Yet Another Reason I Can't Wait for 2008 to Be OVER
I lost my job today.
The writing was on the wall. It's a commission job and the customers were few and far between. The other department would get five walk ins to my side's one. If you were the person "Up" and waiting for the next customer to walk in and wander right as they entered the door, you'd be waiting a while. A half hour, hour, maybe even an hour and a half. I think the record was two hours.
We started with a compliment of 13 on our side, and quickly lost one to something more promising at Coca Cola. Another left soon afterwards for a factory job. Then one was fired for non performance for going nearly $2000 into draw. One moved into Customer Service, another the Warehouse. We were left with seven, and still the majority of us ended up in draw each pay period.
Last week, I got a final warning. It's hard to work, knowing you're failing at what you're doing, that the reasons why the customer isn't buying right now are valid. In quite a few of those cases, I suspect those customers will come looking for me in a month or two. Not that it'll help.
I wasn't the only one released today. A really nice coworker also was let go. I'm pretty sure this isn't the end of it-I think they'll be down to three within the next month and at that, those three probably won't be making much.
Why the dismal results? The promised television advertising didn't happen, because the foray into the Tampa market has been put on hold. They anticipated that this store would be the fifth in the company in sales-but didn't factor the buying patterns of the local shoppers. I wonder how much market research was done. Just because you're new and different doesn't mean people will seek you out. There's a wariness in these parts about the flash in the pan. A location that wasn't clear on our ads didn't help, either.
The picture I'd been painted of the job didn't materialize, the 'when you are in this position' of the interview just a promise unfulfilled.
I'll miss my coworkers. On the other hand, it will be nice to leave the stress of not selling stuff and feeling like I totally suck at what I do behind me.
What now?
The writing was on the wall. It's a commission job and the customers were few and far between. The other department would get five walk ins to my side's one. If you were the person "Up" and waiting for the next customer to walk in and wander right as they entered the door, you'd be waiting a while. A half hour, hour, maybe even an hour and a half. I think the record was two hours.
We started with a compliment of 13 on our side, and quickly lost one to something more promising at Coca Cola. Another left soon afterwards for a factory job. Then one was fired for non performance for going nearly $2000 into draw. One moved into Customer Service, another the Warehouse. We were left with seven, and still the majority of us ended up in draw each pay period.
Last week, I got a final warning. It's hard to work, knowing you're failing at what you're doing, that the reasons why the customer isn't buying right now are valid. In quite a few of those cases, I suspect those customers will come looking for me in a month or two. Not that it'll help.
I wasn't the only one released today. A really nice coworker also was let go. I'm pretty sure this isn't the end of it-I think they'll be down to three within the next month and at that, those three probably won't be making much.
Why the dismal results? The promised television advertising didn't happen, because the foray into the Tampa market has been put on hold. They anticipated that this store would be the fifth in the company in sales-but didn't factor the buying patterns of the local shoppers. I wonder how much market research was done. Just because you're new and different doesn't mean people will seek you out. There's a wariness in these parts about the flash in the pan. A location that wasn't clear on our ads didn't help, either.
The picture I'd been painted of the job didn't materialize, the 'when you are in this position' of the interview just a promise unfulfilled.
I'll miss my coworkers. On the other hand, it will be nice to leave the stress of not selling stuff and feeling like I totally suck at what I do behind me.
What now?
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Today's task is to print out some resumes...
- Doreen in PA