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Worst day ever- so upset and worried :'(

I recently got a part time job in a shop for the summer holidays. I've been working there about 4 weeks now. We have to sell these store discount cards to customers and each have a target of getting min 2 a week.

Today was the worst day ever i have had at my job. We had this special event especially for cardholders who have a store discount card whereby they got 20% off everything. Cos it was an event day today, everyone had to try and sell loads of store cards to as many customers as possible. Since i started a few weeks ago, i've only managed to sell one storecard. I checked my rota for today and found out that i was doing returns for 3 hours and on the accessories till for 1 hour (i only work 4 hours each day) which i found was really mean. Anyway in the first hour i had to quickly help out on the till for about 5 mins cos the queue was really long. I was about to serve this customer when i was taken off the till by someone else and when she served she sold a store card to the customer who i was about to serve which really p****d me off. When i was gonna go onto the till in accessories in my 3rd hour, by boss who is the head of the dep't i work in said that she would put someone over there with me cos she thought that i wouldn't sell any store cards to anyone as usually i am there by myself. Anyway it is usually a bit quieter over there and the person who was working with me there was asked by a customer to open an account to get a storecard i was so annoyed cos that could have been me opening a card for them- if only i was there on the till by myself like i was meant to be and it was made worse by my boss coming over and seeing me standing there with no customers to serve and my collegue filling out a form for the customer and my boss already thinks that i'm not bothering to sell the storecards. :frown:

She even asked me then, how many i had sold and i said none but i had only been on the till for about 40 mins in the whole day!! :mad:

That made me feel stupid. Anyway i managed to sell one card today but i'm still so unhappy with myself cos there were four of us by the till in my last hour today (cos i had to help out due to the queue) and my boss came over and didn't want 4 of us standing around doing nothing so she went and picked on me to go and do more returns!! Another collegue said to the boss that i had sold a storecard and said that she herself hadn't sold one but she just ignored her and said she wanted her on the till instead of me cos she prefers her. So i could have potentially have sold 3 cards today, maybe even more if i was offered the chance to serve on the tills.
After all this i was glad to get back home and i actually cried a bit cos i was so so down and really upset with what happened today, but i'm also worried cos i am on a temporary contract and i will be going to uni next month and will need a job for when i am at uni so i hope that i will be offered the opportunity to be transfered to work to the shop in the city where my uni will be, but i'm scared that i might not be offered it and will struggle to get a job while at uni. I used to work at the shop that i am working at now last xmas for 3 months but never had to sell any storecards cos i was never asked worked in a different dep't. I was offered a permanent contract after my 3 months was up as a xmas temp but had to decline it cos i just had too much school work and exams going on. I just feel so angry and upset at the moment towards my boss and am not looking forward to going into work on friday. :frown:

Does anyone think that i have a chance to get a permenant contract or do you think that because i am just unlucky in not being able to sell enough store cards and the fact that my boss doesn't like me that i will probably be dropped from the company and will therefore have trouble finding another job?? I mean i do ask every single customer whether they would like to get a storecard but they always say 'no, not interested' so i don't have a chance to sell them one and tell them about the benfits and also my boss is never around when i try and sell customers the cards and so she assumes that i don't even try selling them, i don't think that also takes into account that i am a part timer and am usually only on the till 2 hours a day which again makes me angry. :mad:

Any advice would be great, even though i am feeling really low at the moment and am on the verge of tears. :frown:

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Reply 1

Arteta

Woah, ou're making a huge deal out of this...i know you may feel silly, and it does seem like people at your work have been unfair to you, but it's a part time job. You're only there to get money to support yourself at uni.

You could trying selling the cards a little more, instead of just asking the customer if they want one, give them a reason to want one, you're not expected to act out one of those silly insurance adverts on TV to get them to buy a card, but you can tempt them a little. What does the store card give them?

Also, just talk to your boss, say your situation and explain you feel a little hard done to, but also let her know that given the chance you will try to sell some cards.
I'm sure you will be able to get a transfer, they haven't fired you from your current job, so why would they say no to letting you go to another store? They still consider you an employee.

Cheer up :smile:

Reply 2

username47781

Oh if I was in your shoes I'd be out of there so fast, it sounds like you are so unhappy in what you are doing. Not to mention you are being unfairly treated.

At the end of the day you are going to uni and at the end of it you will be doing a job you love more than this.

