leaving loft

As most people know, teachers don't typically only teach. There are a million other things they do in a day at school for children - counsel, nurse, encourage, etc. But before and/or after school, many teachers work other jobs to make ends meet, to pay for their kids who are in college, or even to pay for the supplies they need to teach that aren't in the school's budget to provide.

As a teacher I worked at a golf course for years to supplement my income. After leaving the golf course I started doing photography on the side. I still do photography even as an administrator in order to be sure to provide a comfortable life for my boys.

One local teacher I have known for a few years began working at Ann Taylor Loft this year. She has two in college, and needed something to a) pay tuition bills and b) keep her mind off the fact that she's essentially become an empty-nester. I intially was so envious of her second job. Loft? I mean, I've shopped there for YEARS both for work and casual outfits. I have a Loft card that almost always carried a balance because as soon as I would pay it off I'd charge it up (never really more than $300 though).

This teacher was always coming to work in Loft's cutest new outfits. Obviously she was getting an amazing employee discount. I could go on about all the great ways the company provided for their employees so they could dress the part at work. This teacher worked a few days a week and on weekends and thoroughly enjoyed what she referred to as "mindless" work - meaning you pretty much folded and put back clothes, and rang people up. And some minor cleaning at close. I enjoyed bringing Kellan in to the store (Birkdale location) to visit with this teacher while I shopped. I think I probably shopped there more when she was working just to have someone to say "hi" to when I was there.

Several months ago, the teacher came to me asking for advice. The day before at Loft-Birkdale, the staff was told by the main/head manager that they had not met quota for credit card enrollment for the year. You know, they ask if you want to open a credit card at checkout? I understand how important opening credit cards are to companies like this as a majority of their sales come from credit charges. I get it. It annoys the snot out of me to be repeatedly asked, BUT. I get it.

The manager decided to solve the problem by creating a poster with each employee's name on it for all to see. And for every shift you neglect to get someone to sign up for a credit card, you have to put a BIG RED X beside your name. For everyone to see. Public shaming.

These are adults that work at this store.

We don't even publicly shame children in schools when they make mistakes!

Can you tell I was outraged? Loft Birkdale is one of my favorite places to shop. I was so disappointed that they would attempt to resolve this "problem" in this public way. In my experience, it is never successful to demand improvement from a human being by embarrassing them. If it's a certain individual, pull them to the side and share strategies for ways they can improve. Or, provide positive reinforcement: whoever gets the MOST credit card applications each month gets a gift card to a local restaurant, or a free cami, or a few hours paid leave.

The more I thought about this, the more it infuriated me. Here I am, spending a good amount of money supporting this company who allows managers to treat employees like three year olds. After a few weeks, one evening the teacher was asked to place a red X by her name. To shorten the story, that night she ended up leaving Loft. Good for her.

Although I am sure she is over it by now, I'm not. I went back and forth with the home office. All I wanted to know was, is this a practice only at Birkdale or is it common place in every Loft store. After several days of correspondence, all I got is the repeated "While we can not share any internal company guidelines with respect to the management and implementation of the rewards program with our associates please know your concerns regarding what you've heard from your local store will be shared with the proper field partners for review."

All I wanted to hear was that it was isolated. Then I would've just stopped shopping at Birkdale's Loft. I would've shopped at Northlake's Loft. But I couldn't get them to say so. Pretty much what I inferred was Lady, we're not telling you our dirty secrets. Get over it. We don't care about you as a customer enough to really answer your question.

So. I paid off my Loft card (had a balance of $34.51) and cancelled it.
Literally have not set foot in a Loft or Ann Taylor for MONTHS.
I feel ridiculous saying it felt like a bad break up. I miss Loft.
But I refuse to support a company that is ok with public shaming.

So now I'm at GAP.

And I've always been at Stitch Fix.

And most recently I've developed an addiction to LuLaRoe.

Said teacher has just begun her business with LuLaRoe with another teacher. If you're interested in learning more about it, let me know and I'll add you to their FaceBook group.

Loft,

It's been real.

I've moved on.

I hope you learned something from our break-up.

I hope you make some changes.

Farewell,