More Retail Jobs for the older generations?

[SallyA]

While I was getting ready for work this morning I was half watching This Morning or whatever it’s called on BBC1 (http://news.bbc.co.uk/)! Apparently older people are now preferred to work in Retail Jobs.

They said that today’s younger generations do not offer the same levels of customer services and polite manner. The old school way is apparently the best!!!!
To be honest I couldn’t agree more with this article as I have found that teenagers today really make you feel like they can’t be bothered and don’t want to be there! When was the last time you had good customer services? How old do you think the person was?

I’m guessing 25+++? Either that or they have had excellent training!

[Emily-O]

With so many people being made redundant from their jobs do you reckon more individuals are applying for retail positions? Do you think older individuals are happy to step into a basic retail position?
Our local supermarket has a really good age range of workers. You see both youngsters and older individuals in the shop however in clothes shops all the workers seem to be quite young.

I agree with the principle of better customer service. Though do you think this partially comes from their previous experience? Some teenagers whose first job is in retail may not know how to deal with a difficult customer or perhaps a challenging situation. Though I could equally argue that this should come under their training....

[SallyA]

Its one thing to not be able to deal with a difficult or rude customer but a different situation alltogether when they are rude and just not bothered you know????

I do agree about more people applying for retail jobs right now though as it is something that most have done in thier time and are more than competently able to do well!

I started working in Retail at 15 and was always taught to be friendly and approachable and more importantly to wear a smile hehe!

I do think it also depends on the tema you are working with and your manager - for example in some of these clothing stores you get a staff ages 16-21 and a 22 yr old manager! Really the manager has just as much attitude as the staff and they are more like best friends then a manager! (This is from personal experience by the way)hehe!

[Dark Phoenyx]

Thats true SallyA. It all does depend on your team. What happens if they all resemble a bowl of sour crout? I was lucky enough to have that experience, and to be honest, you need a mix of both friendship, and leadership to manage a team. If you walk around all gloomy, then the team youre managing will follow suit and not long after that your clients will suffer for it.

[SallyA]

Thats true SallyA. It all does depend on your team. What happens if they all resemble a bowl of sour crout? I was lucky enough to have that experience, and to be honest, you need a mix of both friendship, and leadership to manage a team. If you walk around all gloomy, then the team youre managing will follow suit and not long after that your clients will suffer for it.

Haha I love the expression 'bowl of sour crout'! Thats awsome I have never hear it before hehe!

I do think it is how a lot of businesses suffer - getting the staffing balance right is imperative!

[Dark Phoenyx]

lol but it is true tho. I believe you have to get the balance right. I mean, if your workplace is all serious and frustrating, your customer service suffers for it. but if you have a good environment, ie happy helful staff and managers, and they are all working towards a common goal, and not just there for the paycheck every month, then your customer service improves and your store would actually do better.

[SallyA]

Exactly I couldn't agree more!

I have never really had a job that i totally hated! I have always managed to get through it and be happy - maybe I have just been lucky to work with nice people or something?

[Dark Phoenyx]

I agree. I think youre very lucky. A lot of people I have spoken to arent happy at all. and nine times out of ten it boils down to staff and managment.