Kuma-Chan Receives His First Knitted Scarf.

Actually, this is more of my own very first knitted project. I have practicing techniques a bit, and decided I should use up my remaining yarns (at this point they're were so little in amount they're basically scraps) and it'll turn out to be a multicoloured as expected.

My sistah ordered a set of handmade & handpainted knitting needles - ChiaoGoo Blue Flower Knitting Needles from Etsy.

Packaging, this shit be trippy yo.

Baris, Baarriiisss - SEDIA!

Largest size in the whole wolf pack. This be the knitting needles I used for me project arrr...!!

I think I'll just let pictures do the talking from this point onward.

Before someone comes in with their high horses tryna bash me saying this is poor quality, Imma dish you some facts.

• This is is my ACTUAL FIRST KNITTING PROJECT. I was gauging my technique, tension, and even experimented with rotation.
• I know that first few bit where the yarn change is super visible, and in fact that is not at all how you change yarn colour but change yarn of the same colour.

• Just let it slide this time, mmkay. After all, a professional was once an amateur. 
• I have been studying a lot on knitting, so expect my next work to be a little better.
• For now, shut up and be happy that Kuma-Chan won't be cold at night anymore.

Now go back to your life.

My Retail Re-tale

So.

Pardon the long absence, the dust bunnies on my blog accumulated so much I had to clean it first before posting anything.

So.

I guess those who are close to me isn't a stranger to my first, actual new job that entailed working in retail, in a remainder bookstore.

I won't name it, those who know it, please keep it to yourself. It's in my contract that I agree to not shit about my workplace in the event that I leave it. That's the reason, really.

I have so much to babble about I don't know where to begin really, but it's mainly about the customer service part.

IT SUCKS.

SUCKS BIG TIME LIKE OLD MAN'S BALLS.

I used to be the asshat that laughed at posts in NotAlwaysRight.com. I laughed at the miseries of retail and service workers. Until I became one myself, I hadn't known that the struggle, pain and misery is real.

I was a floor staff, which meant I did the grunt work of removing and reshelving and placement of the books. Despite the physical labour part of it, it was an interesting work, really. You only see the books being placed on the shelf ready for your browsing but you don't know the behind the scenes part of it. I felt blessed to be a part of it. Being the one to unbox the new arrivals also means I get the first glimpses of any awesome new/much sought-after books. =D Believe me when I said I utilized this privilege wholly. =P

I agreed to this job because I was often turned down in job interviews with the same excuse - I don't see any customer service/sales experience. Shall I offer you a [insert low-paying job which I am way overqualified for].

It was distressing and heartbreaking and a tad depressing, to say the least.
I saw my local bookstore has permanent vacancy for the same position I applied and I got the job in like, a jiffy, quite literally.

Or maybe the desperation on my face was evident so they hired me.

I was ecstatic, finally! A job of my own. Something I will earn my keep for.
The first few weeks was tiring but enjoyable. But as it went on, I found myself losing my humanity, my innocence and most of all the light in my eyes, little by little being sucked by fucktards. Read that as customers.

The culture in my workplace is that you have to seek out to teach yourself and learn skills, like Customer Service procedures and Cashiering. Which I proudly declare because I am an introvert and I managed my hatred reluctance for people interaction and sucked it up anyway.

It doesn't take a genius to know that the experience was less than pleasant. Here's some incidents that broke me.

