196th Semiannual General Conference - Saturday Highlights

 Saturday Morning 

Gerrit W. Gong

• Temple marriages are meant to last forever. Covenant belonging unites a family -parents and children- for eternity. 
• God will not require you to be sealed and live in an eternal relationship that you did not choose. 
• Rich blessings await. Do not procrastinate until the end. Do not deliberately delay the peace and freedom Christ wants you to have now. 
• 1. A temple dedication is a beginning. 2. Faithful members sacrifice to be sealed in the temple. 3. Everything in each temple testifies of Christ. 4. Temple sacrifice and service requires a spirit of gratitude. 5. Please consider obtaining your own ceremonial temple clothing. 
• Let us celebrate and treasure even more the spiritual blessings that temples bring. 
• As the seasons of our lives allow, we can regularly serve in the temple. 
• Ordinances are not big or small. Covenants are not big or small. Let us not speak of a temple as big or small but speak with gratitude that you have a House of the Lord there. 
• Look for the miracles. 

Tamara W. Runia

• It is human nature to want to fix things and it is frustrating when we come across things that we cannot fix. 
• God intends for us to get what we need, not what we want. 
• I know that God loves me, so what is supposed to be happening here? We're supposed to learn to be like him and love like him.  
• Our stories may not look like success to others, it may look like the opposite and feel like that, but God is shaping us into the best us we can become. 
• God sees you loves you and knows your story.
• God is aware of your experiences and has a plan for your life. For all our lives. 
• We have a choice. We can curse and blame God for what happens in our lives, or we can bless and sustain him. Have faith that he knows us and that he will help us grow from the experience. 
• Change it from something that's happening TO you to instead something that is happening FOR you. 
• There is a sculpting taking place in each of our hearts. Let the Savior work on you to make you a masterpiece. 

Gerald Causse

• Be of good cheer. And do not fear. For I the Lord am with you and stand by you. 
• Through your testimonies in word and deed you demonstrate the reality of a loving Savior and the blessings that come through his Gospel. 
• The gift of testimony is deeply personal and is shaped according to our unique experiences, circumstances, and needs. 
• Trust in your testimony because it is uniquely yours. 
• Our testimony is a gift meant to be shared, not hidden. 
• Do you believe what you said? Then that's all that matters.
• Do you realize that your testimony can literally change lives as you share it?
• How many Almas are around you waiting to hear your witness to help them rediscover their own testimony? Their hope? 
• You can share your beliefs in simple and natural ways.  

Vaiangina Sikahema

• Even if we have ways to easily see and hear the Lord's voice, we will still take them for granted. 
• What a blessing it is to live in a time where prophets and apostles are on the earth.

Kevin J. Hathaway

• The question isn't IF he will deliver but how or when he will do so. Christ always delivers. We just 'don't know the method or the timing. 
• Opposition comes to all. Even to the righteous. 
• Acts of faith will draw us closer to Christ. 
• The Lord is not delayed, distracted, or derelict in your trials. However, he knows that lessons learned while waiting can produce growth that would otherwise not happen. 
• Christ specializes in the seemingly impossible. He makes the impossible possible. And he's really good at it. 

Ulisses Soares

• Light after darkness, healing after weariness, and when we call upon the Lord he will be near.
• Fasting is an expression of our desire to draw nearer to Christ.  
• Fasting and Prayer may not remove every burden in our path, but it does draw heaven nearer and gives us the spiritual fortitude to remain faithful.
• Look beyond yourselves. Turn your hearts towards His children. 
• Fasting when observed with joy can bring a deeper and more personal connection with Christ. 

Sean Douglas

• You are an Army of Righteousness. A Force of Faith.
• Take care not to become distracted. Prioritize. Don't let anything get in your way. You are needed. 
• There is still plenty of room and a special place reserved for each one of you. Come. Join the ranks. 

D. Todd Christofferson

• Time has not made gambling anymore worthwhile or useful. 
• The central risk of gambling is not that people lose money, but that it is addicting. That it will increase debt and create far reaching family and social cost as it becomes more easier to access via your phones. 
• As a society we're making a risky bet that we can reap the rewards of gambling without paying a costly price. 
• Gambling, in the end, provides nothing of value. 
• Bless those who hunger and thirst after righteousness. 

