Observation assignment Site location: Talbots Outlet Mahnaz Demehri

Description of the Location: The store Talbots Outlet is in a big shopping center cross the street of UNC charlotte in North Tryon Street. The plaza name is University Place. An outlet store means a retail sale in which closeout goods are offered at heavily discounted prices. Talbots Outlet is a brand outlet; it means merchandise comes from full price Talbots Stores in state or district which has been marked down and people did not buy them. In the outlet clearance store, shoppers can save up to 75% off retail on name brand styles for women. Also I can say that is not like Tjmaxx or Ross which have everything from different brands and/or department stores.

There are other stores in here but most of them are restaurants and there are two retail stores in here. The biggest retail store in this shopping center is Talbots. It has a big parking lot front of it and cross the street of Talbots there is a nice lake. More detail: Talbots with a big red T. This is the thing that all Talbots managers are so proud of it! And if they want to explain it to someone they will say: have you ever seen that red T and do you know what the reason is for it?! The main reason is because Talbots has a Red door. It is a traditional 6 panel door with glass inserts where the panels would more commonly be seen as wood. The color red symbolizes "welcome". It has tall windows and behind each windows there is at least one pig picture from its catalog (for each months)

Actors: Rosha: sale associate but she is in the fitting room most of the times and help customers. She helps other associate to figure out what should go where. Jozal: sale associate and she is very nice and friendly. She likes to know about different cultures and languages. Tylor: sale associate, and she is student at school of business in UNCC. She likes to talk and work with young people. Most of the time she is tired or she has complain about managers. Patricia: sale associate and she sticks to register and dont touch anything! And she is just walking around store and sees what is there. Thats it! Kathy: sale associate. She is engaged and now she is very interested about her wedding. Also she was working in full price Talbots like me and she knows why here Talbots outlet is heaven for us! Judy: Store manager. She loves to explain everything in beginning of shift and make sure everybody understand all of them. She is honest and talks to customers very friendly and her advice for outfit is good. She is not a boss person and she is like a coworker. Melorine: Lovely store manager assistants. She is very good to design outfit and match the colors together. Most of the time she is working in stockroom or office. If I did not know she is working in Talbots, I would definitely say: are you a model?

Comment [M1]: Describe how you are an actor in this community and this effects your observations. You may consider including this as a part of your figured world introduction.

Artifacts: Rosha: she always says: dont worry; I will fix sizes and styles so you dont need to move around store. Jozal: the happiest person in the world! She likes to know about other country. Tylor: judy said: I never have seen a tired student like her! She is working very well but she is ready to go home. Her famous sentence: oh my god, Im so tired, I just want to leave here and I know after I left here, I wouldnt be happy, for no reason Patricia: she uses very strong perfume with Rose smell. I cannot stay next to her because I get headache. She is Miss. Clean and doesnt like to work too much, just stay in register and check out! Kathy: Talbotss bride. She is talking about her wedding which is next year! She bought her wedding dress already. Judy: running manager, she cannot have sat! She has a key around her forearm. Melorine: powerful lady! If you see her, you would say she is a very fancy lady and dont touch anything, but you are 100% wrong. She is cute and doing some works much better than a man.

Inside Talbots: you open the door, if front there are 3 tables with different high and in each one there are at list 3-4 folded tops. There are two racks for pants in each side of tables.in the right side there are 15-20 tables with folded tops or pants and on some of them you can see a glassy box with scarfs. Right side is for outlet merchandises which they make it specifically for outlet and design it totally different with full price Talbots and in each table there is a sign which

says Take an extra 40% off. Also there are some racks for outlet clearance in same side which has a sign Take an extra 70% off In left hand there are two rows for missis, petit and woman clearance. Left side merchandises are from full price store and they have been mark dawn for several times and now they have more off. Some fixtures are sticking the wall for tops and skirts. There are signs in each places Take an extra 70% off or dress 17.99$ with list of prices. There are 3 registers exactly in middle of store and the office; stock room and fitting rooms are behind them (back of the store)

Literacy practices: In this store we need to use dress code requirements (which is at least 3peases including accessory.) are a bit unreasonable, especially for part-time associates. The main factor in the store is: customer is first. Be on time. we can clock in 3 minutes before and after from beginning of the shift.

