The co-operative.

theevilsam · 2 Sep 2011 at 19:44

So I work at the co-op in my town, and as I am on the fag counter a lot I spend most of my shifts standing...

Anyway, on a related note, I have noticed that my back starts killing after about an hour on there fag counter...

Yeah, so I never really thought that much about it because, well, I was generally too busy coming up with interesting and unusual ways to kill the customers who have the audacity to argue with me about prices of products and the like...

Today, though, I only had nice customers, so I pondered why it destroys my back so....

As it turns out, with the help of a measuring tape, and a very basic knowledge of calculus and human biology, that the tills on the fag counter are about 15 cm lower than they should be, so you are forced to slouch unless you are 5 foot five inches short.

So, after bringing this up with my manager, I was told to shut up and get back on the kiosk... (customer service may be improving, but employee service most definitely is not)

What should I do? Prize to the first person to say "stop being a whiny b***h"

yashiro · 2 Sep 2011 at 19:47

Get a chair.

theevilsam · 2 Sep 2011 at 19:49

Not allowed chairs for health and safety reasons, the area behind the counter is to small to fit one in...

Danthus · 2 Sep 2011 at 19:49

Cut off your feet.

BennyC · 2 Sep 2011 at 19:51

Dig a hole 15cm deep to stand in.

Take it higher if you feel you're likely to get somewhere as your manager obviously doesn't care.

Turambar · 2 Sep 2011 at 19:52

Not the same situation by any means but there is some useful advice here.

Pestilence · 2 Sep 2011 at 19:54

Levitate. Cross-legged, Dhalsim style.

theevilsam · 2 Sep 2011 at 19:58

Was considering taking it higher, but I don't particularly want to cause problems at the moment, I've just started dating this Canadian girl I met in work. She was a customer and I finally got her name today, showed her a magic trick and convinced her to go on a 10 minute date with me whilst I went on my break.

The feeling of happiness will pass soon though, but I was wondering if it was maybe possible to anonymously contact head office or something atm, until my inherent fury reignites and I no longer care about the consequences.

gillywibble · 2 Sep 2011 at 20:01

theevilsam said:
Was considering taking it higher

Bricks?

Edrof · 2 Sep 2011 at 20:10

Selotape pencils with rubbers on the end onto your fingertips.

Pixel · 2 Sep 2011 at 20:14

Do you have large tread/heels on your shoes? Get a pair of shoes with a flatter and thin tread.

Cosimo · 2 Sep 2011 at 20:20

Pixel said:
Do you have large tread/heels on your shoes? Get a pair of shoes with a flatter and thin tread.

Unless he's on platforms then its not going to make much difference.

Alan! · 2 Sep 2011 at 20:21

Forget your opening post this intrigues me.

theevilsam said:
I've just started dating this Canadian girl I met in work. She was a customer and I finally got her name today, showed her a magic trick and convinced her to go on a 10 minute date with me whilst I went on my break.

What was this magic trick you performed that convinced her to 'date' you, and what exactly do you do on a 10 minute date?

Reeve · 2 Sep 2011 at 20:21

Can you not just ask to work for a different department in the store or find someone to swap with?

kibblerok · 2 Sep 2011 at 20:25

There's one anomaly with your post, co-op customer service is definitely not improving.

OG · 2 Sep 2011 at 20:27

Most probably your shoes, from someone who has worked in retail and is never allowed to sit down or slouch or lean against something on the shop floor (got to love the high end customer service, pshh)... just man up a bit and get some decent flat fitting shoes. Could also be that your used to slouching too much as well

theevilsam · 2 Sep 2011 at 20:36

Nah, its not a big store and they keep the till staff on the tills, because no one wants to do it. my shoes are good, shoes, and I never slouch normally. It's the tills. I spend quite a bit of time standing out of work and my back never wrecks after...
Also, MY customer service has greatly improved...

Alan! The trick was a very simple one. It worked because I'm pretty good with my words when I feel the need.

You shuffle a deck of cards, and whilst talking about something (in my case it was about how magic is loosely related to evolution, as proven by the humble honey bee) and you flip the bottom card over. Fan them out and offer her the chance to pick a card, then continue the conversation.

Flip the deck over so the bottom flipped card is now on top and tell her to slide the card back into the deck. Say something like "so if I can find your card using the truest form of magic, without shooting fire out of my palms, wanna go on a ten minute date in 5 minutes when I get my break". Whilst talking make eye contact and re-flip the deck, putting the bottom card the right way up again. Then fan through and the card she chose will be face up. "Magic"

In all honesty all we did really was arrange a proper date for tomorrow and chat a bit, but I also got us an ice-cream and a kiss ^_^

And after all the stuff you lot were saying the other day as well xD

utajoker · 2 Sep 2011 at 20:43

put a couple of phone books under the till?

kneel down?

complain to someone higher and mention health and safety.

Pawnless Endgame · 2 Sep 2011 at 21:49

Saves me from starting a new thread: why did the name change to the Co-operative? The "Co-op" was less of a mouthful to say.

Kosmiche · 2 Sep 2011 at 21:51

Take the wheels off a standard office chair and secure the cushion and back to your person.

You can even give yourself more or less back support throughout the day.