“Older and More Aggressive”

There is something to be said for getting older (that is older and not old). It seems the older I get the less inclined I am to just accept things at face value. In the past when I didn’t agree with something I usually just kept quiet about it unless it was a very major issue. I mean why make mountains out of molehills.

But today I find myself asserting myself more. For example I no longer tolerate incompetence in the work place if I can help it. Case in point, I went to my local supermarket a few weeks ago to buy some groceries. The store I went to is my favorite place to shop as I know most of the employees and also know where items are located in the store. I also like the fact that if you buy enough groceries you get a reduction in gasoline at the pump. To my mind that is a win-win situation.

Trouble began when I went to the area where juice is kept and there was no “Campbell’s Tomato Juice.” Now I drink tomato juice like it is going out of style. I love it, always have. I also like the fact it is supposed to be a very healthy drink and I don’t eat or drink that much which is healthy.

I stopped one of the managers and asked him why they were out of this product. His answer was it had probably been discontinued. To this I asked him why. His response was he wasn’t sure. To this I asked if he could find out. His answer then was he had only been working at the store for three months and didn’t have an answer.

I was so frustrated by his lack of information, and his general lack of enthusiasm to help, that I left the store and drove across town to a newer store and found my tomato juice. But my elation didn’t last long. A few weeks later I went into the store to get my tomato juice again and they had none on the shelves in this new store. I was beginning to smell a conspiracy.

I strode to the front desk and asked why there was no tomato juice of my brand. They had the store brand product but not Campbell’s. This time I got the right person to answer my question. The manager looked up the information on the computer and then began to make some phone calls. While he was waiting for an answer he turned to me and said, “Mr. Cooper, if you will give me your address I will go get this tomato juice and bring it to your house.”

I assured him that was not necessary but thanked him for his offer. He then got some information by phone and said the juice would be in the store in two days time. I pointed to the sign at the front of the store which read, “We will never intentionally disappoint you” and told him that he had lived up to that vow.

In two days I went back to the store and there on the floor behind the front counter was a case of tomato juice – the kind I like. I quickly told them I did not need a whole case and was laughingly told just to get as much as I wanted and the rest would be put on the shelf.

I got three containers and went out of the store a happy man. I was happy about the juice and I was happy about the courtesy and cooperation the store had shown me. They had won me over as a customer with just this one act.

The lesson too is I had raised the issue and it had been corrected. If I had remained passive I would have been juice-less and angry. Speaking up sometimes pays dividends. Try it!
 

 

 

 

 

©2010 Jackie K. Cooper

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