recent situation: There was a special promotion at work. There were 3 managers, 3 associates (including me), and 1 stock. It was peak hours, I was scheduled downstairs. A few customers came down the store. I assisted the customers. Suddenly, a huge wave of customers came down the store. 4-5 customers wanted to try 1-2 different pair of shoes in 1-3 different sizes (because dumbasses don't know the sizes of their own feet) along with 3-4 customers looking at non shoe items, with the occassional 1-2 customers who can't afford anything but likes to look around. PANIC! PANIC! So many shoes! So many feet! So many bags! So many faces! I called upstairs for assistance as I was the only associate downstairs because each of the managers were caught up with a customer that involves a heavy register, the two associates are caught controlling the traffic upstairs. SON OF A BITCH! PANIC! To top it off, items were mislabeled, so items were misgiven, misinformed, practically misled. DAMNIT! I can't call stock as there's only ONE! BUT THANK YOU THANK YOU that ONE was able to help me. Slowly...slowly...the traffic decipated as I felt like I was somewhat gangraped with guilt thinking I wasn't good enough. Sad.
analysis: The recession's definitely affected luxury brands as costs were cut dramatically. There were only a total of 7 workers in a high volume flagship store, which is crazy. It was obviously not the Associate or in this case, my fault. It was a constant note and strategy from the managers to break away from customers to assist many different customers, however, that wasn't used by managers themselves. Furthermore, it was clearly unorganized and BRUTAL to just zone one poor associate in one whole floor as everyone else assists everyone from above. It was brutal! It comes to the point where you can just break down and grasp your head to tell everyone to shut the hell up! Reminder: In class, a pizza restaurant experiment was tested in class, where a specific group would have a total of 7 workers and another would have up to 24 or 27. Both numbers are completely ludicrous. As experienced first hand, a group of 7 may save the most costs, but at the same time, you are overworking your employees which can lead to bad customer service. With such a handful of workers, you can lose out on many sales because everything is so tight. The groups of 24 to 27 is rather generous, you would most likely to have your employees socializing with each other during downtime, possible might even lead to hookup stories and more. It's inevitable as there's always sex going on in every work environment. It's just unneccessary as quality would trump quantity in the case. In my opinion, an average of both would be most efficient.
Behind the scenes, everyone is very focused in making their own goal that they wouldn't neccessarily help one another out without helping themselves first. The managers put so much emphasis in making your goals that co workers would actually go to malicious situations to steal your customers or your sales to make their own goals. There is no prize but recognition, so why the hostility? It's literally come to the point where the environment is so negative from the insecurity and tension, which will lead to nothing but gossip and even more negativity.Mcgregor's studies are represented in the situation, where the managers fit into more of the Manager X category, where they would push workers to work to the extent where they are treated as dummies. All their orders just become redundant and gets disregarded. Like Argyris' studies, employees just want to be treated as adults and be left alone to work their magic naturally. So just get out of our butts already!
I found your blog refreshing and relatable. I too, were a part of an organization where less was more, in terms of the number of people scheduled to work; there never seemed to be a balance. I understand organizations are in business to make a profit, however a practical medium needs to exist.
ReplyDeleteGranted, if each customer you were dealing with wanted one shoe, in one size, it is fair to say that you would have been able to manage the situation effectively. However, problems begin to unravel when each customer wants more than one type of shoe in more than one size.
Situations like these hinder employees productivity and inadvertently effect the customer; not a good combination. While you managed the situation effectively and efficiently continued experiences of the latter lead to feelings of angry, frustration and resentment; not a good thing for the company and more importantly not healthy for you.
First of all, I am surprised that your blog isn't full of traffic already... It's funny, and looks like you had put alot energy into it.
ReplyDeleteI work in the service industry as well, I am working as a waitress in a pan-asian restaurant. My situation at work is exact oppoisite of yours. They put too much servers on the floor because they just pay us $4.42 an hour and doesn't cost them much to do so! On a slow day we don't even make money. Sign...
It looks like there is some mis-management in your store. I don't understand why they would need 3 managers in one store. If like you said it was the regular peak hour of the day they should know better than putting only you on the first floor. I am shocked to hear that there is no commission given to you guys for your sales. Isn't commisions a better way to motivate your guys and in return they can pay your guys less hourly and hire more staff and provide better service? Or they don't pay you that much in the first place?