CHIH MING LAI’s Post

As we move through our careers, we gain valuable skills and knowledge that we can apply to other areas of our work. For example, working in the restaurant industry has provided me with many skills needed to succeed in sales. One lesson I've taken to heart is the importance of setting ourselves up for success every time we begin a task. In the kitchen, this means stocking up on food, plates, pans, and knives before a rush hits. But this lesson applies to just about every role out there. If you find yourself feeling lost or out of sync during the day, take a step back and assess what you need to get done. Then, make sure you have everything you need to execute in one fell swoop. By internalizing the lessons we've learned and figuring out where else we can apply them, we can continue to grow and succeed in our careers.

What steps did you take to move up to store manager? ✏️ To become a store manager, you can gain experience in the retail industry by starting with entry-level roles like a sales assistant or customer service representative. These roles can help you understand how retail operations work, which can make the transition to store manager smoother.

While working in the retail industry taught me perseverance, I have to be honest about how physically exhausting and mentally draining the work is. Morning shifts require one to endlessly unbox and put things on the shelf. Make the store presentable. Bring new things out. And if you work in a multi-brand store that receives inventory five days a week, you just have boxes and boxes of merchandise to go through every single day. Mid-day or closing shifts aren't much different either. To top it off, customers walk in with utmost entitlement, highly critical of the sales associates. I have had a woman tell me how I pushed her twice when I didn't even touch her once. I have had customers leave behind a mess; nail polish stains, half-full beverage cups, spilled drinks and snacks, chewing gum and what not. Some of the customers are extremely unforgiving and would hold you accountable for things you did not even do. And when you are a person of colour, well things only get worse. Even though I am not working in retail right now, I have made it a point to clean up after myself when I am in a store (not that I was a messy person before). I put things back where they were. I am always patient and kind with the sales staff regardless of the circumstances. And I would encourage others to do the same. Small acts of kindness go a long way. Don't let a moment of weakness ruin someone else's entire day.

What advice do you have for someone just starting out as an assistant store manager? ✏️ Learn the store operations thoroughly, prioritize tasks effectively, and lead by example. Stay adaptable, as retail environments can be dynamic. Embrace opportunities for continuous learning and seek feedback from both your team and superiors. Building positive relationships with both customers and staff is crucial. Lastly, stay organized, be proactive in problem-solving, and maintain a positive attitude even during challenging times.

I'm excited to share my productive day at work, where I contributed to boosting our sales and enhancing customer experience. Working as a team, we collaborated to develop strategies and promotions aimed at the growth of our store. Additionally, I'm dedicated to my professional development, undergoing training to take on the role of a shift manager. I'm committed to giving my best to ensure our store continues to thrive. #Teamwork #ProfessionalDevelopment #BusinessGrowth"

When I left retail life as a Gm overseeing a 5k sq store with 26 employees under me working 12 hours 6 days a week….i told myself im never ever going back to a management unless i can truly find work/life balance for once in my life. Here I am after many years as a manager at my current company, I don’t always refer myself as a manager when I call customers for my reps, I don’t need to mention my title to get my work done nor it has typical meaning to me when it come to a group effort. A position do not mean any success to me, effort and willingness does. I was always curious to see how I can make an impact on people. The way we are recognized is when you are number 1 on quota, or number 1 on revenue and so on. I decided to find what each individual is good at compared to others and cheered/challenged on other things they were lacking on…..and outcome was amazing. For all those people out there, if you think you are not good at what you do, or feel pressure because you feel that someone else is outshining you. Just remember, there’s always something that you do well better than anyone and I truly hope your direct manager see that and tell you that ! Instead of asking your employee “ why can’t you do this ? “ Try asking “ hey you are so good at doing this, i appreciate what you do everyday. Now this is another area we are trying to tackle on, can you help me ? “ I’m taking my team to the moon !

According to my (5 mins on Google) research, the office workers who buy into Valentine's Day the most are, unsurprisingly, sales and marketing types. Perhaps the action of drafting or implementing a Valentine's plan is the subliminal driver here - you are what you eat after all. Shout out to all the sales and marketing lovers out there, with or without a Valentine! (And if your current sales and marketing role is not loving you back, check out our jobs page https://lnkd.in/exMU3Rfz 😉 😘)

𝐐𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐥 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 When applying for a retail position, you should expect the interviewer to ask about your prior experience with retail or customer service positions, such as: • Have you ever worked in retail? • How long have you worked in retail? • What type of retail stores have you worked for? • How comfortable are you offering styling suggestions to customers? • Do you have experience managing inventory? • Are you experienced with folding and presenting clothes for sale on the floor? • Are you comfortable asking customers to sign up for the company credit card? • Tell me about a busy time when you were working and how you handled the rush of customers. • How long do you intend to stay in retail as a career? • Have you ever been a manager or informally placed in charge of running a shift at a previous retail job?

My very first job was scooping ice cream at Baskin Robbins. I worked with my friends and got all the free ice cream I could eat. In fact, a common dinner in those days was a big scoop of chocolate peanut butter because, hello, it had peanut butter for protein. So healthy, 16 year old me! This job taught me how to properly ratio milk to ice cream for a good milkshake, how to ice "Happy Birthday" in a decently passable manner on a cake, and how very important it is for me to have a job that brings happiness to folks. Other high school jobs like working as a cashier at a small pharmacy or in retail just never gave me the glow of the old BR. Maybe the void was from the lack of free ice cream, or maybe it was a genuine desire to connect with people without having to be all animated. Either way, I'm glad that job was there for me and that I used my time wisely - to reveal a passion for work that matters (even if it's a bit superficial or temporary) and to determine my personal best ice cream combo (chocolate peanut butter and Gold Medal Ribbon has been my go-to for every BR outing I have made since 2001). Two questions- 1. What's your personal best ice cream combo? 2. What did you learn from your first job that still matters today?

Most of the time, a "Manager's" title is a promotion/compensation for years of hard work and sacrifice for the company... and the Company see it this way... To me, a 'Manager's' title is fancy for in-house Customer Service. Who are my customers? 1. My team members; a. Taking care of their needs/requirements to complete their jobs. b. Making sure that they have all relevant experience, training,.... etc c. To be a one-stop centre of knowledge, support,... d. and more.... 2. My reporting managers... a. to ensure that my team provides, and produces what is required... b. to help the management achieve the goals sets.... c. and whatever the management wants..... Managers are not supposed to be Subject Matter Expert but should have some knowledge of how things work. He/She should not have all the answers but know how/who to help answer those questions. He/She does a lot of redirecting to make sure all the cogwheels are working properly with as little resistance as possible... That is what being a 'Manager' is to me.