Going to the store (any store) here in Russia is very interesting. I have grown found of shopping here and most of the time I have no issues with the half-ass backwards way that things work, as you try to spend your hard earned money. It literally is impossible to get a Russian salesperson to care if you want to buy something. But then they also have security people all over the store to keep you from stealing things. Problem is: You can’t find anyone to pay the money to or they ignore you as you stand in line to pay and many times I will leave instead of buying something. Saves you money in the long run…
Today as I went to buy some groceries. We had a store with three management, 5 security people, 10 stock people, 3 pricing people, 40+ customers and one cashier. Yes, one cashier, no more and no less, but I am here to tell you, those 5 security people watched me from when I entered to when I left, they did a great job of making sure that I did not steal anything…
Granted the only way to get all the food I wanted fast was to steal it and they make you feel like stealing would be a better alternative, than stand in line a half hour to get a carton of milk and such…
Russians are some of the most patient people in the world. They stand in lines for everything, even when there are 12 other places to buy the same thing, they still stand in line. I hear from Sveta that where the line is, so be the best thing to buy… 🙂
Russians have lots of strange ways to look at things and it seems to work for them. It also works for me most of the time and I just follow along, granted though, Sveta hears some griping out of me at times about stupid Russians and such. She is use to it and ignores me and that really is the best thing to do at times. For I have a set way of doing business ingrained in me and “That is That…”
So as I was standing in line acting like a Russian today. I realized that:
1. This store could quadruple its profit and efficiency with some of my basic business techniques…
2. Everyone standing in line was happy…
3. No one in this store would listen to a stupid American anyway…
4. It would not be Russian if it was run any other way…
5. I would lose my ability to call Russians stupid also, if they fixed the system…
6. Yes, I do understand that my American Capitalist ways are not all that perfect and thence I shut up as I study a sometimes better system than the one I left behind years ago…
7. Coffee is good and I will have a cup after I do my shopping…
Yes I do love this country and all of its idiosyncrasies…
Posted by Kyle Keeton
Windows to Russia…