Difference between revisions of "Running the Store"

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Here's a list of stuff to do if you're running the [[Thrift Store]].  Use your [[Store Volunteering | store volunteers]] well.  Don't forget to check out our [[Store Prices]] (although they should be posted by the register as well).
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Here's a list of stuff to do if you're running the [[Thrift Store]].  Use your [[Store Volunteering | store volunteers]] well.  Don't forget to check out our [[Store Prices]] (although they should be posted by the register as well).  New hires and volunteer interns should first follow the [[New Hire Crash Course on the Store]] to get up and running reasonably quickly. Don't forget to ponder the [[Store Meta Question | store meta question]].
  
Here's a list of the things you should be doing in the store besides running the cash register:
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This article was completely out-of-date, so here's a first stab at a rewrite:
  
== Processing Store Boxen==
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== Preparing the Store for Opening ==
When the builder is done with a store box or store special, he should fill out a system sale tag with the following info in the appropriate places:
 
#* Processor and speed
 
#* RAM
 
#* Hard drive size
 
#* rest of system specs checked off or filled in on the slip
 
#*  Tape the system sales tag to the box and put it on the shelves your build               
 
#*  teacher directs you to. If it's a store special take it directly to the store
 
#* Put the build sheet on the clip board the slips are on.
 
  
Pricing should be done by the sales coordinators or staff store clerks, more on our current pricing guidelines soon.
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* Vacuuming: Remember to pick up screws, zip and wire ties, and any other object that is hard to vacuum or could damage the device.
 +
* Reload Monitors:  Get the number necessary to fill the number of empty slots.  Choose attractive monitors first, as customers will choose these first to buy.
 +
* Reload cards, printers, etc.  Make a note of any common item from receiving that is near out/out and let receiving know as soon as may be.
 +
* Tidy and merchandise.  Visually put your face in front of every display and treat is like a combination of a painting and an informative poster.  Does it pass the aesthetic test (look nice?  tidy?)  Does it pass the information test (what do I ''need'' to know about what I am looking at?)
  
=== Store Special Boxen===
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== End of day Closing Procedures ==
We hopefully have one or two of these for sale at all times.  The procedure for processing them is the same as above, except the general rule for pricing is $100 for each 1 GHz. So a 1.6 GHz box would go on sale for $160. Of course, you're encouraged to do some research and use common sense when applying this rule.  We have recently been using a more ad hoc system for this.  Mostly adjusting prices downward, as the price of a new box descends.  If it's not pretty, has some defects, or isn't a consumer type box, like say a heavy ugly server case, feel free to deduct ten or twenty dollars.  And then if it doesn't sell, deduct ten more. and keep it up until someone buys the damn thing.
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* Doing the till, see [[http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Opening_and_closing_out_the_till Opening and closing out the till]]
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* Bring in Free Table
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* Turn off Everything
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* Secure and lock
  
== White Board==
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== About Work Modes ==
Write special sale stuff up hereEven regular 'ol stuff if we don't have much on specialMake it pretty (and readable)!
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Like any job, there is a regular basket of tasks that come up in running the store.  By having defined modes, it is both easier to describe these baskets as well simplifying thinking about streamlining themFinally, having defined modes, and notably, making them easy to teach is the holy grail of increasing volunteerism in the storeThis is important because store is, has been, and will be understaffed at the time you are reading this.
  
== Burning Distros==
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== Cashiering (mode) ==
You can do this on the register computer. 
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* Processing Transactions, remember to avoid common mistakes by consulting this [http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Regular_issues_with_tills handy list]. Also, remember no person can handle cash if they are not approved by staff and added to the cash handling listFinally, when the inevitable problem with a credit transaction occurs, or for a basic primer, please consult [[http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Processing_credit_cards this page, "Processing credit cards"]
# Put a blank CD into the burner drive.
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* Upholding general policy, see [http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Thrift_Store_Policy here for the main policy page]
# Open K3b from the toolbar.
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* Upholding volunteer discount policy, see [http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Store_Sales_of_Rarer_and_Valuable_Items here for more information of limits to discounts]
# From the top toolbar, select Tools-->CD-->Burn CD Image.  It's important to do this from the top toolbar so that the disk will boot up correctly when the customer installs the OS.
 
