Don't walk behind my wall!

     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 :)