Pros

Fairly quick career advancement, employee discount is decent, the people you work with are usually pretty good.

Cons

I've never worked for a company before, that treats the people, that make their moderate success possible, so poorly. Management is constantly being threatened with "coachings" if their store doesn't continue to make an ever changing discount card percentage. I've seen great members of management terminated because their store missed a few weeks of their Discount Card percentage goal. We are forced to badger and harass customers to buy the card, sign up for a "risk free" magazine subscription, fill out a survey, get an email,buy an overpriced fresh baked cookie or buy a voucher for a book that you could get cheaper at most anywhere else. In an economy where people are lucky if they can afford to buy a book, this company isn't satisfied with these loyal customers just shopping and buying their products. They want more more more. Most customer's just want to buy their books or coffee quickly and get on with their day, but it isn't possible at BAM. They have to sit through 5 minutes of commercials from the associate or barista before they allowed to leave with their purchase. The customers, in my experience, do not appreciate the constant demand for more money. In just 4 years the card has gone from $10 to $20 with no extra benefit except a free, cheaply made tote bag as added benefit. It seems that until the customers in mass finally start saying no, that these greedy practices will continue.
        On that same subject , it is amazing how BAM makes millions of dollars every year from the sale of the magazine and discount card programs but they are still one of the lowest paying retail companies in the nation. The company has frozen all raises for all associates, managers included, but yet the company can afford to give the CEO a bonus of a million plus dollars.

Advice to Senior Management

Your associates and managers are the people who have brought this company to the point where they have no debt. You should thank them by paying them at least a comparable wage. Your discount card program does benefit the customers but you have made it to where selling the memberships are more important than customer service and actually selling books. We lose very good employees, who excel at their jobs as booksellers and customer service representatives, because they cannot fast talk a customer into spending more money. Treat your employees with respect and stop the constant threats, without us and them, you wouldn't be where you are today. Learn what it's like behind those registers or cafe counter. Get out and see your stores as associates, run a register or make some coffee. It might open your eyes.