• Cashiering

1. This man had finished his transaction and later came back because he wanted a special promotion book. He slammed the book on the table and asked the book to be included in his previous transaction because he wants his membership discount on that book, which can only be given when the bill of a certain amount. Of course new book would mean a new transaction altogether but this man was recalcitrant, becoming a bully and demands to see the manager. Not wanting to distress other customers I set out to call my manager, even if it means putting my current customer on wait. When I came back, the man was gone and a co-worker had filled in for me. She told that he became embarrassed of his own rowdy behaviour and left without further incidence. This is not the only person who pulls this sort of shit, there were many more, and I suspect there won't be an end to this kiasu attitude.
2. Again, on weekdays, it was customary to have about only one cashier operating at one time as the crowd is substantially lesser than in the weekends. Again, I was the filler as the same coworker had gone to buka puasa. The line was long but at this point I had mastered the cashier system so I was quick to finish the transactions, I would admit the customers didn't wait long at all. Then came this assfucker who, after I had finished his transactions, rudely asked why am I the only cashier? "I had to wait for a long time!". So did the others. I had to tell him the cashiers had all gone to buka puasa and I was the only non-muslim staff available. With a scoff, he turned on his heel. Have a nice day to to you too, sir.
3. I was again the filler for the coworker who had gone to buka puasa, and I suddenly found myself entertaining a long line of customers. Mind you that I was the only cashier available. So it was this lady's turn, she came with her teen-aged daughter and said to me "It's okay, take your time. I am also sometimes slow like you.". Maybe she forgot that calling someone 'slow' in English means calling the other person stupid, or maybe she was well-aware of the nuances and didn't give a fuck because she's an arrogant bitch who had never had to work in retail. If I say I was taken aback would be an understatement because her insult affected me and I messed up her transaction as a result; which didn't help that I was already 'slow' in her eyes. My colleague came to help, luckily the matter was resolved in no time. The 'slow' jab the bitch made didn't help my mood for the rest of my week, so much so I have avoided any cashiering since then. I'd like to preserve what's left of my dignity, thank you.

• Customer Service.

Where do I even begin with this? 

1. We have MANY, disgustingly MANY customers who come in to exchange their books because they no longer find it interesting or that they have bought the wrong copy, or they simply don't want it anymore. We only have return/exchange policies for damaged books, not the cases mentioned above. Because really, in what way is it okay to ask for exchange because you made a mistake? I have been a customer to bookstores too and I wouldn't even think of exchanging a book because I bought the wrong one or somethin'. I'd merely sell them to a 2nd-hand bookstore or give it away as a gift. Books are never a waste. So assfuckers like this come in strolling like they own the joint asking for exchange and we must be really strict in doing so. Guess how many of them left amicably? Count the leaves of a tree in autumn.
2. Sometimes customers bring a plastic-sealed book, and if we don't have a browsing copy we open that copy for 'em. Many a time, the books are the last copies. Customers sometimes demand that the book be sold cheaper than it already is, simply because it is a last copy. If it was slightly damaged or dog-eared, I would have gladly come to some sort of compromise but it if it still brand new, jangan harap lah. This is a remainder bookstore, the books are already dirt cheap. You are not even buying 2nd-hand books, these are original books at an extremely discounted price, what more could you want? Kurangkan bangang. I even have customers who argue with the cashier that they want their perfectly good condition book in lesser price because "no one reads this author anyway". That'll be RM9.90, please. 
3. After purchasing a certain amount, customers can get a free membership. They need to fill out a form, simple enough as it is and the data is key-ed in and voila! You're a member. Most people would feel privileged to have such a simple and quick process but there are those who argue that they don't want to fill up anything, "Just give me the card". This is where I will tunjuk berang and ask in a stern voice "say suppose you forgot your member card, you need only give your name or IC and it will show up in the system and you can enjoy our discounts. If we don't have your particulars, how would we give you your discount?" Grumble, grumble, filling out form, grumble, grumble. Bukan main hegeh nak discount but you're not giving the means to do so? What the hell.
4. We have free gift-wrapping services, and 99% of the time, customers leave with a big smile because not only do they get their books wrapped for free without spending a dime on wrappers, our talented CS staffs does them most prettily. One time, this woman bought a bunch of books - and wanted them gift wrapped in the speed of lightning. "My husband haven't eaten! We're rushing!". I was on floor but I saw that the CS was understaffed, I set out to help. There is an agreement among us staff that obnoxious idiots like this we would get rid of them as quickly as we can. On my defense, this woman was shouting and making a huge fuss that other patrons were starting to get uncomfortable. I started to wrap her books when she stopped me and said "NO, NO, NO! I want them wrapped with a pattern like this!". The more experienced staff has a method of folding the wrappers in a way that the final product has some diagonal lines at the front, which I didn't know how to do. Understandable, because it is her right as a customer to want her books wrapped a certain way. I just couldn't stomach it when she went to my MY BOSS at her workstation and demanded that she leave whatever she is doing and help her wrap her books. She then proceeded to the CASHIERS and told them all to stop what they were doing and asked them to help her wrap her books. Okay, if the cashiers are occupied with her, and other customers want to make their purchase, who the fuck is gonna do the transactions, I wonder? Kurangkan bangang. At last her husband has had enough of her ridiculous antiques and probably told her to behave in Chinese because she quieted down after that. This was the most ridiculous incident in CS I had ever come across. 
5. The customer who just couldn't find his/her items when it is just on eye-level and complaint that we gave them the wrong info. I encounter this particular species all the time and I am not ashamed to say I will make it a point to escort their sorry ass to the shelf and pointed say "It's right here, how could you have missed it?" and walk-away. Rude, I know. Whatever, I have never liked people except for a selected few. Mind you, those who do come back and were super nice/sweet about not being able to find their book, I would gladly bring them the book and get the nicest copy for them from the shelf. It's the asshole ones that I would tunjuk berang, the nice ones memang I would go all out to help. 

