All About Retail: Sales Associates, Management, etc.

[shopgirl]

Working customer service at LV - dead end or good opportunity?

Hi Everyone!

I am applying for a seasonal job at Louis Vuitton...but its in their customer service department. I havent gone on their interview yet, but it seems like it will be ALOT of answering phone calls, emails during the busy holiday season.

I eventually want to become a buyer or merchandiser.

Do you think this position is just a dead end thankless job, or do you think that it could turn into something? The position is in CA, not NYC or Paris, so its not even in their headquarters....

Thanks for your input!

 

[softgrey]

dead end if you want to be a buyer....
completely unrelated

 

[fashionista-ta]

Well, if you want to be an accessories buyer ... this could be a chance to understand quality issues from the customer's POV. But if the goal is to understand the customer's POV, the sales floor might be a better place. Some buyers work the sales floor just to get this very understanding of customers ... so that may be a better option for you. And a job like that shouldn't be hard to come by if you want to start in the busy season ...

Personally I would look for a job at the store/kind of store you'd really like to work for eventually.

 

[lucy92]

i think its a good idea.

i know a girl that did cus. service at tiffany's. it opened a lot of other doors for her.

i thinkit would be fascinating.

 

[Diorling]

I really can't see it opening any doors. Sales associate would open more doors than cust serv rep, you won't even be interacting w/ customers face to face.

 

[lucy92]

dont forget what a huge corporation LVMH is. i think you would learn a lot of sourcing and traffic managing. i still say go for it.

 

[Diorling]

dont forget what a huge corporation LVMH is. i think you would learn a lot of sourcing and traffic managing. i still say go for it.

I forgot to say I think she should still go for it. But she's deluding herself is she thinks that it will lead into a buying job, she'll have to make a big impression and a large jump from customer service into buying. It's just very unlikely to happen.

 

[ShoeLady]

Nordstrom seems to get a lot of positive comments from people. I was excited when I first got hired there at the beginning of the summer, but there HR department REALLY does not live up to its hype. I was hired for a 10-week temp position for the summer. Two weeks in, a manager came down to my department and sent me home. She said sales were low that day and they didn't need me. May I just say for those two weeks I worked my butt off and did an excellent job, better than most of the other people in my department who had been working there for years. The manager had promised to call me back in the next two days because my schedule for the upcoming week still wasn't fnalized, they never did schedules on time, and she never did. I called the store and noone returned my call. I was never oficially told I was laid-off. On top of that, this was back in July and Nordstrom has still never paid me for my last 2 days. I have been calling them for over a month. They were supposed to call me to write-off my hours because they don't have them documented supposedly, this was 2 weeks ago they were going to do this. I don't know what to do either, because I don't live in the area anymore and I have to travel an hour and then most of the time the hr manager isn't even there.
I feel like suing, over two days of work, which is pathetic. I just want my pay!!
This is kind of a rant,but point of the story is Nordstrom is not the best place to work for.

 

[iLoveCouture]

I managed at Nordys for 3 1/2 years. What that manager did was wrong - at any job if you were no longer needed, you have the right to know, temp or no temp. I recommend that you call the store manager and speak to him or her on your issue if you cannot get a hold of HR. If you do not receive a response, then you need to speak with the regional for that store location, or one of the Nordstrom's themselves. Good Luck!

 

[ShoeLady]

I managed at Nordys for 3 1/2 years. What that manager did was wrong - at any job if you were no longer needed, you have the right to know, temp or no temp. I recommend that you call the store manager and speak to him or her on your issue if you cannot get a hold of HR. If you do not receive a response, then you need to speak with the regional for that store location, or one of the Nordstrom's themselves. Good Luck!

Thank you. This made me feel a lot better. The HR Manager at this store makes me feel almost-guilty for constantly having to call for my pay-check. I was almost at the point where I was going to just try and forget about it.

 

[Plastic'sWife]

Does anyone know if Bloomies uses commissions in thier compensation schedules?

