Strangers At My Work
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I was a bit surprised to see the man who had been sitting at my desk for the last few days. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him from where or when. His name tag said “John” and he wore a suit that made me think of an accountant. It wasn’t until we shook hands that it all came back to me: John was one of the men who interviewed me before I got this job.
He smiled as if he remembered our meeting too. “Hello again,” he said with his usual pleasant tone. “It’s good to see you.”
“You’re looking well,” I replied. “How have things been going?”
“Well enough,” he answered. “We’ve got some new clients lately, so business is picking up. We’ll be able to hire more people soon.”
That sounded like great news! Maybe they’d even let me work in another department once I proved myself here. That would mean less time in reception and more time doing what I loved—helping customers find their way around the store.
As we walked down the hall toward my office, John told me about how much he enjoyed working there. “The company has really grown over the past couple of years,” he explained. “And now that we’re getting bigger, it’s easier than ever to get promoted. You know, if you want to move into management.”
I nodded politely while thinking about how nice it would be to make more money. But then I wondered whether I could handle being responsible for other employees. Would I be able to manage them? Or would I end up making mistakes that cost the company money?
When we reached my door, John stopped and turned to face me. “So, are you ready to start helping out today?” he asked.
I hesitated. “Um… do you need any help?”
“Oh no!” he exclaimed. “There’s nothing for you to worry about. Just sit behind your desk and answer phones.”
Relieved, I thanked him and went inside. As I sat down, I noticed something strange: The chair felt different. It was softer and more comfortable than the ones in the other offices. And it smelled like fresh flowers!
I took off my coat and hung it up next to mine. Then I put on my headset and picked up the phone. A customer called right away, asking me where a particular item might be located. After directing her to the correct aisle, she thanked me and hung up.
Then someone else called. This time, the woman wanted to return an item. She didn’t seem upset, though, which was unusual. Usually, angry customers were yelling at us by the second ring.
After listening to the caller explain why she needed to exchange her purchase, I gave her instructions on how to go about returning the product. When she finished talking, I apologized for not having the item in stock and promised to refund her money immediately.
A third call came in just after that. This time, the person on the line seemed confused about the price of an item. I tried to explain the difference between the regular and sale prices, but the customer kept interrupting me. Finally, I ended the conversation abruptly.
“Sorry,” I muttered. “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”
My supervisor overheard me and frowned. “What happened?” he asked.
“She was rude,” I explained. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” he said firmly. “Just remember to stay calm and polite when dealing with difficult customers.”
I nodded. “Yes, sir.”
By the end of the day, I had handled three calls without any problems. One of the women who worked in the accounting department complimented me on my professionalism. “You did a great job handling those calls,” she said. “Keep up the good work!”
I smiled and thanked her. Then I headed home feeling proud of myself.
***
A New Job
The next morning, I arrived at work early. I wanted to make sure everything was perfect before my first shift started.
But when I entered the building, I saw that the reception area was empty. No one greeted me. There weren’t even any customers waiting to talk to me.
Confused, I wandered through the halls, searching for anyone who might be able to tell me what was happening. I passed several offices, but none of the doors were open. All I found were closed signs hanging from the doorknobs.
Finally, I spotted a group of people standing outside the main entrance. They must have been the managers because they all wore suits and ties. I recognized a few of them, including John. He waved to me as I approached.
“Good morning,” he said. “Welcome to the team!”
His smile made me feel better. “Thanks,” I replied.
John introduced me to everyone else in the group. Most of them already knew each other, since they’d come together from various departments within the company.
“This is Tom,” he said, pointing to a man with short brown hair. “He’s the assistant manager.”
Tom shook my hand. “Nice to meet you,” he said. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”
“Really?” I asked. “From whom?”
“Everyone,” he answered. “We’re very excited to have you join our team.”
“Thank you,” I responded. “It feels good to finally be here.”
“Great!” Tom said. “Now that you’re officially part of the team, we can show you around.”
“Where should I begin?” I asked.
“Let’s start with the break room,” he suggested. “That way, you’ll get to know some of the other employees.”
I followed him into the hallway. We walked past several rooms until we reached the back corner of the building. There, we found a small kitchenette with two stools and a table.
“Have a seat,” Tom told me. “I’ll grab us some coffee.”
While he was gone, I looked around the room. On one wall, there was a large calendar with pictures of famous landmarks. Next to it, I noticed a bulletin board covered in colorful flyers. Some of the posters advertised sales or events going on in the store. Others offered tips on how to save money while shopping.
When Tom returned with the coffee, I thanked him and took a sip. It tasted wonderful—much better than the instant stuff I usually drank at home.
“So, what do you think so far?” Tom asked.
“It’s nice,” I admitted. “Much nicer than the break room at my old job.”
“Yeah, this place has really improved over the years,” he agreed. “And now that we’re expanding, things are only going to get better.”
