Friday 9 September 2011

Cane her in the stockroom, said my husband

I had to laugh the other night. Literally burst out laughing actually.

Our son was in, with a girl friend, they were sitting on the sofa and son was helping her complete an online application form for a graduate management training position with John Lewis Partnership. P was sitting in his favourite corner taking some figures from his laptop and making notes, I was ironing. They got to the part on the application where a load of scenarios are put to the applicant and they have to check-box the best and worst outcome, in their opinion, for each one.

Here was the first question, I've shortened it a bit:-
You're managing the china and glassware dept; a sales girl, Gloria, is pricing some new stock while a queue of customers wait to be served. You call her to serve but she rudely tells you to make your mind up whether you want pricing done or customers served. Then she grumpily comes over. All in view of the customers. Do you -

1. Serve the customers yourself and let Gloria continue pricing.
2. Take Gloria to the nearest stockroom and tell her she's out of order.
3. Immediately report her attitude to the Floor Manager for advice.
4. Wait till the customers have gone and then ask Gloria what came over her .
5. Make Gloria serve the customers while you go to Personnel to report an official verbal warning over her behaviour.
Remember you can't make any assumptions, you have to give your best and worst answer based just on the information given. Son and friend were reading this stuff out loud and debating the ins and outs, I added my thoughts as I ironed away, P seemed wrapped up in his numbers.

Then he held up his notepad for me alone to see, on a fresh page he'd written STOCKROOM - CANE - TEARS - BACK TO WORK - SIMPLE.



I burst out laughing, I nearly burned the shirt I was ironing too.

'What's up mom? It's not that funny,' said my son.

'No I suppose not, in fact not at all,' I said, 'I was just imagining your dad in such a situation, I think he'd probably lose patience.'



They both looked at me as if I was a bit odd.

The correct answer by the way was No.4 (it was a sample question), after that there were 12 more situation questions, some of them easy others quite difficult because they don't give you enough information to make the kind of sensible judgement you'd like to.

Anyway my husband's answer was nowhere on the list.

Ronnie
xx

18 comments:

Stormy said...

That's hilarious! I think it should be on the list. As he said, simple..

Anonymous said...

ttwd is not just good for marriages, it's good for business, too. Perhaps we could turn the whole economy around with this approach....

PK said...

I love it! Why do they always leave out the best, obvious answer?

Hugs,
PK

Anonymous said...

Very funny response.

Mikki said...

I think Mick has the right idea! I was in Walmart last night and the cashier that checked us out really could have used a spanking!!!

Loved P's answer... he is right... simple!!

Hermione said...

P is real management material! I suppose he's had years of experience and knows what gives the best results.

Hugs,
Hermione

ekho_reborn said...

I usually just lurk, but that had me giggling! My dashboard blog reader captured that image - you must have started to post it a few days ago? - and I was so confused reading it, but hearing the anecdote to go with it was hysterical!

ronnie said...

Stormy - It works for me:) Thank you.

Mick - That's what I said to P:) Thanks Mick. Hope alls well.

PK - Obvious to us PK. Thanks.

Joey - I thought so. Thanks.

Mikki - There is many a cashier that could do with a spanking. Thanks.

Hermione - I've had years of his experience and it works:) Thanks.

ER - Hello and welcome. Yes I posted it by mistake instead of saving it into my drafts folder:(
Hope to see you again, thanks for leaving a comment.

Love,
Ronnie
xx

little monkey said...

I was in retail management for 14 years...

Oh, if only!!!

TTWD could reinstate the ideals of great customer service, which would revitalize our whole economy! Wasn't it the inimitable Teddy Roosevelt that said "walk softly and carry a big stick"? A modern HR managers nightmare, lol.

Meow said...

Good one, P! The best answer by far!

Anonymous said...

Your husbands handwriting is feminine. In fact, I would say a woman actually wrote that.

Daisychain said...

Brilliant!

xxxxxxxx

Rogue said...

Excellent solution! His "Simple" made me smile. :)

Florida Dom said...

Ronnie: Thanks for sharing your husband's comment. I can imagine your reaction Glad you didn't burn the shirt. LOL.

FD

Lea said...

Very funny. No option for a write-in answer?

ronnie said...

LM - I worked in retail for a while and to be honest some customers could do with a trip to the stockroom as well:) Not heard that by Teddy. Thanks.

Meo - I thought so as well:) Thanks Meow.

Anonymous - Hello, I told him, he was amused, then he said it wasn't handwriting it was printed capitals then he said cheeky fucker. Then he said anyway, it was written on a pad on his lap at an angle with his laptop balancing on the arm of the chair so your comment must have got to him. There is nothing feminine about his hand I can assure you.

Daisy - I'll tell him:) Thanks.

Rouge - Thanks Rouge.

FD - Your welcome. Thanks.

Lea - No but there should have been:)

Love,
Ronnie
xx

findingsara said...

Our husbands do develop their own unique views of the world, don't they? :) Sara

kiwigirliegirl said...

good answer from P LOL.....