Saturday Afternoon 

Dale G. Renlund

• Are you focusing on the little issue in front of you rather than the big miracle that's happened in front of you.
• Are you focusing on the here and now and lose sight of the bigger picture? Where we've been and God's promises to us?
• God will never break his covenant with you. 
• God promises spiritual peace no matter our circumstances. We can experience joy here and now through him. 
• There is more than enough to cover each of us under Christ. 
• We can trust the Lord, especially his promises. 

Timothy L. Farnes

• It's what we do. Isn't it? 
• Administer with compassion to whoever God places in our path. 
• See the person God places in your path. Act with compassion. 
• Put compassion into action. 

Christian C. Chigbundu 

• The Lord has provided us with small and simple things to help great things to come to pass in our lives. 
• All is well. 
• Our lives will be refined and reshaped gradually as we place our trust in Christ.

Patricio M. Giuffra

• There are no exceptions to the commandment to pay tithing. You should not try to deny the blessings that come from paying it. 
• We keep the commandments because we love God. They are given to us to help us draw closer to the Savior, but also to protect us, help us. 
• The law of tithing is a law of faith.

Jeremiah J. Morgan

• No time or effort is ever wasted in reading the Book of Mormon
• Sooner or later you will feel the tentacles of divine Providence reaching out to draw you back into the fold. 
• Covenants do not take a day off. 
• You have not traveled beyond the reach of divine love. 
• Don't ever give up. Your story. Your Family's story is not finished yet. 

Hutch U. Fale

• I am a child of God. 
• Everything goes back to the Family.
• You did not do anything to earn love. You don't need to do anything to keep that love. That love is everlasting. No matter what you do you will be loved. 
• Knowing and Understanding our Father's love is important because 1. Understanding our Father's love better helps us understand Christ. 2. When we understand God's love to us and his children we become immune to the labels of the fallen world. 3. Understanding God's love protects us from the lie that it is too late for someone to change, to turn to Christ, to receive his redeeming grace.

Patrick Kearon

• You cannot see it but the unseen force of Christ's love is there. Lifting you up. Guiding you.
• With Christ's all powerful hand, he lifts us from our sinking ways. 
• Seek out those sinking into darkness and lift them up.
• Spiritual lift cannot be seen, but as we learn to sense it we can feel it. 
• Find a faithful guide and learn from them where lift is found. 
• When you find lift yourself, show someone else where to lift and rise and share the joy in the Lord. 
• Keep turning to the Savior, to lift up to him. To rise into his light. 
• Your Savior is your Lift. He is your ever rising air. There is no limit to how high you can climb with him. Christ lives to lift. 

Michael A. Dunn

• I know you can do this and I am going to get you there.
• This is your race to finish.
• Christ simultaneously lifts and uplifts us in our lives. 
• Christ rescues us by not shortening our course by lengthening our stride. 
• Take solace that feeling broken does not mean that you have been abandoned by God. We often cannot see the Lord's hand in our lives until after the Trials have passed. 
• Peace will come even if hopeful outcomes do not. 

Matthew J. Eyring

• Do not allow your trials to negatively affect your faith.
• Some day we will realize how generous and kind the Lord has been to us. And realize that they are truly givers of good gifts.
• Remember the Husband who is also suffering when there are trials dealing with the Wife. Both Husband and Wife need their own blessings.
• Living with the constant companionship with the Holy Ghost should be one of our highest priorities. 

Ronald A. Rasband

• In our grief we continuously ponder the whys, hows, and what ifs. 
• There is always a way back through the Atonement. 
• To all those who grieve, Christ says: I've got this. 
• Love is not stepping back and sanctioning others and their actions. Love is lifting with faith and hope, love is being interested in their lives. Love relies on the calming influence of the Holy Ghost. It's loving them for who they are. 
• The path is marked by love.
• Avoid what is harsh and hateful. Seek instead what is holy. Seek to be peacemakers. 
• Love is the answer to connecting to all of our loved ones. 

To listen, watch, and/or read the talks from today please visit: 

https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2026/10?lang=eng

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.

Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

196th Annual General Conference Highlights - Sunday Sessions

 Sunday Morning 

Dieter F. Uchtdorf

• When the world is dark the best place to go is to the light that shines in the darkness. 
• Christ is no more confined to the pages of a book as he was not confined to the stone that held his body. 
• With Christ's strength ALL obstacles can be overcome. He can conquer anything we face because he conquered death. 
• We can rise to Christ's challenge and spread the glorious news of the empty tomb. 
• Our acts can often speak more powerfully than our words alone. 
• Each morning let the daily rising sun remind us that the rising light of Christ is what guides us through our daily life. 
• Christ is our strength. He is our guide. He will bring us joy and happiness in this life and into eternity. 

Emily Belle Freeman

• Strength comes as we walk with Christ and hold fast to His eternal truths. 
• Our understanding of eternal truth is not found in a single moment. It is found through our best days and our worst days. Line upon line. Day upon Day. 
• Christ was IN the water WITH peter within REACHING distance. The same is true for you. He is there. With you. In your Best Days and your Worst Days. 
• Maybe it takes both the worst days and the best days for you to become what the Lord wants you to become. 
• You can trust Christ even when life is hard. 
• Walk in God's light. You can navigate life easier when you can see things clearly.
• Joy is not the absence of sorrow in your life. It is the presence of Christ in your life.

Pedro X. Larreal

• You will need the constant presence of the Holy Ghost because you're living in a time where Satan's influence has become prevalent in the world. 
• The sacrament is for ALL. for You and for Me. 

Edward B. Rowe

• I need Jesus Christ to be my guide through life's journey, through all its spiritual landmines. 
• Come. Follow me. Walk with me. Return unto me. 
• Jesus Christ denies NONE. No one needs to walk alone. 
• While Christ's Atonement is infinite, his invitation to you to walk with him is Individual. 
• Though our paths in life are unique, each is to be part of the Covenant path. 
• When injured by spiritual landmines you can experience Christ's divine healing and power by putting your trust in Him and relying on Him. 

Ronald A. Rasband

• The Resurrection is a pillar to our faith. 
• I will hold you with the right hand of my righteousness.
• Weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning. 
• May we be at peace, for the Lord has promised 'where I am there ye may be also.'

Dale G. Renlund

• Not all matters are of equal value. And maintaining an eternal perspective will help us prioritize the things that are the greatest of value. 
• All mankind can be saved because of Christ and his Atoning Sacrifice. All means everyone. It means anyone. It means even one. It means even You. 
• Because of Christ all that is found wrong in this life will be made right. 
• Whatever questions and problems you may have, they can be found in the light of Christ and His works. 
• Keep your eye on the ball. Focus on the Savior. Partake in His gifts that He will impart. 
• Open wide your broken heart and let your Savior in. 

Thierry K. Mutombo

• If you come unto me, ye shall have eternal life. For my arm of mercy is extended to you and whosoever shall come, him shall I receive. 
• Come unto Me is a divine invitation. It means wherever you are now or whatever you are going through in your life you can feel His Love for you. 
• No matter how dark your days are, please remember that Sunday will come. 
• The great task of life is to follow Christ. 

Alan R. Walker

• Above all Loves, God's and Christ's Love stands supreme. 
• Obedience to God's covenants and commandments is essential to rise above life's challenges. 
• The Lord doesn't ask for perfection. He asks for broken hearts and humble spirits. 
• We can face life with Hope knowing that we can succeed in the end because we know we have God's promise with us. 

Dallin H. Oaks

• Death is not the conclusion of our identity. It changes the whole perspective of our mortal life and how we look upon the challenges found in mortality.
• Living worthy to meet Christ is no easy task. 
• Hostility should not be found among Christians. Their beliefs show they should be acting otherwise. 
• Thou shalt love they enemies. Do good to those who curse you. And pray for them who use you despitefully and persecute you. 
• Everyone is a child of God. One should love everyone. 
• You should look onto everyone as a child of God. 
• We should see each other as children of God and therefore love one another, even if we despise them. 
• We should live together in love regardless of race, beliefs, culture, gender, etc. 
• We don't need to surrender our values in order to love everyone. 
• As followers of Christ we should seek to live together peacefully and lovingly with those who do not follow our beliefs. 
• We should seek fairness for all. 
• We should love others even if they show little to no love back to us. 
• Seek to be a peacemaker.  
• As followers of Christ, let us follow him by forgoing contention and following the methods and language of peacemakers. Let us avoid what is harsh and hateful. Let us seek to be holy. 

