I've always worked retail, along with property management. Once upon a time, customer assistance was a big deal, so when someone would come in my shop, I didn't follow them around, but if they showed by their stance and actions they WANTED me near them to get opinions or ask questions or help find accessories for whatever they were buying, I would be more than happy to do so. Then I closed my shop (ladies boutique shop) and took it all to ebay way back in 1999. No overhead. And I did well. But then ebay got big. BIG. And sales flagged. So I had to find a job and I did at a big department store. I had customers who were buying 700 bucks to 1000 bucks worth of outfits who wanted me to go with them to the shoe department and help them pick out shoes to match..then the purse department..then the jewelry department. When I tried to go with them, the department manager for the section I worked in said no...I could not do that. Show them the dressing room in MY department but do not LEAVE my department. When the customer said "but I want HER to go with me and help me spend money in YOUR STORE" the manager shrugged and said it was against policy. The woman got peeved and left all her outfits and said no thanks then. She will find a plac that is customer oriented. And no...no employees got commission. What a stupid policy!
Then I opened my second store. Antique shop specializing in Native American pottery, art, beaded apparel and accessories, jewelry..along with asian, african, moroccan apparel along with antiques and persian rugs hand knotted and HUGE. I assisted every customer that walked in that door. And I had rules for my employees....answer the phone by the 3rd ring, no cell phones, no friends visiting, no reading books or sitting and doing their fingernails. I said I dont care if they are in the middle of a 3000 buck sale...if someone walks in, GREET THEM and say you will be with them shortly. And always smile. NEVER talk politics and NEVER talk religion to any customers. But the owner of the building sold it and I had to move out. That was the last time I worked full time. And that is when the RA kicked in. Probably from dragging antique dressers and vanities and heavy assed hand knotted rugs that were 10 feet by 13 feet outside to roll out on the sidewalk so they could see the beautiful workmanship in making those rugs. Climbing up on ladders to hang art, bows and arrows, spears, massai war shields...all that stuff took a toll on my joints.
Couldn't do property management any more either. Couldn't paint the units for new tenants and I was also doing the gardening in all the grounds of the complex. Iworked my butt off all my life and now I am paying for it. And I miss working. I really do. But..I can't unless I can find someone that will let me sit, go easy on my wrists and hand joints, my knee joints and my hips and lower back..not counting the intestinal problems where a bathroom has to be REALLY close. And I won't be 61 until october. My body started falling apart at 58. But I STILL would like to work. Problem is..nobody will hire me. Because I am over 55. I even put on applications I would take minimum wage. Still got a "no".
It's very discouraging.
