Today, friends, I am going to rant about something that doesn't happen often, but when it does...irritates me. In my shop, like many businesses, there is a counter. Well, it's more of a half wall-type thing with a tiny ledge on it for portfolios to sit on, but I digress. That is where you'll find me, ready to greet you into our humble abode (as I described in my previous blog post- I'm always on the ready when it comes to customers walking in).
Now, I have always assumed that people knew what the social customs and appropriate norms of behavior were previous to working at this establishment. For example, boundaries. Now, boundaries can mean many things...conversational boundaries, relationship boundaries...but today, we'll discuss physical boundaries. As in my counter. Blocking your way from your side, as the customer, from my side, as the employee of the business.
Perhaps it is silly of me to think that people should just KNOW that walking behind my wall isn't appropriate. Or should I say, it isn't appropriate unless you are invited. I mean, it is perfectly acceptable for you to come behind the counter upon one of the artists or I requesting you to do so...and we might do this for many reasons. Either you have an appointment and we're ready for you to come back, or we need a tracing of part of your body (so the artists know how big to draw stuff), or maybe I need you to come back to talk to an artist while they are tattooing someone else because they can't take a break at the moment. Any of these are fine reasons to be behind my counter. Or, maybe you need to use the restroom and you ask if you may do just that. Wonderful! I love that you asked! Even if you didn't ask...it's not a huge deal, because you're just going to the restroom, and who am I to stop someone from going to the restroom?
Here's when it ticks me off when you walk behind my wall. When I greet you at the front counter and you seem uninterested or even annoyed that I am greeting you...and then you continue to just WALK BEHIND MY WALL to talk to the artist you want to talk to...no. Just no.
There is a REASON, people, why I am employed as the receptionist at this shop. Besides the obvious stuff (phones, appointments, etc.) and the not so obvious (cleaning, setting up, etc.), I am there to GREET you. To help you out with whatever you may need. And, like it or not, I am also there to facilitate with the discussion of tattoo design ideas and things. I must talk to you first about what you want before you start yapping to an artist. Not only does it help them out (for example, if you tattooed them before and they don't remember it when they talk to you, then they look dumb. Forgive them! They have lots of clients! But if I ask you if they've tattooed you before, it doesn't seem out of the ordinary by me asking, and then I can relay this information to the artist, saving them from looking foolish), but it saves them from talking to someone who really isn't serious about getting tattooed. Read-it saves them from wasting their time.
Now, I understand that anyone who needs to find out more information about how to make their tattoo idea better, pricing, location suggestions, etc. needs to talk to an artist. However, if I can talk to you first and perhaps help you out with the main details, it ultimately is much easier on the artist. I can't tell you how many times people come in and they don't really know what they want, and I end up talking with them about possible ideas for the next thirty minutes. Now, I don't mind this at all...but an artist might, if he has a whole week's worth of tattoos to draw and you're just babbling on about what you MIGHT get. You feel me?
I guess that's another rant that I have...when people don't understand WHY they must talk to me, just to end up talking to an artist about the same exact thing. Well, the reason is simple...and I just explained it above. It can also be because sometimes, people just come in to change an appointment or make an appointment with someone who isn't there that day. Both of those situations involve me and me alone...and discussing the matters with an artist would just result in the artist coming to me to complete the task, anyway.
Either way, I'd appreciate it if customers would at least acknowledge me in a friendly manner, or even just acknowledge me. I'd like to think I'm pretty welcoming, but sometimes I don't even get a response from people when I greet them- they just dart towards an artist and start talking to him. It makes me feel bad. I understand that I'm not an artist, so it may feel like a waste of time to even talk to me, but even so...there is a reason as to why I'm greeting you first. Why else would I be there? If I wasn't needed, my boss wouldn't have me doing that part of the job. Still, I don't understand how people justify walking behind a counter that is very clearly supposed to be a barrier from you to me.
So, the bottom line of today's blog post is to say hi to me, even if you don't want to...and STAY BEHIND the counter, until you are asked to come back :)
Monday, February 11, 2013
Sunday, February 3, 2013
A typical day at my job.
For my second post, I thought I'd tell you all about what my job actually entails. My official job title is "front desk receptionist", although that label is incredibly deceiving. When people think of a receptionist, they tend to envision someone sitting in a cushioned chair behind a computer-topped desk, answering phones and greeting clients all day. I suppose this isn't entirely inaccurate for some receptionists, but it's definitely not what I do (or not all of it, anyway).