Sunday Afternoon 

D. Todd Christofferson

• If we emulate the Character of Christ, we become the person we're meant to be. 
• Christlike character grows out of a Christlike heart. If we're going to be Christlike we must have our hearts and minds tuned into Christ. 
• For most of us, a mighty change of heart occurs incrementally over time.
• Character is revealed in the power to discern the suffering of other people when we too are suffering and reach out to extend compassion to others in spiritual agony when we too are in spiritual distress.
• Our thoughts, words, and actions need to be unfailingly virtuous. 
• Work to act and think out of pure love, just like Christ does.  
• No one can change their world alone, but we each can have an influence on the world and help the whole to change. 

Chi Hong (Sam) Wong

• Keeping God's commandments is a blessing. 
• God's commandments are firm. 

Aaron T. Hall

• My God hath been my support. He has led me through my afflictions, he has preserved me, he has filled me with love. 
• We are engraved on the palms of Christ's hands. 
• When life feels unfair, and it's difficult to glory in God, reflect on Christ's Atonement and let him bring peace unto your soul. 

Susan H. Porter

• You have a purpose. You have the ability to make a difference for good.
• Wake up each day with purpose and confidence knowing that Jesus will be there walking with you.
• You don't need to worry about fixing all the problems around you. Heavenly Father can provide miracles with you offering what you have.  

Neil L. Andersen 

• Confidence in the lasting nature of marriage is eroding in the world, but we believe in eternal marriage. We seek an eternal marriage. 
• Love is not love when it alters when alterations to love are found. 
• Eternal marriage is an eternal journey.
• Allow the Lord to expand your spiritual gifts of understanding and patience. 

Quentin L. Cook

• Our Savior has accomplished the Father's plan.

Taniela B. Wakolo

• How grateful we are for prophets and apostles who speak simply and with clarity. 
• The temple stands as a symbol of hope. 
• The gospel is not a wedge to divide families but a bridge to unite families. 
• YOU are essential to God's plan.
• It is never too late to experience miracles. 

Gerrit W. Gong

• Sometimes on our dusty roads we feel alone, burdened, unseen. But Christ is there. Joining us on our way. 
• Christ promises that he will not leave you comfortless. He will come and comfort you. 
• Christ's Atonement changes everything. It can reunite families. We can heal and reconcile. 

Dallin H. Oaks

• Truly Christ is the way to peace in this world and eternal life in the world to come. 

To watch/listen/read these talks in their entirety, please visit: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2026/04?lang=eng

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves. 
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

196th Annual General Conference Highlights - Saturday Sessions

Saturday Morning

Patrick Kearon

• We may be asked to sustain those who we don't agree with, but with time we may come to understand why those people were called. 
• Imperfect people are called to do the Lord's work and will stretch them in ways they don't understand but will ultimately help others. 
• Whatever OUR offering in the Lord's economy, we will always come out ahead. 
• Our service is a choice. An offering to God and a blessing. 
• Callings from the Lord are tailor-made to our growth. 
• It isn't where we serve that is important but HOW we serve. 

Kristin M. Yee

• Don't judge people in your life, but walk with them and support them. 
• When we feel loved and seen by Him, it changes everything. 
• When we choose to love someONE over someTHING, He will be there to support and help us as we follow His path.
• We do not go alone. God will be will us. 
• We can be the helping hand, the angels who answer people's prayers on behalf of the Lord. 
• Don't limit your service to your inner circle of friends and family, but spread out and serve everyone.

Clark G. Gilbert

• Christ's grace makes up the difference in our lives. 
• Missed opportunities can bind our future.
• You don't have to be perfect to be in this Church, you just have to do your best, and Christ will make up the difference. 
• Life's deeper questions do not go away even if you walk away. 
• The truth is it is much more exhausting to seek happiness where you can never find it. 