Reply 3

Lady_Darkness

Urgh - Bhs, right? I was once employed there... started as a Christmas temp and left a key associate a couple of years down the line when I went to uni... trust me, I know what it's like to be in your shoes. Didn't so much as get a single store card for my first 4-5 months there... and I think the first was a customer actually asking for one rather than my not-so-expert selling skills.

You just have to grit your teeth and become more confident in selling the bloody things, however much you feel like smiling and asking the customer - "sooooo, how do you fancy opening a store card and getting into even more debt with our hideous interest rates?". Familiarise yourself with their good points and try and sound like you believe it yourself.

Does feel good when you get them - managers always piled on the praise. it's not easy for them, either - their superiors are growling down their necks. Targets to meet and all that ****.

Once you've sold a couple they get off your back.

Reply 4

tom151

just tell your boss to **** off.

Reply 5

ForeverIsMyName

Which Brantano do you work at and I'll give you advice.

Reply 6

scribble_girl

Hey, I know what it's like, at the moment I'm in a job in telesales where we ought to be getting X number of 'suspects' (ie, people who may be looking to review their company telephones) per day.. all I can really say is that if you worry about it, or try too hard, then people will see it. Try being genuine and focusing on how you can help that customer with the storecard (blocking out the negatives is a good idea here...!) - just focus on them as a person rather than a challenge for you to conquer. They're just shoppers :smile:

- honest! Even if it helps to think that the customers are TSR member's mums - anything to stop them seeming so daunting! If someone really doesn't want a storecard, they won't say 'yes', so don't feel like you're pushing them into anything.

As for your boss, I think if you feel confident enough, you could have a word with her. Maybe put a positive spin on it? Something like 'I was wondering, I've not had a really good opportunity to get people to buy storecards yet, could I have some hours on the main tills today?'. She has no right to make you feel small as a result of your not being in the right place at the right time. Having said that, don't go making excuses - I know it feels like you have to justify every possible storecard-getter that passes by, but honestly, it'll be so much more benefitial to you if you can just accept that you didn't get it and move on, so you feel more relaxed and don't seem so forced when you offer storecards to people :smile:

.

Finally, I'm with everyone above; as much as it's hellish, it's a temporary job and if you need the money, you need the money. If you really can't hack it, then don't feel under pressure to stay, but at least see out the summer. You can see about uni when you get there - don't go putting extra weight on you. Just focus on having a good summer there, and don't let it get to you. There will be people in that job who do it all their lives - you're going to uni to get a degree so you can be one of the people who turns their nose up at the storecard in a few years!! Try not to worry, and if worst comes to worst - think about your pay packet :p:

Reply 7

pikaboo

It's a temp job! It's not like you have to impress anyone unless you're after spectacular references or a permanent contract - and you can sort those out while you're having fun at uni. Just chill and get through the summer to sort your finances out, then see how things go when you move :smile:

Reply 8

Marianne

Make the customer smile. Make the customer say "yes" three or four times

("nice weather today" "yes it is",
"did you find everything you were looking for" "yes I did"
"wow you've got a lot of products there" "yes I have")

Sounds daft but it gets them in the habit of saying yes to you.

Personally I'd go with something like "do you shop here often", and if they say yes I'd then say "so you must have the store card to get x% off?" or something like that.

As an example, I do all of the above and then try to flog an annual pass (I work at a theme park) by saying "right that will be X pounds and X-ty X p UNLESS you've got an ANNUAL PASS!" Nine times out of ten the conversation with then be steered towards the benefits of the annual pass, whereby you get 10% off of all purchases in the shops, 20% off in some of the restaurants *AND* free entry to all the special events.

To close, I use the tagline "AND it's cheaper than coming twice", after chatting to the kids about what an awesome day they've had.

I'm a damn good salesperson

Reply 9

AmySian

Where is it you work?
I know it seems like a huge pain having to sell them, I have to do them too, but at the end of the day, you know you tried or weren't given the oppertunity and when you get your transfer, you might be doing more hours or spending longer on the tills. I know they're annoying (I decided I was going to quit last week when we were given a target of four on the saturday and at 2 o'clock, they called up and said "we've decided to double your target, good luck"! I could have cried there and then!) but you've only been there a month, I work with someone who's been working with me for nearly a year and only got her first account last week!

Reply 10

BlackpoolCraig

I'd hate to be in your position. Store cards are usually a rip-off, offer few benefits, and end up screwing you over. I would hate to have to swindle people like that.

Reply 11

55909

It's the same as my store, I've got a reward card to sell, pre-owned products to advertise, extended warrenty to mention, ask if there's anything they want to trade in and advertise a new product we will be getting into the store... PER CUSTOMER

It's a complete and utter brain drain sometimes trust me lol been there done that worn the t-shirt.