Working in retail had allowed me to open my eyes to a whole new thing, diminishing my ignorance for the better. I am now well-aware what people in the service industry had to put up and shamefully, I might have contributed in being an asshole customer before my wonderful existential experience in my latest workplace. It's the one thing I must thank my workplace for - is to open my eyes and make me into a more decent fucking human being. I will never, ever again be needlessly kiasu to servers. People behind the counters are human beings. Arguing with them doesn't get you anywhere. They don't have the power to decide anything more advance than their job specs. If you give them hell of a time, I hope that's where you will end up when you die in the future. 

Protip for asshole customers. Siapa makan cili, dia rasa pedas.

• Don't argue with the cashier. They only finish up your transactions. Don't tell them that they're 'slow' or 'hurry up' or god forbid, demand a discount because you were made to wait for your turn like everyone else. Always remember she/he might new to this and is learning the best way she/he can. Every expert was once an amateur too. 
• Don't let off steam to people in the service industry because you had a bad day, we did nothing to deserve the brunt end of your pissbaby mood.
• Don't publicly humiliate CS personells or floor staffs (I have never been in this situation as a floor staff, just in CS and cashiering), it says more about you than it does about the staff. Ponder on that. 
• Leave your kiasu attitude at home, we are Malaysians, not Singaporeans. If anything, we Malaysians are famous for being friendly and amiable. Live up to the reputation, please.
• Don't ask for discount if it is the last copy of the item. You don't get brownie points for graciously accepting a last copy. You pay up like everyone else. Unless the item is in less than savoury condition, allow me to speak with my supervisor to give you your money's worth. 
• If the store is obviously using computers for everything, don't take it out on the staff when the system is not at its best. If the computer is lagging or simply having a bad connection, we are as helpless as you. Don't you ever had computers or phones that simply wouldn't work that particular day for some strange reason? 
• If the store is near closing, don't bring your ass sauntering around our store because retail has a 9-hour shift and the staffs are tired. Have a heart. Don't be a 5-minute pest. 

I am yet again jobless. Like I said, I just want this to job as a experience. My research told me potentials with experience in retail have a high chance of being hired in other job industries so I am counting on that. 

This gif succinctly describes my before-after state working in retail.

This had been a angst-filled, rant-y post, an honest re-account my experience in retail. Not all of it was unpleasant, my coworkers are the sunniest, happiest and friendliest bunch I have had the privilege to get to know. My coworkers literally made things easier for me. I am forever indebted to them for being so awesome at their jobs. 

For your perusal. 

a) 8 Infuriating Customer Types.