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Wednesday, September 23, 2009

No Floor Fights For Me

I have shared on my blog that working in design is my life,

but have I shared that doing design in the world of retail is hell ?
I am working for a huge design & furniture company in Florida. The company is great, though their technology (computers etc) is like working for The Flintstones. I am not kidding.

The rules in retail are as follows in most showrooms;
When a person walks into a showroom, who ever is in line to greet at the door, that is their 'UP'. An 'UP' is also considered your 'opportunity', and sometimes that is considered a 'joke'.
By A 'Joke' I mean: someone with nothing to do and no intention of buying anything, and stays for hours walks in the door, and if you are unlucky enough, that is your 'up'.
The entire time that person is in the building, the designer or salesperson is not permitted to take another customer or client. ( unless you have a 'be back')
*The goal is to create relationships with potential buyers. If you have been wonderful and knowledgeable, when they (customer-client) return they ask for you. This is considered a 'BE BACK'. And this is a very good thing. This is considered to be your 'following', or your' book.'

Well 2 nights ago I had a big sale. And we have a certifiable male lunatic on our showroom floor.
I am really serious. He alone could have his own sitcom. Do you remember 'JACK' from Will & Grace? There were a few times when Jack was hateful and a bore. That is my lunatic !!
And no, this man is not gay. He acts 'straight'.....but I know somewhere inside himself he is deeply confused about something....or all things.
Anyway,he has a woman friend who has appointed herself his protector. But her motives for doing so are entirely to long to discuss now. Let's just say it is about money. LIKE EVERYTHING in retail.
Back to the lunatic, as soon as he sees I am selling and it is a good 'UP' he starts flipping out and telling his female friend (who we shall refer to as Medusa because she is horribly mean to everyone) that he had spent 1.5 hours with (my client) 2 days ago.
This pic is not an exaggeration of the situation. Wierd huh???
*Remember, we are in a beautiful showroom.....
She is a controlling witch, and he is a wimpy, yet evil aggressive jerk at the same time.
So what does he do ?? He sicks the showroom bully, Medusa on me.
Well, not only did my client-customer not ask for the Lunatic by name, but she had stated that the last man (who she did not know his name) was absolutely horrible and too pushy. She did not want to deal with who ever this man was.
The Lunatic is ranting in the office that he had spent time with the customer, and how dare the customer not ask for him - He is saying all this to Medusa.
This is where Medusa comes in......she starts bugging me to split the sale with the Lunatic.
He gets himself so crazy with his usual histrionics, that he goes home early, only to continually call in to see how much my sale was. HUH? %%#%^&()_@#@!%
Pretty weird if you ask me. I never care what other people are doing.
Until the end of the evening Medusa nastily harassed me.
You would really have to work with her to get my meaning. She becomes really nasty and mean when she is not writing business.

But here is where MY GROWTH comes in.......
I normally would split my sale with the Lunatic to shut her up and keep the peace.
I know some of you can relate....I am a people pleaser.
I hate confrontations.
That is why I spend so much time alone,
if I am alone I am not affected by other people's DRAMA. I hate drama too.
Unless it is on 'Dexter' the TV show
Some of you may know that I am the new at this job, and these two characters (or these two lack of characters) are testing me. Right? Right!
Guess what I did?
I did not give in, I stood my ground. I knew that my side of the street was clean.
I have an extremely loud conscious, I never steal a sale.
I worked very hard for the sale, 4 hours long hard.
And through the harassment I kept my composure.
(that was another accomplishment - I didn't tear up)
And when the process and the sale was finally finished, I knew I had made a long time client.
Someone to add to my 'BOOK'.

What do you think about this ??


AHHH....venting is a beutiful thing.
I feel better already.

first image from:(home-biba.blogspot.com)

Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her BLOG.....
Interior Design, Palm Beach, Boca Raton,Design Sources, Window Treatments, Custom Design, Paint, Color Coordination, Online Interior Design, Floor Plans, All Custom

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21 comments:

  1. Half way through I was worried that you would capitulate...bless you for not! Great story. Memories of retail...pettiness and high dungeon. Congratulations. Trish

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  2. Way to go Renee. I am proud of you! I had similar experiences when I did my stint @EA in Palm Beach. You've got to put your foot down.If you had given in they would continuously be a thorn in your side, because for these leeches every customer that walks through the door before you started belongs to them and they would expect a split.

