Marian’s African Goods Experience…

After the first week, I had obtained an interview at an African goods store. Count on me to find the most random work in Wellington. I applied for the job because the advertisement said they needed a barista/sales assistant. The following day I went in to introduce myself to the manager. The following day I got a call to come in for an interview. During the interview I was told that they were hiring a store manager to run the operations of the shop. I said I would not be here an incredibly long amount of time considering I only had a working holiday visa that would last until January. I was then told that perhaps the position would be part time and flexible for me instead, and they would continue to look for a manager. I arrived for my first day and things went fine. My boss lady gave me a stack of discount vouchers which were good for one free coffee, and told to go advertise them to people on the street and that hopefully, I could “get 100 new people in there” that day. I did as was told and at four o clock, boss lady called to see how the day went and asked if the shop was slow enough for me to go home. I said it was and she allowed me to leave then.

Returning for more work the following day, I was told by boss lady we (the staff and boss lady) would be having a small meeting. This is when the madness began to ensue. Boss lady basically went on a two hour “female not nice person” session. Ten points if you can figure out that last sentence. We were told the day previous was the worst day of her life and the worst and slowest Sunday we had ever had in the history of the business. The business had been open six months and we still weren’t making enough money to support the rent, we had horrible customers in the day before, she is so sick of people telling her what great causes she supports and not buying one thing and going down the street and spending $400 on a facial. She needed ideas and needed them now about how we were going to make this place survive. She proposed these questions to me, another sales assistant, her personal assistant and her accountant. We offered some suggestions, but my nerves were pretty racked after that meeting. But the most disturbing part was that my free coffee vouchers that I had been given away should have been distributed with this offer, “With this voucher you will receive 10% off your first purchase and a free coffe.” Hmmm……I was only told to get 100 new people in the door, and that the vouchers were good for a coffee, not to mention that there was nothing to indicate on the voucher that they were good for 10% off! My doubts were continuing…..

All day I was therefore very nervous as boss lady would come out and watch us interact with customers. She had told the other sales assistant that he was too friendly, and I thought he did a great job, so I felt nervous to try anything other than, “let me know if you need any help” with everyone that walked in the door. I spent part of the day looking for web designers in Wellington to help us get our retail stuff online, and told her I would report back with a list of my favs, we could narrow down her favs from those and then I would call these people to set up appointments or obtain quotes. At 3:00 I emailed my list to her with my favorites highlighted. She asked me to come in for a meeting and I was told that she didn’t think I had the experience she needed for a store manager and as her marketing manager.

WHAT.

At this point, I was nearly ready to turn in the towel. I just was a bit nervous to do so, since it was one of two jobs I had gotten in the last few days (I’ll tell you about the other shortly). However, that night mama and papa Ladenburg came to the rescue by calling and we all decided that she was CRAZY, and I promptly called her the following morning to resign. She called me back and sounded very relieved that I was resigning so she could then go search out a more qualified store manager and marketing manager that could prove to her in less than 12 hours that they knew how to save her business and run her store. GOOD RIDDANCE.