David A. Bednar

• Push on. Hang on. Endure to the end. 
• We are in absolute help and never-ending need for the Savior to help guide and strengthen us through our lives. 
• Gifts are given through the Savior's timing, they're not gifts we earn through just discipline, practice, and endurance alone. 
• Charity never faileth. 
• We can possess charity, but ultimately charity must possess us. 
• Charity encompasses what we can DO, but also what we can BECOME. 
• Love as the Savior Loves. 
• Enduring to the end is the choice of a lifetime. 

Michael John U. Teh

• Follow the prophet. He knows the way. 
• Embracing gospel culture simply means keeping our covenants. 
• Christ strengthens us in each of our trials so that we may be able to endure them. 
• When we strive to follow the Savior, he will use us to bless others. 
• God's prophets do not live in the past. They see into the future as a watchman on a tower. 
• A seer can know of things of the past, but also of things that are yet to come. 

Jorge T. Becerra

• A double minded man is unstable in all his ways because he lacks commitment. 
• Put God First in your Life. 

Henry B. Erying

• Peace I leave with you. My peace I give unto you.
• Prayers have been more numerous and heartfelt because of the state of the world. 
• Pour out your hearts to God in your time of need. He will answer you in your afflictions and help ease your burdens. 
• Pray always by having a continual prayer in your heart.
• Spiritual strength can come from continual prayer rather than waiting for a crisis to occur before praying. 
• A humble prayer for peace in your heart will be honored. 

Saturday Afternoon

Gary E. Stevenson

• We do not travel alone. There are people around us to guide us and help us on our journey through life. 
• Implement small acts of kindness throughout your day. 

Eduardo F. Ortega

• Your decisions can bring blessings to you, but also to those around you. 
• We need to be patient with ourselves, overcoming our doubts can be a lengthy process. 
• We must choose the best path, even if it's the longest and most demanding one. 

Wan-Liang Wu

• Choose to believe and decide to act. 
• The purpose of the Gospel is to transform, that that requires us to change. 

David J. Wunderli

• Are you choosing to keep Christ in your life? 
• As the weight in your life increases, remember that removing Christ from your life will not lighten your load. 
• Christ is not the weight. He is the relief. 
• Keeping Christ with you requires intentional daily worship. 
• Abiding with Christ eases your burdens, walking with Him changes your character. 

Gerald Causse

• Christlike love grows and multiplies as it is shared. 
• Christ is always near, He is present, far closer than you can ever imagine. 
• How can I be discouraged when I know that He loves and cares for me?
• God is in the details. He loves and cares for each of us. 
• Love all. Are we selective or exclusive in who we determine we'll love? Or do we choose to love everyone around us? 
• Service in the Church expands our circle of love and expands our associations. 
• Don't serve those we already love, we instead come to love people that we serve. 
• There should be no anonymity in Christ's Church, for all should be known and cared for. One Person At A Time. 
• Look beyond the appearance and to the soul beneath. 

Brian J. Holmes

• At some point we all need a guide as we run through the course of life. Christ is our Guide. 
• Christ will never sever his ties with us. 
• When we have doubts, when discipleship feels demanding, when others turn back, That is the moment to stay bound to Christ.
• We never have to face our mountains alone. Christ is there to help us on our journey up. 

Clement M. Matswagothata

• The Savior will guide us through every season of our lives.
• Christ calls you by name because you knows you. He knows your name. He hears, sees, and knows you. 
• When life feels unfair and confusing, please remember this powerful truth. He. Knows. YOU. 
• To the Savior, we are never lost in the crowd. He knows just how to reach us. 
• There is someone out there praying for you.
• Pain is not a sign that God does not love you. He loves you. He truly does. 
• The question should never be "Will the Savior walk with me?" He always will. The real question is "Will WE walk with Him?" 

Ulisses Soares

• Abiding in Christ does not remove the burdens in life, but through His grace they are made lighter. 
• Don't allow doubt and division to be introduced into your heart and mind. 

To watch/listen/read these talks in their entirety please visit: https://www.churchofjesuschrist.org/study/general-conference/2026/04?lang=eng

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Where Did You Stop Listening?

 The problem I have with delegating tasks to people....is that when I do delegate...odds are that no matter how much or how little I explain the task....the person I delegated the task to is going to mess it up somehow and I'll have to redo the task anyways.

Which is why I struggle to have people help me. Why I struggle to delegate. Like what's the point of giving anyone a task if I'm going to have to end up doing it myself anyways in the end?

