Talbots Reviews

Pros

Excellent employee discount
Great experiences with customers
Ability to learn what is fashion trends consumers really enjoy
...Great employee discount (I know that I said this already).

Cons

Management = Gossip Crew (think back to high school or the movie "Mean Girls.")
Associates are not respected as people, but as mere work mules.
Leadership abilities of management team questionable.

Advice to Senior Management

Instead of riding the gossip train at work each day, focus on training all of the associates on the brand. Focus on materials, outfit concepts, and customer satisfaction.

Associates can easily pick up on the sneaky nature of management (I did the 1st day)...it needs to stop to decrease associate turnover. Respect your employees...don't look at them like they are worthless....and don't assume that they are without knowledge. This will result in a happier team, one that will stick with you for a while.

Pros

room for advancement and room to move forward

Cons

poor training and poor communication

Advice to Senior Management

check in with SM and GM more to make sure they are effective in their jobs

Pros

As a Sales Support rep you do not have the minimum Sales Goal. you assist with online fulfillment orders, merchandising and the sales reps as needed.
Their product is top of the line, and the opportunities for growth are endless as long as you have the drive. The staff age range is between 25 - 50. so this makes it a mature yet friendly team.

Cons

well, not sure if its a con, but as a "sales associate" you do have a sales goals you are required to meet. due to their prices being a bit high, you wont see allot of volume of customers.

Advice to Senior Management

At this time I don't have any advice to provide to the Management team. as my experience has only been pleasant.

Pros

Benefits, Discounts, Hours, Location, Distance to work.

Cons

Micro Management, difficult personalities, no team spirit.

Advice to Senior Management

Acknowledge that emplyees are working hard for this dying company.

Pros

Friendly environment.
Claim to promote from within
It is in the midst of re-branding itself still so it is an exciting time to work there.
The "new" president seems to be very dedicated to the brand.

Cons

Do not value the knowledge and work of employees enough.
Promotions seem to be based solely on the amount of time you worked there - but should focus more on how hard you have worked and what you have to offer.

Advice to Senior Management

Trust in your employees more.
Treat even your younger employees of professionals.
Be fair in your salaries.
Be understanding of employees needing a work-life balance, and be more flexible with the hours.

Pros

- Clothing Discount
- Meet Great People (Employees & Customers)
- Benefit Package (That was in place 2009 and prior)

Cons

- CUT, CUT, CUT thats all we were hearing
- If you don't make target 3 months in a row, we had to let you go
- Managers kill themselves to do "Brand Moments" (floor moves) with very little help and or time
- Upper Management expects you to be able to respond to their dim witted immediate floor changes immediately... like 5 min after walking in to the store. EVEN after we were told to not come in more than 30 min. before store openenig.
- The restructuring of Districts & DM's- put dedicated people (my mentors) out of work... and put incompetent "Hitler-esque" people in their place.
- No matter if you were a store producing TOP RESULTS.... you still had to cut sales & support hours.
-

Advice to Senior Management

Get out of flippin Boston and do some grunt work in the "REAL" stores, with NO STAFF, NO SUPPORT & see how you manage a 3-4 concept "Brand Moment" that's been moved to NOW! Can't you see why Talbot's following has diminished so badly? Quit micro-managing the Managers that know what they are doing... give them their creative flexibility back.... Not every store is like Boylston!!!!!

Pros

Great peers
Great customers
Dedicated and hardworking store teams

Cons

Need to listen more closely

Advice to Senior Management

Ask more and listen carefully

Pros

Clothes-They do have some interesting pieces
Pay-Competitive with similar brands
Location and Atmosphere-Usually more upscale and refined
Co-workers-I have met a lot of interesting and nice people through Talbots

Cons

They are very selling focused. And they do not pay commission for your efforts. Oftentimes their demands are desperate and unrealistic and they do not know and or care about that. They are a hurting company. Their inventory control is out of whack and disorganized.

Advice to Senior Management

Stop trying to please everyone. The numerous metrics that associates must figure are silly and a waste of time-that is what computer programs are for. Allow for more support staff so management and associates can focus more on selling the way you want them to.

Pros

Great work environment, casual and friendly.

Cons

Would have liked to have more design input.

Pros

Pay fair and very well.

Cons

They are still getting caught up with times so lots of changes.

Advice to Senior Management

Need to let go of those who need to be let go. Great that retention rate is high however a lot of toxic and negative old timers in company.