An End of an Era (Albeit Brief)

My last day at Radio Shack was last Thursday. Although the company, like many retail outlets, lets go of its 'holiday' help, I was not expecting to be terminated although there was always that possibility.

I was hired in September as a full time employee and I took my job seriously and with a certain amount of passion, having been out of work for the past three years and I figured, if I was to work in retail, I might as well work in consumer electronics figuring it would go well with my computer background. I was told that it was a 'Sales' job, which is fine, but in order to be a good salesman it helps to get to know your product as well as your working environment. And there was a lot to learn, what with cables, electronics, toys, radios, satellite radio, satellite TV, scanners and the like as well as all the other aspects of running a retail operation including getting to know the lay of the land (ie, where things are located in the store), various paperwork and don't forget the customer relations.

Like any business, there was also the backroom politics that I heard about but was not in a position to do anything about. One was that the District Manager (DM) a mid 30s woman had it out for middle-aged older workers. I listened to the stories, how she was rude to older managers and how its 'all about the numbers'.

But I beg to differ. In order for me to sell a product, I need to Know the product. RS has a few certification tests that they want their associates to take, but the tests can only be taken on the backroom computer. I would have gobbled the shit up, if the info and tests were made available voa the net so I could take them at home. It isn't a good learning environment when you have to compete with your manager who has his own work to do as well as trying to learn and take tests in between customers.

But, I also took the job in the hopes of learning ALL aspects of the retail electronics business, a sign of my long term committment to the job. I had no problem performing the mundane tasks as well, such as vacuuming the rug, washing the windows, taking out the trash or stock replenishment. Many of the 'younger' workers were not keen on performing these tasks as well. In fact, I couldn't stand it when the store was empty. I was always walking around with a clipboard, looking for tags to make, batteries to be put out, ANYTHING to make the clock move.

It takes awhile to get accustomed to ANY job, especially when you are new to the type of job as well as the company and I made my share of screwups and 'oh shits' when I first started and from the get go the store that I was at was generally understaffed. But you could always count on me. One day when I was working the day shift, my manager had come down with a bad case of the flu. He was in, of course, despite feeling miserable, sneezing, coughing and the whole nine yards. In my 4 months in the place, I am proud to say I NEVER missed a day of work. This, despite the fact I didn't have a car and relied on my sister and brother-in-law to get me to work. Not so the other employees. One had regular babysitting problems as well as 'calling in sick'. One did call in sick, and others had exams, 'couldn't work Sundays', etc. But they are all still there, I am not.

On this night where Steve was sick, In had already put in a full day shift, when one of the 'night crew' called in (before we hired holiday help). He didn't want to impose on me, but seeing he was in agony, I said 'no problem'.

Over time, things got easier for me about finding things around the store and I began to pick up speed finding things and developing a routine aout daily tasks. The store got audited on a regular basis and one of the things we often we got written up for was not filling out our goal cards. Not me. I always did mine at the beginning of my shift and it makes things easier if you do things like that when you are supposed to as opposed to trying to play catchup after you've been naged about it.

At first, my shifts varied, some days, some nights, some up and down (night followed by a day) which didn't thrill me, but I made it clear that I would work whenever he needed me. Take that, all you elderly curmudgeons and Republicans who often wail that 'people don't want to work anymore' and screw you, all those who say 'we can't find relaible, intelligent help'. It made Steve's job easier knowing that when he made out the shedule, that I would work whatever schedule he could put together, despite 'everyone else's' accommodations.

So, its all about the numbers. But even here, things are not always what they seem. Take 'Hot Friday', the ridiculous concept of having as much as one quarter of a stores sales falling on one day. By then, we had a full complement of employees, some doing double and split shifts. I worked from 2 to 10 pm that day. Along with a full crew when I arrived. On 'hot' Friday, we were told by the DM in her monthly rah rah sessions, that people 'expect' long lines on hot Friday so don't worry about making people wait. Hmmm, that's not exactly good 'salesmanship' when people are lined up at the register to buy stuff anyway. Since it was my first Hot Friday, I wondered how the registers would be handled, since we had about 6 sales people and only 2 POS machines. Wanting me to be 'fresh' since the early shifters would probably be exhausted, I had no problem with 2 to 10. I had no interest in getting up at 3 am for a 5 am store opening anyway.

The idea was supposed to be the fastest cashiers would man the POSs and the 'new' people (which apparently included me) would step back and let them handle it. I hoped to get a few sales in in the hope that it wouldn't be so nuts in the afternoon anyway. Well, some of the 'newbies' got in a few good sales since their 'allies' (ie, the women) would ring up a few sales under the newbies codes. This is, of course, against store policy, but no matter, some of the newies rang up some impressive totals.

Of course, all of the 'hot' deals lasted only from 6am until noon. I, in fact, took advantage of them, by shopping at the Radio Shack behind my house in Massachusetts, where, believe it or not, has a lower sales tax than in RI where I work. I had originally hoped on working at the Harbor Mall store, but the Warren store was full time. Since the manager there knew me, I got my employee discount on a Presidian DVD burner, plus my mail in rebate (still waiting) and my sister funding the difference because the following week was my birthday, I in effect, got it for free.

But of course, once I got to work at 2 PM, the hot Friday sales and the crowds they generate had evaporated. That night, we could have played darts, that's how dead it was. One newbie rang up over $2K that day. I was lucky to ring up $200. Guess who looks bad.

