We’re Official Amazonians

Yesterday was a hoot!! I got to see the “corporate” world through Chris’ eyes. All of my adult life, up till we started on this adventure of fulltiming and workamping, I worked in a corporate office. I’m used to the PC setting, cubicle city, HR departments, clocking in & out, the ladder, the BS – all the good the bad and the ugly. My dear sweet hubby has never worked a corporate job before. The closest he’s ever came is the Air Force. So to watch him through the orientation yesterday was an absolute hoot. It was hilarious to see it through his eyes as we watched the mandatory video against discrimination in the workplace. He just couldn’t believe the level they have to dumb that stuff down to so that everyone can understand what they can and can’t say and do. Let’s face it, its all common sense, use the Golden Rule and you’ll be OK. Right? Not Rocket Science here. But nonetheless every thing has to be spelled out. So today he’ll get his first ever ID Badge to swipe to clock in and out too. Picture Day!!

Amazon is a working piece of art. You can’t go into one of these massive warehouses and not be in complete awe of the processes in place that makes it run like a well oiled machine. It’s as if it’s a living entity with a heartbeat that you can feel pulsing as you walk through the miles and miles of warehouse. Their culture is completely customer focus. I’ve been in corporations before that touted the customer first mentality but their bottom line was always the true focus. Keeping the customer happy is the bottom line for Amazon so the culture revolves around the customer – getting the product to the customer as quickly as possible, keeping the product in perfect condition for the customer and keeping the items clean for the customer. I must give Amazon kudos on their cleanliness of the warehouse too. I always think of dark and dirty (and sometimes stinky) when someone mentions a warehouse. Amazon is nothing like the stereotype – it’s bright and clean, climate controlled with lots of ventilation. They are also very concerned with our safety, our first stop on our tour was safety class. The extent they go to is above and beyond what is mandated and we both felt it was a top priority. We have heard over and over now that they want us to go home tired but not hurt. I believe that whole heartedly.

On our nearly 2 mile tour we went through all the different areas of the warehouse – receiving, sorting, stowing, picking, packing and shipping. Isles full of shelves, full of bins, full of racks, full of every product you can imagine and some you couldn’t have dreamt up. It’s easy to see where the 10 – 20+ miles a day we’ll be walking will come from. Yep, the mileage number increased again, It also came with a free tid bit from our guide – Last year a workamper asked how long does it take for the pain to go away, his reply was never, it may lessen and you’ll learn how to deal with the rest. Woo boy!! I appreciate his honesty! At least now we know!

We also got the final word on our schedule. We’ll be working overnight from 5pm-3:30am Sunday night through Wednesday night with our mandatory overtime day on Thursday when that comes around. We’ve heard that the pickers have the most overtime available which is one of the reasons we picked it. We’re here to work and bank as much money as possible in these few months. The harder we work now the more we can play later!!

We go in for a half day today to finish up our paperwork, watch more fun movies and get our pictures taken. And find out what’s in store for tomorrow!! The fun is only beginning!!

As for the kids… Well they are less than thrilled with the new working situation. We have been concerned with how they’d be left alone all day after one of us always being with them for so long. Goober is the only one that would speak to us last night. Dickie and Pinks gave us the cold shoulder all night long. We’ll see if they’re a little more forgiving this morning, that is until we leave again…

With much love

Madcap