BOSS WITH NO BACKBONE

I work in a local motor vehicle office. We have an automated numbering system that pulls numbers for the customers according to the type of transaction they are processing. Well, as luck would have it, the system failed today for a short time. We had to resort to manual numbers, which were a different series. One lady came flying in and was pissed just because she had to wait to get the number. When she asked how long before her number would be called the greeter could not give her an exact amount of time because (a) she does not have a computer with the program at her desk and (b) it depends on what the others ahead are processing (Since we were on manual numbering at the time, what they were doing was not a factor - everyone on one system). Anyway, this customer took the number and as she stormed out the door she said she wasn't waiting. The greeter had no time to explain anything further.

In the meantime, the automated numbering came back online and those who waiting were given new tickets. She came flying back in 25 min later and demanded to be helped. The greeter gave her a new number. The lady said she would not wait she wanted helped now. She said that she did not want to skip anyone but SHE WOULD BE HELPED when her OLD number was called. We explained that she is basically still in the same wait pattern as before since only a couple people had come in after her. She continued to bitch. She wanted to be helped now. I told my boss about it and she said that she had to at least wait until the HER manual ticket number came up in the automated system (it was going to repeat some numbers and she would fall into that area). I held her ticket out until the automated number A05 matched her manual ticket. Now there were two with that number: one that waited and SHE that left and came back. I accommodated her, got her helped and she went on her way.

Nothing more was said UNTIL we hear from the boss's boss. She called in ranting and raving about a customer that the blond manager had talked to. My boss kept telling her boss that she did not talk with any customer. Boss's boss kept insisting it was her. Basically, calling her a liar. Then it came out who the office parties involved were. She did not want to hear our side. Did not want to talk to us at all. She continued to rip my boss a new one; telling her how the woman was as polite as she could be and that we were wrong for making her wait, that it was none of our business that she left and came back etc. She said she believed the woman.

This is so typical in my office since EVERYTHING comes down to VOTES!!! OH MY GOD! (Like my vote doesn't count but hers does) So this boss's boss does not take up for us at all even though we were trying our best to keep her in line where she belonged without upsetting all the others who waiting patiently. I personally "babysat" her number to make SURE that she did not get skipped.

I felt extremely betrayed by my organization. I have worked for this office for OVER 1/2 of my life and I am quickly approaching middle age. I am so close to retirement I can taste it and I have no reason to make up lies against a customer or make them wait any longer than necessary.

I resent the fact that boss's boss did not have the backbone to stand up for us. We are on the front line for God's sake. We take all the crap and get nothing for our efforts except a big fat slap down when a customer gets upset and has the balls to complain OR if you make a mistake, no matter how trivial.

This whole thing could have been avoided if the lady would have listened to reason and quietly waited her turn (which turned out to be only 20 min. and if you know DMV - that's a pretty short wait). Instead, she got three capable and reasonably intelligent people pulled into her misery and painted us as idiots to our "higher ups" and they believe her.

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