Shame on you Dixie Carter!

Since the end of April 1990 I have been a wrestling fan.  I believe it is was Roddy Piper who coined the phrase "the sickness" but I have it.  I live and breath and eat professional wrestling.  I really do.  I have over 600 video tapes, several TERABYTES of wrestling and watch it almost religiously.  In High School I didn't work on Monday's because of Raw and Nitro.  From 1993 to 1997 I did not miss a Monday Night Raw.  I have been to dozens of shows, several TV shows and a few Pay Per Views.  Back in SLC I even started to go to independent wrestling.  One of my biggest regrets was not training when I had a chance.  To say that I am a massive fan is an understatement.

The first match I saw was Hulk Hogan taking on the Ultimate Warrior at Wrestlemania 6.  I became a fan because of Hulk Hogan!  This will come into matters later.

That being said my fandom has been waning for the last few years.  The storylines and the in ring performances haven't been what I am looking for.  I still keep up with it but I don't make sure I see EVERYTHING like I did for years.  Then this happened....

Zema Ion, a young kid in TNA, had to have his appendix removed.  Not the first person and not the last but here is the issue.  Pro Wrestlers are "independent contractors".  That means they don't get insurance.  No big deal but in TNA the wrestlers can't wrestle anywhere that they are taped for TV or DVD, if you believe what is being reported and I believe that.  They are also typically, if they aren't a major star...which Zema isn't, are on a per date deal.  That means that if they aren't "booked" or scheduled for the show they don't get paid.  So if TNA doesn't book Zema for a month he doesn't get paid.  So if TNA doesn't use Zema for several weeks no money comes in yet he can't go to a local group if he is getting taped.  So Zema's appendix burst and he doesn't have insurance.  Big problem but it gets worse.  The youngster, much like myself and millions of people, doesn't have insurance.  The difference is that millions, myself included, doesn't work for a multi-million dollar national televised professional wrestling company.

About a week, and my time frame might be off a bit but it all happened about the same time, something happened in the ring.  The lovely ring announcer Christy Hemme announced the wrong team.  One of the performers, Austin Aries...who plays a cocky jerk of a character, didn't like this...which his character shouldn't.  He backed her into a corner and demanded his team properly announced.  He then climbed the ropes while she was in the corner.  When he did this his crotch was in her face.  Now I believe that this was not something done on purpose.  He did not thrust into her face or do anything sexually, he merely climbed the turnbuckles which is does after his announcement in every match.  It is reported she didn't like this, which I understand, but it wasn't until a former announcer and all around jerk, my opinion, Mark Madden made a big deal out of it that people noticed.  He claimed that Aries harassed Hemme and after a few days TNA and Spike TV, where their show is aired, made an announcement that Aries was fined. 

So back to Zema Ion, several people have contacted Dixie on her twitter asking if she or TNA or Spike would be helping Zema with his bills.  I did this myself and the owner of PWInsider.com did as well and has led the charge on this a bit.  I am a paying member of this website and if you are a wrestling fan you should be too because it is the best out there!

Dixie has said nothing and it is sickening to me.  Their silence is deafening.  Yes I understand this young man should have medical insurance.  Yes this could happen to anyone including me.  However this kid is limited where and when he gets paid yet he isn't supplied insurance.  I believe that if you are going to listen to a fat worthless slob like Mark Madden who is out for himself why not when people are trying to help someone else?  To be honest I am not a fan of Ion.  He is a high flying guy and I like guys who have more psychology and mat skills, but that is my preference.  I believe that TNA should help this kid and honestly I am honestly thinking about not watching their show anymore. 

Now I doubt that Dixie will see this and I really doubt that Hulk Hogan will.  Hogan you talk about your influence with Dixie and how you want TNA to be the next big thing.  Well Hulk Hogan and Dixie Carter do the right thing!  Help this young man who was a champion for you.  WWE would have helped him.  Do the right thing if not for the public relations then because it is the right thing.

I leave you with this, what if it was Mark Madden making a big deal out of this instead of the Hemme situation, would you cave and help Ion then?  DO THE RIGHT THING! 

The death of customer service? (crisis of who I am)

I made the mistake recently of going onto a facebook page for Barnes and Noble employees.  I joined it when I was still working there and somehow was there the other day and someone asked about calling a store after it closed for a customer and what would you do if it was you're store.  I was shocked that most people said it was rude and how could you do that.  I said that you are still on BN time and that you should do whatever you can to help a customer and I was berated for saying that.  So much so that I have been accused of belittling others and argumentative.  While I am those things and a lot more I wasn't here.  I don't know these people and I think people who know me know that I am respectful till given a reason not to be.

Then again perhaps they read my politeness as belittling which was not the case.  Anyway that is not the point of the store, that I was sucked into one of the few internet wars (mine always seem to be on FB).  What shocked me was how everyone was against going the extra mile.  I even had someone say: 

We have a customer service goal set up for us - it's called SPH. If what you're doing for a customer is increasing SPH, keep doing it. If it's not, then you need to learn "creative disengagement". Gene, I'm glad you decided to leave the company. If every individual bookseller ignored company standards and gave whatever level of customer service that they happened to like, we'd have chaos and a mess

I ignored the standards by giving exceptional service.  This is what is wrong with my former company which many MANY dear friends still work for and I said as much.  But this isn't a problem at BN only.  What happened to customer service?

People used to be helpful in stores right?  It used to be about building relationships and keeping them returning to the store right?  I ask because I don't feel that in any store I go into.  Yes I know part of the reason is that every store out there is understaffed and overworked.  I've been there but it didn't stop me from doing what i could to keep our guests and customers coming back.  If that meant answering a phone before or after hours I did it.  If that meant picking up a computer at the FedEx store so that I could get it back to the employee for Monday morning I did it.  

Am I the only one that feels that customer service, and respect for the customer/guest, has been on a major decline lately?  Hell perhaps I'm wrong and I should have just focused on getting projects done or did my 9 hours and left.  Other people do it and I sure didn't make a difference at BN or WGU.

A dear friend once called me a martyr and I realize I am.  I just want to make places better when I'm there and I always felt I did but now I don't know.  This has lead to me questioning who I am as an employee.  Is going above and beyond wrong now?  Is it just about doing what everyone else is doing?

I don't know if I can handle that.  I strive to be the best.  I need to be the best.  I mentioned it a while ago about being a dinosaur...perhaps it is time for this dinosaur to evolve and just be like everyone else instead of wanting to be the best.  

I don't know how to be like everyone else.  I know I'll call Barnes and Noble and see if they have a book on it (see that was belittling a bit)