My manager said that to me this afternoon, after I had two different ‘situations’ with customers. So, what is WRONG with that statement? Isn’t it the season of peace and joy, or something?

Look, I will tell you a secret. It may be too late to help this year, but next year, you’ll be golden if you know it.

Next year, Christmas will be on December 25th.

Also, having things custom made requires forethought. And Time. Like, more than a few hours. Hint, if you want something custom made, coming to the sales counter with all the information and all the relevant details and materials means I don’t have to bore you with a game of 20 Questions. Especially if you start thinking I am asking them of you just to piss you off.  Really, if you WANT me to quote a price, I do need to have information on the items you want made. I have to enter the information into the computer. I don’t create the prices in my head.

Trust me, I would rather be working on the orders that were placed in time for Christmas, rather than trying to pull teeth getting you to give me usable information. And really, does it qualify as rude to ask you, on December 20th, if you wanted this order for Christmas, before wasting an hour of your time, only to discover that hey, we are totally unable to fulfill your order this late? (Our last UPS delivery is tomorrow.)

(Oh, and really, a good way to NOT start an interaction with me is to say, when I greet you with a smile, “YOU were rude to me last year. I remember you.” Yeah, it went down hill from there.)

Peace and joy, they say…. Four more days, I say.

(end of rant.)