Thrift Store Workers FAQ

This is largely a result of the work I am currently doing with Leah, the volunteer intern.Luiz 22:55, 16 October 2008 (UTC)

Day One

• One hour card and motherboard sorting crash course, supervised
• One hour (split into two) brain dump: "These are the things in the store, this is what they are called/do"
• Hand out thrift store policy, sales of desirable items, and store prices.
• Give the person quiet alone time to decompress
• Move to sort flowcharts and concepts

Day Two

• Minimize new data on this day, get the person doing the tasks/sorting
• Have them answer the phone supervised
• Go over critical aspects of policy (i.e., no holds, no returns, no refunds, exchange policy, dealing with jerks)

Day Three

• Continue phone training
• Repeat one hour (split into two) brain dump: "These are the things in the store, this is what they are called/do"
• Train register (link)
• One hour receiving cable sort in front of visual aid (make sure receiving knows on day one to save a box of mixed cables)

Feedback log from Leah

Day one feedback

• Day 1*

Learnings: How the store is run, shelving, pricing, 'herding' etc. How to price computers. How to deal with customers/fellow volunteers.

Frustrations: When answering questions/phone for the most part not being able to help people, having to turn to someone else. Feeling like I'm not much of a help, instead more of a buffer. It sucks not being able to ring people up on the register. While the flow charts are helpful, sometimes they fall short. Like when it comes to identifying/shelving/pricing certain items, especially cords and cards. Pricing charts available are out of date for certain items.

Good deals: Brain overflowing with new information, frustrating as it may be, I know this is the best way to acclimate to a new situation. Being thrown in to the fire means I'll have to figure things out immediately.

Reflections: It's nice to be allowed to be an independent worker, but it's also nice to have direction. I think there was a good balance of this. There is so much to learn I know there is no way that I could grasp it all within the span of a few hours. It's so much to take in all at once, it might be nice to have a concise list of things that can be done, to feel useful and acclimate. While the guides seem to provide this, they could use some revisal, a bit more clarity.