Bruce wrote:
Xenu The Enturbulator wrote:
Bruce wrote:

What do you expect, when they are paid the minimum wage or just a
little above, and are bullied and variously shat on by incompetent
middle management who are obsessed with meeting often arbitrary and
unrealistic targets imposed by very highly paid senior management and
are constantly in fear of losing their jobs?

My experience is different in the USA, where I assume the working
conditions are largely the same.


The retail culture in the USA is very different. Standards are much
higher, with polite and helpful staff the norm. We Brits sometimes
doubt the sincerity of phrases such as "Have a Nice Day" but, overall,
the US retail experience is better.

Prices are much lower too. :-)


You mentioned John Lewis - I snipped that bit. The reason John Lewis
staff are more motivated to help customers is that every one of them
has a share in the business. John Lewis is a Partnership and all the
"staff" are Partners. They stand to gain if the company does well.

I think it's a great idea.


I wonder if it would work in the USA? Perhaps it is a little too
close to socialism for US tastes, although personally I would prefer
to call it "shared capitalism".


Why are british retail staff so bad? Because you cant fire them for
being bad. Simple as that. I'm glad to see a few retail companies at
least have figured out how to get staff motivated and clueful.


NT