dr_n01 ([info]dr_n01) wrote in [info]walmart_employe,
@ 2008-05-08 14:08:00
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multitasking
I work at a wal-mart in a very small town.  The people who work there are nice but i feel as though i am being taken advantage of.  I work in the electronics department but i seem to get stuck doing many many departments.  I generally work the evening shift at my wal-mart and i get stuck closing the photo lab running electronics and the connection center, and i get to cover stationary, infants, books, fabrics, toys, automotive, sporting goods, and paint.  Now in most stores there should be at least another person to work with me but this has happened so many times in the past that i kinda gave up on complaining too.  The managers there just say "stick it out... it will get better" but even with the new people that get hired i still get stuck doing this all the time.    just last week i was literally the only person out on the sales floor from 8 PM to 10 PM.  I don't know how to do jewelry but i am expecting that i will be learning that pretty soon.  the other day a manager told me to go to the back and get a pallet jack and start bringing out the nights freight. I thought electronics was supposed to be a "secured area" and yet they have me running literally accross the store in an effort to help a single customer. Any advice on how to get them to stop doing this to me?

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[info]alluring_regret
2008-05-08 06:28 pm UTC (link)
I'm in a small town store as well. This is the exact situation that everyone that works closing shifts in my store faces. The only thing I can really say is if you have a customer in two departments at once that you're covering.. Simply page "customer assistance to ____" OR better yet page management there. They don't want people waiting forever up front, why should they have to wait forever in Depts. simply because there's only one floor associate. just page for help when you need it =) That's what I do.

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[info]csmnomoreplease
2008-05-08 10:53 pm UTC (link)
Welcome to the world of Wally World.

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[info]aisforapathy
2008-05-09 02:57 am UTC (link)
Any advice on how to get them to stop doing this to me?

Sure: Look for a new job.

Seriously. I've heard a lot of stories about understaffed stores, but yours is by far the worst. It's understandable that an electronics associate would help out in Photo and Connection (I'm the dept. mgr. over Connection at my store, and most days I work in all three areas), but you should not be the only one over all those other departments, especially more specialized areas like fabrics and sporting goods that in most stores anyway are quite far from electronics.

I'd suggest talking to your MEM (market electronics manager). You can find their contact information on the "Open Door" board in your store's lounge. If your MEM is anything like mine, he/she will be very adamant about ensuring that electronics is covered at all times, and will rip your store manager a new one for not having it that way.

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[info]dr_n01
2008-05-09 03:05 am UTC (link)
I have tried this the last time the MEM was in the store... he talked to our store manager and things changed for a week or so and then went back to the way they were before. I got off work a couple hours ago and tonight i was alone in stationary, photo, electronics, books, and toys. To top it all off the photo labs printer and computer were down and so I got to deal with plenty of pissed customers. Makes a lovely evening for me.

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[info]aisforapathy
2008-05-11 03:55 am UTC (link)
Sorry to hear that. In this case, I'd keep going up the ladder until you find someone who will make things right. Maybe try getting a hold of someone from your Regional team.

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[info]jacfu
2008-05-09 09:37 pm UTC (link)
Oh, this is every store. You are taken advantage of, but that's just because they can. After all, it's under the fine print as "and any other responsibilities as needed."

While I was in toys I also have been known to do electronics, hardware, jewelry, garden center, HBA, cashier, service desk, and softlines. In my last evaluation my assistant wanted to train me in sporting goods and fabrics so that they could further abuse me.

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[info]aisforapathy
2008-05-11 03:56 am UTC (link)
It should go without saying that the "as needed" part has to have limits somewhere. One person should not be doing all of those departments by his/herself, fine print or not.

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