When I had my first interview (more on getting the job here), I was told right away what was to be expected of me, so I wasn't picturing this job to resemble the example I described above. This was fine by me, as I have tried the whole "office job" deal, and it is definitely not for me. I like to move around and have the freedom to change tasks frequently, not be chained down to a desk all day. So, this gig turned out to really work in my favor due to my activity level and preferences.
First things first. I do answer phones, and I do make/cancel/reschedule appointments. I also greet customers. However, it's all a bit more challenging than people would think, especially at the beginning before you know what you're doing. I am also responsible for cleaning the entire shop, breaking down and setting up stations, cleaing, helping the artists with anything they might need, cleaning, helping clients with anything they might need, cleaning, oh and did I mention cleaning? A clean shop is a happy shop...which is how it should be! Who wants to get tattooed at a dirty, gross shop? Nobody, I hope. More info on finding a good, clean shop later. But for now, I'll leave you with a typical outline of my day at the shop:
Noon- We're open! I flip the sign to "open" and open up the curtains. At this time I'll also inform the artists of the status of their clients (whether they have confirmed for their appointment or not).
During the next hour- I'll set up the artists for their appointments that typically start at one. A station that is ready for an artist consists of covering literally everything that the artist and the client will be touching during the tattoo. This means all bottles, knobs, lamp handles, armrests, pillows, everything! I even set out little baggies that they put their machines in, so those are covered, too. Not only is it the law to make sure everything is covered up for each client by disposable coverings, but it's just the right thing to do. Everything is single-use, just for the client...and the things that must be reused (tables, chairs, tattoo machines, tubes, etc.) are all either sterilized in our monthly spore-tested autoclave or disinfected by hospital-grade spray. During this time, I MUST be listening to the phone and the door. If the phone rings, I have to be prepared to handle whatever the call entails. Sometimes it's just a rescheduling of an appointment. Other times it's inquiries about piercings or tattoos. A good shop girl must be very well-versed in everything the shop offers, because it doesn't look good for the shop if the person answering the phones can't answer the questions a client is asking. By watching the door, I mean I must constantly be watching the door for clients walking in. This is important. Have you ever walked into a tattoo shop, just to not be greeted? You probably walk around, trying to find someone, and end up sitting down in a chair, defeated and feeling silly. I've done it, and it sucks. What I love about my shop is that you won't ever get that experience...someone will ALWAYS be there to greet you and help you out. Sometimes the people walking through the door are just people who have appointments (and I need to make sure they have the proper paperwork filled out, complete with ID). Other times, it's people asking about getting walk-in tattoos. In this case, I must figure out what they want, get them an available artist, and set them up a station to get tattooed at. Basically what I'm saying is...multitasking is key, and more often than not I find myself dividing my time between multiple activities at once to make sure the shop runs smoothly.
One- With luck, all of the appointments have shown up on time, and the artists are ready to tattoo them. Woo hoo! I'm no longer running around setting things up, but my ears are still ready to listen for an artist asking me for a pillow, a new rinse cup, or whatever else they might find they need during the course of the tattoo. Obviously, I'm also ready to greet a customer who might walk in or answer the phone, should it ring.
During the next two hours, approximately- Now is the time to call the following days' appointments, to see if they are coming in or not. Sometimes there are only a few appointments for the next day; sometimes there are a lot. We have eight artists total, and although they aren't all on shift all the time together, it can get busy, particularly on the weekends. Not all shops offer the confirmation call, but we find that our clients like it. Sometimes I catch people who didn't realize their appointment was the next day, so it's a good service just to remind them. Once I'm done with that, I start cleaning the shop. I have various chores, such as washing windows, cleaning mirrors, cutting paper towels for artists, cleaning doorknobs, cleaning and stocking the bathroom, dusting...I could go on and on. Some people might find these things to be "busy work", but as I stated before, a clean shop is a happy shop. Having the shop presentable to clients is so important, and has a big impact on people as to whether or not they'll choose to get tattooed at our shop. At this time I've also set up the lunch tables so the guys have somewhere to eat. Of course, I'm always watching the front door and the phone.
