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Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - THE CHRISTMAS GIFT

Since I have been on vacation, I have been up in my studio painting away at my easel.  Leaving the Laptop behind I have opted for brushes instead of a keyboard.  But, come lunchtime I hit the kitchen and grab a feast and, instead of heading back up to the easel, I make a right to the office and sit down at the Laptop. 

Just to check my email, of course.

Before you know it I have ventured onto the news sites and what do I find, but an article about a grocery store.  Please, I am on vacation.

Having just read the first couple of lines of the story, I was hooked and had to finish.

It seems that an owner of three grocery stores, out in Minnesota and North Dakota, has decided to retire after 46 years in the business; all of which time was spent working and growing his business.

After that many years in the grocery business, anyone would be ready for retirement. 

But here is the surprise ending to this story: instead of selling the business, he is transferring ownership to his 400 employees.  Sound a little off -beat?  Perhaps, but he has a reason and it's a good one.

You see, he feels that his employees are 'largely responsible' for his success and with that in mind, he feels that they deserve the benefit of the success.

So, to 400 employees in Minnesota and North Dakota - Merry Christmas!

But the real gift in this story is that this employer knew how he had become a success and was grateful.

Talk at ya later!

Friday, November 23, 2012

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - FAMILY, MEMORIES - AND SHOPPING?

There has been a lot of reporting going on, prior to Thanksgiving Day, with regard to retail companies making employees work on this holiday.  In fact, there has been enough information provided, from both sides of the fence, to keep journalists and columnists busy.  Employees of two major retailers threw out their side of the story while spokesmen for the companies provided their side.  Legal positions were taken while protests and walkouts were forecasted and still, the public went shopping.

And since I am a retail employee and, for the first time in ten years, had the benefit of spending this holiday with my family then I feel I have a right to throw my hat into this ring.

We, as retail employees and companies for that matter, are not the ones to call the shots; it is, in fact, the consumers.  This is the group that controls the retail world.  How much revenue will be brought in, what big ticket items will be purchased, how much workforce will be needed to cover the shopping frenzy, all decided by the consumer. 

They may not attend the board meetings of these large retail companies but, they sure do set the standards by which they operate.

The fact of not receiving time and a half pay to work the holiday, doesn't bother me at all.  It's not that I don't need the extra pay, it is the fact that I was able to put family first.

On these holidays, my cousin  opens up her home to all of us living in the vicinity.  She graciously prepares a tremendous feast and provides us all an opportunity to come together.  We laugh, converse, bring each other up to date and remember those that are not with us anymore. 

It is our time, our family time.

The family, of which we come from, is who we are; our past, present and future.   It is where we go when we need support, guidance and the feeling of belonging.  We argue, laugh, cry and through this we come together - we are family.

So, when speaking of this holiday and comparing the celebration and meaning of it, to those of previous years, we must remember that it is us, the public the consumer, that has allowed for this holiday to change.

We have a choice.

As for me, I prefer to celebrate with my family

Talk at ya later!







 

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - PERSONALITY

When people get transferred, from store to store, they will most generally move on to one that is further away. It will be a store that has been recently remodeled, might even support more traffic and have higher sales.  And many times this will be looked upon as a move up, or so I am told.  But when employees, who are not familiar with our store, find out that they are being transferred to our store, I understand that these employees most usually exhibit a 'Don't want to go' attitude.

Well, this last month we had someone come from another store to fill in and now they are leaving to go to another store.  And guess what?  They wanted to stay.

Considering this attitude was opposite, of the majority, I had to inquire as to why.

"I like it here." was the response which I received.  She went on to tell me that from the moment she walked in the doors that she felt the 'warmth'.  She could see the employees interacting with the customers, and by this she could tell what kind of store this was; warm, friendly.

From what I have been told, and experienced in another store, all stores are different; different personalities and outlooks.  And a lot of times, I have found that it is the personality/attitude of management that is the building block of the store's personality.

So even though we are not a remodeled store, and our appearance is somewhat dated, it is the employees and management that provide this warm and friendly personality

As one employee once stated, "It's the loyalty."

So, now we know.

Talk at ya later!

Friday, November 2, 2012

Cincigal Grocery Store Clerk - THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

From time to time we, employees, like to reminisce.  We will speak of former employees, customers, and managers along with everything that we experienced during those days of long ago. 

In those days, we were a busy store.

The lines at the cash registers were never ending and when you left after a shift, you were literally dragging yourself out the door.  It was a time when frustration and laughter went hand in hand.  And if you didn't feel either of these emotions, well then, you weren't working hard enough.

Unfortunately, as time went on, things began to change. 

But this week, we got  a chance to revisit our past.

All the thanks goes to one of our employees who took the time to create, and frame, a collage - of  us.

Having assembled from so many pictures, this employee provided  us with a window to our past.  There they all were, past and present employees, with smiles on their faces and some in goofy poses.  We laughed as we pointed and named them all.   And the stories we can tell, makes us laugh all the harder.

We have all enjoyed this trip back to the past and have discovered how much we miss so many of those smiling faces.  And even though we realise that we can never recapture those times, it sure has brought a smile and a lot of laughter recalling them.

But tonight, amongst the pictures, I saw one that kind of says it all. 

The store manager that we have now, had been here some years ago.  In fact, this is where he did his training.  And when it was time for him to move on, he was given a party.  He was presented with a big poster board complete with signatures and pictures of his staff, along with the words, 'Good Luck'.  But on the bottom of the poster board, were these words that stood out the most;

'FROM THE MOST AWESOME GROUP OF EMPLOYEES YOU WILL EVER HAVE'

Enough said!

Talk at ya later!