I'm a cancer survivor, I had oral cancer and I'm extremely difficult to understand (my tongue is,…read morein it's entirety, completely attached to my lower jaw, so I am profoundly often misunderstood if the staff doesn't give me their entire attention, they'll misunderstand me. I'm so sorry, I didn't get her name and I wish I'd kept the receipt, but around 11:00 PM, maybe a bit earlier, here was (to me, a fairly old man in his mid 60's and a recent survivor, twice, of oral cancer, so extremely difficult to understand, this young lady was amazingly, in fact, better than both the hospital and nursing home I'd needed to suffer through, thoroughly dedicated to understand me entirely. I'd even tried to explain a sauce once available in the 80's call jalapino relish, truly missed, but fairly well replicated by a sause available at Wegman's, though never quite as killer as that mid 80's McD's packet stuff. (and a touch too hot vs the McD;'s stuff) a younger woman, she was black woman, again, I'm so sorry I hadn't caught her name, I knew i'd be placing the review, so I should have tried harder to pay attention, but she was working hard and I was in pain. So, whoever manages her, again, around 11 PM tonight, the only cashier, a very nice black woman, if, as I'd managed the following, a Petsmart, a Petco, and also a Pet Supplies "Plus" and went on to own my own aquarium based company, had I not become sick and had to sell my company, I'd have hired this young lady even if she didn't know a fish from a frog and taught her all of the aquarium trade. Were she in my preview, she'd be given a raise, the "option" to work management, they are 2 different animals and not everyone has the same goals, I'm well aware of that, having managed all the above listed stores. However, were I her employer, I've managed close to a thousand of them, I'd offer her the position and give her an out should she not like it (I've managed thousands and watched many burn, who'd done great work as floor staff and just didn't have the inclination, desire or even interest in managing, while still being killer at their floor jobs. Not everyone is built for retail management, it's almost a pay cut, or actually is, in the beginning since it's more often than not a st wage, while the floor jobs paid overtime, let's not kid ourselves, and were just fine before management almost ruined them? I've seen it, I've lived it. So, I'd immediately offer her a bump, paywise and a management training opportunity should she want it, but allow her to know she can opt out should she hate it (Thus, why I'd started my own successful business working alone until a serious illness would have killed either option, and did.) See, that's something that retail loses sight of, more often than not, retail management isn't the same as other management, I've allowed many to take a management job without making quiting the only option should they hate it, I made it clear they had months to try it, you just lose superstars that way, not everyone likes losing sleep over idiots who might just be working under them, they shouldn't have to choose, if they hate it, go back to the floor, no respect lost. But most just quit, I hunted them back if they killed on the sales floor but hated the extra hours, or rediculous corporate requirements. a pay raise barely noticable if they'd been putting in massive hours but hated the management end, why let a great employee go loose because working 80 hours a week barely pays more than working 40 to 50? Don't BS yourself retail, I've been around too long to eat the cheese in that trap. So, my entire point, this young lady, she just killed it with my special needs, and being almost unable to understand me? She rocked it, I'd give her the option in a heartbeat, I on;y have 34 years of retail store experience, so you don't have to hear me, but I'd throw a management badge at her, see if she likes it and then, at 6-8 moths, see if she wants to keep it, but let her know that's the plan, day one, or anyone might this they've been screwing up and quit, Let any management prospect know, if their rock on the floor, they can try it, but they aren't "locked in" should they hate it, if they killed at the job before and simply hated management, why the hell would you want to lose them if the simply don't like the new job? Corp America? Dumber that cattle being lead by mules who're lead by drunken goldfish these days and it's just not that hard to figure it out. I've seen more stupid that simply bright management. Ya know, I've worked under a sh*t ton of bad managers, In fact, I've had more bad managers over me, even when I was also in management, than I've had bad employees. I'm glad I learned from their mistakes. So, my entire point? Offer that young lady a shot, if she hates it, don't let her quit, make sure she has an out that is just quitting. Nobody wants poverty because they don't know what real retail management actually is.