Like...there was a thing that came down through the higher ups that they want us to make the store shelves look fuller. So we're looking for clearance skus or skus that aren't yet clearance but haven't had any inventory sold within the last couple of weeks are have 0s across the board in our system.

And like...the problem with delegating a task to multiple people...is that I don't always say the same thing to each person. And I don't always remember what I said to who. 

Which makes it difficult to remember sometimes what I actually did and did not tell people. 

Like I remember talking to my other three underlying managers about covering up SKUs that weren't going to be used. 

I don't remember if I talked about flexing product over the empty spaces to everyone. I know I brought it up. I don't know if I brought it up to everyone.

I remember mentioning to at least one of them that we didn't need to worry about Dog really because we'd just reset most of dog food so cat food was going to be the main focus there. 

And like I thought I'd given enough information.

Cover skus that aren't getting in product. Fill them with other product. Call it good. I thought we were all fine and dandy.

Until head manager sent a "i'm holding back my temper" sort of text because they were pissed off...and honestly I was annoyed myself.

Because one of the three or maybe more than one of the three underling managers had gone through our recently reset dog food sections....and covered the BRAND NEW pricing there with cover ups because most of the product wasn't live yet as we set everything early....so there were still some empty holes in some of the areas.

And head manager discovered that this had been done and the cover ups used were sticky so tearing off the strip ruined the pricing underneath....

Which means we now have to go through the various resets and look at the original plans for the new resets and print out new pricing and make sure everything is where it should be. 

And by we I mean that I will be doing this because ... well ... I doubt my coworkers will get it right so I might as well skip delegation and do it myself. 

But it's frustrating because ALL of them knew that we had reset dog recently. We'd all had projects working on it. 

So like why didn't they THINK about the fact that we'd just RESET the section and therefore there would be NO CLEARANCE or HOLES we'd have to cover up.

It's so frustrating.

Like if I give them too little information like a generic "Here's what you're looking for cover them up" Then they don't stop to think that "hey we just reset this we should be good here." they just go "COVER UP EVERYTHING!" And then there were sections where they didn't even flex new product over it so you just have these huge empty shelves where there's no pricing and no product....

Or if I go into more detail "Cover these up, don't worry about Dog, flex product." They lose some of the steps in the deluge of information and forget things and therefore MESS IT UP anyways.

Like it's lucky that we're in an in-between stage where we're finished with our current resets and waiting on the new resets papers to show up that there's literally not much to do in the store right now so I have TIME to go figure out if everything is correct or not. 

But it's still annoying. So annoying.

Like I just want competent coworkers who can follow directions, think for themselves, be fast at their tasks, and like....give me LESS work instead of MORE work to do in the long run.

*exhales*

So frustrated.

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Did I Get This Service?

So.

I'm not quite sure the full conversation as I only got pieces of it from another manager.

But the basic gist of the phone conversation that my other Manager had to take was this.

A customer called. Concerned.

She'd been trying to put the matter behind her, but it's bugged her enough that she finally called us.

You see.

She had brought in her cat to us to get groomed back in JANUARY.

But she was concerned that she paid for a groom that wasn't actually done. 

Because the cat didn't look great at all when it came back. 

And she wanted to put the matter behind her, chalk it up to like a bad day or whatever....but she really wanted to know if she'd actually been charged for the service because she....apparently couldn't find any indication her cat had been groomed that day. She didn't see any charges and such.

My manager who took the call was a bit frazzled...because she'd already been dealing with another grooming situation the past couple of hours.

But trying to look up the customer's phone number for receipts in the system didn't pull up anything.

But the customer also mentioned that she'd had a friend pick up her cat. So therefore she didn't know if the customer had used her own phone number or the customer's phone number or any phone number at all.

In any case. The other Manager was like "Let me research this a bit and I'll get back to you within the next hour." 

What really happened was that she needed to go on lunch, so she looped me into the situation to see if I could figure out anything while she was getting energy and a break from the crazy.

So I went the more logical route.

The customer wasn't sure if the cat had been groomed on the day in January it was scheduled to come in and wasn't sure if she'd paid for the groom or not.

Which I wasn't sure what the customer wanted the resolution to be since we only guarantee grooms for FORTY EIGHT HOURS and it had been nearly TWO MONTHS since the groom. 

