[Scream]

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[Headie]

Tbf if I am on my break I wouldn't want anyone bothering me either. That's my time to withdraw from work for 30 mins/an hour. I don't want it in bits.

[jennyjuniper]

It sounds as if this woman is running the show and not in a good way. Could you not ask advice from head office? seeing as you are getting no support from the managers directly above you. They are failing in their job too and should be confronted about it.
Have you tried talking to the two directly above you about this woman's attitude and lack of loyalty to the firm? Pregnant or not, she should have helped the customer you mentioned. She could always have taken the rest of her break afterwards.
Looking on the bright side, if she is pregnant she will be going on maternity leave soon. However this lack of support and customer service needs addressing anyway.

[user104658]

So from the sounds of it you were hired externally directly into the managerial position rather than promoted from a lower position? If that's the case, then at two months in I'd still very much consider you a trainee, and when you have a trainee you really have to make exceptions. I have a trainee at the moment and - yes - it is kind of annoying having breaks interrupted BUT it's inevitable for at least the first 6 months or so.

It's the shop / company's fault, really. You should be supernumerary until fully trained to avoid these situations.

[Scream]

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[Kizzy]

A break is a break.... You should have asked someone else or checked inline for the info.

There will be other customers and other sales, don't give yourself an ulcer about it.

[DouglasS]

I completly disagree with 'a break is a break' - if there are only two of you in the store, it's taught in retail by almost all companies that if you don't know an answer/aren't able to help a customer, ask the other person, even if they're on their break, they can just make it up afterwards. As they say 'the customer is always right', and you can't just stand there blankly and say sorry.

If this woman can't handle her own job, then just file a complaint. You're still new to your position and she should know that, it's not like its happening every single break she has. She's clearly entitled, and from what you've stated very rude and jealous that you're above her, saying thins like 'you should know', which is completely ridiculous.

You should definitely report her, as you said this isn't the first time she has played up and her behaviour has been bad, she is as you stated unmanageable, and so she is affecting your job as a manager.

[Scream]

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[Scream]

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[jaxie]

Even if she is on a break, surely she can flap her lips open and closed and answer a question. It seems incredibly rude to me that she just refused to help. Being pregnant doesn't make you incapacitated and your child won't starve if you only eat half your KitKat today. We always used to pitch in at work, it made it a far nicer atmosphere.

[Amy Jade]

I usually refuse to go back downstairs if I am on my break in work. I am the only person on a friday night who knows how to use the gas/electric yellow box and I've said endless times more people need to be trained (they close it when I go home) I feel bad but it got to a point I was being called down every break.

So I understand her but I do think she could have been more supportive of you!

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by jaxie

Even if she is on a break, surely she can flap her lips open and closed and answer a question. It seems incredibly rude to me that she just refused to help. Being pregnant doesn't make you incapacitated and your child won't starve if you only eat half your KitKat today. We always used to pitch in at work, it made it a far nicer atmosphere.

Agree Jaxie she sounds like a right jobs worth

[Cherie]

Originally Posted by Amy Jade

I usually refuse to go back downstairs if I am on my break in work. I am the only person on a friday night who knows how to use the gas/electric yellow box and I've said endless times more people need to be trained (they close it when I go home) I feel bad but it got to a point I was being called down every break.

So I understand her but I do think she could have been more supportive of you!

In that instance I agree with you, but it sounds like you have interrupted your break on many occasions and you have asked that others be trained, neither has been done so you are perfectly within your rights not to comply, in Scream's case I think this was a first incident, with a new person people generally give a bit of extra leeway

[Tozzie]

Sounds to me like she enjoyed telling you no. If there were only the two of you it was totally unprofessional, break or no break to not help you in that situation especially when you could have and did lose a sale over it. If there were others that could help you shouldn't she know seeing she has worked there a while? Whatever happened to teamwork, as you said, she could have gone back to her break. If it were me I would have helped you love, some right nasty buggers, you always get 'one' wherever you go. Be assertive with her, don't let her make you lose your confidence. If she does it again I would tell her she has given me no choice as to take it further and report her to her superiors. Work is hard enough without mean buggers making it even more stressful for us, especially as a newbie. Good luck xxx

[Scream]

Thank you for your replies. I did think it was weird and unprofessional and I think she realised after I confronted her that it was unfair.

