I Can't Help It, You Guys. It's Just the Way I Am.
Who knew I'd be pretty dang good at retail?
I've been working part time at World Market now for about a month.
It's been interesting...
For starters, the registers have to be from 1992.
The phones are nonsensical- put a call on hold and you have to remember if it's holding on line 55, 56, 57, or 52. Want a manager to call your phone when at the register? The phone at register 1 is called 321, register 2 is 322, etc.
Need to use the PA system for assistance at the register? A 'Service 10' call means 'I need a manager,' a 'Service 20' call means 'I need someone to open another register because my line is really long,' a 'Service 40' call means 'Someone has a question about a product.'
To clock in, one has to push 'shift start', and then 4 more buttons before you can swipe your time card.
This is a lot to remember.
I like walking the floor and talking to customers. No buttons to push (not literal ones anyway). No numbers to memorize.
Now that I've been working long enough to know the layout of the store (ever been to a World Market? SO MUCH STUFF) and the 'correct' way to approach shoppers, I've been entrusted with a device called an RF (are you keeping up with all this??). It can be used to scan items, but most importantly it can be used to...
drum roll...
SIGN PEOPLE UP AS MEMBERS OF THE WORLD MARKET EXPLORER REWARDS PROGRAM!
...thunderous cheering and applause
This is a HUGE deal.
This last Saturday, after I clocked in, the GM handed me the RF, and said, "I want you on the floor signing up as many people as possible. Just sign 'em up like crazy."
Aye, aye, Cap'n! "Okay!" And I walked out onto the sales floor.
I want to be an employee that exceeds expectation. I want to be valued. And I like my GM a lot, so I wanted to make him happy.
"Hi, are you a member of our rewards program?"
"Uh...no, I'm not."
"Well, it's free to sign up and it takes only 30 seconds!"
The morning started out with one 'no, thank you' after another. My GM was counting on me!
And I had to tell myself not to take it personally when they say 'no'.
I had to really work it.
Smile. Soothing voice. Shoulder rub. Suggestive winking. Pelvic thrusts.
I ended my shift with 14 sign-ups. Apparently this is quite praiseworthy. The GM was asking for updates throughout the day, and each time he was ready to fall down at my feet and kiss them.
Before my shift ended, he called me back to the office. He had 2 gift cards in his hand and told me to choose one. Jamba Juice or Starbucks.
"What's this for??"
"For kicking butt today on those sign-ups!"
"Oh! Because I'm awesome?!"
"Yes, because you're so awesome!"
I took the Starbucks card and enjoyed a Caramel Brûlée Frappaccino during my next shift. I was so proud of myself that I called Jeremy, who works almost full-time at a Starbucks in Colorado. I told him, "I got to partake of your fluids today! Because I'm awesome!"
I've been working part time at World Market now for about a month.
It's been interesting...
For starters, the registers have to be from 1992.
The phones are nonsensical- put a call on hold and you have to remember if it's holding on line 55, 56, 57, or 52. Want a manager to call your phone when at the register? The phone at register 1 is called 321, register 2 is 322, etc.
Need to use the PA system for assistance at the register? A 'Service 10' call means 'I need a manager,' a 'Service 20' call means 'I need someone to open another register because my line is really long,' a 'Service 40' call means 'Someone has a question about a product.'
To clock in, one has to push 'shift start', and then 4 more buttons before you can swipe your time card.
This is a lot to remember.
I like walking the floor and talking to customers. No buttons to push (not literal ones anyway). No numbers to memorize.
Now that I've been working long enough to know the layout of the store (ever been to a World Market? SO MUCH STUFF) and the 'correct' way to approach shoppers, I've been entrusted with a device called an RF (are you keeping up with all this??). It can be used to scan items, but most importantly it can be used to...
drum roll...
SIGN PEOPLE UP AS MEMBERS OF THE WORLD MARKET EXPLORER REWARDS PROGRAM!
...thunderous cheering and applause
This is a HUGE deal.
This last Saturday, after I clocked in, the GM handed me the RF, and said, "I want you on the floor signing up as many people as possible. Just sign 'em up like crazy."
Aye, aye, Cap'n! "Okay!" And I walked out onto the sales floor.
I want to be an employee that exceeds expectation. I want to be valued. And I like my GM a lot, so I wanted to make him happy.
"Hi, are you a member of our rewards program?"
"Uh...no, I'm not."
"Well, it's free to sign up and it takes only 30 seconds!"
The morning started out with one 'no, thank you' after another. My GM was counting on me!
And I had to tell myself not to take it personally when they say 'no'.
I had to really work it.
Smile. Soothing voice. Shoulder rub. Suggestive winking. Pelvic thrusts.
I ended my shift with 14 sign-ups. Apparently this is quite praiseworthy. The GM was asking for updates throughout the day, and each time he was ready to fall down at my feet and kiss them.
Before my shift ended, he called me back to the office. He had 2 gift cards in his hand and told me to choose one. Jamba Juice or Starbucks.
"What's this for??"
"For kicking butt today on those sign-ups!"
"Oh! Because I'm awesome?!"
"Yes, because you're so awesome!"
I took the Starbucks card and enjoyed a Caramel Brûlée Frappaccino during my next shift. I was so proud of myself that I called Jeremy, who works almost full-time at a Starbucks in Colorado. I told him, "I got to partake of your fluids today! Because I'm awesome!"
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