fuish

Today I quit my LBS job. I'm not going to say too much as to why at the moment, cause I know they read a lot of the different bike forums, and while saying bad things about people feels really good, it's not worth my time. I just feel so free, I hate retail sales, and will never work it again.

markhr

Good luck with a new career. Hope they let you keep the (ex)employee discount at least.

PATH

I am glad you are happy. One should never work at what they cannot like.....

fuish

Ha, they hated me, and if they didn't they sure had a great way of showing it.

fuish

I didn't mind the work, I like people well enough and I LOVE bikes. So it wasn't really the work... more the people.

Tom Stormcrowe

These things happen. People often clash. If your situation was not tenable, then you did the right thing here, for yourself. By the way, not badmouthing them speaks well of you

On the bright side, you now know better what you like and don't like.

cyclokitty 

+1 (I hate retail jobs too.)

Horrible horrible way to make a living (believe me, I know... I've worked on and off in retail since high school. *shiver*)

Is it the ridiculously high expectations customers hare regarding the product/service? I've endured some absolutely idiotic abuse (sorry, customer relations) when I've tried to be practical about an item. For example, I worked in the Bowels of Hell (store that sold candles) and someone asked me how the strawberry scented candles worked. I think I should have received a medal for NOT bludgeoning that customer with a vanilla scented candle nearby.

Don't get me started on Mission Statements...

Anyway, good luck! I hope you find a happy job!

JosephPaul86

Here too. Quit my job working retail a while back and I don't regret it one bit. I am frugal enough to survive on my odd jobs income and still afford bike parts...and sometimes food too.

Wogster

I have worked retail, and it can be described in one word $%@!!#. Customers who think they are gods, low pay, crappy hours, they will be issuing winter storm warnings in He** before I will work retail again.....

knatchwa

retail, try restaurants, oh boy that is a whole other story. Seems it was better to get away from a place you did not enjoy. Jobs tend to be annoying that way sometimes but good luck in the next chapter in your lifes story.

fuish

I made a pact to myself to never work in a restaurant. For the same reason you said try them... lol

breadbin

hey fuish, sorry to hear you quit the job you liked. must have been a tough decision ad hope it turns out to be a positive one. it makes it all the harder that you actually liked the job but not to worry you'll find something you're still young;-) take care

bautieri

I'm sorry things didn't work out so well. I remember how happy you were when you first got the job. If nothing else at least you had the opportunity to develop a deeper knowledge of bicycles and repair. Be sure to share what you have learned with everyone else.

I too will vote for retail being one of the worst possible jobs...right after PC repair. Having done both I can say that it's lovely when you spend 5 hours removing adware and viruses only to have the computer come back three days later because the idiot customer decided they couldn't live without sparkle text/free smilies/free screen savers/ free webcam girl tool bar etc.? This naturally is my fault. Actually working at the geeksquad was a combination of both retail and customer level pc repair. It created the perfect spiral of suck.

Caincando1

I've never worked retail but my wife does part time. She works in a bridal shop selling dresses. There's nothing like dealing with brides! Although she loves it and is amazing at it and sells a lot of product. Unfortunetly the owner is the problem and the only reason she doesn't do it full time.

Best of luck to you fuish.

redneckwes

Lol.

I've been a Prepcook/line cook for nearly 10 years. I'm damn good at what I do, but God send me a door back into retail and out of that restaurant.

Neil_B

The uniform doesn't do much for your self-image either.

CliftonGK1

Hey now! Some of us wear dress shoes, dark slacks, light shirts and ties to work every day and don't have a uniform code to follow.
Gotta admit, even though I'm an engineer I'll never fall for the worst engineering fashion trend ever: Short sleeved dress shirt and a tie. If it's casual enough to wear short sleeves, then you don't need a tie. If you need a tie, then for heaven's sake wear it with a proper long sleeve shirt.

I'll live in a box under a bridge sooner than going back to retail sales or service industry. There's a good reason my current position involves no interaction with our customers. An example from our CRB (Complaint Review Board) meeting yesterday:

"Case number blahblahblah. Customer says they see reduced actin fluorescence for Jo-1 on lot blahblah of HEp-2 slides. They're asking for a replacement lot. Clifton, do you care to comment on this?"

"Sure. We don't make claims to pick up that analyte with our kit so it's a baseless complaint. If I drive my Jeep into a lake, I can't call Chrysler and demand a replacement because it didn't float. They can buy a new kit to replace the one they misused."

"Oooookay... We'll turn this one over to Product Support. Moving on, then."

Neil_B

The Geek Squad also wear white socks with black dress shoes. I couldn't find a photo online illustrating that particular bit of fashion 'sense.'

bautieri

Don't forget a black clip-on tie with a geeksquad tie tack. My old manager would actually check and make sure we were wearing white socks. I would protest by wearing gray socks with the geeksquad tack upside down. Worst part time job I ever took.

Little Darwin

I have never worked retail, but I have been relegated to being technical, and not communicating directly with our internal customers... Which is fine by me.

Therefore, I don't think I would survive retail.

I have a low tolerance for stupidity, even though I do try to assume someone is genuinely seeking information to help themselves learn when it is someone that hasn't proven themselves to be an idiot yet.

Good luck on whatever your next venture is!

v1k1ng1001

I am the perverse person who enjoys retail sales. Retail started to suck once I became a manager.