Why is it that at every major outlet it seems more and more are staffed with highly inept workers. It must be a training problem since they used to replace bad people or at least shuffle them to off-hours and try to weed them out with scheduling.
I remember when customer service was part of those jobs, but it seems that along with the advent of online ordering, delivery, etc that the stores themselves feel less inclined to bother even trying to support the old business model despite having its doors open.
I feel like the best service I get these days is in small local stores which are owner operated, and that its a surprise when I get anything remotely reminiscent of the old way service was.
I remember you would walk into a book store and people were all excited about books, could suggest a book for the occasion, and typically were well versed in the different authors even if they weren't familiar with the books themselves, and usually you can find a couple cheery staff members still around, but in almost all other stores I seeing little to none.
It seems like they hire to match a checklist (probably diversity) and yet despite all the diversity, it seems they tend to settle for somewhat of a handful of the following:
- Broken English : They can learn on the job
- Visible Minority/Refugee : No neighbourhood kids anymore, gotta outsource
- Don't like the words "Hi", "Hello", "How are you", "How is your day going?" - Silence
- Don't make eye contact - except when asking for money
- Don't package things nicely, not caring about placement.
- Automaton-like behaviour - Kind of like tele-marketers
- Have no sense of self - cannot do anything except the 'way it is'
- Either shutdown over any disagreements or they go into repeat mode without any means to discuss "Sorry, I cannot do that. Sorry I cannot do that. Sorry I cannot do that."
- Hang out in packs - like groupies
- Never greet, acknowledge, build rapport, or anything remotely sales like to attempt the sales. Just raw numbers kind of grunt tactics.
Its what I would imagine when you think of the cheapest quality possible...why are they getting hired? They are constantly abusing the immigration system, hiring predominantly immigrants and its like we are watching a fucking franchise railroad of humans being employed, paid, and then subsidized because of their "low income" by our tax dollars.
I am in favour of social support systems....but for our local families, preferably those who aren't freshly immigrated from other countries to compete with people here and then inflate our economy by taking all the low income jobs, but being housed in packs. Meanwhile wherever refugees seem to immigrate, violence follows....
Makes you wonder if the refugees are fleeing or are being cast out.....
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As someone who tries to donate to local homeless shelters, SPCA, and food banks, I find it annoying that the government has the gaul to send money oversees to fund a war, import refugees, incentivize and subsidize them and flood our communities with nothing but burdens, let alone all the stupidity like carbon taxes, etc, and then cannot even bother with basic support at home and cannot support our veterans, our own countrymen, and families in this season during the cold.
Would you work at a retail store?
No. It's become a crappy stressful job that everyone avoids if possible,leaving only the dregs.
Also, the service industry is larger than ever, pulling in even more trash.
I spent many years working retail. I fondly think back on it actually. Most first time jobs are stressful for people who eventually go on to different work. Lifers are the exceptions.
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I found retail only stressful on holidays myself. It was usually a pretty easy gig, little work, but steady expectations. I enjoyed the job and spent many years at it. It was fun - you essentially are trying to make people happy and buy things. Its not rocket science, but it require sincerity.
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Government work was the easier job I have ever had the pleasure of working. So easy in fact I was volunteering for 3-4 companies while working for the government and was also working on my own side business and finishing my degree, so government work is fucking easy - far easier than retail, but I don't think back fondly on my government work - I do retail.
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Consulting is far more stressful than retail. Pay is better, but not when you start out lol. It is like lawyers - you get used and abused by the firms for a few years and then you finally get to get paid something fair for your efforts, and eventually you get to go beyond, but it is stressfull as hell.
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Startups are even more stressful, because you are constantly being sold by consultants who are trying to use your runway to keep themselves going + all the rest of the issues the business has to deal with. So retail is no hard......lmao
I hate to break it to you, but the service industry has changed in the decades since you were a teen. It's soul sucking and I wish it upon no one.
There's a reason zero local kids choose to work at such establishments. Plenty of other less awful options. Basically anything that doesn't have to interact with entitled retail customers is better.