“How many new stores will you open?” I asked.
“Right now, we’re planning to add ten more locations across the country,” he explained. “Once we finish hiring, training, and opening the new stores, we’ll probably need another hundred people to help out.”
“Wow,” I said. “Do you guys plan to hire a lot of people like me?”
“Maybe,” he said. “There aren’t any openings right now, but if you keep doing well, I’m sure you’ll be considered for future positions.”
“Okay,” I said. “I hope so.”
After finishing my coffee, I thanked Tom again and went back to the front desk. When I got there, I saw that the phone was ringing.
“Hello?” I answered. “Can I help you?”
“Hi,” a woman said. Her voice sounded familiar, but I couldn’t quite place where I’d heard it before. “My name is Mrs. Smith. I called earlier today about an order I placed online.”
“Oh yes,” I said. “I remember you. What can I do for you?”
“Well, I just received my package,” she explained. “But I don’t understand why I didn’t receive the items I ordered.”
“What kind of products did you buy?” I asked. “Did you purchase anything from our catalogs? Or maybe something from the website?”
Mrs. Smith hesitated. “Actually, no,” she said. “I bought a set of sheets from your competitor.”
“Ah,” I said. “You mean the company that makes those awful bed-in-a-bag sets?”
She laughed. “Yes! That’s the one.”
“They’re terrible,” I agreed. “Their sheets never fit properly. And their pillows always end up flat after a couple months.”
“Exactly,” she said. “Which is why I decided to try your brand instead.”
“I see,” I said. “Unfortunately, we don’t sell any bedding products. Our company sells clothing, shoes, and accessories.”
“Oh,” she said. “Then I guess I won’t be ordering from you again.”
“Are you sure?” I asked. “Because I could give you a refund.”
“No thanks,” she replied. “I’ll stick with the company that actually offers quality merchandise.”
“All right then,” I said. “If you change your mind, please let me know.”
As soon as she hung up, I put the phone down and turned to Tom. “I think I know who that call was from,” I said. “The lady who complained about her bed-in-a-bag set.”
“Who is she?” he asked.
“Her name is Mrs. Smith,” I explained. “She works at the department store next door.”
“Oh yeah,” he said. “I remember hearing about that. She’s been complaining all week.”
“Apparently, she doesn’t like our prices,” I added. “Or maybe she thinks we have poor customer service. Either way, she seems pretty unhappy.”
“Why does she shop here anyway?” Tom wondered. “We’re not even in competition.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe she likes the convenience of having everything under one roof.”
Tom shook his head. “I doubt that,” he said. “Most customers would rather go somewhere else if they had a choice.”
“True,” I conceded. “Still, I wish she wouldn’t complain so much. We’ve already lost two other potential customers because of her.”
“That’s too bad,” Tom said. “I wonder what she wants us to do about it.”
“I don’t know,” I said. “Maybe we should ask her when she comes into the store tomorrow.”
“Good idea,” he said. “Let me talk to my boss about it later tonight.”
A few minutes later, I finished taking care of Mrs. Smith’s return request and closed out her account. Then I headed back to the front desk to start on my shift report. As I worked, I thought about how nice it felt to finally be getting some recognition for my hard work. It wasn’t easy being a cashier, especially since most of my coworkers were older than me. But I knew I was good at my job, which made it easier to deal with them. Plus, I liked working here. The atmosphere reminded me a little bit of my old high school. Everyone seemed friendly, and everyone treated each other fairly.
When I finished writing up my shift report, I sent it over to Tom via email. He responded almost immediately, telling me that he’d passed along my suggestion to the manager.
“Thanks,” I wrote back. “I appreciate it.”
“Don’t mention it,” he replied. “It’s nothing.”
“Yeah, right,” I teased. “I bet you’re glad I came to work here.”
“Of course!” he insisted. “Otherwise, you might still be stuck behind that register.”
“Ha ha,” I said. “Very funny.”
After that, I went home and took a long, hot shower. By the time I got dressed, it was late afternoon. I grabbed a quick snack, then sat down at my computer to check my email. When I saw a message from Tom, I opened it right away.
Subject: Re: Your Suggestion
Hey, I talked to the manager, and he agrees that we need to do something about Mrs. Smith. So, starting tomorrow, we’re going to make an announcement every morning before we open the doors.
Here’s what I want you to say:
Hi there, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the new and improved J. Jill. If you haven’t heard, we recently changed our name to reflect the fact that we carry more than just women’s clothes. In addition to our great selection of dresses, pantsuits, blouses, and skirts, we also offer a wide variety of men’s shirts, jeans, sweaters, and suits. And now that we’ve expanded our product line, we can provide you with better value than ever before.
So, come on in and take a look around. You never know what you might find.
Okay? Good luck!
P.S. Don’t forget to smile.