Three- Most of the appointments from the early afternoon are done by now. I have to be available to talk to clients and make them future appointments. I also handle all of the payments for tattoos, and deal with it accordingly. The guys will usually eat now, but I stay up front cleaning and doing chores, ready to assist anyone who calls or walks in. I'll note that the walk-in rotation must be dealt with carefully, so all of the artists have a fair chance at making some money for the day. I'll also break down all of the stations at this time. Breaking down consists of the exact opposite of setting up...I take all of the used coverings and throw them away. I also disassemble the tattoo machines. Oh, and I'll note this right now...needles and razors (for shaving off hair in the area of the tattoo) are of course all single-use, and they are disposed of in sharps bins. Once everything is disposed of properly, I clean the stuff that can't be thrown away or autoclaved with our medical-grade disinfectant. I then set the stations back up again, because four o'clock means...
Four- The artists are done with lunch, and with luck, have started tattooing their four o'clock appointments. As always, I'm listening for the door, phone, and artists that might need me...but now I'm back to cleaning. Cleaning the sinks, cleaning the floor, cleaning the chairs and tables not in use...I'll also pick up the lunch room.
Five- I'm off! I inform the shop girl who is working after me of anything she might need to know (this client is coming in later, there may be two girls coming in later as walk-ins, whatever) and I leave.
This is just a basic idea of what I do during a tattoo shop shift. Of course, if I'm closing, it's a bit different, but the idea is still there. Overall, this job is exciting and has a lot of variety. I enjoy the interaction I get to have with people, and I like that I can show off my tattoos, rather than cover them up as I had to do during my office job days. It can definitely get stressful, and multitasking is a must. I also have to deal with some crazy clients sometimes, and it can be challenging to help them without losing my cool. You might see some of these stories with posts to come...luckily, my shop is pretty classy and professional, but occasionally there will be an odd duck who will come in and try to cause havoc.
Thanks for reading!
When I had my first interview (more on getting the job here), I was told right away what was to be expected of me, so I wasn't picturing this job to resemble the example I described above. This was fine by me, as I have tried the whole "office job" deal, and it is definitely not for me. I like to move around and have the freedom to change tasks frequently, not be chained down to a desk all day. So, this gig turned out to really work in my favor due to my activity level and preferences.
First things first. I do answer phones, and I do make/cancel/reschedule appointments. I also greet customers. However, it's all a bit more challenging than people would think, especially at the beginning before you know what you're doing. I am also responsible for cleaning the entire shop, breaking down and setting up stations, cleaing, helping the artists with anything they might need, cleaning, helping clients with anything they might need, cleaning, oh and did I mention cleaning? A clean shop is a happy shop...which is how it should be! Who wants to get tattooed at a dirty, gross shop? Nobody, I hope. More info on finding a good, clean shop later. But for now, I'll leave you with a typical outline of my day at the shop:
Opening Shift
15 min before shift- I get to work and get everything ready for the day. On go the lights, fans, air conditioning (so people don't pass out!), various office equipment and displays, the register...you get the idea. If I see on the computer that an artist (or two or more!) have appointments set for right when we open, I have to set up stations and equipment for that, too. If I'm lucky, my coworkers will help me out if they see me struggling or if I ask...but I don't like to count on that, because I've gotten fast over the years and can usually handle it all myself.Noon- We're open! I flip the sign to "open" and open up the curtains. At this time I'll also inform the artists of the status of their clients (whether they have confirmed for their appointment or not).
During the next hour- I'll set up the artists for their appointments that typically start at one. A station that is ready for an artist consists of covering literally everything that the artist and the client will be touching during the tattoo. This means all bottles, knobs, lamp handles, armrests, pillows, everything! I even set out little baggies that they put their machines in, so those are covered, too. Not only is it the law to make sure everything is covered up for each client by disposable coverings, but it's just the right thing to do. Everything is single-use, just for the client...and the things that must be reused (tables, chairs, tattoo machines, tubes, etc.) are all either sterilized in our monthly spore-tested autoclave or disinfected by hospital-grade spray. During this time, I MUST be listening to the phone and the door. If the phone rings, I have to be prepared to handle whatever the call entails. Sometimes it's just a rescheduling of an appointment. Other times it's inquiries about piercings or tattoos. A good shop girl must be very well-versed in everything the shop offers, because it doesn't look good for the shop if the person answering the phones can't answer the questions a client is asking. By watching the door, I mean I must constantly be watching the door for clients walking in. This is important. Have you ever walked into a tattoo shop, just to not be greeted? You probably walk around, trying to find someone, and end up sitting down in a chair, defeated and feeling silly. I've done it, and it sucks. What I love about my shop is that you won't ever get that experience...someone will ALWAYS be there to greet you and help you out. Sometimes the people walking through the door are just people who have appointments (and I need to make sure they have the proper paperwork filled out, complete with ID). Other times, it's people asking about getting walk-in tattoos. In this case, I must figure out what they want, get them an available artist, and set them up a station to get tattooed at. Basically what I'm saying is...multitasking is key, and more often than not I find myself dividing my time between multiple activities at once to make sure the shop runs smoothly.