# The isos (OS images) are in /home/sailor/Desktop/iso-store. Pick the distro and image you'd like to burnOften, the distros are 3-CD sets. Disc 1 will be named something like "sarge-i386-1.iso", disc 2 will be "sarge-i386-2.iso", etc. You'll need to repeat this process if there's more than 1 disc.
 
# Press "Burn" buttons until the program starts burning.
 
# When the program's done, it'll eject the disc. Label the disc correctly, put it in a case, rubber band it if necessary, and put it in the display.
 
  
== Printing the FreekBox Manual==
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== Sorting, Pricing, and Shelving (mode)==
 +
*Triages for this section are under development.[[User:Luiz|Luiz]] 21:12, 2 October 2008 (UTC)
  
The FreexBox manual is sold in the store for $1.  It lives in howto/deadtrees and is called ''manual.ps'' (please be aware that where it lives and what it's called could change)
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*The initial sort (will we bother with keeping it in the store)
  
Please print it off from a printer that can print double-sided, as it's a long document (so, the store printer won't work).  If you can put the cute spiral binding on it, even better.
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*Sorting (if we are keeping it what then?)
  
== Printing Hall Passes ==
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*Pricing, things that are commonly donated probably have a price [http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Store_Prices here].  Things that are less common, and worth more than say 10 dollars, can be price researched on eBay (remember to use completed rates).  For uncommon things of little value, just make up some kind of a cheap price.
  
Use these passes when a customer wants something that's in receiving or recycling.  They need to have the pass when they're in another part of the building so that no one's mean to them if they're going through bins of stuff.  The person in Reuse 1 can also be quite helpful in these cases.  Try to include the name of a staff person they should contact in the area they wish to be in.
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*Shelving - In the absence of some kind of theming, the main consideration is to heard like with like.
  
Hall passes are in the [http://web.freegeek.org/deadtrees deadtrees] directory under ''hallpass.ps''.
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*Burning Ubuntu Distributions - Please see [[Burning Ubuntu Distributions | this page]] for instructions.
  
== [[Selling Tech Support Tickets]]==
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* [[Stocking Laptops]] - How to deal with the cabinet full of laptops.
  
== Sorting SCSI cards==
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== Answering questions/steering ==
 +
* Burn the contents of [http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Thrift_Store_Policy this page]into your mind
 +
*Customers seeking tech support/consultation on a computer purchased at Free Geek: Unless very simply/easy, refer to tech support.  Give out [http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Ubuntu_new_user_FAQ ubuntu new user guides] like skittles.
 +
*Customers seeking tech support/consultation on individual parts need to be: 1) encouraged to volunteer 2) politely told "no" 3) referred to Jason Hohnmann 4) Referred to a paid tech support session
  
'''Cards to eliminate''':
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== Selling Computers (mode)==
* Really old ISA cards with the beefy connector port
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This really should be a simple triage, since there is one.  Coming[[User:Luiz|Luiz]] 19:48, 2 October 2008 (UTC)
* BusLogic on chipset
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*You need to know, at minimum:
* Missing faceplate/somthing's broken
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** Is the customer aware that the systems all have linux on them? (You ask this to see if they are doing something that requires a different operating system?)
 +
** How are they planning to connect to the internet? (You ask this because our computer do not have dialup modems, apples have no onboard modem support with linux, and PCs need a hardware modem for Hardy)
 +
** What is the primary purpose of the system? (You ask this because it allows for giving the best advice and really galvanizes what you will do next)
 +
** Are there any tasks that require a particular piece of hardware? (You ask this to see if they need particular hardware...commonly a burner, or printer, or something else)
  