While I admit, the DM's sales talks were prime motivators, they won't work very well if you don't have the product to sell. Where I work, the store is what I would consider a 'backwater' store. You won't find the much ballyhooed Ipods, Cinegos or even much of the stuff you'll find in the sales flyers. We had many clearance items. Phones, cable, toys and many small items like battteries.

Sales in the store can often be a crap shot. Two customers walk in. Two salesmen tackle them. One buys a phone, the other buys a battery. I did a lot of battery sales. I'm sure I could have improved on my sales techniques, but a good chunk of the store's regulars are elderly people looking for watch, calculator or hearing aid batteries. One thing I was good at was selling batteries. One promotion we had constantly going on was the '4-4-10' sale. Four packs of four batteries for $10. I was told on my monthly review that I was the best in the store for that. I like to sell things with a straight face. Just a few days before my surprise dismissal, I was out on the web trying to find a site that did battery comparisons. I would have been even better at it had I prrof, that Radio Shack's batteries were 'better' than the competitions. But I couldn't find such a site. I told customers it was 'a great deal' even though you could get 24 (instead of 16) AA or AAA batteries at Home Depot, and many of my elderly customers kept on asking me if they were better than the Ocean State Job Lot next door, wis is a major discounter. "Lady, you get what you pay for" is what I'd reply when they'd keep challenging me on it. I have no doubt that Radio Shack putsb out a good product (at substantially padded profit margins of course).

I worked whenever they wanted me late on Christmas Eve, to set up for the post Christmas sales, New Year's Day. That's what sucks about retail jobs. If you work in retail, the 'time for being with family and friends' doesn't include you. We closed at 7 on Christmas Eve. It could have been worse, Kmart closed at 9. Even Walmart was closed by then.

Of course, now with the 'Big Day' which all of American capitalism depends behind us, the next question is, who stays and who goes. They keep you on just long enough so that you can hepl them count their inventory.

My manager liked me, however. He'd tell me that he'd keep me over any of the others, because he could count on me. I was reliable, dependale, honest, trustworthy and I should enthusiasm and a willingness to learn things. He even liked the fact that I came to work with a smile on my face (on most days). But, he has no say in who stays and who goes. I was warned that the DM didn't take kindly to older workers and in the end, my numbers (per ticket) were low. Again, I sold a lot of batteries, and even if I sold 10 a day for 'only' $34 in sales, my average was of course, just $3.41 a sale, with an occasional decent hit thrown in. I of course, had some good days as well.

But after the holiday rush, as expected, things died down considerably. Now I was on days nearly everyday of which many of the regular clientele are elderly and techno-phobic. Hard to sell a cell phone to a guy who comes back with his cordless phone claiming 'it doen't work' when he kept on pressing the 'end' button instead of the 'talk' button.

I had an elderly lady come up to me with one of those chrome flashlights with one button and I needed to 'show' her how to turn it on. Some of these people just want a little companionship. We also have fuses, flashlight bulbs, resistors and diodes, and I spent a lot of time with automotive types, inventor types and 'Mr. Fixit' types trying to help them find whatever they were lookingn for. Oftentimes, they had no clue and part of the task was trying to decipher what they wanted in the first place. All that time for $1.99. But that, to me, is what customer service is all about, not about the numbers. I have had a number of customers say to me, "if Radio Shack doesn't have it, no one will, or 'who does?'. Radio Shack used to be an electonics store. Now it seems, they are just another Sprint or Cingular kiosk. I was told that many of the mall Radio Shacks are aloowed to get rid of their parts drawers, but we could not. Our store was like Grandpa's Tool Chest. You could find things there you couldn't find anywhere else. I have had many customers thank me for going the extra mile in an effort to find that 'missing piece' to their puzzle so they could complete their project. I have had little old ladies offer to take me out for coffee after I showed them how to use voicemail on phones that their kids got them and they were frightened of using. I have people give me 'tips' (sometimes more than the battery that they bought) because I'd put it in for them.


I knew on Thursday, that I was the 'chosen' one to be let go. Although my manager did his best to keep me. I kept on chatting away with the customers. When one of the 'newer' associates came in at 2, he saw the schedule and said "Steve, I can't work on Sunday". I said "Steve, I can."

So I've learned that being a store manager means working long hours, doing a lot of paperwork and stock, coming in when sick, working six days a week, often double shifts and yet not having the power tiokeep who you know and trust. Managers don't do that, spreadsheet jockeys make these decisions. On top of that the other 'day' salesman is leaving for another job. So Steve will be very short handed, especially when those who are left can't or won't work days.

On December 28, after 3 years of not having any, I had health care again. It was my 100th day of employment at Radio Shack. On that day, (pure coincidence) I had an appointment with a foot doctor. I had been in pain, which he said was due to the fact that I am on my feet for 8 hours due to my job. I had to have good support shoes ordered. They arrived the day I got laid off. I had health care for all of 3 weeks.

So when I called Christine, the DM, I was told in very cold and impersonal terms that RS has 'criteria' I didn't meet, so I was let go as of the 12th, although, knowing I was already let go, I didn't bother coming in on Friday.

But its not about reliability or dependibility. Not about customer service or selling a product you have confidence it so you can push it. Its not about honesty or making people happy so that they'll remember you and come back. Its about getting rid of older workers who are more conscientious and hard working, but, unfortunately, don't make the right numbers or meet certain 'criteria'.