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From: SummersEchos
Date: 01-17-2005, 11:36 PM (1 of 12)
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I work at JoAnne's. It is a small trad store not a huge superstore (ETC). We are in the process of closing to make room for the bigger store. We are in our 4th week, with 4 more weeks to go. Well we are very very busy. I will be at the cutting counter or the checkout for 4 hours straight. I stay as cheerful as I can be. Now the customers on the other hand, oh boy. Some have been so rude, some so demanding. I am sorry you have to wait in a line, we are doing the best we can. I am sorry it is your lunch hour and you and 1oo other people came to get the bargins, we can only handle so much in that hour. Right now we have our clearance fabric and home dec fabric at 50% off or 60% off if you buy what is left on the bolt. I am not a mind reader I do not know exactlly how much fabric is on the bolt. I can do yards but not inches. I am not the person who made the rule that the least amount of fabric you can buy is 2 yards. By the way it is posted on every aisle in nice big red and white signs. I cannot not help it if the person in front of you has 20 bolts of fabric has me measure the whole bolt to decide it isn't what they wanted, and takes up to much of your time. I cannot help that our registers are old and slow. I go as fast as I can. Saturday we had a couple of fights break out in the store. From people cutting in front of other people to someone said the wrong thing, to fighting over the last pattern. Today we had very grumpy people, one who threw stuff at me because I would not honor the JoAnne's sale flyer. When you walk into our store we have it posted in big bold letters that we do not honor JoAnne's sales any longer. I work very hard to make this as pleasing as I can for me, my employees, and the customers. I put more than 40 hours into work, so the store is half way cleaned for you. I just can not understand why people act like this. They trash the store, get nasty with the employees. I just needed to vent to someone, and well this is a big group of someones. Thanks all Summer Summer
FREE FALLIN |
User: SummersEchos
Member since: 09-29-2004 Total posts: 884 |
From: Mom of Six
Date: 01-18-2005, 01:37 AM (2 of 12)
Sorry about your day  I hope things get better for you. I used to work @ Jo Anns & then So Fro Fabrics I quit 21 years ago when my 3rd daughter was born & I wanted(needed) to be a full time Mom. Some people don't realize that they aren't the only ones on a schedule. Where in Michigan are you? Close enough for me to get bargains?
Barb
Happiness is having time to sew!! |
User: Mom of Six
Member since: 11-03-2001 Total posts: 1115 
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From: MaryW
Date: 01-18-2005, 05:02 AM (3 of 12)
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Summer, I can totally relate. I used to work at Fabricville here in Halifax. People are the same all over. The store used to have Buy 1, Get 2 free. Buy one yard, get two free. Fights broke out all over the place. Very long, hard days. People would fill out comment cards with nasty remarks when all it was we were rushed off our feet with not enough hands to do everything. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 01-18-2005, 07:15 AM (4 of 12)
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I always try to shop when I'm not in a hurry. I remember when I used to try to shop between meetings or on my lunch break so I try to let hurried people go first and be considerate and relaxed. BUT -- JoAnne's is a different story. Often sale signs are misleading and non-sale items are sitting under 30 percent off signs. "Oh it's the summer silkys that are on sale -- this is a spring silky" Now how the heck do I know the difference? This not a one time thing or in one store. I believe it is a company policy. I know it is not the poor woman just trying to make a living's fault but your there you are there, representing the store and the easiest to get to. And, to my credit, I haven't strangled one yet. And if you can't cut a straight line -- rip it!! I try not to buy fabric from JoAnne's anymore, just notions. And now we have a Hancocks near by I can get most stuff from them. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: MaryW
Date: 01-18-2005, 07:54 AM (5 of 12)
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Part of the problem is those signs are worded by head office, not the manager. I know what you mean though. Our store had what they advertised as bolts and bolts of Osh Kosh fabric for kids on for a very good price. When people rushed in, it was one bolt with about 5 yds. on it. The directive came from above, what are sales clerks and managers to do about that? Another time, we had a huge sale on quilt batts. They advertised it for early Saturday morning. Women were lined up at the doors when we arrived for work that day. We knew we were in for a hard time because head office never sent us any batts. We had half a dozen from old stock. The first woman thru the doors grabbed them and the rest were furious. You can't blame the customers or the clerks or the managers. This is from my own personal experience, I don't work for the company any longer. The signs bring in the crowds, and are misleading. MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: grandmasue
Date: 01-18-2005, 09:19 AM (6 of 12)