'''Keep''':
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== Improving the Store (mode) ==
* Everything else - Adaptec cards are standard/good
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*You can make things look better (often mindless)
* Especially good cards: Adaptec "AHA-2940" cards.  These should probably be priced a little higher.  They're widely-used and last a long time.
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*You can make things work better (requires thought)
 +
**Improve the efficiency of a work mode
 +
**Improve the quality and accuracy of documentation
 +
**Improve the volunteer experience
 +
**Recruit volunteers, and hold on to them like a parasite
  
== Hard Drives ==
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== The Most Annoying Problems and How to Deal with Them ==
* Formatting: our drives are formatted in the EXT3 format. It works for linux, but not necessarily WindowsTell customers that if they're using Windows, they'll need to reformat (they might need to use a boot disk or Fdisk to do so).
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* More customers than you are able to handle - Easy: Pick up the phone, call and have the front desk page for staf assistance in the store.
 
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* Problem customers - Usually mean those who are not following [http://wiki.freegeek.org/index.php/Thrift_Store_Policy thrift store policy], especially the discount policyThis will be a daily consideration at the thrift store
== Payments ==
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* Problem volunteers - Common problems 1) squirreling away hardware for themselves 2) scaring away customers with unnecessary information of a technical nature ("geeking out") 3) ringing themselves up for merchandise that they price 4) not doing any useful thingSolutions, in order: 1)make sure that a volunteer is not monopolizing merchandise that others might want, make sure that all items are paid for on that day when the volunteer is ready to leave, and (if problems persist) ask the volunteer to volunteer elsewhere.2) do not let the volunteer talk to customers (steer to other tasks), kick out of store if problem persists 3) no person is to EVER ring themselves up for anything, including volunteers. This is a two-strike policy as far as I am concerned leading to 86ing. 4) Sometimes volunteers will hang out in the store but will do no workThis is, in general, fine so long as they are not being disruptive or waiting for stuff that they want.  Any efforts to simply wait for desirable hardware should be treated immediately and aggressively (negatively).
* The store does not accept checks except in prearranged casesThe store does accept:
 
** Cash
 
** Visa and Mastercard
 
 
 
==Chinook Book Discounts==
 
* Customers recieve a %50 dicount on items with this coupon.  Please write the transaction number on the front of every coupon.
 
 
 
== Returns ==
 
''This is unofficial policy.  The [[Reuse]] Committee should create an official returns policy wiki page and link to it here. See [[Thrift Store Policy]] for more information.''
 
* No refunds ever
 
* All untested equipment is rarely exchanged or credited and only at the discretion of the sales coordinator
 
* Tested equipment that does not function properly can be exchanged within 7 days of purchase if regulary available and not too hard the swap out. No exchange/credit after 7 days.
 
* If it's something that's scarcer or more expensive, have the Production Coordinator (Dave) sign off on replacement or send it to advanced testing for a retest.
 
* Store credit offered on returned tested A/V equipment if Dirk is available to test it (hours at reception).  No credit offered when Dirk is unavailable.
 
  
 
[[Category: Thrift Store]]
 
[[Category: Thrift Store]]
[[Category: Howto]]
 

Latest revision as of 13:03, 19 August 2010

Here's a list of stuff to do if you're running the Thrift Store. Use your store volunteers well. Don't forget to check out our Store Prices (although they should be posted by the register as well). New hires and volunteer interns should first follow the New Hire Crash Course on the Store to get up and running reasonably quickly. Don't forget to ponder the store meta question.

