Chico's FAS Reviews

Pros

The customers were the best, so much fun and they really appreciated the staff and me. Everyone told us we were the friendliest Chico store!

Cons

Company went through some changes that made working there so stressful. Too much paperwork, Pace sheet, hrly reads, check the Boss every 3 hours, coach employees after every sale, BLAH BLAH BLAH, wasn;t sure when the customer fit in, but the manager had to sell 15% of the business, not right. I was written up for not making plan, never a good word said about anything. I would try to give the DSM some positive remarks about the store and alI she said was you like compliments don't you. How sick is that? No one can live on negative feedback all the time.

Advice to Senior Management

Change the habits of you DSM position. they are not doing you any favors in the store - their agenda is so negative, the Chico business is not doing well because of the all mighty leadership, not the people you have trying to sell the merchandise you send them. Get off their back and get yourselves in geer to do a better job for the company. I f you send the right merchandise in the store, anybody can sell it. Your Style Expert plan is a joke, your bonus plan is another joke. BONUS selling program is a good training tool, but really don't need to memorize it and play act it all the time. You people are too controlling - let up a little so people can enjoy their customer and customers can enjoy shopping.

Pros

other than few employes discounts on clothing that they make you purchase to wear at work, they really don't have anything else to offer to employes but bad attitude by the management.

Cons

Pay is low and the Manager does not care about you or your family, manager at Aspen Grove shopping center thinks she own the store, she is never there for the customers or employes, I have seen her screaming at the customers numerous times, she always schedules to her own benefit, she is always late and puts pressure on sales leads and district managers has closed their eyes to this problem or don't want to have anything to do with this terribly ran store !!!

Advice to Senior Management

District managers never listen to associates, they think associate or sales lead are nobody and their opinion won't count, I will never work for Chico's again at least in Colorado !!!

Pros

*The job is one of, if not the most flexible job I've ever worked at. You are encouraged to schedule time off, if needed. I can appreciate that. Also I am off Friday, Saturdays, and Sundays.
*Also Chico's does a good job at throwing parties, fellowships and gatherings for workers.

Cons

*Management is extremely preferential in the way they deal with associates.
*Management can come off as deceptive and is not straight forward with employees about the direction of business.
*I have only an idea of our senior management team at Winder campus. We recently had a change at the top of the chain of command, the new person appointed I couldn't point out of a line up for a million dollars.
*PRO-REP and TOTAL PERFORMANCE- These are tools the company has employed to "weed out workers" by setting exceedingly high work requirements, and asking associates to maintain these high numbers under the conditions of, construction work, ever changing warehouse locations, lack of materials, and most of all lack of direction. Also Total Performance basically gives an associate's supervisor and/or manager complete digression with progressing, reprimanding, or terminating an associate. So basically with the work requirements being set so high, very few associates meet standards, of the ones who don't, those who favorable are kept and somewhat safeguarded ( sent to indirect activities, where production is not counted). The less favorable associates are forced out with either production and attendance being the reason. It should be noted there is no attendance scale! Completely at the digression of your superior. I've seen many people let go because of this policy. So many that it is almost blatant that this is a tactic to cut costs, especially with the expansion of the warehouse and the steady growing number of temporary workers.
*Temporary staffing is the future.
*No standard attendance plan.

Advice to Senior Management

Take the time to meet your workers. Talk with them and you'll see that the problems are all fixable with input of the people actually affected by your decisions and actions. Above all else show that you appreciate your workers and your workers will show they appreciate you.

Pros

The customer is always right, and you get to be the one to make them happy. Chico's stands behind you in whatever you do, as long as the customer is happy. Very fun environment.

Cons

Overall Chico's is a great company to work for. It all depends on who your district manager is. I had one DM that was wonderful, very fun, upbeat, and stood behind you all the way.
 Chico's realigned the districts and I got another DM, and she was horrible. Very demeaning, and hateful. Never pat you on the back for your outstanding performance. Incredible was never enough. She pushed, and pushed, and pushed. She made you be on conference calls on your day off, and cared nothing about your work, life balance.

Advice to Senior Management

I would recomend that you listen to your associates. I called HR three times with complaints about my horrible DM, and nothing was ever done. I was an amazing GM with amazing stats, very happy customers, and very long term associates. My DM had 9 stores. In the yr and a half that she was my DM, 8 of the 9 GM's are new. That is screaming that something is wrong. I loved working for Chico's, until I was moved to District 803.

Pros

Exciting product, loyal customers, and plenty of opportunity for the business to grow. Lots of postitive changes at the company should lead to personal growth opportunites as well.

Cons

There is no work life balance, nor is there even a concern about work life balance. Meetings are scheduled over lunch, and even at 5 and 6 at night without thought to what that means to employees with families. It's pretty regular for changes to be communicated at 5pm and expected to be worked before you go home.

Advice to Senior Management

If you really want Chicos FAS to be the "greatest place to work", you need to care about work life balance. That means that the CEO and other executives need to ensure that their VPs and directors are following through. They need to both lead by example, and make an effort to get people out of the office at a decent hour EVERY night. While a new café, new gym, etc. are nice, I would gladly give these up to not miss another recital, soccer game, performance, of my kids.

Pros

Great opportunity for PT associates to make bonus

Cons

Wages need to be more competitive

Pros

There are friendly people at the store level. Hours are good. Discount is good, but it used to be better. The clothes are great.

Cons

District Manager plays favorites. Hours have been cut, and the workload has not. Management preaches respect, but apparently it only goes one way.

Advice to Senior Management

While I understand David Dyer has a responsibility to shareholders to increase profit, some of his cost cutting measures are hampering sales.

Pros

fast paced work, fun people to work with

Cons

people placed on special projects are not given a chance to grow

Advice to Senior Management

Every employee should be a chance to succeed whether on special projects or on a regular shift

Pros

Chico's promotes constant coaching in order for people to learn and grow in the company. They want to promote from within. This is a win-win for everyone. There is opportunity for promotion and the company cuts down on turnover, which is costly.

Cons

The salaries are low and bonuses are high. It's great when you are making great sales, but you are always competing against those LY numbers. Sometimes you are planned so high a bonus is unachievable.. even though you are still producing good numbers, the money is not coming in. As a single woman, I found the peaks and valleys of the bonus structure to difficult to live with.

Advice to Senior Management

Structure your payroll differently.. make it by the month instead of by the week. This is to difficult to manage... we are strong business forecasters but we are not fortune-tellers. We cannot always accurately predict a Saturdays sales within a thousand dollars.

Pros

Great customers, friendly management team, fabulous discount, terrific benefits.open communication, comfortable work environment, competative, fun, customer service focus is 1st prioroty

Cons

communication from district management could use some improvement

Advice to Senior Management

communication from district management could use some improvement