store manager

bookseller

book manager

Bargain-Books

I had retired from my job before I started working @ Bargain Books & long hrs did not bother me but I seriously think that the the senior management hv high stools behind the counter
 A 10hr day standing is very bad for yr posture & rather than making everyone stand when there are 4 or 5 of you working it wud make more sense to me that  2 behind the counter 2 helping customers & 1 watching the door. This can be for a 30 minute swap over. The labour law states that you have to sit or rest a minimum of 5minutes per working hour.
On a different note when working with yr shift people you get a good rapport with each other which transfers to your customers, leading to them visiting the shops & can ask anyone of you to help. I found, as I was already in my mid 60's that each of the staff had a good knowledge of one or other genre - which the customers were alwats grateful for. 

A typical day starts with dusting and re-adjusting books on the shelves. Helping customers find the books that they need. Recommending books to customers and then working at the till. I learnt how to work with impatient and difficult customers and that the best thing to do is to just keep calm and help them to the best of your ability. If you find that you cannot help them then to find another person who may be better equipped to help.  My management and co-workers were very easy going and it was a pleasurable working environment chatting about the different books we have read. The hardest part of the job was being on your feet for the full day. The most enjoyable part was being able to read different books that I would of otherwise not been exposed too.

Working at Bargain Books was one of my first jobs and I quickly come to learn that retail hours are not only long but at times not as interesting as one might hope.
I can probably say that I learned about the many different genres of books as well as how important customer service is.
The management at the time was not desirable but as it had changed I would say management became more efficient and approachable.
The hardest part of the job was the long hours and to me the fact that you were not allowed to read books, even though you work in a book shop.
For me the most enjoyable part was learning about so many genres which influence my own writing and also creating a family bond with my co-workers.

In general, I like working here but that's mostly because my coworkers are super fun.
The day-to-day duties include: helping customers, answering phones, cleaning the store, making book displays and stock taking.
It's not a bad place to be as the working conditions are relaxed but compared to the long hours and meager salary it's not worth it.

What is the best part of working at the company?
the customers, new books that come out, if you reach your target you get a very nice incentive 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
be careful of the book thieves, they are sneaky also the December period can be very business but it is manageable  

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
i loved the people that worked with me. only downfall from the experience was the manager that was super toxic 

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
open shop, double check that the float is correct and ready, receive new books, help customers, repack and reorganize the shelves, make sure the shop was clean, always help customers, order books for them

Your own car definitely gets used for work events. Only get a petrol claim back. No wear and tear covered. 

You’re forced to speak a language you don’t want to. 

Complaining about store manager gets you nowhere. 

Absolutely no respect for people of other faiths. 

Overworked and underpaid. 

Constant burn out. 

No room for growth. An opportunity we take centuries. 

You’re not heard and you’re not valued. 

Some people do nothing, yet reap all the benefits. 

Extremely long standing hours. Minimum of 9 hours of you work a full day shift. 

Blame shift is a regular occurrence. 

You’re expected to stay after hours if any computer related issues take place. 

Absolutely no boundaries. Everything is shared out in the open. 


What is the best part of working at the company?
Big discount on books for anyone who really loves anything printed.  

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Working and being forced to keep the shop open during loadshedding without any cash registers or computers, everything must be worked out manually and if you make a mistake and undercharge a customer, you have to pay. 

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Stressful, and working for little pay.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Cleaning,  merchandising, cashing up, stock-taking, book receiving,  assisting customers.

-work started at 08:30 am throughout the week
-how to effectively utilize my time to my advancement in the workplace
-management was helpful in teaching us how to be independent and close a sale
-from co-workers i learned that we cannot all be the same,people are different and each individual brings their own flavor in the workplace.
-hardest part of the job was dealing with difficult customers but once i got the hang of it,it wasn't so bad,just a skill to everything
-i enjoyed the atmosphere, the long off days and the remuneration was totally satisfying.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The product!  I love reading and received a staff discount on books purchased for own use 

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
It is a family business and the family dynamics were difficult to navigate.   Little or no room for promotion.  This was preserved for family

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It was unhealthy, unsafe and generally toxic

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Days started at 7.30 and ended at 17.00.  30 minute lunch breaks

I was working here during my grade 12 year of school; every thursday tot sunday.

Casuals have all the fun packing and repacking book shelves to improve the over all look and obviously to help improve the task of finding them again.
We got to read all the new releases before they were even available to the public, this has contributed immensely to my love for reading.

This was not a stressful job even though we had responsibilities and targets, the environment was always welcoming and there was never a dull moment.

I learned a lot about stock and ordering and dealing with difficult clients especially over the phone.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Store manager 6 salaries reported	R 433 per day
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