This article was completely out-of-date, so here's a first stab at a rewrite:

Preparing the Store for Opening

  • Vacuuming: Remember to pick up screws, zip and wire ties, and any other object that is hard to vacuum or could damage the device.
  • Reload Monitors: Get the number necessary to fill the number of empty slots. Choose attractive monitors first, as customers will choose these first to buy.
  • Reload cards, printers, etc. Make a note of any common item from receiving that is near out/out and let receiving know as soon as may be.
  • Tidy and merchandise. Visually put your face in front of every display and treat is like a combination of a painting and an informative poster. Does it pass the aesthetic test (look nice? tidy?) Does it pass the information test (what do I need to know about what I am looking at?)

End of day Closing Procedures

About Work Modes

Like any job, there is a regular basket of tasks that come up in running the store. By having defined modes, it is both easier to describe these baskets as well simplifying thinking about streamlining them. Finally, having defined modes, and notably, making them easy to teach is the holy grail of increasing volunteerism in the store. This is important because store is, has been, and will be understaffed at the time you are reading this.

Cashiering (mode)

Sorting, Pricing, and Shelving (mode)

  • Triages for this section are under development.Luiz 21:12, 2 October 2008 (UTC)
  • The initial sort (will we bother with keeping it in the store)
  • Sorting (if we are keeping it what then?)
  • Pricing, things that are commonly donated probably have a price here. Things that are less common, and worth more than say 10 dollars, can be price researched on eBay (remember to use completed rates). For uncommon things of little value, just make up some kind of a cheap price.
  • Shelving - In the absence of some kind of theming, the main consideration is to heard like with like.
  • Burning Ubuntu Distributions - Please see this page for instructions.

Answering questions/steering

  • Burn the contents of this pageinto your mind
  • Customers seeking tech support/consultation on a computer purchased at Free Geek: Unless very simply/easy, refer to tech support. Give out ubuntu new user guides like skittles.
  • Customers seeking tech support/consultation on individual parts need to be: 1) encouraged to volunteer 2) politely told "no" 3) referred to Jason Hohnmann 4) Referred to a paid tech support session

Selling Computers (mode)

This really should be a simple triage, since there is one. ComingLuiz 19:48, 2 October 2008 (UTC)

  • You need to know, at minimum:
    • Is the customer aware that the systems all have linux on them? (You ask this to see if they are doing something that requires a different operating system?)
    • How are they planning to connect to the internet? (You ask this because our computer do not have dialup modems, apples have no onboard modem support with linux, and PCs need a hardware modem for Hardy)
    • What is the primary purpose of the system? (You ask this because it allows for giving the best advice and really galvanizes what you will do next)
    • Are there any tasks that require a particular piece of hardware? (You ask this to see if they need particular hardware...commonly a burner, or printer, or something else)

Improving the Store (mode)

  • You can make things look better (often mindless)
  • You can make things work better (requires thought)
    • Improve the efficiency of a work mode
    • Improve the quality and accuracy of documentation
    • Improve the volunteer experience
    • Recruit volunteers, and hold on to them like a parasite

The Most Annoying Problems and How to Deal with Them

  • More customers than you are able to handle - Easy: Pick up the phone, call and have the front desk page for staf assistance in the store.
  • Problem customers - Usually mean those who are not following thrift store policy, especially the discount policy. This will be a daily consideration at the thrift store
  • Problem volunteers - Common problems 1) squirreling away hardware for themselves 2) scaring away customers with unnecessary information of a technical nature ("geeking out") 3) ringing themselves up for merchandise that they price 4) not doing any useful thing. Solutions, in order: 1)make sure that a volunteer is not monopolizing merchandise that others might want, make sure that all items are paid for on that day when the volunteer is ready to leave, and (if problems persist) ask the volunteer to volunteer elsewhere.2) do not let the volunteer talk to customers (steer to other tasks), kick out of store if problem persists 3) no person is to EVER ring themselves up for anything, including volunteers. This is a two-strike policy as far as I am concerned leading to 86ing. 4) Sometimes volunteers will hang out in the store but will do no work. This is, in general, fine so long as they are not being disruptive or waiting for stuff that they want. Any efforts to simply wait for desirable hardware should be treated immediately and aggressively (negatively).