Crate Training

 So we've been going through a bit of a crate shortage at our store. 

Who knows exactly why they're struggling to get dog crates sent to us. 

But they are. 

As we've been out of most of our major crates for like...a month now if not longer than that.

Which is bad when everyone and their mom has gotten the 'puppy bug' and wants to 'crate train' their new family member....

Because basically as soon as the crates hit the shelves....they're gone.

And one thing that isn't really helping matters is that we have 'display crates' on display on a shelf about head height.

So basically it's still low enough that customers can reach up and grab it down if needed.

Which many customers 'need' them.

It happens at least six times a week...and sometimes multiple times a day where I'll find customers on their way to the front of the store (if they haven't already made it to the register) with the display crate in their carts....and I have to tell them that that cage is only for display...we can't sell it to them.

Honestly, I just want to take the crates down and move them into a back room until we actually get the ones we can sell back in stock. 
However, my head manager has nixed that idea as the crates help to 'fill the empty spaces' *exhales*

I did manage to convince my head manager that we should at least take down the price tags underneath the display crates, as I'm pretty certain seeing a price tag below them makes customers think that they can purchase them....despite the "DISPLAY ONLY" signs on them. 

We'll see if taking those prices down helps at all.

But in any case, I had to deal with a customer who gave me quite the puppy dog eyes when I told her that she couldn't buy the display crate she was trying to take up to the front.

"But we're picking up our puppy and we neeeeeeddd it." 

Mhmm you and the twenty other people I've informed the past couple weeks. 

Luckily for her we actually had the crate size she was trying to buy in stock albeit in a different brand...though good news it was the less expensive brand so they ended up saving like $10 or so by buying that one.

But yah.

Hopefully we can get our crates in soon. *fingers crossed*

-Sarnic Dirchi

Work With The Birds

 So there I was. 

Cleaning out the bird cages as that was the bedding change that needed to be done today.

And I have this customer approach and ask.....If I worked with the birds.

Like....yes?

Did you not see me come out of the bird enclosure? Did you not watch me cleaning the glass on our cages? Did you not see me scrubbing at the pans to make sure they're clean before putting fresh bedding on the bottom....like I'm here with the birds in the bird section......Of course I work with them. *shakes head*

I suppose I can get the confusion though. Like I'm pretty sure there's a disconnect with customers when they see me Cleaning as opposed to seeing me just wandering around my department.

As cleaning probably means 'less knowledgeable' in a way. And so they assume I'm just there to clean cages and don't actually know anything about the animals I'm working with.

It's happened before with the rodents and reptiles and fish....so it makes sense it would happen with the birds as well.

*shakes head*

Silly customer. 

-Sarnic Dirchi

The 10 Minute Fish

 Had a couple come into the store looking at the fish.

And after a while they ended up asking the typical fish question of "How long does "X" live?"

Usually we get it with the betta fish.

But today the question was "How long do your Neon Tetras live?"

Like....if you give them a good life? "Ten years." is potentially how long the egg laying fish can live.

And the customer was like "Oh, he *points to companion* thought that they would only live ten minutes!"

Which.. Ha. Ha. Funny.

But at the same time. Can you imagine that? Imagine there being a fish that only lives ten minutes?

I'm pretty sure our store would never carry it if that was the case. Like...we'd have to have a constant influx of thousands if not millions of the fish in order to keep them in stock. 

And us poor workers would be having to fish out dead constantly.

No. It would definitely not be cost effective or worth the hassle to carry a fish that lived so short of a time.

Like...who would even want to buy such a fish??? It could possibly be dead before you left the store, real high chance it wouldn't even make it home if you were able to get in and out real quick....

Like yikes. :S 

Still it's an interesting thought exercise to have. 

-Sarnic Dirchi

I.D. Please

 A group of three teenagers came into the store today and wanted to buy a hamster.

Normally, that isn't a problem...except these particular teenagers didn't quite look like they were 18.

And with no guardian in sight...I asked how old they were.

Their leader proclaimed that she was 18. Which is great and all...but I wasn't quite buying it.

Like. I understand, having a young face myself, that she could definitely be 18 years old or older and just look young.

But to be safe I asked to see her Driver's License. To confirm that she was indeed 18. 

As in order to buy any animals in our store.

You have to be at least 18 years old or else have a guardian with you who can fill out the paperwork.

