Learning Curve

Growing up, I was a straight A student kind of girl. My parents held me to a certain standard, and I have never outgrown my need for perfectionism. I am a quick learner, I enjoy growing relationships, and most people that I have worked for when asked the question, "Would you hire her again?" Without pause would say, "Yes."

Working in California, was such a huge learning experience for me. The job I did was both physically and mentally challenging. Not mentally challenging in the intellectual kind of way, but in the; this is a whole new crowd I have to learn and adapt to kind of way.

The crowd of people I am specifically talking about is 'Inventory Control Clerks.' There are a handful of nice ones, that are patient to a new deliverer's learning curve, but the majorities are ladies and gents that have no relational skills whatsoever, and have therefore been moved to the backroom. This is where they will not be scaring customers away, and causing the rest of the staff to receive a bad secret shop score.

ICCs usually open their doors around 5:00am, but aren't morning people. Although there are set guidelines of how to receive deliveries sent out by the corporate office, each ICC has their own personal set of rules. If you don't remember the particular set of rules that the store you are delivering to has, you are shunned. My personal learning curve was not helped by the fact that our company was new in the NorCal area to direct delivery. And, although our product had been in their stores for 20+ years, some of them didn't recognize it, and were skeptical that I should be bringing it in. Maybe the Budget truck I had to drive for 2 months had something to do with it.

This is what I wanted to scream at the skeptics every time I came across one, "Seriously! How many people try to sneak product INTO Safeway!?! It would be pointless! If the product wasn't in your computer, customers couldn't purchase it anyways, and our company would never get paid!" I never actually said this out loud to them of course. Instead, I answered their questions with a smile, and told them to have a great day when I left. It was only in the confines of my truck cab that I would scream in frustration, and on some days, be in tears from their lack of kindness.

California ICCs, you taught me so much about my character, and how important it is to shrug off negative nellies. You taught me that even though you were nasty to me, I could not dwell on it for the rest of the day. Because in the end, it's not your poor attitude that makes or breaks my character, it's my own. I thank you all for that.