Typical Pet Peeves

I will treat you all with a list of my pet peeves. Im pretty sure many people can relate to this, whether it is retail or any other jobs that deals with a bunch of stupid people that cannot follow directions. Oh yeah, lets not forget common sense...

• SIMPLE INSTRUCTIONS- They are right in front of your face and you cannot follow them... WHY!? Example? Here is one...

Customer: The washer aint startin! (with an attitude)

Lil- LaundryGirl: Well, did you close the door and latch it so it could start?

Customer: Yah and it aint startin. Put da quarters in and all.

LLG: Okies, show me your washer and I will help you.

Customer: Its that one. (Mind you, she does not point to the washer nor is she leading)

LLG: Please, show me which one.

So we walk to the washer to only find that she did not close the door nor latch it. Great right? NO! The customer snapped back that she did all that and I pointed out to her that next to the door handle, there is a diagram AND instructions on how to close the washer. Mind you, there are also instructions on how to function a washer. Now some customers that have the same problem, do not give me an attitude but they do admit to their incompetance and thus in return I say "its okay, it happens to the best of us." Yes, only nice customers get that line because they make my life easy.

• CHANGE MACHINE- There is a reason we have that. Its to change the bills into quarters this way the customer can "cleanse" their laundry. It is really helpful... until someone comes up to me at the front of the store and "requests" assitance with the change machine or "demands" quarters. Want an example? Well... whether you want one or not, you are getting one!

Customer: The change machine isn't working. Can you change this for me?

LLG: Is the machine blinking a red light or does it say "out of order?"

Customer: No.

LLG: Well, okay... then it should be working. Lets go over to the machine together and make it work.

So we take a short stroll together and during that short stroll im thinking to myself "why me?" and I bet the other person was thinking "do I need to dye my hair?".... and if she wasn't thinking that, she really needed to. Its not my place to say though and I didn't feel like getting slapped that day. Anyways, I insert the dollar bill into the machine and guess what?! IT WORKED! Oh lord have mercy! I can perform miracles! Praise me I say!... the lady said "You have the magic touch" I said "No, its called following the directions right under the bill slot which shows you which way the bill goes. Follow this and it will work!" She didn't catch onto my patronizing (I rarely patronize but I must have been pms'ing that week to do so). She thanked me and apologized for her incompetance. I walked away after I flashed her a smile (gotta be nice!) and went my merry way to assist the customer in the front... which brings me to the third pet peeve...

• ALLERGIC TO BLEACH OR SOFTNER???: Normally people know what they are allergic to but believe it or not, some don't. When I ask people if they are allergic to bleach or softner, I do it because I care ( believe it or not, I do! I wouldn't want to live with a rash or see my death bed before my time). Majority of the people are allergic to these two things to the point where they might even die. I really should not have to ask since it is the customers responsibility, but I do. Especially if they are new customers and I do not know them. The common answer I get is a "yes or no"... but 45% of time (yes I pulled that percentage out of my ass) I get "I don't know"... well... if you don't know they you really aren't allergic or you just never washed your clothes... I will go with the first. So to be safe, I put VERY LITTLE bleach and/or softner to clean the clothes but to not irritate the skin. Thats my dermatology side thinking. Its a pet peeve because its a simple question with a two second answer but it ends up being a 30 minute discussion. I kid you not.

• LAST WASH IS AT 8PM!- Not 8:01 and not 8:02. The answer will forever be "NO YOU CANNOT DO YOUR WASH AND PLEASE LOOK AT OUR TIMES BEFORE YOU COME HERE. I HAVE A LIFE AND WANT TO GO HOME TOO." Sometimes I would love to insert "next time, don't scratch your balls/ass and get here on time!" Bless those who come before 8pm to wash.

• LAST MINUTE DRY CLEANING: Its 6pm. Of course you cannot have your dry cleaning at 6:30pm. Thank you and come again.

• SOCKS: Stop complaining that you are missing socks. Its not my fault you either leave them under your bed/couch or the washer monster ate them. Last time I checked, I do not wear YOUR socks.... or your underwear so STOP ASKING ME!
  
• BITCHY CUSTOMERS: I get these a lot. I bet some of you who work in retail or in any other type of job get them too. They are not fun but they are entertaining. Example? SURE!

Customer: Someone stole my 3 bikinis!

LLG: Well, where did you leave them and where were you?

Customer: On the table to dry and I walked out for 30 mins to get a coffee and a bagel with my husband.

LLG: Well, there is your problem! We are not responsible for any missing or stolen items. Next time, please be aware of your belongings and by leaving them like that, they are bound to be taken most likely. It rarely to never happens here for someone to take anothers persons stuff but even so, please be responsible.

Customer: HOW DARE YOU TELL ME YOU ARE NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMEONE TAKING MY BIKINIS!

LLG: Ma'am... if someone returns them, I will be more than happy to return them to you.

Customer: Yeah, like someone is going to retrun 200 dollar bathing suits.

I get a lot of these customers. Two months later she sarcastically asks me if someone brough back the bathing suits. Of course, I did not deserve such an attitude so I bit back with "Are you being more careful with your stuff? I hope you are because I don't want someone taking your 300 dollar underwear. She got pissed but oh well. She is still a customer. It pays to be a clean laundromat.

There are many more pet peeves and the list could go on but as I blog about the wonderful world of laundry, I might add a pet peeve as a bonus.

Introduction

It all started nine years ago, when my parents decided to open their own business. Out of all their ideas (coffee shop, Dunkin Donuts, Dry Cleaners, and Laundromat), they decided upon the laundromat. At that time, I was just finishing High School and working at a pediatric dental office... my boss was psychotic towards me and the little monsters/angels. Openning a laundromat seemed like a great idea! My first thought was "sweet! I don't have to work with a psychopath going into menopause!" and " I finally get to work a cash register!"... yes, cash registers are awesome, until they break on you and you have to manually open the cash drawer (we are currently on our second cash register... we need to get another one).

When the family owned laundromat first opened in Astoria, Queens, people came in and loved the smell of "new" as well as our friendliness. I thought to myself "this is easy! Whoever says its hard, means that they don't know how to handle their customers.".... Boy was I wrong. Nice or not to the customers, you have customers that are psychotic or just miserable. Of course I have the occassional nice person walk into the door with a smile and warm greeting- which is great! These "nice" customers are also the ones that take the time to UNDERSTAND when the proper service cannot be executed or they know when it is their fault for leaving their items unattended.

First couple nine months of the laundromat opening were great! After that, shit hit the fan and thus I introduce to you the next asylum... My Laundromat*.

*I will not identify which laundromat for personal reasons and basically, not to piss anyone off. Then again, it would not matter since names aren't being named. Ha!

-Lil-LaundryGirl.