Hallmark Reviews

Pros

I'd have to say that the best reason to work at a Hallmark retail store is that it truly skills you in the retail and sales environment. Fast paced sale seasons, especially Christmas time, made me a strong retail employee there.

Cons

Truly, a large downside to working at a Hallmark retail location is that there is not much room for growth in the environment. I truly felt like I would not be able to advance to a higher position, which is truly in the end why I left when something better came along.

Advice to Senior Management

The only advice I would give to Hallmark leadership is to concentrate on and appreciate the average, every-day worker who keeps their stores operating effectively.

Pros

flexible schedule, cheery environment, good family life/work balance,great if you are retired or in college

Cons

No chance to move up no matter how dedicated you might be, your vast knowledge of Co.,how hard or how long you have worked there. Slim staff.

Advice to Senior Management

Promote qualified people from within to create a "positive team environment". Demoralizing to employees when you constantly hire outside Co. Creates resentment. I don't know if the "higher ups" realize how the district management treats employees in this regard.

Pros

The customers are loyal and friendly.
They train you very well in product knowledge.
The stores are small and very personal.

Cons

The company is struggling.
There isn't much room for a career.
There haven't been raises in quite a while.
They are cutting back man hours.
Upper management doesn't seem to care about anything but sales.

Advice to Senior Management

Give the employee's a pat on the back occasionally. The Sales Associates do all of the customer interaction, and get none of the recognition we deserve.

Pros

Good benefits, generally good salaries, family owned, operated and involved.

Cons

The greeting card industry is in steady decline

Advice to Senior Management

Focus on the digital space

Pros

Enjoyed working with customers and fellow associates and managers. People were ususally very friendly and I was always able to take time off when I requested

Cons

Sometimes the store was a little slow and there wouldn't be much to do if no customers came in. Overall, few complaints. I enjoyed the job.

Pros

1. Work/Life balance
2. Positive work environment

Cons

1. It's in Kansas City

Advice to Senior Management

My advice would be to continue to trust in your employees. You all do a very good job of this :)

Pros

They genuinely care about their customers. Employees have an opportunity for promotion but usually don't want it because to manager a store is not worth the compensation or the hours spent working there.

Cons

Upper level management turns a blind eye to serious infractions when store managers are making numbers. There are never any consequences for blatant violations of policy if people are spending money in a store.

Advice to Senior Management

Ask the assistant managers and lover management what is going on in a store. Sometimes they are the ones pulling the weight.

Pros

The people in the field are excellent examples outstanding customer service. Benefit package is comparable with other large retailers. Company has many branches of business to choose from .

Cons

Better acquire a great salary from the start because it's the last time you'll see a decent increase. Too much favoritism given to a few and not often enough based on performance. Product lines in corporate stores seriously fallen below the mark over last three years!! Somebody should tAke a closer look at vp perks money better spent elsewhere in company.

Advice to Senior Management

New corporate store president should hire his own people and get rid of baggage from old regime. Create a staff loyal to you!!!

Pros

Wonderful in-house management
Great place to learn new techniques
A great atmosphere to grow as a worker and to gain a steady job

Cons

While the in house management was very kind and understanding, not many workers had respect for the franchise owners. They made little contact with lower employees. However, this does not effect the day-to-day shifts, as the managers are very respectful of other employees.

Pros

The people I worked with were incredible; my manager was efficient but always pleasant to work with. Management was always very accommodating to taking time off and were willing to hire me back on a seasonal basis without any qualms. Additionally, when the 2008 recession hit, the corporate offices worked hard to cut expenses at the corporate level rather than leave people at the store level out of work.

Cons

The pay was extremely low: $7.50/hour. I worked there on and off for four years and never made any more than that, despite having gone through extra training in specific product lines and performing well on a regular basis. After my first two years there, our new assistant manager pushed sales and customer assistance very hard - to the the point that we were asked to check on customers so many times that they would become irritated and leave.

Advice to Senior Management

Less pushing of sales! Customers hate feeling bullied into buying things they don't need and requiring high (even unrealistic) IATs only increases competition among associates. Personally, I go out of my way to avoid stores that attempt to pressure me into buying or signing up for things that are of no interest to me; my store received complaints about the same.