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Code 06

I am pretty sure there is a relationship between shining at something and making it seem effortless.

The shortstop in the World Series does it when he aptly makes a double play.

Public speakers do it when they masterfully engage us and teach us at the same time.

Even our hairdresser does it when she skillfully styles our hair, making it look better than it will look until we return again in six weeks.

Imagine, then, what I was thinking while recently visiting Hobby Lobby for some art supplies. An annoyed customer was holding up the line as she tried returning a package of beads that she bought but did not end up using.

The clerk turned on the red light above his register and then got on the intercom announcing:

"Manager to register four. I have a Code 06."

With an increasingly impatient line of people, six or seven deep, and a woman holding a package of beads estimated at $5.99, I could not help but wonder...

How difficult should it be to return a $6.00 item and,

If returning beads was a Code 06, what in the world were codes 01 - 05 all about?

In fact, is there any set of circumstances at Hobby Lobby that should ever warrant a Code 06?

Part of shining is keeping the blood, sweat, and tears to yourself and making your work - even if it's returning a package of beads - seem effortless.

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    Posted @ 12/9/2011 9:38 AM by molly
    molly's avatar

    I love this! I am totally with you. Our jobs are to make our jobs look easy to our customers - even in the crappiest of situations. I remember recently watching a behind the scenes episode of Oprah where they were having a snow storm, scheduled to shoot 4 episodes in one day, and they guest for the first show skipped town and was running late. Oprah was in the planning room with her closest staff of 4 and told them - "you see this craziness in this room? we are feeling stressed and a little freaked out - no one outside of this room should feel this energy. Make everyone else feel like it's all under control."

    Love that.

    Posted @ 12/9/2011 9:59 AM by Claudia
    Claudia's avatar

    Love that, Molly.

    That just sounds like something that Oprah would say. That' why she is the master - teaching teaching, teaching every step of the way.

    Posted @ 12/9/2011 11:07 AM by Cheryl
    Cheryl's avatar

    Oh! That Hobby Lobby is always crazy at the registers! Even when they have them all covered... it's always at least 3 deep. Crazy. And at this time of year! Oh my! Double the crazy! Double the Fun! :)

    At this time of year, we the consumers, should take a deep breath and think a happy thought because we're all just trying to make our holidays bright.

    Maybe Code 06 means: Hurry up Manager! I'm freaking out with a long line behind this lady trying to return something. Help me!

    Posted @ 12/9/2011 12:27 PM by Claudia
    Claudia's avatar

    Oooohhhhh... that's a great idea, Cheryl.

    Let's use our creativity to guess what Codes 01-05 are!!!!

    I guess that Code 03 means, "Hurry, the ribbon is coming unraveled!"

    Posted @ 12/9/2011 5:50 PM by chaotickristi
    chaotickristi's avatar

    Code 1 need some coffee
    Code 2 have to pee
    Code 3 register ribbon coming unravelled
    Code 4 credit card machine is broken
    Code 5 customer trying to use a Michael's coupon
    Code 6 Hurry up Manager! I'm freaking out with a long line behind this lady trying to return something. Help me!
    Code 7 Get someone over here bc I quit

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