    Ok I am going to stop now because my bad memories are beginning to irritate me.

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  3. screw him!!!!!good for you!..retail sucks, i know that's why i don't do it anymore. and btw all that drama,i think hes gay,lol, NOT that THERES ANYHING WRONG WITH IT!..LOL..

    have a great day and stay cool girl..
    Silvia.

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  4. Bravo, I say! Good that you stayed out of their drama.

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  5. OMG what a saga!
    You did good! And keep it up.
    Bullies confronted often fold.
    Every job has an initiation period where you are the new girl having to prove yourself.
    I am so thankful for my job at Perch. We would never treat a customer the way the manual at your job states! And believe me we sell plenty. And we share the wealth. We work as a team. Together, not against one another.
    I hope this gets you over a rough patch, and is a mere stepping stone to something better.
    You are so talented Renee, and you deserve and shall have better.
    You are loved by many!
    xo xo
    PS I loved your comment and idea for the decor and design of the love hotel :-)
    Maybe there's a germ of a business idea there. I think love hotels would be great here in the USA.

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  6. Brava!! I'm glad you stood your ground, Renee! Good grief.

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  7. Bravo to the brave one. Would it not be hysterical if the customer from hell were the Anon from hell that TW so gallantly told to fuck off? Just a thought.

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  8. OMG I love this story!!! So glad you held firm! I'm embarrassed to say but I sold timeshare at one time in my life and know about UPS. Talk about a bunch of money grubbing jerks! I couldn't take it.
    Next time they won't be so quick to give you a hard time if they know you won't cave!
    Yes venting is a beautiful thing!!!
    I'd love to follow more of your journal and thanks for linking mine!
    xo,
    Carole

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  9. Renee,

    I am soooo glad you stuck to your guns...I would have. BUT, I can empathize with wanting to keep the peace. It was very helpful that your client voiced that she did not want to work with the Lunatic. Oy....I am so sorry you have to deal with this kind of crap. That's when retail and commissions suck.

    From a shoppers perspective....I know there are times I want to just snoop around and know I am not interested in buying. I cannot stand being abducted by sales peeps and have been known to leave the store without really getting to look around.

    I realize some peeps need help and coaxing though.

    Well done Girl....proud of ya!

    xo

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  10. I am proud of you, Renee! Those two may back down next time, when they learned that bullying did NOT get them anywhere. Nasty and pushy people will eventually get their due. Don't let such petty thieves steal your joy or satisfaction from a job well done! Hugs to you!

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  11. You sure we weren't seperated @ birth? Honestly the more you share about yourself the more you remind me of me. I have really never (how lame am I?) put two & two together until now - the need to be a loner so that I have less need to please & free of drama..ha! The light bulb goes on! I am so proud of you for standing your ground & feeling zero remorse. The trouble with these kind of people is they make US feel guilty for their craziness and lack of cooth. I am sorry you had to put up with any of that crazy bitch attitude but I think you walked away @ the end of the day knowing you were the better person by a land slide. Bravo my friend, bravo!

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  12. as i mentioned in my post....where i work the computers are from fred and wilma flintstone's house.
    impossibly slow, and the computer will not allow me to view my blog or my personal email.
    can you fathom that?
    ANYWAY, all day i was wondering who would leave a comment. i am so happy for your comments. they are such a comfort to me.
    and the LUNATIC was there today and all nutz, STILL, over the sale.

    what the f&#%%#!!!!

    your feed back means the world to me.
    xxx's and a big group hug
    :) lol

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  13. F*ck him! pardon my french but jeez - I can't believe he had to go home early and call in. What a boo hoo baby. And I hope he reads this too, you big fat baby huey.

    And Medusa. ugggh. I feel your pain.

    Good for you for not giving him a dime. not one dime. I only wish your client would have told Medusa tto shut the F#ck up, pardon my french again!, and that he was horrible and there is no way she would ever buy even an ashtray from him. Good for you!!! I"m so proud of you!!!!!!

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  14. i just read your comment - you should get an i phone then you could read your comments from work!!!!

