I was walking the floor as I usually do during our lunch rush when I noticed a woman standing near the bar area looking around intently. I knew she wanted one of two things, either the bathroom, or me. I smiled and asked her “Ma’am, can I help you find something?”

“I need to speak with the manager or owner.” She said. The entire time she was looking at me like I had just crawled out of the sewer. I wear our restaurant’s T-shirt and jeans as my uniform, we are a very casual dining location, but I am always clean and well groomed.

“Yes ma’am, I am the manger what can I do for you?” I tried to disarm her with a smile, I could tell from her body language she wasn’t happy at all.

“No I need to speak with someone in charge.” Clearly thought I couldn’t be whom she sought.

“That is me ma’am, I am the GM here, the owners are not here currently.” I needed to redirect this conversation and get it going into problem solving mode quickly. You don’t have a lot of time before someone loses patience with you in these situations, even if they are the ones dragging the conversation through the mud. “What seems to be the problem?”

“I need another waitress.” When the word waitress came out of her mouth it sounded as though she was trying to spit it out like poison.

“I can arrange that ma’am, but I would like to know why first.” I was going to give her new waitress no matter what, but I did have to know why so I could address the problem for the future with her current waitress.

“No, you don’t need to know why, just replace her.” Now that irratated me. It strikes a cord within me, her telling me that I didn’t need to my job the right way, but instead her way.

“I’ll tell you what ma’am, you tell me where you are sitting, and I will replace your waitress, but so that I can address the problem I will need you explain what your problem with her is, unless it is a personal problem from your past.” I figure I am going to give her an out, a way she can simply say that she doesn’t want to talk about. She doesn’t take it.