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My sympathy goes out to you! I worked for 13 years for a company that was always under-staffed, never had what was promised in the ad, sent ad signs that weren't correct, etc. etc. etc. (Kmart) I know how hard it is. During a very stressful time at my job where I headed up a 8 week total store renovation, I had 40 very stressed associates in my care. In a desperate effort to keep us from harming a customer or our co-workers I came up with these ideas. I took in a heating pad for the break room, took several rice packs in, any kind of massage tool I could find at the dollar store, and most fun of all... I took a unwanted large doll, wrote "customer" on it's T-Shirt and sat her in the middle of the breakroom table. Our venting on her brought many a laugh to ourselves in the break room. I wish you all the best that you will survive this experience. My favorite Jo-Ann store just went thru this last year and I was embarrased to see how the customers in general behaved, but then I have to guess they have never worked in the service industry themselves. Grandma Sue
------------ At the end I am not showing up at my grave all pretty and well preserved...I am coming in sliding, yelling "What a ride!" |
User: grandmasue
Member since: 10-26-2004 Total posts: 138 
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From: DorothyL
Date: 01-18-2005, 09:55 AM (7 of 12)
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Oh, I agree it's not the people in the local stores, my gripes all stem from what appears to be company policy. The women in both local JoAnne's are great and some even know what they are doing. What is really funny is the new Hancocks where only the manager ever did any sewing. But they are all trying to learn and I give them credit for that. Dorothy |
User: DorothyL
Member since: 12-09-2002 Total posts: 3883 |
From: MaryW
Date: 01-18-2005, 11:40 AM (8 of 12)
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We had a lady in our home dec. dept. who never sewed a stitch in her life.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: Chrysantha
Date: 01-18-2005, 03:00 PM (9 of 12)
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I don't shop at JoAnns much...too far away. I do however try to treat EVERYONE with respect and I speak up, if others are NOT that way. I won't allow service people to be bullied, yelled at or otherwise abused by others. ( I worked as a waitress for years and know what people can do to others) At Thanksgiving I was in Penneys when a MAN came in to the ladies dept, (bra's and panties) and demanded to use the try-on stalls. Then he started to abuse the poor sales clerk for his stupidity. I told him to get to the other side of the store, where the mens dept was, quit abusing the clerk because I would call the cops, in addiction to the store manager and to grow up and quit being stupid. The clerk looked at me like I'd lost my mind, but she thanked me (and gave me a discount that wasn't normal), the man threw what he wanted to buy on the floor and stalked off. I stayed for a few mins to see if he'd come back, but luckily he didn't. I do that all the time...my husband says one day I'm gonna tell off the wrong person and get smacked...but then THEY'ED be in trouble and in the pokey in no time, for doing it....I just hate to see the abuse...of anyone.... Chrys
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User: Chrysantha
Member since: 09-06-2002 Total posts: 2414 
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From: SummersEchos
Date: 01-18-2005, 06:00 PM (10 of 12)
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Thanks for all the understanding. I know JoAnne's is well known for understaffed stores, and not having the sale items in stock. Some of it isn't always JoAnne's fault. I have never seen people buy huge quantities of one single item as I have working there. I mean really how many does one need? I have enjoyed most of my 5 years with JoAnne's, listening to the customer talk about their sewing. Many have been regulars and you know when a new baby is coming, or someone is sick. I found out today after this store closes I am going to another store that will be closing by August of this year. I do such a good job with closing a store they want to keep me, LOL. We shall see if I go or say no TY. I think the days are just going to get worse and weekends are truley the pits.
Summer
FREE FALLIN |
User: SummersEchos
Member since: 09-29-2004 Total posts: 884 |
From: MaryW
Date: 01-18-2005, 06:12 PM (11 of 12)
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Weekends are the worst. A manager gets terrible hours and more responsibility than the rest. On top of that no recognition and very little $$$ in return.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New |
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005 Total posts: 2542
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From: Sewhappie
Date: 01-18-2005, 07:23 PM (12 of 12)
| I just heard from the horse's mouth today, that if the Warehouse Workers Union at Corp. for Joann's does not get their contract renewed and honored that they are going to strike in the next few weeks. Boy will that make a mess of everything. I guess that Joann's is trying to bust the Union and is working at getting it out. All of the new District Distribution Plants are non-union. |
User: Sewhappie
Member since: 10-27-2001 Total posts: 1427 |
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