Crate & Barrel Reviews

Pros

Most of the people are a lot of fun to work with, and the environment can at times be laid back. It can be a positive environment if you ignore the micro managing. At our location, we have a ton of potlucks and breakfasts which help foster a more cohesive team.

I have found that the benefits are bit better than other retail companies and the pay isn't terrible. For retail, you really can't expect much in terms of pay, unfortunately. Benefits are also considered a blessing in this industry. But it is competitive to other department stores. Safety and harassment training is comprehensive and done yearly. The store procedures are taken seriously if anyone is in an unsafe situation.

This company does strive to provide the best possible customer service. Luckily, our policies are flexible in that we can really help a customer out when they are unhappy or dissatisfied with our products.

Since this is retail, you can't complain about not having weekends or holidays off. There is a respect for a work/life balance from management which can be rare for this industry. Not sure about other locations, but thanks to the litigious nature of California, management is careful about what they can and cannot do.

Cons

Unfortunately, there isn't a lot of upward movement. They seem to promote a lot of associates in to the trainee program, and once that is completed, you'll be a floor manager until someone retires or quits. Some cases that I have seen, the trainee program can last up to almost two years even though you are told that it is no longer than one. There is really nowhere to go in terms of growth. Those that do get promoted in to any sort of position, usually lack the skills to take it on. If you have a "gung ho" attitude without the skill set to back you up, then you have a good chance of getting in to the good graces of upper management. If its the other way around, consider yourself stonewalled for forever. If you come to this company with a college degree, walk away. They don't like knowing you have a higher education. Find something else.

One day, management will be upset about you not completing your projects. On the next, they are upset about the lack of floor coverage. Then they staff it so that you can't complete your tasks or assist customers in an efficient manner. If the budget is that strict, then maybe they should look in to how the store is merchandised (which requires maintenance from the staff). The less maintenance required in keeping the store looking like a showroom, maybe we can focus more on customers. Stop setting impossible standards. Cleaning and stocking are important, but we need to service our customers. The nature of our job is such that we can spend a lot of time with one customer, but it may not translate into dollars. That's okay, but management doesn't see it that way, and wonder why we didn't manage to dust or stock.

Advice to Senior Management

Don't be afraid to promote someone (and all of them are) smarter than you. They want the same thing as you do: for the company to succeed. Listen to your employees and don't treat complaints like they are some sort of inconvenience. If they aren't happy, they won't project a positive image to our customers. Confront issues head on and get comfortable having those tough conversations. That's what you are there for. Turning a blind eye to any problem does not make it disappear.

Communication is always welcome. Sometimes you have multiple people you 'report' to and the message isn't always shared with other managers. Be consistent with your views and how things should be handled. Some locations have more than one boss and it gets confusing when you get different answers.

Pros

Senior Management was personable.
Worked with a lot of great people in the warehouse.
A paycheck.

Cons

Low pay with small raises.
Supervisors can spin out of control and nothing is done about them no matter how many complaints they receive.
Management is flying by the seat of their pants. Told different things by different managers.

Advice to Senior Management

Be more accountable.

Pros

The people you work with, quality products, room for advancement, the discount, and the benefits, very thorough training and orientation.

Cons

The politics with corporate regional managers, can be monotonous in the down season, holiday hours, customers can be rude sometimes.

Advice to Senior Management

When closing a store, please continue to treat ALL associates with respect. Don't alienate the people you just laid off.

Pros

The 30% off discount is nice and pay isn't bad especially if your in college. They are very flexible with scheduling especially part time.

Cons

They hire from within, and favoritism may develop between employees and mgmt. Treated as a intern so you will be doing mostly shadowing.

Advice to Senior Management

I would like the management to be more balanced with rotation of the floor . It would also be nice if they hired on experienced and not from within.

Pros

They are very flexible working around school schedules or extra activities you may have. There is a good relationship between management and their employees. They have very effective communication between upper management and store level employees with the direction they want the company to go.

Cons

A downfall working at crate & barrel just like any other retail type jobs, people can become a click sometimes favortism happens. Also the company only promotes from within, which can take really long to move up within the company.

Advice to Senior Management

I believe that management needs to watch themselves from having favortism, and talking about other employees to the favorite employee's. Also have more rotations for the floor associates to move to different departments and focus on all their employees development goals.

Pros

Managers ensure and let staff know that they do not micromanage.
Good pay mostly starting at 9 dollars
Relaxed yet fast paced environment

Cons

Sometimes when work is slow the job can be very boring but you still have to find ways to keep working like housekeeping or preping products for packing.

Advice to Senior Management

It seems that all of management is very enthusiastic to work in the positions that they do and they are very approachable with many circumstances.

Pros

Shopping discount, that is pretty much all there is to say about the Pro's

Cons

WAAAAYYY too many to list here, but in a nutshell the company is run by people who should not be in their positions, there is favoritism, bad business practices running rampant, unfair promotions, employee abuse, and overall poor morale in the stores among the workers. It is a store with great products and great design, but it is organized and run very poorly....save yourself the hassle of having to quit your job due to your stress and unhappiness w/Crate and apply elsewhere!

Advice to Senior Management

No advice because management is the whole problem with C&B!!

Pros

Training and all the knowledge given to you to sell. The company culture. Being in an environment that was inspiring and fun.

Cons

Too many things changing quickly, led to confusion and lack of direction.
Managers sometimes spoke to associates like a parent to a child.

Advice to Senior Management

Be an open book. Management needs to have presents on the sales floor to get a better gauge of the business and to better review the associates.

Pros

Beautiful Merchandise
Looks excellent on a resume
Amazing sales staff
Fun job
Leader in the bridal business
Learned a lot about housewares and furniture

Cons

Terrible management at store level
Area designer is belittling and insecure
No appreciation or recognition for hard work
Stuck in "old ways"

Advice to Senior Management

Re-evaluate your area and store management teams. Just because someone has been around for 3 decades doesn't mean they're management material. When you're hiring the new graduates and younger associate to carry on the legacy, don't try to limit them and keep them down.

Pros

Great design, great products, good people.

Cons

Need "new" blood to help grow the business and always fall back on "it's always the way we do things".

Advice to Senior Management

Go cover when a store manager needs time off, be on the front lines again AND gain understanding.