Of course a paying customer right in front of you should always take precedence over everything else, unless the building is on fire. If you were on the phone when the person walked in is a little different but you should acknowledge them and try to get to them in less than a minute. I probably could have worded it better but calling a customer back when you have no idea when you can get an answer will sometimes p-them off worse than if you wait till you have an answer. It's a no win situation. A lot of times, you're relying on someone else to get the answer you need. What's worse is giving the customers information/order to the salesman handling that account and that person not doing anything with it. Then being on the order desk, you get the call from the irate customer upset nothing was done with their order. It's really bad when it's your supervisor dropping the ball and it's not an uncommon occurrence. :banghead: Another problem is other people answering the phone if the order desk is busy but not picking up the phone until after it rings half a dozen times or more. After 3 rings, the order desk is probably busy.:duh:
I was a little peeved today. They hired a new guy for the order desk a few weeks ago that doesn't have any welding experience. I come in this morning and he say's that he's going to a welding show with the supervisor. Then the girl who also works the order desk say's she's going to the show in the afternoon. Real nice of management to have asked if I wanted to go.:irked: I'm basically alone on the order desk for 1 1/2 hours. I did have some help from the girl helping us with the new computer system. She even suggested she could stay helping at the order desk so I could attend the show but... it was too late. The new guy comes back from the show about 12:30 and asks if he can take his lunch then. I'm already late for my normal lunch break and said no, I'm already late for mine! I don't mind filling in or staying a little late when needed but really, you spent all morning at a welding show, that I don't get to attend, and come back and want your lunch break the minute you walk in the door. I like him but he's always the first one out the door at 5. He used to leave 5 minutes early everyday until he was set up on the time clock. I don't think that makes a very good impression for a new employee. We had a couple late customers yesterday and he just left at 5. I didn't get out till 5:35 making sure the orders were completed. Then today, he leaves 5 minutes early again because he has to go pick up some lawn furniture. WTF:anyone: