I have a winning attitude!
So I got this seasonal sales job, right? The manager calls me in for a second interview last wednesday where I fill out my paperwork. He asks me if I can work that night from like 10-2AM to help unload a shipment but I say I can't because I recently pulled a muscle in my back (and it's true). So he says, "Okay, I didn't plan on having you work in the store until next week and I haven't finished the schedule for next week yet. Call on sunday to get the schedule." Even though I haven't had a job for a month, I think to myself, WOOHOO! I have 5 days off!
So sunday comes-I was out really late on saturday so I sleep in late-I call the store at about 3:00 to find out my schedule. The manager isn't working that day. I tell the girl I'm speaking to, "Oh, well, Jeff told me to call today to find out my schedule." And the girl says, "Oh, you were scheduled for today at 1:30." WTF??? Why would he tell me to call on sunday to find out if I'm working on sunday? He expected me to not make any sunday plans until the last minute? He expected me to call at what-noon?-to hear "you are scheduled to work in an hour"??? That's idiotic. Plus, the manager schedules me to work my first day on a day when he's not working? I'd think he'd want to train me a little. Anyway, I guess this is normal retail-life. I haven't even started yet and I already hate it and want to quit. It's only seasonal though so I think wanting to quit is exactly how I should feel. I'm only there to make some easy cash for a short term, and frankly the job is beneath me and I'm only being lazy and nervous about looking for a real job, plus the holidays seems like a bad time to look for a real job.
Here is a verbatim (typos and all) excerpt from my Official Employee Handbook:
G U E S T
How You Create the Experience
Here are some quick ideas on how to create the GUEST experience for each customer:
Greet & Engage the customer: Seek out customers who have not been helped. Smile & Say Hello.
Urgently Assess their Needs: Ask the customer why they visited us. Identify if they need custom service or can be shown to merchandise. Determine how much help they customer needs.
Exceed Expectations: Explain our services fully. Show customers our merchandise and discuss the features and benefits.
Suggestively Close: Assume the customer is going to buy. Offer to take merchandise to the counter. Offer natural add-ons to purchases.
Thank & Invite Back: Sincerely thank customer for visit and business. Encourage the customer to come back and see us again.
-----
So that's going to go something like this:
"Hello why did you visited us?"
"Ah, I have determined you need about 7 minutes of help. Thank you, let's begin!"
"Here, let me explain all of our services: 1. If you need a pencil to draw or write with, we sell pencils you can use to do that with. Pencils are great because you can sharpen them and they last a long time. The marks you make with a pencil are FULLY ERASABLE. They are not messy like pens and cannot permanently stain your clothes, simply wash your clothes with soap and water if you get a pencil mark on them. Pencils are made of wood. Wood comes from trees that grow in forests. Sometimes you can't see the forest for the pencils, ha-ha ha-ha!"
"I'll hold this pencil at the register for you while you look for other merchandise to buy. We also have paper to make marks on with your pencil, let me show you some! When you are done making pencil marks, you will need a pencil holder! Pencil holders also make great gifts!"
"You know, I've been thinking, and I just want you to know that personally, I am really greatful that you came to visit me and gave me the privilege of selling you things. I really really hope you come back and do it again, I would totally love that. Goodbye."
So sunday comes-I was out really late on saturday so I sleep in late-I call the store at about 3:00 to find out my schedule. The manager isn't working that day. I tell the girl I'm speaking to, "Oh, well, Jeff told me to call today to find out my schedule." And the girl says, "Oh, you were scheduled for today at 1:30." WTF??? Why would he tell me to call on sunday to find out if I'm working on sunday? He expected me to not make any sunday plans until the last minute? He expected me to call at what-noon?-to hear "you are scheduled to work in an hour"??? That's idiotic. Plus, the manager schedules me to work my first day on a day when he's not working? I'd think he'd want to train me a little. Anyway, I guess this is normal retail-life. I haven't even started yet and I already hate it and want to quit. It's only seasonal though so I think wanting to quit is exactly how I should feel. I'm only there to make some easy cash for a short term, and frankly the job is beneath me and I'm only being lazy and nervous about looking for a real job, plus the holidays seems like a bad time to look for a real job.
Here is a verbatim (typos and all) excerpt from my Official Employee Handbook:
G U E S T
How You Create the Experience
Here are some quick ideas on how to create the GUEST experience for each customer:
Greet & Engage the customer: Seek out customers who have not been helped. Smile & Say Hello.
Urgently Assess their Needs: Ask the customer why they visited us. Identify if they need custom service or can be shown to merchandise. Determine how much help they customer needs.
Exceed Expectations: Explain our services fully. Show customers our merchandise and discuss the features and benefits.
Suggestively Close: Assume the customer is going to buy. Offer to take merchandise to the counter. Offer natural add-ons to purchases.
Thank & Invite Back: Sincerely thank customer for visit and business. Encourage the customer to come back and see us again.
-----
So that's going to go something like this:
"Hello why did you visited us?"
"Ah, I have determined you need about 7 minutes of help. Thank you, let's begin!"
"Here, let me explain all of our services: 1. If you need a pencil to draw or write with, we sell pencils you can use to do that with. Pencils are great because you can sharpen them and they last a long time. The marks you make with a pencil are FULLY ERASABLE. They are not messy like pens and cannot permanently stain your clothes, simply wash your clothes with soap and water if you get a pencil mark on them. Pencils are made of wood. Wood comes from trees that grow in forests. Sometimes you can't see the forest for the pencils, ha-ha ha-ha!"
"I'll hold this pencil at the register for you while you look for other merchandise to buy. We also have paper to make marks on with your pencil, let me show you some! When you are done making pencil marks, you will need a pencil holder! Pencil holders also make great gifts!"
"You know, I've been thinking, and I just want you to know that personally, I am really greatful that you came to visit me and gave me the privilege of selling you things. I really really hope you come back and do it again, I would totally love that. Goodbye."