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!
