My intention to train the cashier how to count a few peso bills turned into a disaster. I didn’t anticipate that what she needs is not skill in counting bills as bank tellers do, but she needs to go back to studying the basics of Arithmetic. One two three, the left and the right…. One plus one equals two, two plus two equals four.
After that shocking discovery that we could potentially lose a lot of money with her lack of knowledge in basic arithmetic and seeming absence of Mathematical common sense, I lost sleep for the next three nights. I was horrified to think that a customer could be paying 1,000 pesos and she would be issuing him 100,000 official receipt.
I was eager to go back to the office the following Monday. The situation was serious and my decision should be decisive. This was too risky for our company. We are talking about our company’s survival here.
I asked Joralyn to call the cashier to my office. I also asked the HR officer to be present as a witness.
I didn’t mince my words. I maintained my patience and empathy but this situation was a choice between providing her employment for compassion’s sake to the detriment of our company or protecting our company. The choice was clear.
Me—–“Na-stress ako sa’yo, hindi ka pala marunong magbilang.”
She nodded.
Me—–“Ang konti lang nung pera, 50,000 pesos umabot ng 11,300,000.”
She maintained that she cannot count nor compute without a calculator.
Me—–“Nung elementary ka, may calculator na ba?”
Me—–“Nung high school ka, may calculator?”
Me—–“So hindi ka na marunong magbilang?”
She would be paralyzed without a calculator. She cannot function mentally without the aid of a calculator.
Me——“Pagnamamalengke ka, paano?”
Meron din daw syang calculator.
I still wanted to give her one last chance. I wanted to give myself a reason not to fire her.
Me—– “One thousand divided 4?”
Cashier ——” 220″
(CORRECT ANSWER: 1,000 / 4 = 250)
Me————“7 x 5?”
Cashier——-” 45 ”
(CORRECT ANSWER: 35)
Me————” 7 x 5 equals 45?”
Cashier—— “40”
(CORRECT ANSWER: 35)
Me———–” Hindi ka pwedeng cashier.”
Cashier——” Opo, hindi naman talaga ako cashier.”
She claimed she applied at Ford EDSA for a sales/marketing position because her experience before was that of a sales agent. nalimutan ko kung nao ang ibinebenta nya before. Sa Caloocan daw. Maybe appliances.
since parang mabait naman sya, maybe I can transfer her to a clerical position that doesn’t require doing calculations. Kay Anne told me we don’t have any vacancy in sales and marketing. We reduced nga our number of people by 15 due to the pandemic. Kay Ann mentioned that Ford EDSA has a job open for a sales executive.
Me——“Kay Ann will submit your biodata to the sales manager at Ford EDSA but we don’t guarantee she will choose you. Pero paano ka magiging ahente eh nagco-compute din sila.”
Me——“Hatiin mo sa apat ang 500.”
She couldn’t answer that.
(CORRECT ANSWER: 125)
Me——“Hatiin mo sa dalawa ang 500.”
(CORRECT ANSWER: 250)
She couldn’t answer that. She needs a calculator.
Ako naman ayaw pang mag-give-up. Kasi I just couldn’t believe that she couldn’t do basic addition and subtraction.
Me——- “10 + 20?”
Cashier ——- “30”
Oh my God, correct! Yehey!
Me—— ” 30 divided by 2 ?”
isip, isip, isip…..
Cashier —– “16”
Goodbye.