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  15. Well done you, Renee...very hard to do when you don't like confrontation (like me!!).You didn't know when he might have confronted you. ...and if you give into these bullies, you would be forever fighting a losing battle...I don't like these two even though I've never met them !!!!...keep being strong Renee and stand your ground. XXXX,

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  16. Way to grow where you're planted Renee! Good for you! Way to stand tall! Sorry I'm late to the venting party! Vent vent away! I know how you feel about working retail although I've never worked on commission? I do have mixed feelings about it when I shop. Sometimes I just like to look and dream (just leave me be and I'll STILL come back and ask for that person who treated me the way I wanted to be treated which is like a person not an UP to get their commission from. I've looked at more name tags or remembered more names at the beginning of a shopping visit than I care to talk about and have chosen to forget more). Other times I need the assistance (when I'm actually buying) but if I detect the slightest bit of false humility, pretense or manipulation, I won't buy from them....I don't care how much time I've spent. They have to genuinely care about the client and want to help with the right motive ...which is loving people, helping them get what they came in for (or help them find out what they're looking for...sometimes they don't know) and loving their job. I think these companies "under sell" "just the lookers" they ARE in fact potential buyers and not as stupid as they may think, a fake can be detected a mile away by shoppers!! I know, I know they often tell their employees "every person that walks through the door must "need" a piece of furniture....don't let them get away! LOL! As far as Medusa and Lunatic, they're everywhere and it only seems to be getting worse these days. Greed, jealousy and competition....how sad they rule so many....and it's all by choice!! If we're honest, we all have those feelings and that's just what they are feelings.....it's what we do with them that counts! We also have the choice to let other people's bad behaviors affect us or not (easier said than done)....it can be a process over and over again until no longer an issue but our choice how many times around the mountain. Keep being true to yourself and you can't go wrong. Sorry for the long dissertation! LOL! Luanne

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  17. lulo,

    i agree completely.
    i am not a pushy sales person....
    i do genuinely care about my clients.
    and besides....it is my design and my name on it.

    in fact if i know something is just ' wrong ' for a client,or it is a hideous piece, the person will have to convince me to sell it to them !!

    most times i will say, "i won't sell it to you because it's a mistake" , "but i am sure someone here would be more than happy to take your money."

    xx

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  18. Well Renee
    I am working backwards through the posts so now know who Lunatic and Medusa are.. haha

    Well I say too bad Lunatic does not know Miss Customer was not going to deal with him.. that would flatten his ego! Really I agree with the others that the sale was therefore due to you!.

    Wow .. i don't work in sales.. in technology but the same thing really. The egos are amazing.. and exhausting and fed and encouraged by management's rewarding and punishing.. hahaha.. Just like you.. I have learnt to love being alone.. don't even want to see ppl after a week at work. Good thing there's blogging!

    Hang in there! Julie

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  19. So GLAD you did not split the sale! Lunatic and Meduca could also be considered something else - bullies. If there is future drama - don't let them rent space in your head.

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  20. Oh I just see this as one big opportunity girl! You need to take the opposite tack & befriend them. Bowl them over by being soooooo nice & sweet to them they won't know what's hit them. That will throw them both into such confusion trying to figure out what's happening, that they won't have the time to plot & scheme.
    Millie ^_^

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  21. just me, jumping on the band wagon with the other gals that think that giving in to a pair like that would have been wrong in so many ways. What you taught them is YOU won't play their game, period. Good for you! Every time they (the rotten duo) say anything just get a BIG smile on your face dreaming of where you will spend you're well deserved commission.

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About Renée Finberg

I have been in this business since the age of 22.

I love what I do and cannot imagine my life without Design.

Design Challenges are great.

And because of those challenges

I have imported fine antique pieces from Paris,

Designed and Manufactured Furniture,

Created Fantastic Window Treatments,

And solved all kinds of spatial & architectural issues

With my unique style.

If I can't find it, I create it.

My rooms would make excellent movie sets.

I am a visual, tactile and audio sensitive individual.

Creating is what I live for, not math, not spelling, not science.

Just Great Design.

Just imagine how it would be if each of us,

If only for a few hours of everyday,We could be in a space that is our very own.A place that is exactly the way we want it to be

Surrounded by all the things we wanted to see,

The atmosphere we wanted feel, smell and the sound we wanted to listen to.

Private Paradise

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Renee Finberg 'TELLS ALL' in her Adventures in Design by Renee Finberg is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at www.reneefinberg.com.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at reneefinberg@gmail.ocm.

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