retail sales associate

barback

warehouse lead

bar manager

retail sales leader

Cigars International

Job started off fun but is no longer feeling worth it. Starting pay is very low and there doesn't seem to be real opportunity for pay advancement. Was told during interview that I would receive the opportunity to get a raise at 90 days and then at a year, but neither has happened. Some workers say they have been there several years and there has never been a raise. We are all adults working for $12/hr and are told that we should care about the discount, not about the pay. Not sure why they hire adult employees, and even full time employees, if they don't want to pay them. Store management is good, but upper management will treat you like children while insulting you, speaking down to you, and giving you the run around on job advancement and pay. Store team is often frustrated and have a hard time caring about the job when responsibilities keep getting added, critiques from upper management roll in, but our request for communication and pay is denied. Upper management will OFTEN watch the team on the cameras and then nitpick or question what we are doing. Upper management is extremely out of touch with what customers want, what brands customers like to smoke, and what the atmosphere inside a cigar lounge is like. Very hard to get team motivated when we are never rewarded, only scolded. 

I was hired knowing I was required to work a 45 hour week and would get a 30 minute lunch break. This didn't seem to bad considering I was used to working 60 plus hour week.

Lunch breaks do not happen unless you bring food to a meeting, or eat while working at your desk.

What I did not expect was being told I needed to be in the office by 6:30 everyday and shouldn't be leaving until after 8 every night, and only then if I brought my computer home with me to work,

Another issue I had happen to me and 3 others shortly after is that if you have an immediate family member pass away and you need to take time off, they will not let you forget it. I was called every single day until I came back... I was out 3 days. The day I returned I was spoken to about a report that was late due to me being out of office, the same report my boss promised to cover while I was dealing with funeral arrangements and my family.

I did customer service and sales. Sales was pretty straight forward however, they force you to push on random products onto the customers.. Trying to assist with any customer service or sales was difficult with their terrible phone and computer systems, it gave me a headache everyday to try and make it through each call with audio issues or the systems freezing. You would think with a multibillion dollar company they'd have better systems. Customers who were blatantly rude, we could not even hang up, just forced to tolerate verbal abuse. The only thing I did like were the leads made sure their teams were engaged in a multitude of drawings for free rewards and they encouraged and did what they can to help you meet an individual goal even if it was to unrealistically take more calls. 

Company offers interesting work, however advanced workload did not include more pay. Often sick due to the constant cigar smoke. Company stated that they would work with me/adjust hours to accommodate school schedule (I was very blunt about my intentions and need for flexibility) however when the time came the company was completely INflexible and ultimately said I wouldn't be able to work there at all if not the hours given to me 2pm-11pm...This was stated as it was due to business needs, unfortunately this was completely untrue as there were 11 people hied AFTER me that were given the hours I requested. I ultimately found out that they wanted to keep me on the late shift because I was the most productive salesperson during that time frame. Sadly, this company lost me entirely because of their shenanigans and selfishness.

Workplace culture is chaotic, high-pressure and disorganized.  Office turnover used to be low, but after recent upper management changes a mass exodus of stable teams occurred due to repeated poor management decisions and inadequate leadership.  One is expected to work as many hours as necessary to meet artificially set, impossible goals.  Long-time benefits were retracted without notice.  Would have recommended the team and the company when I started, but by the time of my departure it was commonly understood internally to be a dumpster fire far from a source of water.  The Danish leadership's mantra of "Fueling the Growth" was the butt of much internal derision, as they were only fueling their demise.  The team has been decimated by turnover and they can't hire enough quality help to maintain what we built, much less grow beyond it. 
Steer clear.

I hated going to work. It smelled horrible. The supervisor was a bit overzealous, but did not want to take the escalated calls. The team lead constantly hovers and spies and does not help. I felt like I was playing devil's advocate because some customers tell you their doctor advised them to stop smoking and they did not heed their advice. I had several calls where the widows called to request the catalogs to stop being sent because their husbands passed from cancer. They promised me an earlier shift when one became available and continuously hired new people onto the earlier shifts instead. The only good part is their systems were ridiculously easy to navigate. They give u 20 minutes for break. Either a full 20 or 2 10 minute breaks. It was ridiculous and difficult to eat a meal.

They were NOT happy if you took your 30min lunch on a 10 hour day.  They said who takes a lunch?  PTO was horrible, always had a hard time taking it.  I did however learn quite a bit, but the management there was horrible and never understood life can come in the way such as doctor appointments, needing to run out to help a family member.  I guess you have to take off for that all day.  No performance plan if you needed to be on one, just fired you.  The department that I was in fired employees like it was going out of style.  One woman even walked out she couldn't take it anymore.  The hardest part of the job was probably guidance.  If you had a question or needed a better understanding of what you needed to do they looked at you like you had 3 eyes.  

DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME!!

Typical days include restocking, cleaning, and customer service.

Unfortunately, although store management values you, there is some serious mismanagement that comes from higher. There’s a real disconnect from what happens in the store and how that translates. Constant tension and stress in the workplace when things don’t work or you don’t have what you need, especially information on events or promotions. High turnover.. they are transitioning from full time to all part time more than likely. Little room for advancement unless you work towards it, and when concerns are brought to management, it’s often ignored or you’re reprimanded for doing so. 

Retail environment was fun for customers and staff alike, but when busy, it was crazy busy. Staffing issues constantly went unaddressed leading many frontline works to burnout. VERY LOW, entry level pay, but best in the industry discounts on proprietary product. Benefits were solid, not great. Culture is in a constant flux due to mid-level management turnover. Senior managers do a very poor job at grooming junior associates. Great place as a side hustle. 

What is the best part of working at the company?
Cigars & the people I work with.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Getting our shipment on time & the company really does take care of its employees like they should.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Laid back work environment & the culture is really diverse!

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Go to work & stock cigars and accessories. Sit back and sell cigars to customers and have a great time doing it.

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Retail sales associate 4 salaries reported	$12.00 per hour
Barback 7 salaries reported	$15.71 per hour
Warehouse lead 4 salaries reported	$22.50 per hour
Bar manager 6 salaries reported	$59,167 per year
Retail sales leader 4 salaries reported	$14.00 per hour

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