The tale of Binta and her three honest shop ladies continues our series on Binta, the versatile entrepreneur plying her trade at the famous Kasuwar Barci market in the hills of Kaduna. In the early hours of the day, the market is already buzzing with activity, and customers are trooping into Binta’s shop with sales to match.
As Binta looked around, she felt proud of what she’d built here. She was grateful for her loyal customers who have supported her business, over the years. .
Binta’s business success is premised on her understanding of the markets, her customers’ needs, and the attributes of her three staff members, Fatima, Amina, and Aisha.
Fatima is a friendly and outgoing young woman who loves chatting with customers. Amina is quieter and more thoughtful, but she’s great at listening to people’s needs and finding the perfect item for them, while Aisha is pretty much a hybrid of the two.
Fatima is the most experienced of the three ladies and is always happy to share her knowledge with others. These three ladies are crucial to Binta’s business; she values their hard work and dedication.
One day, a man bursts into the shop, waving a piece of leather and shouting angrily. He accuses Binta of selling him a faulty product and demands a refund. Binta tries to reason with him, but he won’t listen, and the situation appeared to be getting tensed, and Binta starts to feel overwhelmed.
Taking a deep breath and trying to stay calm, Binta looked at her shop ladies and saw the worry on their faces. She made a decision. “Excuse me,” she says to the man. “Could you please come with me to my office? We can discuss this in a more private setting.” Reluctantly, the man follows her, and the shop ladies watch nervously as the door closes behind them.
Binta starts explaining her side of the story inside the office, speaking slowly and carefully.
“I’m so sorry you are unhappy with our products,” she says. “But I can “assure you that all of my products are of the highest quality. Let me show you why this piece of leather is not defective.”
She took the leather from the man and inspected it closely. “You see,” she says, “it is a natural variation in the grain of the leather. It is not a flaw and will not affect the product’s performance.”
She hands the leather back to the man. “I hope you can see that this is not a reason for a refund. I’m sorry if you feel you’ve been misled, but I assure you that I’m doing everything possible to provide you with the best possible products. I hope you can understand my position.” She looks at the man expectantly.
Fatima, Amina, and Aisha are standing outside the office, listening to the muffled sounds of Binta and the man speaking. They’re all anxious to hear what will happen next.
Suddenly, the door opened, and Binta stepped out, followed by the man. To the shop ladies’ surprise, he’s smiling saying “I understand why this is not a defect. I apologize for the misunderstanding.”
Binta nods and looks at the shop ladies with a relieved smile. Fatima, Amina, and Aisha were all visibly relieved and breathed a collective sigh of relief.
After the man left, they gathered around Binta and asked her what happened. “It was a simple misunderstanding,” Binta explains. “But I’m so happy that it was resolved. I’m proud of all of you.”
It is an example of how well we work together to overcome any challenges that come our way. I couldn’t have done it without you. The shop ladies beamed at Binta’s praise and felt Binta’s pride in their works.
As they were closing the shop that evening, Fatima said, “You know, Binta, I’m really glad to be working with you. You’re a great boss and easy to work for.” Binta smiles at Fatima and replies, “Thank you, Fatima. I feel the same way. We are stronger together than we are apart.”
They close up the shop with a feeling of satisfaction and camaraderie. As the sun sets over the market, Binta and her shop ladies go home, knowing that tomorrow will bring new challenges and opportunities.
The next day, as they open the shop, Binta says, “Let’s make today the best day ever!” The shop ladies sounded with a resounding “Yes!” and so, the story continues, with Binta and three honest shop ladies facing new challenges and adventures together.
Credit to Aisha, the newest employee at the shop as, she’s catching up fast with the shop culture and work ethics. She’s young and inexperienced, but she makes up for her inexperience with her eagerness to learn and perform her duties to the best of her ability. Binta hired her because she’s also very friendly and charming.
A handsome young man entered the shop one day while Aisha was helping a customer. He made eye contact with Aisha and smiled at her. Flattered by the attention, Aisha started chatting with the man as she assisted him with his purchase. The man seems charming and polite, and Aisha thinks nothing of their interaction.
But little did she know that this man had a motive. As Aisha sees the man, he asks her personal questions and tries to get her to open up about her life. At first, Aisha doesn’t think much of it, but as time passes, she also starts feeling a little uncomfortable.
One day, he asks her out for a drink after work. Aisha feels flattered but also a bit uncomfortable. Not wanting to be rude, she agrees to meet him for a drink. So, Aisha met the man for a drink after work.
Initially, everything seemed normal, and they had a pleasant conversation. However, the man’s questions about her job at the shop became more specific, focusing on inventory and money. Aisha starts feeling uneasy, but she tries to brush off her concerns.
Suddenly, the man leans close to Aisha and says, “I think we could make a lot of money together if you help me.” Aisha was shocked and confused, unsure of how to respond. She felt extremely uncomfortable as the man revealed his plan to steal money from the shop and suggested they split the proceeds. Aisha was horrified.
So, Aisha is sitting there, stunned by what the man has just said. She’s never been in a situation like this before and doesn’t know how to react. She looked around the bar, hoping for someone to help her, but the bar was empty, and she was alone with the man.
He leaned in even closer and said, “What do you say? Are you in?” Aisha was frozen, unable to speak. Just then, Bin”a walks into the bar. She ha” come to meet Aisha for a drink after work, not knowing that Aisha was already there with the man.
Binta saw Aisha and the man sitting together, and she felt alarmed. Aisha saw Binta and felt relieved. She quickly stands up and says, “Binta! I’m so glad you’re here.” Binta walks over to Aisha and asks, “What’s going on?”
Aisha breathed and said, “I’m so sorry, Binta. This man approached me and said he wanted to steal money from the shop, and he wanted me to help him. I don’t know what to do.” Binta was shocked and angry.
She looks at the man and say “you leave now and never come back.” The man tries to protest, but Binta cuts him off. “I mean it. If you ever come near Aisha or my shop again, I’ll call the police.”
The man left, looking angry and embarrassed. Aisha was grateful to Binta for saving her. Binta puts her arm around Aisha and says, “I’m so sorry you had to go through that. Are you okay?” Aisha nodded, but she was still visibly shaking.
Binta says, “Let’s go somewhere else to talk. There’s a cafe down the street where we can have fun.” Aisha and Binta left the bar and went to a cafe. Aisha shared everything that happened, feeling a sense of relief. Binta reassured her, saying she did the right thing by confiding in her and expressing gratitude that Aisha wasn’t alone with that man.
Aisha nodded, feeling a bit calmer. Binta emphasized the importance of being aware of our surroundings and looking out for each other. Aisha thanked Binta for being her friend and mentor. Binta replied, saying she was lucky to have Aisha as her shop girl and valued team member.
Aisha felt a weight lifted off from her shoulders, knowing she couldn’t face any challenge without Binta’s support. They returned to the shop, where she rewarded Aisha with a pay raise, promotion, and a new project to oversee.
Aisha was excited about the opportunity.
The other shop ladies applauded Aisha’s promotion and learned from her example of working hard and supporting each other.
Binta and her three honest shop ladies are incredibly fortunate to have each other’s back and trust.