The leader of the group confidently pulled out her wallet and flipped it open.

And one of her cohorts was like "There it is." and pointed to one part of the wallet.

But the leader quickly flipped her wallet closed and was like "Oh, I left it in the car. We'll be right back."

Yah...that's not totally a red flag right there. *shakes head*

I understand people leaving their wallets in their car by mistake...but shouldn't your license be in your wallet?

In any case. A good fifteen minutes later, two of the girls come back in. No idea where the third went to.

And the girl was like "So, I left my license home apparently, can I show you my student i.d. instead?" 

Ha. *shakes head* No. I shut that down rather quickly. As I know that there are 17 year olds who go to college. I was like "Unfortunately, I need to have a form of i.d. with your date of birth on it." 

So a no go for the student i.d.

The girls were like "Oh, okay. We'll try tomorrow then." And left.

But yah...pretty sure they're not 18.

*shakes head*

We'll see if they actually come back or not.

-Sarnic Dirchi

To The Vet

 I ran some of our animals to the vet this morning. 

Which was kinda different. Showing up at work long enough to gather the animals and place them in their critter totes and then driving off to the vet.

Lol in the premorning light it nearly felt like being on a spy mission. 

Because usually we show up in the midmorning time.

But the vet had mentioned that they were open an hour earlier than my store was.

And with me being the only person in my department...it would be far easier to head out before we opened so I wouldn't have to worry about someone covering my department while I was gone.

Which was a good thing.

Because today was one of those Wednesdays where we had customers in the store right at opening. And some of them immediately needed help in the department with crickets and fish and such.

So it was great that I managed to get to the vet and back before we opened.

Though I had a heart stopping moment when I thought I'd shown up too early despite being told I could come before our store opened, because when I showed up up the lights were dim enough that it looked like the place was dark. 

However, I could see the receptionists inside. And when I grabbed the door it opened for me. And I wasn't scolded for coming in before they were open.

So woot!!

So I was able to drop off our animals to be checked out and return to the store before we opened. 

It was great for a plan to actually work out well. Especially since the morning was slightly busier than expected.

-Sarnic Dirchi

Straws

There's those sort of people that come into the store that you just automatically don't like.

Most recently those particular customers have been the anti-maskers. 

Tonight we had one of those people come into the store.

The slightly more clever type. That uses loopholes to get around the rules.

The Dummy.

This particular anti-masker is the type who you kinda think of as the pretty boy frat boy type. 

Has the looks.

But no brains.

Or well....he has brains. But he's using them for all the wrong reasons. 

As the dude had one of those scarf masks on...but it was around his neck. Not over his nose and mouth.

The reason?

He had a drink in hand. One that had a straw.

And his excuse?

Was that he was 'drinking' his drink. And therefore couldn't wear his mask.

*rolls eyes*

He gave us this reason after we asked him to wear a mask.

And then was petty enough to then keep the straw firmly in his mouth the rest of the time he was in the store.

Like I said. Clever.

But oh so stupid.

*exhales*

Wish he would have used his brains for something more than being a petty anti-masker.

-Sarnic Dirchi

Which Option?

 Had a customer call the store first thing this morning, wanting to know if we did shots for dogs.

Which our vet clinic within the store does shots. But our store itself does not sell them or give them out. 

Unfortunately our phone systems don't quite connect with the vet's phones. 

So the customers need to recall the number and hit the vet option listed. 

The customer today was like "But there wasn't an option for a vet! I called and it sent me here!" 

*exhales*

What that means is that you didn't listen to all the options.

As the vet option is there. 

However with the pandemic corporate has changed the spiel given on the phone for when they're giving you options of which number to press for certain areas of the store. 

It's no longer a quick thing.

They have to give more details on how to do the curbside pick up and how to contact grooming and the like.

So it's like a five minute listening process to hear all the options.

And people are impatient.

So I bet most people just hit 'zero' to get through quicker. And then pretend that 'that option wasn't listed.' 

It is.

I've listened to the spiel.

Though I am tempted to listen to it again so I can memorize which numbers go to which area of the store so I can just tell the customer to call back and hit "#" instead of just vaguely telling them to listen to it and the option will be there.

At the same time...people really should just listen to all the options before deciding that their option isn't there.

-Sarnic Dirchi