SINGAPORE: Shopper Linda Chua expects retail staff to be on their feet when customers like herself enter a shop. “(Retail staff) should come forward and ask whether the person needs any assistance. This is called service,” the 56-year-old, an insurance agent, told TODAY. Similarly, Mr A
SINGAPORE: Shopper Linda Chua expects retail staff to be on their feet when customers like herself enter a shop.
Mr Kelvyn Chee, managing director of apparel retailer Decks, said customers do not feel like entering the store if retail staff are seated as they feel like nobody is welcoming them. Other companies TODAY approached — such as FairPrice and DFI Retail Group, the parent company of Guardian pharmacy chain — also said that they have no such policy.
However, the shoppers' sentiments are different when there are no customers in the shop, with almost all the respondents saying it is acceptable for retail workers to be seated in such a scenario. About 67 per cent also feel that it is okay for retail workers to be on their phones or chit-chatting with co-workers when no customers are around.
According to NTUC LearningHub’s Industry Insights Report 2022 on Retail, more than two in five retail workers plan to leave the sector in 2023, based on a survey of 200 workers. Acknowledging that it is tiring for retail workers to be on their feet for hours, Ms Chua, the shopper, felt that there must be a place for staff to rest. At the very least, the workers should be allowed to rest in the store room, she added.
A cashier at a health and beauty care chain store, who declined to provide her name or age, said that she had requested a stool to sit behind the cashier counter. However, she said that her supervisor denied the request, saying that sitting within the view of customers would be perceived as poor service.
Among the four retailers TODAY spoke to, only one — fashion brand Love, Bonito — provides a dedicated rest area for retail staff in its stores. Over at furniture store Scanteak, there is no dedicated break room for staff in most of their stores, said the company’s chief executive officer Jamie Lim. Scanteak’s Ms Lim said it would be tough for retail companies to afford a dedicated sitting area, which could cost up to S$20 and S$30 per sq ft. A 100 sq ft break room, for example, would cost as high as S$2,000 to S$3,000 a month.
Although the floor space set aside for staff could be converted into additional fitting rooms, for example, she said that the company has intentionally set aside space for staff as it prioritises employee welfare. A 27-year-old retail employee at a gift shop in Northpoint City shopping centre, who wanted to be known only as Ms Tan, said that she has to work 10 hours during weekday shifts and 11 hours for weekend shifts.
A 53-year-old employee at a sports retail store at Velocity Mall, who requested anonymity, described some customers as"unreasonable” in their expectations. The pandemic resulted in many foreign workers returning to their countries, and Singaporeans are not keen to join the industry, the retailers said. The crisis has also made more people hesitant to serve in customer-facing roles due to the health risks.
Since last year, the company has also paid its retail staff more than their regular monthly salaries for working during the festive peak season. This year, staff will receive 10 and 20 per cent more than their monthly salaries for working during the festive period. This has helped to attract more temporary and part-time staff, said Ms Yilyn Tan.
A shop in Suntec City seen temporarily chained up while its staff stepped away for a short while, on Jan 5, 2023. Many practices in the retail industry stem from retailers’ perception of what they think customers want to experience, said Ms Maggie Au, the course chair for diploma in marketing at Temasek Polytechnic.
日本 最新ニュース, 日本 見出し
Similar News:他のニュース ソースから収集した、これに似たニュース記事を読むこともできます。
The Big Read: Retail workers not allowed to sit? Customers can be the ones to change longstanding practiceSINGAPORE — Shopper Linda Chua expects retail staff to be on their feet when customers like herself enter a shop.
続きを読む »
The Big Read in short: No sitting and lack of resting areas for retail workers — what can we do about it?SINGAPORE — Shopper Linda Chua expects retail staff to be on their feet when customers like herself enter a shop.
続きを読む »
Before and after the GST hike: How retail prices have changed in SingaporeRetailers like Guardian and Watsons decided to lock the prices of certain items, while others like Popular bookstore have put up notices to inform customers of price changes.
続きを読む »
Jetstar flight makes emergency landing in Japan after apparent bomb threat, no injuries: NHKThe flight was heading from Narita airport near Tokyo to Fukuoka. Read more at straitstimes.com.
続きを読む »
Prince Harry reveals his final words to the Queen on her deathbedPrince Harry recounts the moment he missed saying goodbye to his grandmother in his explosive new memoir. Read more.
続きを読む »
While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Jan 7A selection of news stories that happened overnight, Jan 7, 2023. Read more at straitstimes.com.
続きを読む »