I spent four days working at a local family dollar as in sight in to the lives of people working under the poverty line and people who were under the impression they were saving money be cause they were shopping in a place with 'Dollar' in the name.
The first thing I learned. It does not take much to get this job. Best I could tell I got the job be cause I was over the age of eight teen and produce clean pee.
The second thing I learned. It is so easy to get the job that for the most part you are surrounded by idiots. The manager of the store where I worked at was totally over his head. Their was no tours, their was no training of any kind. The store was just a mess. There is absolutely no organization what so ever. My second day there, a girl came in late claiming she did not know she was supposed to work. At first I thought, yeah right. By the end of the week I thought, their is actually a good chance he did not tell her she was supposed to work. When you are behind schedule it is best to just have some crew stay late one or two nights and get caught up. It is not wise to throw a new hire in to the wolves. I honestly think districts needs to intervene and make some changes.
The third thing I learned was that the assisant manager Tonia should be running the place be cause she has her head on her shoulders. She is organized, patient, and an educator.
The fourth thing I learned was that when you are supposed to do three things at once nothing gets done.
The fifth thing I learned was that it is not good use of time to have the manager perform every return.
The sixth thing I learned was that Family Dollar attracts meth heads be cause they do not monitor the selling of their medicine. Which I am pretty sure is illegal.
The seventh thing I learned is that Family Dollar is not the cheapest place in town to buy stuff. Razors and shampoo are cheaper at walgreens for instance. School and office supplies are cheaper at CVS. All most every thing is cheaper at Kroger. All three are in the area of the store I worked at.
The eighth thing and must important I learned was that you all ways have to treat people with respect. Just be cause they pay with change or food stamps does not mean you can treat them less then human. They deserve the same service as you get anyy where else. Their should all ways be some one at the counter to help people. They should not have to ring a bell for service like they are not your top priority. If they would just hire a third shift, like all most every other store, they could re stock at night and during the day focus on the customer. This store could make so much more money if they would incorporate brail. There is a school for the blind two blocks a way and hundreds of blind people live with in walking distance. I estimate it would cost them 500-1,000 dollars to do this but it would really set them a part in the neighbor hood. They get a ton of elderly people, who have trouble seeing, perhaps having bigger signs, lettering, and ads would help their business as well. If they would just look at the people who came in as people and looked to meet their needs they would make so much more money.
I took this job as an observation of people. What I learned in my four days there that it has to be all a bout the people. I think I will look back on my time there and thank God I can write so I never, ever have to work there again.
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