If There Are No Customers, There Are No Jobs!
I recently started my VA business, so I dropped in to my local Office Supply store (one of the big chains) to pick up what I expected to be approximately $1,000.00 worth of needed software, pens, etc. (The VA business is all about support, so having exactly what you need when you need it in order to serve your customer is imperative.) It’s true I could have purchased a great deal of this material online and saved myself some money, but, because I was mainly focusing on software, I wanted to be able to ask questions and make certain I was buying exactly what I needed, and not getting more than necessary, etc. The opportunity to create a relationship with someone on a local level also appealed to me. You never know when a customer’s going to need something you’ve never heard of, and need it yesterday.
I took the kids, because, well, they are my kids, and I’m their Mom, and taking care of them is my first job. (I love my babies by the way.) My daughter is almost 3 and my son is a year and half, so shopping is not something either of them has developed a taste for just yet.
After picking up a few normal office supply items, I get to the software section of the store. I see a few of the programs I’ve come to buy, and look over the empty display boxes to get a feel for exactly what I’m buying. I’m really just trying to kill time until the Software Guru Guy, we’ll call him Lumpy, finishes playing with a computer. I waited, and waited some more. During this time my son gradually goes into complete meltdown. (For those of you without children, meltdown is when kids scream, cry, kick, throw things, cough, get sick, and do just about anything else they can conjure up in their tiny little minds to get you to start doing something they want to do, and stop doing what you need to do.)
About ten minutes into the waiting, my son is blood red and screaming at the top of his lungs. I’ve tried playing with him, talking to him, bouncing him, singing to him (poor kid), and lots of other stuff. Unfortunately, nothing’s working. Since Lumpy apparently doesn’t hear my child, or see me (although we’re a short 5 steps away from one another) I move a little closer. His back is turned to me, but come on, really, could you at least turn around and grunt or something? Nothing. So, I start looking around for someone else to help me. There’s lots of staff. A few of them are at the front of the store, talking to one another, leaning up against stuff, hands folded across their chest. (Keep in mind, my son is STILL screaming at the top of his lungs. There is no way these people don’t know I’m there.) I pass a few employees, and ask each of them if they can help me with software. “No, but he can.” They point to Lumpy. Meanwhile Lumpy hasn’t budged. He’s glaring at this computer screen like it’s the most compelling thing he’s ever seen in his life.
Since I’m desperate, I go to the soda cooler they so nicely put next to the register, and pull my kids each out a bottle of water. (Not smart, but I was quickly losing my cool.) I needed this stuff, today, I’m getting zero help from anyone in the store, even though there’s no way they aren’t completely aware of my being there, and my son’s just about to lose his little mind. One more thing…When you’re in a store and hear a kid screaming, and screaming, and screaming, let me tell you something. The parent that’s with that child is not enjoying themselves. So before you go rolling your eyes at them, wishing they’d get their kid home, or at least out of your range of sound, try asking if there’s anything you can do to help them. You’ll probably be surprised to know that we Mom’s and Dad’s can often use an extra set of hands.
So I hand my little one an open bottle of their finest spring water and he immediately pours it all over the floor. Grand. I go up to Lumpy and tell him we spilled some water. I finally get momentary eye contact followed by a groan, and he goes back to working on the computer. Can you believe this? Okay, I’m here, ready and willing to give this place what I consider a lot of money, and I get nothing. With my son screaming, you’d think that someone, anyone, would have come over and tried to do something, but I got NOTHING.
I stood there stunned for about 3 more minutes. Then, I say out loud, “Okay, we’re leaving.” Lumpy’s ears perked up then. As I get out of the department, he waddled over to me and said, “uh, did you want something?” Thank you, I finally get to tell you exactly how I feel! “I’ve been standing here for twenty minutes waiting for you. How could you possibly ignore me and my screaming child for twenty minutes?!” He looked at me like I was from Mars, shocked that I hadn’t enjoyed my visit.
I get myself together, trying to cut him a break, and knowing I have got to have this stuff, I tell him what I need. “I’ve got XP, and Basic Office 2003. I need Access and Powerpoint. Should I buy a whole Office package, or just the two pieces?” Tell me Lumpy “what’s my best bet with regard to price?” The expression on his face implied that he had just heard what to him sounded like the dumbest question in his career of being the Yoda of software. He sat and stared at the shelves, seemingly searching for a way to make me feel worse. After he processed the information, he realized he didn’t know the answer to my stupid question. Then, I got the pleasure of seeing perplexed and dumbfounded Lumpy. (Not pretty) He had no idea. It’s okay not to know, but help me. Explain to me the value of buying the whole package, there’s got to be an advantage, right? He had absolutely no input.
Livid, I leave. So livid in fact I’ve got tears in my eyes. The fact that my son is in full blown conniption status doesn’t help. I came in with great expectations, “I’m going to buy a bunch of stuff in here, be very organized, the best VA in the world in fact, and be a millionaire one day if I spend this money here today” and I’m leaving with an angry kid, no stuff, and I’m outraged!
I happened to run in to the manager on my way outside. I told him about the experience, and he asked the right questions…”who did this?” etc. I told him how badly I needed these things, and he offered to have me come in and he’d help me get everything I needed. I do appreciate his attempt, and I realize he can’t control his employee’s behavior, but I won’t be going back. I refuse to be treated badly. I will not work my butt off to earn money, and then hand it over to people who treat me poorly. Do they not realize that if there are no customers, there is no job?
Angie Hodges, GVA
Angie Assist Virtual Purchasing and Business Support
http://www.angieassist.net
