Pluspunten
My time with Factory X has left me with such a bad taste in my mouth that I struggle to see much good within the company. Although there has been considerable decline in product quality, Factory X did produce some standout designs that were unique. Further, the floor staff that I worked with were all bubbly and friendly, and my first store manager was genuinely motivating and helped me to grow.
Minpunten
Oh boy. There is a lot of ground to cover. During my time with Factory X, my mental and physical health began to decline due to stress and anxiety. Any request for support or resolution was either met with silence, or a cold shoulder. When faced with a challenge or a problem, I was gaslit by upper management to think everything was fine and dandy, or that it was my own fault. Upper management is mainly comprised of the Owner’s friends and family – some with little to no experience in their posting. As a company, Factory X runs on a business method of being sneaky and cutting corners. It wasn’t surprising to receive last minute calls from upper management asking for ‘favours’ or throwing spanners in the works. Miscommunication and deceit was rampant at all times, coming from the top down. I was informed a store that I managed would be closing only because a real estate agent arrived with a party for a viewing. This happened not once, but at two different stores. Salaries for store managers was pretty dismal compared to more competitive salaries at other clothing brands. Technology and procedures are highly outdated – including a POS system dating back to the 90’s. Further, requests for supplies such as shopping bags, and basic stock to sell were usually ignored and delayed by months, leaving us empty handed and dealing with irate customers. After receiving no new stock for months, I had to go to the warehouse myself to pick, scan, and box stock, all whilst managing a store at the same time. If and when stock did arrive, there was no indication as to when it would be delivered. It was not uncommon to unpack multiple boxes of stock (usually piled high around the store) on your own whilst simultaneously serving customers.