Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Free Walmart Gift Card

The hot flashes are back.  Seriously, they had gone and I was starting to live a somewhat normal life again but now I'm noticing that stress is bringing them once again to the surface. 

It's when I'm working mostly.  With Gary off sick, I'm doing both jobs - Office Manager and Hearing Aid Consultant.  I started off by organizing and cleaning the office.  I'm always up for a fresh new start!  I moved some stuff around and did some serious dusting...  Truth is, Gary may never be back.  

 About a month ago my boss decided to surprise me with a marketing scheme he thought (in his twisted mind) would work to build our business.  Free $20 Walmart gift cards to anyone coming in for a Free hearing test. 



 So now we're giving away FREE gift cards along with the FREE hearing test.  For this, I do not get paid- only on commission if I make a sale.   The first week was a nightmare.  I told my boss I'd strangle him if he ever pulled that one again.  He did. 

 I was bombarded with work, but no sales.  Oh, the customers acted like they were interested in getting hearing aids until I poured out 2 hours worth of blood, sweat (literally) and tears... then at the very end they said they'd have to go home and think about it.  "But oh, by the way... where's my $20 Walmart gift card?"    So I was testing people's hearing while answering the phone while taking care of a constant flow of old people who  happened by to buy batteries or demand a quick fix for their hearing aids. I was doing tons of computer entries and paperwork.  I was listening to the person on the phone tell me about their uncle's cousin's great nephew's sister who couldn't loan them the car that day because they had to take it to Jiffy Lube to have the oil changed and that's why the appointment I had suggested (to find out why their hearing aid wasn't working) wouldn't work for them because somehow it all fit in with the ride they'd be getting...  I'll be honest, I missed some of the details.  I was in the middle of a hearing test at the time and the 90 year old great great grandpa I was testing had inserts in his ears and was raising his hand to the beep-beep-beep that I forgot to turn off.  I shouldn't have worn my white lab coat.  There was no air back there, no windows, and Sears didn't have the air turned on.  Perspiration had formed and was dripping down my face and I wiggled out of the coat while holding the phone to my ear and continued saying "Oh," and "I understand,"  trying to be polite.  My hair was wet.  My makeup had melted down my face.  I didn't understand.  I just wanted the day to be over.  The familiar faces of my beloved customers who stopped by to say hello were bringing a "what do you want?" from me instead of "oh, it's so good to see you..."   
The Walmart frenzy is over, but from what I understand my boss (who is two hours away... lucky him) is doing the Walmart mailers till the end of October.    
That is why I'm making trip #2 to the downtown Cumberland Mall today.  On Saturday I was ....  to see my...  oh, I can't really tell you.  I do have a plan though.  You'll find out soon enough.  


Aww, so I'll bet you thought I'd be giving away a Walmart gift card.  Well it just so happened that Gary purchased a handful of them to make sure I had enough at the office to give away.  

 Oh, okay then...  I'll send one of you guys a card... for putting up with my ranting.  Leave a comment, I'll put you're name in a hat and I'll let my granddaughter pick a name out.  

I'll let you know on Saturday who won.  (whoever wins will have to email me their address).  

Good luck and thanks for listening!
  

12 comments:

  1. Lordy! I believe I would drive the 2 hrs and throttle your boss! Till the end of October? You could very well be off your nut by then! Maybe you need to wear layers to work and just peel them off when you get so hot! Try to have a good day! :-)

    XXX

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  2. Your story reminds me of when I used to work in marketing. I would work my butt off getting new customers, but then the customer service reps would get so mad at me because they were overwhelmed with work. ;-)

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  3. There is marketing that works, and marketing that doesn't work. This isn't my idea of smart marketing. I don't have a degree in marketing, but a lot of experience... and I know what works and doesn't work. I had to turn people away who were here to get help, because I was booked and overbooked with people who were only here for their free gift. Not good.

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  4. Put my name in the hat for that free card! Oh yea thats right, I purchased the darn things $#$%#*&%

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  5. I'm going to put a video of Rissie picking a name out on my Saturday evening blog... oh, won't that be such fun?!

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  6. If I win I'll donate my card to your daughter or anyone else you think might need it.

    BTW, rants are a good way to relieve stress. :-)

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  7. Hello!! First of all, I wanted to thank-you for your comments on my blog! I really enjoyed your thoughts, and I'm so very glad you stopped by!! I've taken some time to read your posts and look around your blog and I have really enjoyed getting to know you a bit better! I think we have a lot in common--I work for a dentist who always comes up with these 'crazy' ideas to bring in more patients, so I could very well have written this post in particular!!! Gracie is just adorable, and I look forward to getting to know her and YOU as I follow your blog! Take care, and stay cool! :-)))

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  8. came over to your blog via a comment you left on the Old Geezer's Blog. sounds like a fun giveaway, count me in! I had to laugh about Gracie owning you, Koda owns us here, bed and all! just when I thought the hot flashes were over........they came back (years later).....oh well! what nightmare with this gimmick your boss had you do with the hearing tests/gift card

    betty

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  9. Crack me up!!! There is no way I would do all that work and not get paid extra. To blazes with the commission on a sale. Straight salary is where I'd want to be making my money! It's more lucrative in that sort of biz, I would think. You must've gone nuts. Marketing schemes hardly ever work, they just turn out to be more work for the employees, as the boss sits back and wonders why they are not producing. grrrrr... BTW, where's my WalMart gift card????
    ~ Sue

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  10. Oh, my gosh you sound overworked! Re your commment on CC. My nieces name is really Hannah! We all call her Bug!
    Blessings,
    Lorilee

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