Blippy Machines, Salami and Shoplifters!

Work is work. Actually, apart from the physical slog of slicing salami, I’m really enjoying it! Especially after last week. Victor (my boss) taught me how to order the dairy and frozen load. It was pretty cool – I got to use one of them blippy machines, you know the little handheld computer thingies they carry around in the supermarkets for ordering stock. I know it doesn’t seem like much, but it is to me (the ordering, not the toy). Basically, once I get used to doing the order I will be in control of that whole section on my own. Now, it’s not a huge dairy/frozen area we have, but it’s still a pretty big deal. What’s major is that he trusts me to do it. The only problem is, it adds a heavy responsibility to my already hectic workload. At least now I should be able to palm off some of the little duties to the others. Well, that’s what I’m hopin’ anyway.

I think things are going well there, although it’s hard to tell with Victor sometimes. He’s a little bit hard to read. But he keeps givin’ me more and more responsibilities, so I’m takin’ that as a good sign. A coupla weeks back he taught me how to do hosting, which is gonna be way too hard to explain. Basically it’s receiving all the updated data from the Foodworks group, downloading it onto our computer and reviewing all the price changes, promotions and specials etc. It’s done on a weekly basis.

The hardest thing is dealing with shoplifting. We get a LOT of it, and sometimes it’s pretty scary. Like there are three big, drunk guys in a group and us girls have to try and stop them. Mostly they come in when Victor is not there, and they know he’s not there. When he’s gone, I’m ‘sposed to be in charge. But I’m usually out the back and sometimes there’s only one other person working and they’re on the register. So, you can see the predicament.

The other thing is the supervising. I mean, we’ve been getting’ a lot of newbies in, and I’m kinda expected to show them what to do, even though I’ve only been there about four months and I’d be lucky to serve on the registers twice a week for ten minutes each time. The other girls who have been there longer help me out with that, ‘cause there are some things on the register I don’t even know how to do. Although I think I’ve just about covered most of it now. I also hate ‘giving orders’, or even worse, having to pick people up on their mistakes. I’m not cut out for supervising. But hey, that’s what I’m getting paid to do, so better do it, eh?

Other than those few things, work is fine. Just don’t come orderin’ any salami from my deli!