Comment [M2]: You have one literacy practice listed--using codes within the store. I would like for you to add a few more literacy practices. If you remember, Bartlett and Holland note that a literacy practice can also include manners, so another one that you can add would be customer service. Think about the instances where people want to just browse, whereas other customers wanted to be talked to.

Another thing about Talbots is customer service which is the most important things in company. Any customers who has problem white the receipt or order can call to them and they should take

care of that. Customer service representative should be polite and listen to the customer and follow the policies and in general make customer happy.

Discourse Communities: Managers: we know they have too much to do. They should have responsibility to everything. Sale associates: A Sales Associate is responsible for maintaining outstanding customer service as per Company standards, generating sales, merchandising, and continuation company assets. My typical day included unloading and organizing new inventory, organizing the stock room, shipping merchandise to customers, answering phones, and assisting customers and other associates on the sales floor. Customers: in this store we have different customers. They are nice and friendly and 90% of these are so happy to buy their clots with at list 50% off.

List of the top ten things a customer may need to know in order to get the most out of her experience at Talbots. 1. be patient 2. Let associate help them 3. Look at the catalog and get idea 4. Use their descants 5. Use Talbots benefits ( e-mail, mail, red line) 6. Use red line to get free shipping for their orders 7. Check the tag for material in clots. 8. Look at discount flyer 9. Understand the different between up to and take an additional % off 10. Keep their receipts 11. have they point card or Talbots charge

The Observation 1 Site location Talbots outlet Day: Friday, August 30 Time: 3pm- 3:45 3:00 pm: I walk to store and clock in and say hi to Judy and Tylor. Judy explain about new email form district and make sure I understand everything, I go to office and leave my bag and take my jacket then back to the floor. Judy is walking back and ford between office and floor. What happen? Oh, today is the day for payment enrollments. A customer came and asks Tylore about % off. Sometimes I dont know why we put signs there with huge number of off s and does kind of thing! Also she is asking about outlet clearance and full price clearance. I am behind a table and folding tops and see their size and price. 3: 25 pm: Melorine back, she is worry about something, she call us and say ladies we should cut hours and she is looking around it means someone should go home. Before I open my mouth Jozal said: I am volunteer to go home. So Melorine look so happy. Melorine said: ok now I need someone to help me in stock room. Tylore is going there with her. Judy is coming to floor and help me and she is talking about today goals and how much we should make money for today. Bust as it has been very slow I dont know in 4 hours how we can make it! 3: 40 pm: some new boxes are coming from full price store. As we dont have any customer right now, I grab a box and move it to floor and start to open the box and hang XS size tops. A customer is coming, she said: Do you have women section? I said: yes, let me show you. I show her and she says: I need dress but its look you dont have any! Huuuuum, what can I do? Het size is over 24 W! We dont have anything for her even a top. I said: the best way is to go to a Talbots full price stores and they might have something for you. I know she wont go there because its expensive.

The Observation 2 Site location talbots outlet Tuesday , September 3 10:00 am- 10:43am

Comment [M3]: Create a list of the top ten things a customer may need to know in order to get the most out of her experience at Talbots.

10:00 am: I came to store 3 minutes ago and clock in. store is very clean and clear from last night. I like opening times. Stephaney (other manager) said: Mahnaz please open the door its time. It means it is 10 am.

