Back in the saddle again

[pecunium]

Today I taught my first class in more than a year (unless one counts my presentations on interrogation as classes).

Two people got a demo on how to carve fowl, and a quick touch on how to maintain/use knives. They didn't get to do any hands on; and there was damn all for publicity, but it was a class.

It was also a chance for me to look good, because it was without planning, and I did it on really short notice (I got an e-mail on Monday, saying corporate wanted to have such a thing; could I do it).

It was fun, even if it meant my week got even more hectic than it already is.

Comments

[sinboy.livejournal.com]

"How to interrogate a Turkey"?

[zeeth_kyrah]

I dunno if I could talk turkey with a gob like that, though.

[texaslawchick.livejournal.com]

Do you like working there? My boyfriend starts his job at one of the Houston stores on Monday.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

I do. I don't know what the culture at his store will be, but mine is good. The management are supportive, the customers are friendly and (with a few minor reservations about some of my fellows presentational styles with customers) all of my coworkers are pleasant.

Most are at least tolerably well informed about the stock, and willing to admit to ignorance and seek help when someone asks about things they don't know.

But it helps that I am apallingly well informed about food, and cookware, and can be diplomatic about anything we have. Since there is very little in the store I think is crap (we do have some cutting boards which are bad for knives) I don't have to worry about trying to sell things I think are garbage.

So yes, I enjoy it a lot. I've had the pleasure of having customers tell me they had a good time shopping, and usually leave feeling I've had a good time, sharing things with people; the sales aspect is usually present in my mind, but I don't feel I am, per se, nothing but an automaton striving to take money out of people's pockets.

[pecunium.livejournal.com]

Oh, I'd like to add that I don't feel I'm taking advantage of people. It's not like selling cars. I'm not working to get them to spend money they don't have. Yes, I answer questions, and I've had people end up spending a lot more than they meant too, but it's not because I feel forced to "upsell", but rather I talk to them, and we get to other things they decide they want.

It may be a function of having been an interrogator; I'm probably better than most at following hints to things people are interested in, but it's a pretty soft-sell approach I use, and I'm not being pressured to change it.

[texaslawchick.livejournal.com]

He seems to like it so far. His store is pretty good and the GM seems pretty well informed, and one of the sales staff is the top individual salesperson in the whole franchise. Graham has been in and out of there as a shopper a lot over the last two years, and he says he has a few things to learn but not really all that much.

Restocking, he says, is a challenge, mainly because everything is so small and the stockroom is tiny.