Archivarium 2004

Mr. Coffee

I've heard a lot of put-downs towards young employees (15-20) who are at an lfs for a summer/weekend/part-time/whatever job. Well I think these should be stopped due to a great experience I had today.

The new specialty reptiles/fish employees (thank God the reptile employees don't ever work in the fish section) that just opened near me two weeks ago has hired some kids from the CCNB as a part-time, and they are both extremely knowledgeable. Here's what happened...

I walked into Scales (is this a chain store?) on my way home from work, and seeing some kids behind the window in uniform I set out looking to test them. They caught me in front of some large angels, and I asked them how many I could put in the 23g I am setting up with cardinals and cories, and they gave me perfect answers. I then said I knew and that I was testing them, and they were perfectly okay with it because no one thought they could be knowledgeable at such a young age.

If you are one of these people, stop now or at least try them first.
_________________
Praemia Virtutis

number6 · Moderators Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada

ROFLMAO

Coffee, are you seriously suggesting that people re-evaluate their attitudes becasue of one single instance? LOL

How about people go easy on the LFS kids who work there because of simple charity and decency?

No one, not an employee, nor an owner should be obliged to know everything about all fish... it's not possible.

Rather than 'testing' employees, how about everyone simply relaxes... life goes on!
_________________
Discus Man is gone... I remain... #6... I am not a number I am a free man!

White Lightning · New Members Joined: 13 Feb 2005 Location: Toronto, Ontario

I don't think he wants this to change, I just think he's stating a very good experience that he had...

And Discus, where I live it is necessary to test employees... I guess it just depends where you are. He's in the biggest city of N.B, I'm in the biggest city of Canada... With all these people, there's still not much to choose from Confused

_________________
Niveus Levitas, Niger Phoebus

number6 · Moderators Joined: 07 Feb 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada

Cory · Regulars Joined: 22 Jan 2005 Location: London

You can't blame employees for not being knowledgeable. They didn't hire themselves. Blame the employer.
_________________
Here fishy fishy....

benedictj · Advisors Joined: 05 Dec 2004 Location: new york, ny

I agree with Cory and would also add that you shouldn't expect any retailer, in any field, to do the work for you or be knowledgable. There's nothing better than having the knowledge on your own. (You wouldn't buy shoes without knowing your shoe size). No need for quizing, just walk softly and cary a big stick.

bumble_bee · Regulars Joined: 15 Jan 2005 Location: Brisbane, Australia

In my opinion the LPS employees shouldnt need to be 'tested.' I think that pet shop owners should only hire people who are interested in looking and caring after the animals and who have decent knowlege about the animals. Even if the shop gets a new animal the owner should maybe give a little talk to the employees about that animal and what food it eats etc so that when a customer enquires about it the employee can give enough information to help the customer.

However, I do agree with everything that discus man said.

Nadias_Nana

It really goes to show you that you just have to be careful. There are several fairly large lfs here in Sacramento, and the largest one (not a chain store) has a pretty good reputation. But some of the kids that work there on the weekends don't know diddly about anything, they are just there for the money. But some of them try really hard to be helpful, and will go out of their way to answer questions. Some of them will tell you, oh, yeah, you can put these 2 balas in your 10 gallon tank! because they will get another sale.
But I've also heard other employees, also kids, that refuse to sell a fish if it is going in the wrong environment, and those are the only employees that I will allow to wait on me. I'll let people go in front of me, and wait for them to be free.
And also, I know that Petsmart and Petco have bad reps, but there is one employee at my local Petco, and one at Petsmart, that are very knowledgable, and I don't hesitate to buy fish at those stores when they are working. They are not there for the money, they are there because they love their jobs!

The Old Salt · Regulars Joined: 01 Apr 2003 Location: Alabama

Hmph.
Probably because they used to work at independent stores driven out of business by these two chains.

No one really expects some kid to know much, but it happens. I see some posters on this and other boards in that age range who really know their stuff, and I myself was something of a piscatorial prodigy at 15.

Incompetent store employees don't bother me. Incompetent store OWNERS, however, DO bother me very, very much. If a new law popped up requiring all petshop owners to pass a test and get a special certification before being allowed to sell pets, I would jump for joy.