Few tips:- pick out and identify your customers, family/kids/single/couple? age group? gender? anything they're carrying ie sales bags, expensive handbags etc.. (what sort of shopper and what products do they spend money on?)

Always remember :- Positive posture and attitude are always great, tone of voice is important, SMILE, act confident even if you're not.

Where I work we tend to advertise the benefits of the card we're selling, even if someone says NO before you've explained what it even is just say something simple like "well, just to let you know that there's no monthly fee, it takes 2minutes to sort out,you can take advantage of it straightaway etc.." if they still say no just remind them "well if you change your mind just nip into one of our stores and one of the team will be happy to help."

Let them leave the store with a positive feeling and experience of your store and they're bound to come back and remember how helpful you were last time.

****** happens in retail but you can't let a bad day make you quit. Take it with a pinch of salt everyone even management have dud days and it's not the end of the world.

KEEP SMILING!

Reply 12

jazznaz

I am a fellow Bhs employee, howdy! :biggrin:

Would you mind letting on to which store you work at? I might be able to offer some more specific advice. PM me if you feel like it...

I only opened one card today, and I worked for 9 hours :redface:

... As long as the store is hitting it's gold card target regularly, then the managers should have no reason to hassle individual members of staff. I open very few Gold Cards (a couple a month at max), but my managers can see that I'm asking every customer, and as long as I'm doing that, there's no problem. It doesn't sound like your boss is as understanding though.

What store would you be moving to when you go to university?

Reply 13

username47781

And I thought Woolworths was bad enough.

Reply 14

jazznaz

Rock Fan

And I thought Woolworths was bad enough.

I've worked at both and found Woolworths to be much worse... :confused:

I think alot of it depends on your coworkers though, most of my best friends are my coworkers (and managers) at Bhs right now.

Reply 15

ForeverIsMyName

I thought they were on about Brantano the shoe shop... maybe not!

Reply 16

Dragon24

I would leave, if you don't like sales then avoid. I don't like sales work - I had a part time job in a supermarket cafe, it was hard work on weekends and being short staffed. Though it was great, as my job wasn't on the line aslong as I provided a good service and worked - nice working in a team.

A friend of mine worked at New Look and hated selling the cards, plus the team know who has achieved how many 'sales' and it brings on unhealthy work competitiveness which encourages backstabbing. A girl in their changing room the other day shoved a leaflet in my face and I just thought what is the point it doesn't matter how good a sales person is I don't like owing money and that's that.

Supermarkets are good as you can get store transfers in holidays.

Reply 17

Cristo

Wow that totally sucks!

It must be so hard, to like, have a job, an income, a roof, a place at a Uni all at the same time whilst enjoying life by Western Standards!

Those people in Africa with no clean drinking water, ridiculously small amounts of food and thousands of children dying every day from dehydration, starvation and stupidly-easy-preventable-diseases think they have it so hard! Well they are so wrong guuuuuuurrrrrlfriend.

Sarcasm aside, you're life is a luxury - suck it up. Yeah, you had a ****ty day and so what? I bet you have loads of good days as well. Most people don't even have half of what you have and you're complaining about not selling storecards. What has today's younger generation come to, God.

Reply 18

Bubblebee

Cristo

Oh **** off, that has bugger all to do with it! you could say that about anything 'I've just been hit by a car and lost my legs...' 'Oh well, at least you don't have to walk four miles a day on your stumps just to fetch water'... so shhhh.

Anyway, OP. Working in shops like that are a total bummer but you should either ask your boss if you can spend more time on tills as you prefer it, or just keep trying with the sales tactic... A few people have mentioned already some positive ways to get people to listen and they really work. Just smile and try and tell them all the benefits without sounding depressed or being too pushy and I'm sure a few people will want them.

Reply 19

Schroedinger's Pandora

BlackpoolCraig

I'd hate to be in your position. Store cards are usually a rip-off, offer few benefits, and end up screwing you over. I would hate to have to swindle people like that.

Exactly my thoughts! it's a disgrace that the staff are put under pressure to put the customer under pressure to take out these extortionate, rip-off credit cards. It's absolutely disgusting.

When your boss says, "you didn't "sell" x number of store cards today, you're crap", what they actually mean is," You didn't push enough of our customers into applying for credit they didn't want in the first place, you idiot".

I'm not surprised you don't get many customers agreeing to it, it's the biggest con going..

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