But looking in the grooming system I found that the customer had had two cats go into the salon the day she mentioned. One early in the morning, the other right before lunch. 

The information I had had indicated that it was the early morning cat that she was concerned didn't get groomed properly. 

And you know what I found when I looked at that early morning appointment?

It had been CANCELED.

Meaning that we'd never seen the cat. Never touched the cat. We did not Groom that cat 

Why? The most likely cause was because there was no records of vaccination in the system. So unless we see physical proof that the cat had it's rabies shot...we can't do the service. 

So IF the cat the customer was concerned about was the early morning one....We Never Saw The Cat. 

If it was her second cat that came in later in the day then our records show that she DID get that cat groomed and did pay for the service. 

I left the phone call for my other Manager since she'd talked to the customer already.

But basically the gist was to figure out if the early morning cat was the cat the customer was concerned about or not.

And turns out it was.

So the customer had been needlessly worrying that we didn't do a good groom on a cat that HAD NEVER BEEN GROOMED because the appointment got cancelled.

Like....lesson in procrastination much?

Did she ever ask the friend "Hey did this one cat get groomed?" because that could have solved a lot of issues.

But also like... CALL SOONER if you DON'T LIKE SOMETHING. Because 48 hours is the limit for any potential refunds and such. 

At least we solved it painlessly with the customer happy with the outcome.  

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

Paper Jam?

 There's some rather cool things that technology can do now that you wouldn't have considered possible even a couple years ago. 

Today's amazement deals with our Salon Printer...

And the fact that it hasn't been working the last couple of days.

I had no idea what was wrong myself, had only heard it from others that it wasn't working and that Head Manager wasn't able to get it fixed after messing with it. 

And I'd thought a work order had been put in before this point...but it apparently hasn't been....

So deciding to help grooming out so they didn't have to constantly make the trek to our office printer for their invoices. 

I got on the phone with our service center to see if I could get a work order placed so that we could get someone out here to look at the printer. 

And understandably telling the dude on the other end that "we've tried everything to fix it." isn't really believable. 

I know. I've dealt with customers who haven't actually 'tried' everything. 

And it was cool because the IT dude was able to pull up the Salon Printer to see what all the fuss was about and he's like "Oh it looks like you're experiencing a paper jam" which I was pretty sure wasn't the case because like....that would have been an easy fix. "and your imageing is at 0% and it's not recognizing the toner or that the tray is in the printer..." 

So basically the printer has gone "RED ALERT" all over nothing is working. 

Then the IT dude was like "Do you have a work phone on you?"

And I was like ?? What does that have to do with the printer?

Well, he can access our work phones remotely too. 

Which I was aware of because they've had to do that to fix problems with the phones before.

But he was like "I'm going to access your phone so I can get into your camera so I can see what's going on."

Which is exactly what he did. He was able to remotely access the work phone get into the camera app and actually see what I was showing him without ever stepping into the store.

Though that did mean I had to be his hands and eyes.

Because first he had me take out the toner to examine it and make sure that was in good shape and free from like hair build up -because in the salon hair gets EVERYWHERE.- and the remove the imaging device to examine it...and then remove the tray and examine it. And then look at the top of the printer and the back of the printer...basically looked everywhere that could potentially cause a 'paper jam' 

And there was nothing.

Literally nothing. 

No paper, no hair clogs, all the items I pulled out for him to look at through the camera looked in fine condition....

But the printer wasn't recognizing any of it. 

It couldn't recognize the tray being installed. Couldn't recognize that there was no paper jam.

So the IT dude was like 'Yah...looks like I'll have to escalate this and get a tech out to you." 

Which HA.

I was right that we'd need a tech to come out and look at it. 

Though I am sad that I won't be able to see the resolution to this issue in person since the tech will most likely come in tomorrow and I have the day off.

Because I am curious as to why the printer isn't recognizing anything being where it's supposed to be. 

Like will the end result be a whole new printer? Or just new parts? The IT dude was talking new parts...but like...I could see it having to be a new printer as well....

Guess I'll have to wait and see if I get an answer next time I come into work.

