Early Morning Call

It was just after 7:30 am this morning.
I was in the middle of my opening tasks.
Making sure that cages are clean, animals fed, given water, etc.

When all of a sudden....my phone rings.
The work phone specifically.
Which I really don't need to have on me until the store opens.
but to save me from having to remember to grab it later.
I grab it when I come into work.
As on occasion I actually need to answer it, in case like a coworker calls in sick or something.

But it's not really for customers to call, until after we open.
And for the most part...people don't call until we open.
Or if they do call, it's like within the half hour before we open.

But no, just after 7:30 this morning.
I got a call.
With it being that early, I automatically assumed that it was a coworker, because who else would be calling my department that early?

So I answered it.
And it was a customer.
With like a hundred questions about her fish tank that she has.
One she apparently just got from a friend.
And really knows nothing about.

She was calling to ask why her water gets cloudy.
Because it's only been set up for like a week maybe two if I remember right. A newer tank in anycase.
So she was calling to see if we had any chemicals she could put in the water, to make it clear again. Which we do.
But I continued asking questions.

And it turns out she's been cleaning out the filter like every other day.
Which....isn't good.
Cleaning out the filter means that she's basically just stirring up the bacteria (both beneficial and not beneficial) which would then cloud up her water.

I thought it might be something like that. New tanks are often cloudy because the water is all stirred up. Bacteria, dust, other particles in the water.
Stuff that will filter out after a bit....
If she had the filter in the water.

Turns out. She didn't have the filter cartridge within the filter itself.
The cartridge that contains carbon, which basically helps to keep the water clearer....and filters out any other harmful particles....should be in the filter itself.
*shakes head*
Without that....you're just circulating water. Not helpful at all.

The girl didn't seem to quite understand that.
And was like 'Do you carry different types of carbon for different types of problems in your tank? Like if you have ick...it's a certain carbon?"
No.
The answer is no.
Carbon is carbon. It's charcoal. It filters. *shakes head*
It helps to clean the water, but if you have ick, parasitic, fungal, or bacteria or other problems in that range in your tank....it's liquid treatments. Not carbon.

In any case.
I finally answered all her random questions.
Hung up.

Only to have her call back again 15 minutes later.
To ask more questions.
Like "What does the water conditioner do exactly?"
*rolls eyes*
Well....if you read the instructions and information ON THE BOTTLE.
Then you'd know that the Water Conditioner dechlorinates your tap water.
Aka. It takes the Chlorine out of our Tap Water, makes it safe for fish.
And depending on which type of water conditioner was bought.
It can also take out some of the heavy metals that can be harmful to fish.
It can also provide beneficial nutrients to the fish, help their slime coat (protective covering that keeps them from getting sick) stay in tact, soothe them. Etc.

All information that is provided on the container the water conditioner comes in.
*shakes head*
It's amazing how many people just want easy answers. When the answers are all in front of them.
Read the instructions. Read what the bottle says. And guess what! It tells you what it does!
Gah.
I wasted like half an hour of my pre-opening time talking to this customer about her fish! When really, I didn't need to until we opened.

Ugh.
Note to self: If a person calls asking for the 'fish expert' or any other 'expert' in my department before we open, then I'm going to tell them. "Sorry, they don't come in until we open. Call back then."
Because honestly. People should learn to read the Store Hours on the website/and door. And know that they shouldn't expect to get any help until then. It's why we're not open 24/7! We have 'down time' where we aren't expected to help customers and are expected to get our tasks done, get the store clean, looking presentable. Have all our products on the shelves. Have them all lined up nicely. Etc. We can't do that if customers don't pay attention to our hours of operation! Gah!

Honestly.
Why was this customer even AWAKE at 7:30 am?
I mean, I get it. People are awake then. I mean, I was awake.
But Why would their thoughts be at 7:30 in the MORNING, to be "Let's call up the Pet Store and ask them a million questions!"

Wait until people should actually be awake. When stores actually open.
I mean, no store really opens before 8. Most stores open at 10!

Yah.... hopefully she doesn't get the idea to call again tomorrow morning.

-Sarnic Dirchi