I read through the message three times, making sure I understood exactly what Tom wanted me to say. Then I printed off a copy and left it on my desk. After that, I logged onto Facebook to catch up with friends online. A few minutes later, I received another email from Tom.
Subject: Re: Your Suggestion
Great news! The manager says this will help keep Mrs. Smith happy.
He told me to remind you to smile while you’re saying it.
I laughed out loud when I read that part. “Smile?” I typed back. “You mean like this?”
Then I pulled up my webcam and showed him my best fake grin.
***
Later that night, I lay in bed thinking about the upcoming changes at J. Jill. I couldn’t wait to see how things turned out. I hoped that Mrs. Smith would be satisfied with the results.
As I drifted off to sleep, I smiled to myself. Maybe, after all these years, I was finally going to get the recognition I deserved.
⁂
The next day, I arrived early at the store to prepare for opening. Before I could start my shift report, however, the manager walked by my desk and asked me to follow him into his office.
“What’s going on?” I wondered as I followed him inside.
“We have a problem,” he said without preamble.
My stomach dropped. What kind of problem did he think I caused?
“Mrs. Smith is complaining again,” he explained.
Oh no. Not again.
“She thinks we’re trying to steal her business,” he continued. “And she’s threatening to tell everyone about it.”
“But that’s ridiculous!” I exclaimed. “Why would we do that?”
“Well, I don’t know,” he admitted. “That’s why I’m asking you to talk to her.”
“Me?” I echoed. “Are you serious?”
“Yes,” he answered. “I want you to explain to her that we’re not stealing anyone’s business. We’re simply expanding our offerings so that we can serve our customers better.”
“All right,” I agreed reluctantly. “I’ll try to calm her down.”
“Good,” he said. “Now go ahead and finish your shift report.”
Once I had completed my paperwork, I headed toward the customer service area. As I approached the front door, I noticed Mrs. Smith standing outside, talking to one of the other employees. She looked angry.
“Hello, Mrs. Smith,” I called out. “How are you today?”
“Not good,” she snapped. “They’re stealing my business.”
“Who’s ‘they’?” I asked.
“J. Jill,” she replied. “It’s their policy to steal people’s business. They’re doing it to me, too.”
“Really?” I said. “I didn’t realize they were targeting you specifically. But if that’s true, I promise you that we aren’t trying to steal your business. We just want to give our customers more options.”
“More options?” she scoffed. “Like what?”
“Well, we’ve added some new lines of clothing,” I began. “Including men’s wear, which means we can outfit both men and women.”
“Men’s wear?” she repeated skeptically. “Is that what you call it?”
“No, ma’am,” I corrected her gently. “It’s called menswear. Men’s fashion.”
“Whatever,” she muttered. “Just remember that you stole my business, and I won’t shop here anymore.”
With that, she stormed away.
“Wow,” I murmured to myself as I watched her leave. “That went well.”
“Didn’t it?” the manager asked.
“Yeah,” I sighed. “Let’s hope she doesn’t spread rumors about us.”
“Don’t worry,” he assured me. “If she does, I’ll deal with it.”
“Thanks,” I said gratefully.
After that, I spent the rest of my shift helping customers and keeping an eye on the sales floor. When the closing time rolled around, I packed up my things and headed home.
When I got there, I found my mom waiting for me.
“Hi, honey,” she greeted me. “How was work?”
“Fine,” I answered. “Nothing special happened.”
“That’s good,” she said. “I’m glad to hear it.”
“So am I,” I responded. “By the way, I brought something back for you.”
“For me?” she asked excitedly. “What is it?”
“A dress,” I told her. “From J. Jill.”
“Oh, wow!” she exclaimed. “Where did you find it?”
“At work,” I explained. “Remember how I mentioned that we’d expanded our offerings?”
“Of course, I remember,” she chuckled. “But I thought you meant that we now carry men’s clothes.”
“No, Mom,” I laughed. “We also sell women’s clothes.”
“Women’s clothes?” she repeated incredulously. “You mean, like dresses?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “Dresses.”
“Well, that’s great,” she said. “I guess I should get used to the idea, huh?”
“Sure,” I agreed. “But let’s not rush into anything. You might change your mind once you see them.”
“I doubt that,” she insisted. “I love dresses.”
“Okay then,” I smiled. “Here’s your dress.”
“Thank you,” she said happily. “I’ll put it on right away.”
“Great,” I said. “I’ll be in my room.”
As soon as I closed the bedroom door behind me, I flopped onto my bed and started thinking about what had just happened at work.
Mrs. Smith seemed convinced that J. Jill was trying to steal her business. And since she wasn’t willing to give us a chance, I doubted she’d ever shop here again.
On the other hand, maybe she wouldn’t tell anyone about it. After all, she hadn’t done so when I first told her about the expansion.
The End