If every unemployed person applied for the 162,000 jobs that materialized in March, then hiring managers and business owners were trolling through about 84 resumes for every job opening they had in order to hire just one person. And that.. is what an improved U.S. job market looks like.
Big hiring numbers are definitely better than big layoff numbers, but employees are still spooked about unemployment in the U.S. A definitive 76% of U.S. employees would be willing to take a pay cut rather than join the unemployment line, according to a poll released by Harris Interactive and Glassdoor.com last week. Reading between the responses, those who have regular paychecks are well aware that unemployment is a curse that is not easily broken, and they would be willing to do just about anything to avoid it... read more >>
Comments
If retailers across the nation must read this article over and over again because it is a wake up call. Look at the Auto Industry to see what the lack of corporate integrity, employee sense of pride and uncompromising customers did to the American Auto Industry.
In the 70’s and early 80’s American cars ruled. But I for one got tired of coming home from picking up my new car and finding screws, bolts, on the floor and idiot lights lit up on the dash board. I finally went European and had years of reliable and trouble free auto ownership.
The level of employee retail staff is at an all time low regardless if it is at the low end of the retail food chain such as Mass Retail or at the high end Department Store. As a Retail Design Consultant and blogger for “Retailers for a better tomorrow” it puzzles me that this practice is not given a higher sense of priority.
The frustration level to go into a retail store, have no assistance, or staff that are not knowledgeable about the product, unwilling to go the extra mile to accommodate the consumers is monumental.
There are several retailers such as The Gap, The Container Store, Apple Store who get it and make the shopping experience pleasant. On the other side of the equation is a Radio Shack, a highly technical resource, and a store that I visit as a last resort.
Do I want uncontrolled images on the TV screen or music that has a limited appeal level assaulting me? Do I want to struggle to find what I need because I have a better technical sense than the person assisting me? Am I a satisfied customer knowing that in less than thirty days I will be returning the item because it either is faulty or does not do what it claimed to do?
The most incredible realization for me is that these staff members do not get that they are digging their own grave. Retailers cannot survive when incidents noted in Barbara’s article and some of my references are not isolated ones but rather the norm.
Just like the piped in messages were a feeble attempt by corporate to bypass the human factor, retailers need to train their staff or find a way to turn the store into a giant vending machine.
Look at the way we purchase gas today as opposed to the days of a gas attendant. We talk to the pump tell it all the information we require, and the pump makes the purchase and gives us a receipt with a message of thanks. The gas pump is better than some of the deadbeats that did the same job years ago and were ultimately replaced by a robotic gas pump. The personal touch, the lost opportunity to win over a customer and gain consumer loyalty went down the drain with the new pumps.
The bottom line is that there is a real problem with today’s retail staff and if no one wants to fix it, we will all be gravitating to the next innovative retailer who has made the people factor more important than product.
Jerry Birnbach F.I.S.P.
I don’t mind bad service any more. It has saved me a great deal of money. I generally know what I want and just buy the item that is on sale or the lowest priced item on the shelves, rather than being upsold or also buying something I thought was interesting.
Once I’ve got what I selected, at the price “I” want to pay, I leave. If the item isn’t doesn’t do what I expected, I return it and get my cash back. That, however, bugs me because it wastes my time, something online shopping doesn’t do.
Sure, it would be nice to deal with cheery staff who know their stuff, but since that’s not often the case, I save a big chunk of cash and, when I get home, feel good I didn’t waste money on something I wouldn’t have purchased if I were just buying online which, incidentally, I do more and more of now.
The competition online is great. And I rarely pay shipping costs because I buy what I want from outfits that keep those costs to me in check but whose prices are the best, complete with guarantees and warranties.
Retail stores are like daily newspapers — dying — because both industries don’t provide me with what I want: service and quality information.
hi nice to see your blob………
When my husband began his career in Pharmaceutical Research 25 years ago, he thought science is the way to the future; this will be a safe career when they can carry me out in a box when I’m done.
Instead with this “recession”, Pharmaceutical companies have chosen to ride it out by laying off long term, loyal employees, and instead ship all the manufacturing and research overseas. In two years my husband has been laid by 4 companies (due to buyouts, sellouts, cheaper labor alternatives, and company failures.) He is now doing contract work at half the pay, no benefits and as the article mentioned management with a “Mother may I” mentality. Most of his contract work is comprised of cleaning up impurities from products produced overseas where quality control and regulation is lacking. Somebody explain to me, they pay lower salaries, but much more on shipping and then need staff here to clean up the mess, putting them behind schedule. Where is the common sense?
To boot, my husband is seen as a dinosaur – age 50 and over experienced, in spite of being qualified and having run more reactions, solved more problems, and being far more versatile than those fresh out of college that are stumbling as they learn how to play the game. They are chosen because they are less likely to have family, will move free of cost to the company and will accept the lowest salaries just to get their foot in the door. They manage to squirm around the age issue, as it is clear cut age discrimination. On several contract jobs he has been brought in to train newbie’s, keep them out of trouble, doing his work and most of theirs. Again – what are these managers thinking?
Bear in mind, the average newcomer these days stays on average about 5 years at a job and then moves on, while older workers are of the old school – work at one company and stay committed. More time lost in training. Hopefully sooner or later, US companies will get the idea that experience and devotion is more valuable, stop sending work out of our country and return to the proud – Made In USA label.