Your friend Marcia opened a clothing store called "Paradise" that specializes in fashions for teens and young adults. She is having problems with her salespeople. Who are mostly students from the nearby university. Marcia has been particularly inclined to hire marketing students, as they often expressed interest in gaining customer service skills and experience.
Marcia said that whenever she hired a new person. She was careful to tell them in the job interview exactly what the job required of them. She told them that they were expected to: greet customers as they enter the store and attempt to interest them in various clothing lines: determine the customers' needs and show them appropriate clothing: provide fashion advice. such as how to coordinate an outfit or find clothing suitable for the person's size hair color And skin tone: provide expert judgment about the appearance of clothing when customers try it on: prepare customer orders. Write up tickets. And make sales: maintain inventory: and keep the clothing displays neat and attractive.
Marcia is finding. However. That a lot of the salespeople do not bother to greet customers or offer much service. The clothing displays often have clothes unfolded and strewn about. Racks might be filled with extra-large and petite sizes. but missing the medium sizes because no one bothered to get the inventory from the back room. It's not unusual for employees to stand around chatting with each other. On several occasions, Marcia has even observed employees being rude to customers. She heard one employee say to a customer you know. If you buy a shirt that tight people are going to say you're slutty." and another confronted a customer. saying' could you PLEASE not mess up our displays so much?"
When Marcia was younger she had some bosses who were very gruff and who were terrible cheapskates. Vowing to be nicer and fairer than her former bosses were. Marcia is paying a good wage to her employees ($13.00 per hour) and is trying to be nice and cheerful to everyone. She brings in donuts or cookies for the employees at least a couple of times each week. lets the employees choose the music to play in the store. and doesn't even say anything when people return late from breaks. But her patience is starting to wear thin. Knowing about your expertise in management. She's asked you for help.
Applying material from theories of motivation studied in class.
(1) Explain what you think might be contributing to the poor performance that Marcia is observing, and
(2) Give Marcia suggestions for how she might improve the performance of her sales staff.