Pluspunten
This job has been the best job I have ever had. I've worked in a wide variety of jobs, but I love it here. There are always things to complain about - that's part of any job. But I actually look forward to going to work each day - I will even come in on my days off sometimes just to see my co-workers or socialize with guests. The hours are perfect for students, parents, and high-school kids alike. It's not too early and its not too late. There is always time left in the day to come home and still have time for your personal needs. Management can vary from location to location, but for the most part every other studio manager I have worked with has been amazing. Each of them possess qualities that makes them unique and perfectly suited to be in the position they are in. The company has done a great job at promoting the right people. There is always something new and exciting going on. There are new faces, new stories, new images, and new experiences everyday. This is a great position for social butterflies. Pricing options - this goes both ways. While I think we offer some great deals on our products I also think our products are way over priced. Profit is great, but I think we would attract more customers if we lowered our prices and eliminated most coupons. Almost every order already uses a coupon (from the studio, not from outside sources) so why not save the money we are wasting printing coupons and lower the prices? I can bring in more customers with lower prices than I can with coupons Internal offerings such as Chairman's, Photoshare, and Focus are wonderful employee enhancements. Employees are able to help and communicate with each other easily. I have seen a lot of complaints about travel and compensation - I think a lot of people are forgetting that when we signed up for this job it was part of the job description. Being part of a dual studio or even crossing brands means that we are going to have to travel between locations. While it may not be true for some, travel has always been an optional choice at our studios.
Minpunten
Wages are meager. For the amount of work you put into this job it does not pay well enough. Incentives and extra perks are not enough to balance out the almost minimum wage most of the employees are living off of. Reviews are great - but the pay increase needs to be more. Guests can be demanding, mean, and downright vile at times. This is always true of any customer service position, but it seems that we really get looked down on for things that may not be in our control (can't make a child smile, you only have a limited amount of time in the camera room, guest was not prepared, etc.). You must be prepared for this and know how to handle guests at their worst or you will hate your self and your job. Faced-paced with little down time. The studios get hot and sometimes there is little time for you to take a minute to just relax. I sweat at work everyday. I also know when I need to excuse myself to "go to the bathroom" so I can have a minute of peace and quiet. If you cannot pace yourself you will burn out quickly. Sometimes there are no one to cover your shift. During off-peak seasons some studios only run with 2 or even 1 employee. If you get sick, tough. You may still need to come in and work through it. The company offers benefits only to full-time employees. While they are good benefits the future of the funds available concerns me.
