After speaking with past and present employees of Dillard's, and comparing my own experience as a sales assistant, I can verify that sales quotas are unrealistic and virtually impossible to meet. This means Dillard's has created a no-win situation for the employee that allows for routine pay cuts. This practice is incredibly unfair and unethical as a new salesperson is:
1.) Immediately pitted against shark-like, co-worker competition, intentionally, created by Dillards management.
2.) Up against an overstaffed sales force, including many part-timers. There is an approximate ratio of 1 customer for every 3 sales clerks. It is not uncommon for clerks to be helping the same customer in linked departments, and working as bitter rivals with deep-seated anger over the loss of what they each believe is their sale. Normally, one sales clerk could easily cover a large department for register sales and customer service. Thus, 1 clerk, if diligent, could possibly meet the unreal sales quotas set by Dillard's, but few, if any, will come close to meeting such goals with such overstaffing.
3.) Required to focus on marking down merchandise, and must complete this boring, physically demanding, and near-manual process—while watching and competing for customers.in addition, other tasks as receiving merchandise, organizing and arranging displays are constant jobs that must be maintained. The only way a new clerk has any hope of reaching his/her sales quota is to fully concentrate on finding, keeping and indirectly asking the customer for loyalty. Since other duties are required, sales quotas cannot be met.in short, only a few register "hawks" that commandeer a register, intimidators, and aggressive sharks can be expected to survive.
According to long-time employees, employee turnover is very high. With pay cuts a near certainty, over staffing, and the inherent stress of competing/fighting for each customer's business, prospective employees should beware—and Dillard's must create a humane work environment with reasonable sales quotas.
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