3 ladies walk in and I ask: how can I help you ladies? 1customer: I want some tops what do you have for me? I show her whatever we have new, she is looking at a scarf. I want this I said: ok.but she said: you know what? I have no idea how can I tie scarfs! I show her five different ways that she can use it but it seems she is 100% confused. And in last minutes she said: ok I like this style more than others. Tie the scarf like that and dont touch it, I want to have it like you tie it. And I check her out. She seems happy with her new dress and scarf. 10:20 am: Its a good day. We are busy and I never thought there are many ladies in the morning who come to store and shop. Here it is. A nice old couple. I think they are over 80 years old. I like to help the lady. Mam how can I help you? She said: I need white tank, size medium. I said: ok let me see if we have it in back, I will back in a minute. I am in stockroom and ask Judy about the top. No we dont have white, we have off white which is a little bit darker. Jozal: Hey do you know where are white tank tops? I said: I am looking for them hum? Do you need it for the lady with short hair and glasses? She said yes! I said she told me, I dont know why she told you too?!Jozal is laughing, and said:You kow shat happened in floor? The old lady said: go and help her, she is young, maybe she cannot find it, and some people need four eyes instead of two. I was laughing. 10:25 am: Mam sorry we dont have the color that you want. Lady said: how it can happen?! How you dont have it? I just said sorry and left her. What could I say? 10:30 am: I start to grab new sizes for out let part and fold them. I like this top with V neck and log sleeve. The midnight blue with white shirt would be nice. It is interesting for me that customers in morning are shopping more than afternoon. Most of them have at least 5-6 items in their hand and going to fitting room and try them. Jozal is in clearance side and hang the pants and help the customers in that side. 10:43am: right know there is just one customer in the floor and all of us (associate) are walk around and there is nothing to do!

The Observation 3 Site location Talbots outlet Thursday, September 5 4:00pm- 4:45pm 4:00 pm: I cannot understand what happen? There are at least 15 customers in store. I like here be busy because we have something to do and we wont board.

4:10 pm: Customer 1: Hi, do you have anything that I can match with this pant. Here it is, I can do my best: Midnight blue top, with white blues and black pants including a white and blue scarf. Here you go. What do you thing about it? She is quiet! I dont know does she like it or not? She said: pleas hold it likes this, I will back: shelly, shelly come heresee what she did! Isnt it very nice? She said: yes, where did she find them? I show her. I think both of them will buy same things! I check her out and her loth is open from one side to other side of her face! 4:25 pm: Here is so busy. I am back and ford to fitting room and bring some pants and dress out. Customers are trying too much things. I see a customer who was back and ford to fitting room and each time she had at list five pieces. 4:38 pm: after a while I get tired. Patricia doesnt touch anything and whenever I say: can you please help us? She says: I am busy! Busy with whom? I dont understand it?!!! Some people just like easy money, thats it. 4:45 pm: I am ready to go to home but it is not time yet. When the store is busy time fly and when its not we board.

Interview questions form Judy ( store manager)

1. What keep you in Talbots for 11 years? Its a hard question (she is laughing) but I think the most important reason is the way that corporate wants we work in here. We work as a group not individual person. I like group working and keep in touch with people out of this business. 2. Tell me about Talbots customers and their style? Most of them are over 30 years old, the reason is our clots is classic and young people dont like to use them because they like more fancy and colorful things. Their style is old fashion and classic as I said.

3. How you engage the customer that she could buy clothes? First of all I engage them in the beginning and say welcome to Talbots, how can I help you today? Then I explain about our new merchandise and let them look around and after 3-4 minutes back to them and ask them if they need any help or now. 4. Why Talbots customer stay with business for long time? What is the main reason? I think the maid reason is Quality. I have my top for two years and it did not change at all. I had a customer who where her t shirt for ten years and she said: you know my top is from Talbost and I have it for 10 years.

5. If you could change clouts design, what colors you would use for each season? For spring: pink, light green, red, lavender and light blue

For summer: white, light yellow ( lemon), mint, and cream For fall: red, yellow, camel, orange, brown, olive For winter: red, black, gray, dark green , olive, midnight blue 6. What is your engagement key? Welcome is the most important, then inform customer about what is going on in store, what are the deals and those king of things.