Fed up :(

SuperTed7

I've recently started working for a big company as a Christmas temp. I really love the job and I was hoping I'd be kept on after Christmas.

However, I'm getting a bit fed up of how the other colleagues are treating me.

I work on the tills and only had 2 hours of till training. I feel I have picked everything up quickly and only ask for a superviser's ID code when I need it. When I first started, I obviously needed help with refunds and exchanges etc. Some staff were lovely and really helpful. Other staff tutted at me and I felt like a huge problem. I know it's not their place to train me but when a superviser is unavailable they fail to remember that they were once trainees!

A woman asked me if she could exchange the coat she had for another one and asked if I could keep the coat behind the desk while she went to look for a different one. I said no problem because I had noticed the other colleagues had done this. I then had 3 till staff telling me 'to tell them if i put anything behind' and that I was wrong for doing it. All this was in front of the customer and she even said 'Oh, had a row have you?' I have never felt so awkward in my life.

Then, I got called into the office by an office worker and told that a customer had complained about me smelling of body odour. I had showered that morning and just sprayed deoderant while on my break. I haven't received a name badge so I don't know how the customer could have specified that it was me :S I was majorly embarrassed, upset and became really self-conscious but even the office worker said she couldn't smell it.

I then noticed another colleague was called into the office and came out crying. I'm wondering if she was told the same thing, if so, how did the customer complain about the two of us?

I'm getting fed up of the 'rows' and comments now. I love the job and I'm disappointed that I'm left feeling like this.

Does anyone have any advice for me?

Carl31

develop yourself a tougher shell, you get idiots in any job, they're the ones that wont get anywhere

Do your job to a decent standard, make sure you use proper channels for any formal matters and you will be fine

LL30

I'm a bit like you, I don't like petty behaviour and general stupidity but unfortunately it comes part and parcel with interacting with others. I have developed a really good technique when dealing with idiots, it goes like this: When said idiot starts mouthing off and making you feel like you've done something wrong, sing a song in your head whilst smiling, once they've finished their nonsense talk, continue to smile, say thank you and continue with your day....It's not easy, but you get very good at it

There'll always be wonkers I'm afraid, if you love the job, that's fantastic, keep focussed on that and sing your little brain out xx

doodoot

The next time that a colleague makes a comment in front of a customer, look at the customer with an apologetic smile, turn to the colleague and say in a loud-enough-to-be-heard-by-the-customer voice, "it's not very professional to speak about something work-related in front of a customer, can we discuss it later please?".

You will find that staff are always off-key with temps as they don't like the intrusion and see the temps as taking away extra hours that perm staff could be doing.

Hopefully you will be given a perm job after Christmas, and you settle into a comfortable routine there.

:beer:

McKneff

Just a tip,

If youve had a shower in the morning, put your deo on then, straight away, you may have got a bit of odour between then and your break,
Deodorant i doesnt cover the smell, its to stop it smelling in the first place. By the time its break time its too late.
No offence is meant.

SuperTed7

McKneff wrote: »

Just a tip,

If youve had a shower in the morning, put your deo on then, straight away, you may have got a bit of odour between then and your break,
Deodorant i doesnt cover the smell, its to stop it smelling in the first place. By the time its break time its too late.
No offence is meant.

I obviously used deoderant after a shower, I meant i re-applied in my break, three hours after my shower.

McKneff

Well my apologies but it isnt what you actually said in your post,

Louise03

I hate this sort of nasty behaviour. Do you know what i think Superted07? I think the "customer complaint" was a set-up from one of your petty collegues. They probably got a friend to make the complaint.

It sounds like you are doing really well and you will be gaining more and more experience, especially with the busy run up to Christmas.

SuperTed7

Louise03 wrote: »

I hate this sort of nasty behaviour. Do you know what i think Superted07? I think the "customer complaint" was a set-up from one of your petty collegues. They probably got a friend to make the complaint.

It sounds like you are doing really well and you will be gaining more and more experience, especially with the busy run up to Christmas.

That's exactly what I thought, especially when I didn't have a name badge and another person got upset about being called in (probably for the same reason). The two of us couldn't have been complained about, about the same thing surely?

Just made me upset because I'm one of these people who really look after themselves. I'm going to be really paranoid about even lifting my arm.

I just hope they'll get over bullying the 'newbie'

persa

SuperTed7 wrote: »

Just made me upset because I'm one of these people who really look after themselves. I'm going to be really paranoid about even lifting my arm.

You said you put more deodorant on, only three hours after showering. Did you put more on because you felt uncomfortable and wanted to freshen up? If you actually need to reapply deodorant after a few hours, you probably need to trade in your current deodorant for something stronger.

Apologies if I've caused offence, I couldn't work out from your post if you did need to do something about your BO or if you were just getting picked on for the sake of it. Hope you take this in the spirit in which it's intended!

Re the other points, if you feel a colleague is being mean to you away from the public, take it on the chin. It may feel personal, but that doesn't mean it is. Do you really think your colleagues are making nasty comments to you because you're a horrible person, or because they're horrible people and would make these kinds of comments to anyone? You're just convenient. Don't let them upset you, always thank them for pointing out your 'errors' and smile sweetly at all times. Be the better person!

If a colleague is rude to you in customer earshot, as advised above, tell them that you don't think it's appropriate to have this conversation on the floor with customers listening, but you would like to continue it later, maybe in 30 minutes, when the queues have quietened down.

If you enjoy the job, don't let a couple of idiots drive you out of it. Continue to work hard and prove your worth. Who knows, if things go well, you may end up managing these people one day. Now there's a happy thought to cling to.

SuperTed7

persa wrote: »

You said you put more deodorant on, only three hours after showering. Did you put more on because you felt uncomfortable and wanted to freshen up? If you actually need to reapply deodorant after a few hours, you probably need to trade in your current deodorant for something stronger.

Apologies if I've caused offence, I couldn't work out from your post if you did need to do something about your BO or if you were just getting picked on for the sake of it. Hope you take this in the spirit in which it's intended!

I just put more on then because I knew I had the rest of my shift to go and I just like smelling nice haha. I didn't feel like I had odour or anything

I can't even believe I'm worrying so much over it. I've never had a problem with body odour and now because of one comment I've become so paranoid.