There is too much focus put on creating an EXACT, SCRIPTED CONVERSATION...otherwise known as a "Script" with the customer, the minute they walk into the door. Only a moron would not be embarrassed to be forced to have the exact same conversation with each individual to walk into the door. Although the basic idea is to create chemistry and connect with the guest, being forced to say the exact same thing, word for word...is insanity and it's so rude to treat the customers with a robot like response. The customer should be able to define their own shopping experience, that's just common sense. Additionally, you are hired being told it is a 40 hour work week, yet you are pressured if you only clock in for 42 hours, and told that you are not "devoted." You get told to do something by 3 people in 3 different ways, and get caught up between having to do markdowns and transfers out every single week. You will be too busy doing and redoing tasks rather than selling and then they will ask you why numbers are poor. The most terrible part, is that this company is trying to be a "boutique" style which is typically reserved for higher price points. When you have low end merchandise and price points...then you need VOLUME...so you can not typically afford to have tons of bare wall space and simple shelves with little merchandise all so that you get that fancy "boutique" feel. Then you want to wonder why your stores are not doing as well as last year? For real? I have in the past , DOUBLED a store's net profit within a year simply from adjusting the visual standards to accommodate the low end fashion prices. Full stores are exciting to the customer. Sparse is made to generate excitement over a $2,500 shoe in high end retail. You would not want your $2500 shoe to be mixed in with tons of other, less costly merchandise. The mindset is completely different when a customer enters a high versus a low priced shop. As far as being particular on displays...if you are a high volume shop, but you only get 5 of something, the turn will be significant enough to NOT be able to maintain an exact copy of visual displays. The items will be gone before the displays can typically get implemented. Common sense, if it's Saks...they will buy 20 of something at a higher price, so it sells slower, and therefore all displays should be cohesive from store to store. But back to you...dear reader and job searcher.... I read these negative reviews as well, before taking the job and thinking I could rise to the challenge. I ignored the reviews. I felt that maybe the people angry enough to write them, were just employees who sucked at their job and were mad at the company. It is for you that I write this. This was the worst experience of my career. I was nit picked to death. It didn't matter that my store was outperforming most every store in my sad District. The focus was not on becoming profitable and building real customer relations and future sales. (Yes, I even had a boss grab me in the back room and rub his privates up against me at a previous employer.) This, was worse, than that. I knew when I was interviewed, that the woman who talked my head off for 3 hours was a little off. She left the interview having not cared that she made me late for my current job, she asked nothing about ME and left knowing nothing about my skill set. I knew more than I needed to about her. Knowing I can make numbers grow in any environment, I was not worried. In the end, the woman talked so much, which took away so much time from actually DOING work, that I developed high blood pressure and other medical issues from the stress and constant berating, belittling, lies, and insanity. If I couldn't take it, you probably can't because I'm pretty tough.