 

[Plastic'sWife]

Nordstrom seems to get a lot of positive comments from people. I was excited when I first got hired there at the beginning of the summer, but there HR department REALLY does not live up to its hype. I was hired for a 10-week temp position for the summer. Two weeks in, a manager came down to my department and sent me home. She said sales were low that day and they didn't need me. May I just say for those two weeks I worked my butt off and did an excellent job, better than most of the other people in my department who had been working there for years. The manager had promised to call me back in the next two days because my schedule for the upcoming week still wasn't fnalized, they never did schedules on time, and she never did. I called the store and noone returned my call. I was never oficially told I was laid-off. On top of that, this was back in July and Nordstrom has still never paid me for my last 2 days. I have been calling them for over a month. They were supposed to call me to write-off my hours because they don't have them documented supposedly, this was 2 weeks ago they were going to do this. I don't know what to do either, because I don't live in the area anymore and I have to travel an hour and then most of the time the hr manager isn't even there.
I feel like suing, over two days of work, which is pathetic. I just want my pay!!
This is kind of a rant,but point of the story is Nordstrom is not the best place to work for.

Yes- I love shopping @ Nordies but HATED working there. On my 3rd day I wanted to quit.
They dont train you nor do they really seem to appreciate you.

 

[Plastic'sWife]

Hi Everyone!

I am applying for a seasonal job at Louis Vuitton...but its in their customer service department. I havent gone on their interview yet, but it seems like it will be ALOT of answering phone calls, emails during the busy holiday season.

I eventually want to become a buyer or merchandiser.

Do you think this position is just a dead end thankless job, or do you think that it could turn into something? The position is in CA, not NYC or Paris, so its not even in their headquarters....

Thanks for your input!

Hello Shopgirl.
I actually disagree with some of the previous comments. I think the most important thing is to get your foot in the door. Even if you dont start out doing what you want to end up doing. And who knows, perhaps they hire from within and what better way to find out about open positions than when youre already part of the company!
I wish you luck and I say go for it!

 

[babyd0ll]

When do retail stores/companies generally start hiring for the holiday rush? I'd like to know so I can be prepared to start handing out resumes. Thanks.

 

[Diorling]

When do retail stores/companies generally start hiring for the holiday rush? I'd like to know so I can be prepared to start handing out resumes. Thanks.

Now.

 

[babyd0ll]

Oh that's so early. Thanks for answering Diorling!

 

[Ianastar]

this is my first commision based job..............and three weeks later............I'm SOOOOO over it.

 

[Diorling]

this is my first commision based job..............and three weeks later............I'm SOOOOO over it.

Where? At Saks.

I looooove my current job, I do nothing all day, read magazines, talk on my cell on the floor, get paid a whole rack, sell the occassional 1k - 10k item (which I make comission off of)...I love it...Seriously, stress free. Today I took a 1 1/2 hour lunch because the whole store (3 of us) lunched at Cipriani (which is on the same block as us). Not a very good meal but great people watching. Barneys is going to offer me a job but Im concerned, I want the discount, comission, experience but this job is soo cushy!!

 

[Ianastar]

Yes...this Saks is so slow. It's hard to make much on the commision side. And the other commission sales people are total cheats, liars, and sharks. V. competive.

The Chanel Boutique in our store is not being looked at, so I'm curious about switching to over see that. But with a brand new and super nice Chanel Boutique (stand alone) in the area now..............Im wondering if it's going to be a hard place to sell.

 

[Diorling]

Yes...this Saks is so slow. It's hard to make much on the commision side. And the other commission sales people are total cheats, liars, and sharks. V. competive.

The Chanel Boutique in our store is not being looked at, so I'm curious about switching to over see that. But with a brand new and super nice Chanel Boutique (stand alone) in the area now..............Im wondering if it's going to be a hard place to sell.

Ah, I see. Commission gets people insane.

Chanel cosmetics or accessories? I think Chanel will naturally be a big seller simply because it is Chanel. Why not move to a larger store? Or move to a new company? Like the Chanel boutique...