One- With luck, all of the appointments have shown up on time, and the artists are ready to tattoo them. Woo hoo! I'm no longer running around setting things up, but my ears are still ready to listen for an artist asking me for a pillow, a new rinse cup, or whatever else they might find they need during the course of the tattoo. Obviously, I'm also ready to greet a customer who might walk in or answer the phone, should it ring.
During the next two hours, approximately- Now is the time to call the following days' appointments, to see if they are coming in or not. Sometimes there are only a few appointments for the next day; sometimes there are a lot. We have eight artists total, and although they aren't all on shift all the time together, it can get busy, particularly on the weekends. Not all shops offer the confirmation call, but we find that our clients like it. Sometimes I catch people who didn't realize their appointment was the next day, so it's a good service just to remind them. Once I'm done with that, I start cleaning the shop. I have various chores, such as washing windows, cleaning mirrors, cutting paper towels for artists, cleaning doorknobs, cleaning and stocking the bathroom, dusting...I could go on and on. Some people might find these things to be "busy work", but as I stated before, a clean shop is a happy shop. Having the shop presentable to clients is so important, and has a big impact on people as to whether or not they'll choose to get tattooed at our shop. At this time I've also set up the lunch tables so the guys have somewhere to eat. Of course, I'm always watching the front door and the phone.
Three- Most of the appointments from the early afternoon are done by now. I have to be available to talk to clients and make them future appointments. I also handle all of the payments for tattoos, and deal with it accordingly. The guys will usually eat now, but I stay up front cleaning and doing chores, ready to assist anyone who calls or walks in. I'll note that the walk-in rotation must be dealt with carefully, so all of the artists have a fair chance at making some money for the day. I'll also break down all of the stations at this time. Breaking down consists of the exact opposite of setting up...I take all of the used coverings and throw them away. I also disassemble the tattoo machines. Oh, and I'll note this right now...needles and razors (for shaving off hair in the area of the tattoo) are of course all single-use, and they are disposed of in sharps bins. Once everything is disposed of properly, I clean the stuff that can't be thrown away or autoclaved with our medical-grade disinfectant. I then set the stations back up again, because four o'clock means...
Four- The artists are done with lunch, and with luck, have started tattooing their four o'clock appointments. As always, I'm listening for the door, phone, and artists that might need me...but now I'm back to cleaning. Cleaning the sinks, cleaning the floor, cleaning the chairs and tables not in use...I'll also pick up the lunch room.
Five- I'm off! I inform the shop girl who is working after me of anything she might need to know (this client is coming in later, there may be two girls coming in later as walk-ins, whatever) and I leave.
This is just a basic idea of what I do during a tattoo shop shift. Of course, if I'm closing, it's a bit different, but the idea is still there. Overall, this job is exciting and has a lot of variety. I enjoy the interaction I get to have with people, and I like that I can show off my tattoos, rather than cover them up as I had to do during my office job days. It can definitely get stressful, and multitasking is a must. I also have to deal with some crazy clients sometimes, and it can be challenging to help them without losing my cool. You might see some of these stories with posts to come...luckily, my shop is pretty classy and professional, but occasionally there will be an odd duck who will come in and try to cause havoc.
Thanks for reading!
Welcome!
Hello and welcome! Thanks for taking a peek at my blog. As you can see, I'm pretty new around here...but I've had this idea for a blog for awhile now. I realize that I am lucky to have such a cool job during college...I've run into many people who are very curious about what my job entails and what I deal with on a day to day basis. You can call me Nikki, and I'm a shop girl at a tattoo shop in the United States. If I seem somewhat elusive as to who I am and where I work, it's for a reason...I would never want my ideas and opinions of things to affect my shop negatively in any way. However, I hope that my posts will help you understand the do's and don'ts of getting a tattoo, etiquette while being inside a shop, etc., as well as satiate your curiosity as to what really goes on behind shop walls. If at any time you have any questions, comments, concerns, or ideas for a post, feel free to either leave a comment here or shoot me an email at tattooshopgirl@gmail.com. Peace!
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