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi

They're the Same! (Not)

There's multiple reasons why I chose to go more into the Product side instead of the Customer Service side when choosing what manager position I wanted to go into when corporate revamped their leadership tiers last year.

And that main reason was?

Grooming. The Salon. 

Because the Salon is nonstop drama in one way or another. Whether it's the associates themselves stirring up trouble or Karen customers...Grooming usually is a headache that won't go away. There's always something going wrong there.

And I wanted nothing to do with it. 

I already have enough stress in my life that I don't need to add the constant Salon problems on top of it.

That being said....

with our EL on LOA for the foreseeable future, that means that those tasks that go to he EL now fall to other people.

Most the time it's the head manager who deals with the major crisis and the el (little el not big EL) that deals with the day to day things. 

Unfortunately....Head Manager wasn't in today or tomorrow.

So as being the next highest manager ranking in the store with the EL gone....it got left to me to deal with a Karen that called yesterday and terrorized my closing manager. 

Who told me today that they'd never come close to crying before last night. 

So what happened?

Apparently this Karen shares a grooming account with their child.

And for the past little while they've been getting their dogs groomed and both of them have paid the same price for their dogs.

However, that changed this most recent groom -two weeks ago- where Karen was charged more because the price of grooming changes as the puppy becomes an adult and Karen's puppy had reached the age where they no longer get Puppy Grooms but Adult Grooms. 

Karen was fine with paying for it at the time of service....

Until last night, when her child took in their dog to get groomed at a different location....and paid the same amount they always paid. 

So she apparently called freaking out that she was charged more while the adult child was charged the same for their dog. 

And she would not listen to reason.

That 

1. The breeds weren't the same.n -which influences the price-

2. The dog was old enough that the puppy groom no longer applied and therefore the adult groom would cost more. 

But Karen wasn't having it. She claimed the two dogs were the exact same breed. Poodles.

And while the adult child's dog was listed as a Poodle...Karen's dog was listed as a Labradoodle.

Which are two different breeds of dogs and therefore the pricing for those dogs would differ. 

My manager last night couldn't get that through to her...and manager wasn't actually sure what she wanted in the end. 

So it ended up being my job to call the customer today to either a) tell her "yes that's the price you will have to pay" or b) if the breeds were actually the same as she claimed then give her a refund for putting the wrong breed in the system. 

And it's one of those stupid things where it shouldn't stress me out, but I hate talking to confrontational customers and Grooming Karen customers are the WORST to talk to. And this lady sounded like a beast because she was yelling and screaming over the phone to my closing manager. 

So I didn't really sleep well knowing that I'd have to call her in the morning. And potentially get an ear full of yelling. 

Lucky me though...the customer didn't yell at me. 

I think she did mute me at one point but I stayed on the line until the 'connection cleared up'

In any case.

The first priority was to clear up what breed the dog was. If it was a Poodle or Labradoodle. 

And the lady legit never gave me a straight answer.

"They're the same breed."

And what breed was that?

She never said directly. I couldn't get her to tell me if both dogs were poodles or labradoodles. She just kept saying that they were the same breed. 

The closest I got to her admitting anything was when she said "They both have the same hair why does it matter?" 

Because Labradoodles DO NOT always have the same hair as a Poodle because sometimes the Labradoodle's hair ends up more Labrador instead of Poodle. So they have different needs. 

Which I explained to the customer and also explained that the price increased in the first place because the dog is no longer considered a puppy in the salon and therefore it costs more to get the adult groom.

The final bit of conversation was her asking "So will I always have to pay $$ now?"

To which I said "IF the dog is a Labradoodle then Yes." 

Because again she hadn't said if the dog was a Poodle or Labradoodle yet.

Her response?

She hung up on me.

Which kinda proves the point that the two dogs WERE NOT the same breed. She was just hopping to try and pay her original price by acting like her dog was the same as the other one when it's not.

And this is why I hate grooming customers because a lot of them try so hard to get free grooms or get discounts and such.

Like yes it's expensive to get your dog groomed. I get it. But if you don't want to pay the money then don't come get your dog groomed.

At least I didn't get yelled at by this customer. So yay. 

But yah.

I hate dealing with Salon. So. Much. 

Until you next find these words;
I'll be watching the leaves.
Enjoy the day!

-Sarnic Dirchi