Guess I Got a Crappy Attitude

Random Blog by Liz Ramos 4/29/2019

I never thought in a million years I would be blogging and talking to a bunch of strangers. It is kinda weird yet refreshing in its own way. Let me set the record straight first in case anyone is wondering about me. Then I will blog about something that has been bothering me lately.

First off I am an open book. I am not ashamed of anything that I have ever done in my life. Everything that I have failed at has been the best life lesson I have personally given to myself. I am an open book. I have absolutely NOTHING to hide about myself or my family. I don’t hide where I have come from or what I have done or not done. I am me and totally ok with that. I have some stuff I need to work on personally and I make tiny baby steps towards them. This blog is the total opposite of making baby steps. I tend to say what is on my mind. Way too much than I should. That is a flaw, I guess. My growing brain grew up in a different era, in a place and time where doing that was not an issue. Arguing and having an opinion and sharing it wasn’t offensive. There was an opportunity to have an open dialog without fear that someone would get pissed off. So, I have to watch what I say. I get it, I have feelings too. I never am set to intentionally upset anyone. If I am, trust me, you would know it!

On my very first day of massage school my teacher made all the students in the class go up and write on the board one thing we wanted the class to know about us. I wrote, “You will hate me before you love me.” This caught many off guard. Some of the girls in class did hate me, at first. I come off abrasive and sometimes condescending. Neither of which are ever my intentions. I just don’t pussy foot around the topic at hand. I go right for the gusto! I blame this on not having a sibling growing up and being on my own at a very young age. Whatever. So, if anything on my blog offends you or you do not agree with me, well, I’m sorry, not sorry? I also speak very fast. On a brighter note, when I step into my job, I am a totally different person. I have no idea how I do it! I get in this zone. It is incredible. I cannot readily change like this outside of work. Maybe I just don’t feel like I should or don’t have the time.

This leads into my second blog. I am a perfectionist. Especially at work. I am very detailed oriented. I am always thinking of a better and faster way of doing things. I am passionate. If I had to clean toilets for a living I would be obsessed over making that throne sparkle!

I love business. Business is my jam. I credit that to my dad in many ways. He said to me one day after complaining about a co-worker that literally did nothing and rode my coattails, “There is always something to do. If you finished all your work, go grab a Windex bottle and a rag and start washing the walls.” This way of thought helped me be that person I am today at work. That bottle of Windex can go to hell when I get home though. Customer service is always number one! I wish Kingsville realized this. I am not going to call anyone out because I will never say another person’s name about anything negative, unless you work at KISD, City of Kingsville, or are running in an election. Kingsville needs some hospitality lessons/classes. And from now on I will add a Business 101 blog to my Kooky Kingsville page. You wonder why some businesses’ in Kingsville don’t make it. I will tell you why.

Business 101 – Availability.

I drive around Kingsville and I cannot tell if a business is closed or no longer in business. I many times am not sure about hours of operation. This is not good.

For example, my daughter wanted to do something one weekend when she was here. We drove around, got lost once (SINGAGE SUCKED), and when we pulled up it was closed. There was a sign that stated, “Went to lunch, be back soon.” Uhhhh, so, like, when did you leave? When is your approximate time to reopen? We waited 30 minutes. No one left a phone number for contact and we called the business number, no answer. That was so unprofessional. First off, don’t go lollygagging for lunch if you are the only one operating the business. Go grab a quick sandwich and get your ass back to work! Secondly, this person’s handwriting was horrible (the reason why I bring it up is because this perticular business should have good handwriting, jus’ sayin’.) Third, this person lost future business and a referral because they did not know the basics in communication in a business. I just hope this was an employee or contractor/renter and not the business owner. That is one hour of my life that I cannot get back! I always think of that in monitary value. If I was working, I would have lost $75-95.

If you ever have to leave, emergency or not, please leave something tangible for customers to read. Give them information on how to contact you. If you are a frequent business closer and opener with set hours, change your set hours. It is better in a smaller town to state, “By appointment only.” Lets say you know you are usually at your business between 11-4pm every day but your business hours are 9-6pm. Change it to 11-4pm Sat-Sun and by appointment 5-9pm. Open at 9am and get work done and if someone comes by, then great! It is really that simple. If you cannot be available at the premises, then make yourself available some other way. Social media is the best. There have been a lot of business posts on Facebook with, “we will close early today or I won’t be open today, etc, etc." and give no reason why.

I understand stuff happens, but on certain business Facebook pages it is becoming to frequent. You know what that tells me as a customer? You are flaky. You are unobtainable. One thing I learned personally in operating businesses, if life throws too much stuff at you to deal with and you have to be so flippy floppy professionally, it is your body or mother earth telling you to stop, slow down, take care of yourself first. Rest, take a day or two off, get your affairs in order, etc before coming back to work and committing yourself to others. Don’t worry about what someone would think about you taking YOU time. If you are good at your business and can communicate to the public the need, then your loyal customers will understand and keep coming back and possible future business will at least understand the absence. Sarita Farms Mercantile just posted they will be closed tomorrow and gave a reason. That is perfect communication! (I hope you feel better. Sucks to sprain an ankle. I’ve sprained mine 12 times!)

One more thing I learned from this, if you keep being flaky, some other business will come and take your money. All because someone else was more obtainable, available, and communicated better. For example, I was looking for some information about vinyl shirts for someone on Facebook and a bunch of businesses private messaged me within hours. That is hustling. Those people want my business more than the next person. Those are the hungry ones you need to worry about. They are the difference between you making $2,000 a week or $2,100 a week. $100 doesn’t seem like a lot for some people but that is a cell phone bill, internet, groceries, or $100 to a charity. That buys me enough toilet paper for 9 months in my home!