I went to Chris's store yesterday to work. I had been putting together a new line of added inventory and it should have arrived yesterday. WRONG! Only about half of it showed up. Other parts of it should be in today but I'm not going in until tomorrow. In fact, my schedule this week is MWF. There is another guy who works TTh as he has inventory arriving on Tuesday and must put together the weekly order on Thursday. In order to avoid "over kill" I decided to try to schedule opposite his schedule.

Yesterday was the first day I felt "comfortable" working in the store. Albeit cautiously comfortable. My biggest problem still is locating inventory "in" stock and on the shelves. Usually I begin down the center aisle surveying both sides as I move slowly through. Certain sections are marked. I am pretty pleased with my grasp on the store computer. I still have brain fade on occasion and have to think my way out of a screen or series of screens. I have joked with Pat and Chris that if Norvell (the former owner of the parts store) were still alive I would feel compelled to look him up and apologize for being a difficult customer. Now that I have experienced the other side of the counter certain things are becoming evident. The first of which is that the counter person isn't asking those dumb questions, the computer requires that dumb information! The software asks certain basic questions in a very distinct deliberate order, much of which seems irrelevant to any on with a mechanical background. Pat and I were discussing this and she told me when a regular customer comes in and begins the routine, year, make, model, and then options. She tells them to hang on until she asks for each specific. For every bit of information, a particular niche wherein to enter it.

I told Pat that Chris is developing parts salesman characteristics. If he looks up a number, it is locked in his mind. I may have to walk back to the computer during a parts search just to be sure I am still looking for the right part number.

I am also realizing that in certain regards Chris is a procrastinator. Especially if it involves $$$$. He has become very disgusted with the National chain his store is a member of. In the past when he had his min/max activated for certain in store departments, when the computer would record a sale, it would adjust inventory and if an item level triggers the minimum, it would place an order for that item. Thing was, the store wouldn't receive one item into inventory for one item sold, they would receive several. In his frustration with this Chris removed the min/max on certain items, which means if he sells one of these and wants to replace it, he must manually order it in.

With all the contractors arriving and beginning to get busy in the area, it often looks like kids in a candy store. Yesterday we had four different pickups from the same contractor come into the store in rapid succession, and these people have no problem walking through the store and picking out and piling their selections on the counter. My fear is that when things begin moving quickly, it may not allow time for Chris the time to replenish his inventory for tomorrow!

If you don't have it, you can't sell it!

In fairness to Chris, I have to admit that I have seen the flaws of the computer generated ordering system. One particular item I had ordered four of, escalated to ten by the time it had arrived. I am trying to determine if this is the fault of the computer or the fault of the people pulling and shipping the order. I know I had ordered some parts for personal use last week and they have never arrived. No notice of back order, no shortage notice on inventory shipments. Yesterday during a brief lull, Chris and I placed my order again. A couple of hours later, we received a notice that read, "We regret to inform you". I went back into the computer system and looked and the part was still available from the DC (distribution center). Chris got on the phone and called them and was told every item on the above mentioned notice was in stock and available. Duh!

I had begun to put together a list of things I needed to get done, just in case something comes of the job I had applied for. While I'm not scheduled to go into the parts store today, I may go over there to do some odds and ends out at Dad's farm. I had loaned a piece of equipment to a friend and now I need to be sure it is ready to go. Problem is, several tires and wheels had been borrowed off of it and a couple never returned. The next problem is whether or not the tires and wheels that were installed in place of the ones that were borrowed are good enough to do the job.

Around the house, I had hoped to do the yard. With the weather like it is, (Thank GOD for the rain) I try to do the yard anytime I can. Today marks eight days since it was last mowed. It doesn't look bad yet, but if the weather is bad when the next opportunity presents itself it could become a jungle! The problem is that we had rain showers during the night. I think it will be late in the day, if at all, when the yard dries enough to mow.

Krl went back to the doctor yesterday. She is now sporting a new cast! Royal purple! I had to tease her about why not black or brown? They would go with more things! She doesn't have to return for three weeks and the doctor is telling her four to eight weeks more in the cast.

Normally I don't dream during my brief periods of sleep. The last couple of nights I have dreamed vivid, distinct dreams! For the time being, I am enjoying it!

Well, I had better get my day going!

Hope yours is a good one!

FATHER, please bless this day.