Web Design and Operations
By KatNBoots138

September Thirtieth, 2023

 

Looking back at 2015, and how I was a manager, in my 30s, at Pier 1 — a home goods and furniture store — and how The other managers fucking hated me. There were two female managers who were best friends, already working there. Everybody was miserable because it was sales, and I was super happy, silly, hyper, and chipper from working in restaurants. They didn’t like me just on that alone.

One of the Female managers was Icelandic, always with her vape. She got really good credit card sales through heavy training, hammering employees about it.

Me? I went out and bought a bunch of dollar scratch-offs and told my team: “Sell a credit card, come see me, I’ll give you a scratch-off.” My credit card sales were through the roof. She was pissed.

Then they made me in charge of conversion. That’s where they track how many people walk in and how many items are sold. If two people walk in, you’ve gotta sell at least two items. Returns go against you. But I crushed it. Around Christmas, I’d spot someone eyeing a plate and say, “Hey, come with me to clearance!” I’d find napkins that matched for 25 cents each, and boom, people bought bundles. My conversion was fantastic. That pissed them off too.

So next they gave me overnight setup. Displays had to match corporate pictures exactly — specific chair, lamp, art piece, walking space. If something was missing, you had to find a substitute. I nailed it every time. They were furious.

Then I got clearance and signs — all the markdown schedules, stickers, chipped items, labeling. I stayed on top of it. They Hated me for it.

And all the while, I was on the floor during my shifts, talking to customers: “Love your shirt! Hair looks great! Honey, this isn’t a place for need, it’s a place for want. Put that list away, let’s shop!” I was singing and dancing. They did not like me.

Another thing: Pier1, the homegoods and furniture store, gave paper certificates, as rewards, when customers used credit cards, but they could only be used in-store, not online. Other managers would just say “sorry.” Me? I traded certificates for gift cards at the register so customers could use them online. We kept the sale, customer was happy. Pissed off the others.

Same with ship-to-store. Normally, if a customer wanted three candles but we only had two, we’d call other stores and have them sell it. That meant we lost the sale. I didn’t do that. I’d show them the online inventory, let them buy it with us, then they’d just pick it up at the other store. Sale stayed ours. Hated me more.

I even made an “art tree” for compliment cards in the break room. I bought a coffee maker, stocked creamer, snacks, water. Another manager used to do snacks, so she was mad about that. I kept gum at the register — lemon or raspberry — offering it to customers or employees. They hated that too.

One day the Icelandic manager stormed in while I was working on the compliment tree and said, “I take my job very seriously. This isn’t some go-go dancing place.” And I said, “Just because I’m happy and singing doesn’t mean I don’t take my job seriously. If I didn’t, nothing would get done.”

They disliked me so much they even sabotaged my sales. Three managers split the day — morning, mid, and night. Returns mostly came in the mornings, so they started scheduling me there. My sales numbers looked negative, while whoever worked midday, with me doing sales on the floor, being me, got credit.

Then they’d call me into the office in front of everyone: “Katherine, your numbers really aren’t good. What are you gonna do about this?”Even though it was planned sabotage.  

They didn’t like that I let staff leave their sections to help customers. Didn’t like that customers asked for me. Didn’t like that I remembered people and showed them matching items.

They just did not like me. They especially did not like that i got an award for my district's top sales manager, after only being there a few months.

Anyway, I was just remembering all of that and thought I’d share. hahaha.

Okay, bye!