[user104658]

Originally Posted by Scream

Thank you for your replies. I did think it was weird and unprofessional and I think she realised after I confronted her that it was unfair.

Well, it's retail... genuinely like 95% of the people you'll work with will be unprofessional .

[Marsh.]

It's not the company's fault she's pregnant. If she feels she can't fulfil the responsibilities of her job because she's so petty about eating she should find another job.

Lazy, selfish mare is using excuses imo.

[Kizzy]

I think you should've used your initiative and not mithered your pregnant colleague who gave you a response you chose to ignore.
She is entitled to a break without being pestered by junior staff.

Again, there will be other customers and other sales, if you are so worried about not having the relevant information do some product knowledge research in your own time.

[Tozzie]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

I think you should've used your initiative and not mithered your pregnant colleague who gave you a response you chose to ignore.
She is entitled to a break without being pestered by junior staff.

Again, there will be other customers and other sales, if you are so worried about not having the relevant information do some product knowledge research in your own time.

bit harsh, are you the 'one' of those 'you always get one'

[Marsh.]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

I think you should've used your initiative and not mithered your pregnant colleague who gave you a response you chose to ignore.
She is entitled to a break without being pestered by junior staff.

Again, there will be other customers and other sales, if you are so worried about not having the relevant information do some product knowledge research in your own time.

If pregnant colleagues pregnancy is hindering her work then maybe she should take early leave. Work shy excuses.

[rusticgal]

Originally Posted by Scream

Yes it is but as a manager I feel you should make exceptions especially since you can make up the time after. It was more about saying something because I don't think it should continue. We should work as a team and help each other out. I would.

Sounds like a company who don't care about their staff...and the staff don't have the enthusiasm to put themselves out. You were right to do what you did..you obviously care about your customer and due to inadequate training you had no choice but to interrupt your managers break to help the customer...without these customers we have no job..the customer is important...but obviously the ethics of your company do not translate to management level...either that or this woman isn't doing her job properly and possibly doesn't give a toss.
Any customer service industry puts the customer first..I work for a company that led the field in customer service. The staff were proud and great and we helped make that company great. Times have changed..it's all about money and cost cutting and the customer is no longer the priority unfortunately...the staff are treated like ****e and in return you no longer have staff willing to go the extra mile. Sadly this is the case in most companies.
Just be proud of your ethics...take the experience on board and learn from it..make sure you never become the person she is and one day you will be a great manager who supports your staff and puts that important customer first.

[rusticgal]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

I think you should've used your initiative and not mithered your pregnant colleague who gave you a response you chose to ignore.
She is entitled to a break without being pestered by junior staff.

Again, there will be other customers and other sales, if you are so worried about not having the relevant information do some product knowledge research in your own time.

If she was a good manager she would have set an example and helped her staff attend to the customer. As a manager she could have returned to her break without seeking anyone's permission. Obviously poor ethics and lack of care towards both her staff member and potential custom screams to me a woman who couldn't give a toss and just can't wait for her maternity leave..

[Amy Jade]

Originally Posted by Kizzy

I think you should've used your initiative and not mithered your pregnant colleague who gave you a response you chose to ignore.
She is entitled to a break without being pestered by junior staff.

Again, there will be other customers and other sales, if you are so worried about not having the relevant information do some product knowledge research in your own time.

He hardly mithered her, he asked for her to help a customer with a product. He is new to the job and still training you can't expect anyone to pick up a job and know it inside out in a matter of a few shifts.

If the method of 'there will be another customer' is what you suggest that's pretty bad business imo.

[Morgan.]

She didn't even have to get up off her break, she could literally just tell you what the answer to the question is and you could return downstairs and relay it back to the customer. She's really scraping the barrel for excuses there.