his books and I ring him up. The total is well over $250, and I tell him. "Alright. Financial Aid will only pay for $250 worth. You're going to have to pay the difference, or but what you can afford." Without missing a beat the man says: "They didn't tell me I had a limit on it!!" (Now, you can only imagine how he sounded...dumb!) I take the sheet of paper he handed me and point where it says AMOUNT. "It says $250...." Well, after that he goes, "Oh. I guess they did tell me..." (LOL! duh!) He makes a remark about how expensive the books are -which they REALLY are!! =[ - and the woman he was with says "Welcome to College!" in a way that would make you spit milk out of your nose! (lol!)
2. The Second encounter I had was with a guy who first dealt with amy, then meaghan, asking the same questions he asked me...(you more had to be there for this one!) He waits in line for the register (where I'm at...after recieving the answers he was about to ask from both amy & meaghan) and when he steps up, he asks me: "Are there any used books here?" (Now, I know he's already asked that question, and I know he already recieved an answer. So I told him, "Not at the registers, no. Most likely there aren't any used books, all the classes are using new editions. But, if we do have used books they'ld be located on the shelves with the other books." (If you know the layout of the store, than you will understand why I'm freaking out about this one! ) After I say that to him, he asks: "Where are the shelves?" (ARE YOU EFFIN' KIDDING ME?!) I wanted to look at him and say, I hope you're joking....but Ididn't. I calmly pointed to where the books are and I said, "The shelves are located over there, they have books on top of them. You might be able to find a used book where all the other books are. " This is where I sounded like a dick...but I was being completely sincere when I said," If a book has a used sticker on it, It means it's used!" (DUH!)

SERIOUSLY! I go to school with these people!!

Those were the only two that stuck out in my mind today. The rest of the day it was WICKED busy, off and on. But for the most part everyone was REALLY pleasant. It's weird, when there isn't RUSH people are jerks...When there is RUSH, people are just INSANELY dumb!

well, that's my work ventilation for now... >:O

MORAL OF THE STORY:

don't be dumb!