Wednesday 14 September 2022

Retail

 I don't think I have mentioned yet: after being unemployed between December and May I have managed to get myself a job in the Salvation Army uniform shop ( I say uniform shop because it's easy but we also sell music, books, CDs, flags and other things....)

The shop manager has worked in various roles in the shop for 30 years so the customers know her and very often want her individual attention. It can  be quite amusing.

I recently answered the phone 

"Salvationist Supplies, Kylie speaking"

I recognised the "Where's Carolyn?" stutter before the caller said anything.

"Who's this?" she almost demanded

"Kylie"

"Is Carolyn there?"

I told her that Carolyn was on another call but I could help.

"Well I'm Victoria Snodgrass" 

I said yes, wondering what I was supposed to make of this information.

"Do you know my family?  Margaret Buttleworth is my sister"

I reassured the woman that I knew of Margaret Buttleworth and she seemed happier about that. She proceeded to make an order of shirts to take with her on a last minute trip to Africa. Margaret would be coming to pick up the order later in the morning.

"Is James there?" came the next little name drop.

"Jamie is here, he is with a customer"

"The last time we bought things for Africa, James sent them directly and gave us a discount on the tax"

I informed her that as we were not posting the order to Africa, we had to treat it as an Australian sale, including tax.

She went on to request an itemised invoice so tax could be claimed back at the airport.


When Margaret came to pick up the order, she wanted to add a shirt. We did that. 

And then came the long call to Victoria, waiting for a credit card number to pay for the additional shirt. Victoria was busy directing tradesmen. During the wait, Margaret chatted about taking the grandkids to Victoria's harbourside apartment for New Years Eve parties and the rigours of obtaining a good firework viewing point with the hoi polloi at the local park.

Eventually, the credit card number was supplied and the (second) sale processed. Then came a new request: could we make up a new invoice to cover the entire sale rather than have to take two separate invoices to claim the tax.

At this point I would have said two invoices would have to be good enough but Jamie was obliging and produced a new invoice. Victoria need not be burdened by two sheets of paper, a single sheet was all she needed in her quest to claim Goods and Services Tax back from the Australian government. 

The tax on the additional shirt totalled $4!

20 comments:

  1. This is EC. Blogger is flatly refusing to allow me to sign in to Google.
    I see why she insists on dealing with the same people each time. She has them well trained.

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    1. That's a very canny response. A take I hadn't thought of!
      Sorry about google, it's probably related to Victoria and Margaret

      Delete
  2. Well done for being so patient. Victoria Snodgrass has to be a made up name right? Lol.

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    1. Victoria Snodgrass was made up but not far from reality!
      I thought it was funny until we were waiting around for a credit card number and there was just a zero care factor

      Delete
  3. These people waste so much time - I will bash my head on my desk on your behalf, Kylie.
    Sx

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    Replies
    1. It's the entitlement that bugs me! And please, have a drink instead of bashing your head :)

      Delete
  4. I think most people would have lost it with this customer. It's hard to think about what is going on.

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    Replies
    1. She didn't realise that her "posh" presentation was ruined by her rudeness

      Delete
  5. In America, we deal with such people by shooting them. I suspect that most Australians would consider shooting people over trivial annoyances a gross overreaction, yet we Americans feel that we really have no choice but to do so in order to support the sale of guns and ammunition..

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    Replies
    1. It always pays to do the patriotic thing!
      The American attitude to guns just drives me insane

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    2. If I was going to do anything, I wish I had said something about how it would be better to support local (African) industry than bring things from Australia

      Delete
  6. I loved Snowy's comment! I suppose she is accustomed to preferential treatment since she is so important...lol.

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    1. She never got the memo about humility, that's for sure

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  7. A bit of a cheapskate, wanting to reclaim $4! And yes, it's the entitlement. They think they're due some special treatment just because.... Mind you, Northern Ireland is much the same. Everybody knows everybody else and they expect some little favour because they're the shopkeeper's second cousin twice removed.

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    Replies
    1. Yes! all that fuss and bother for a $4 refund which she would have still been able to get if she had 2 invoices.
      The whole "do you know my family" thing was never going to have any currency with me.
      I didnt think NI would be like that. Aren't there millions of people there?

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  8. Only 1.9 million. And around half of them live in Greater Belfast so are likely to know many other local residents.

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  9. So many people have no idea what pains in the arse they are. I hope I'm not one of them!

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    1. I suspect this woman didn't really care if she was a pain and the fact that you do (care) says you probably are not :)

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  10. Oh those special customers. I watch the reaction of some to them (hair stylists, podiatrists, etc.) as they roll their eyes. I would do the same with my specials calling me about how to spend//invest/put aside for taxes/what taxes should I be paying, etc. The really special ones are charming and grateful and aware of wasting one's time.
    XO
    WWW

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    Replies
    1. As a people watcher from way back, this is a new context for me :)

      Delete

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