Zales Reviews

Pros

If your sales exceed you do, hard work gets noticed. Have to want it more then the others, if you do sky is the limt.

Cons

If your sales exceed, you do, unfortunately their is not much room for growth if your skills are in other aspects of the business

Advice to Senior Management

Take you time and train every person on you staff every aspect of you job, that way you know no matter what all work is done all the time.

Pros

Zales has a wonderful product. It is easy to build a customer database, and created customer relations. There are wonderful benefits.

Cons

There is no, or little opportunity for advancement. I have been a manager in training for 3 years and have not recieved a store.

Pros

Good training, flexible schedule, good commision rate

Cons

Better management communication with employees

Pros

They are very team oriented. Friendly and focused on work/life balance.

Cons

Seniority is paramount. Very political.

Advice to Senior Management

Lose the people that don't do their work.

Pros

I was promoted to manager within a year of working for Zale. My district manager really showed care and respect for me. I work with a great team, and am excited to come to work and spend time with them. I like helping customers during happy and important times in their lives. Zales has been implementing new on-boarding which seams to be more thorough and shows they are invested in their people.

Cons

Corporate changes constantly, once we start to get used to a business model it changes. They are hiring a lot of middle and upper management from the clothing industry instead of from within, they don't truly understand the business. Middle management changes often which makes store managers feel insecure about their position. Corporate spends way too much money on printing, we don't use half the signs they send us. Jewelry quality could be better. I cant pay my jewelry consultants near what they are worth.

Advice to Senior Management

Hire from within. Listen when managers and associates say they want to grow with your company. Instead of blowing them off, tell them what they need to do. Don't spend so much money on printing, and paying people to brainstorm, instead pay your front line more, and they will believe in the brand which will turn into customers believing in the brand.

Pros

Flexible scheduling, engaging atmosphere, quick pace, ever changing, friendly store staffs, merchandise selections, ability to have direct input to upper management

Cons

tendency to be disorganized, inconsistent, turn-over

Advice to Senior Management

consistent structure would improve overall performance in many areas

Pros

The company has great brand recognitio both in the US and Canada. The US operation used to be the goal of any career jewelry professional. The Canadian stores still have a great presence and are true professional. They have a large number of seasoned professionals who have commited to staying.

Cons

There seems to be no real focus and then commitment on what the company really is and where it should be.

From a sales perspective, this industry needs true sales professionals. They do not necessarily have to be knowledgeable of jewelry, although it helps. You can usually train the technical knowledge. A person is either a customer oriented sales person or they are not.

From a cultural perspective, too many people are concerned with politics, building empires and what is best or easiest for thier group. If there is any time which they need to put everthing aside and do what is in the bst interest of the company, it is now.

From a management perspective, too many changes in direction.

Advice to Senior Management

The product sold by the company is in fact different than that in other retail fields.

Getting back to some old school fundamentals can still turn the tide. The customer has to come first. After that, the field personnel will make or break any efforts and advancements otherwise made. Sales professionals are desperately needed who will again start building the bond with customers that they are their personal jeweler of choice. When they need a gift for any occasion, want to treat themselves and yes, need to have something repaired, they know that they will be taken care of in a professional manner by a friend.

Pros

Ample opportunity to learn the business, open interdepartmental communication, employee discounts, everyday casual dress...not much more to speak of

Cons

long hours are expected/mandated, constant change in direction, unorganized management team, fear of being layoffs as there have been 2 rounds, alot finger pointing when something goes wrong

Advice to Senior Management

zales is a follower, not a leader in the industry. management blames employees for their shortfalls. lots of ceo cronies running the show...all talk and no action upper management

Pros

Training program gives you an all around great sales training in both jewellery sales and sales stratigy that could easily be applied in any sales career.

Cons

Long hours, seven days a week and overtime is expected at peak times including holidays when malls are still open. Pay is absolutely the least amount of money they can get anyone to work for.

Advice to Senior Management

Pay someone what they are worth and they will always go the extra mile for you. Money always creates loyaty.

Pros

Great learning opportunity. Zales provides a solid foundation from which you can build your jewelry career. They don't require much experience and are very helpful in building your knowledge.

Cons

The opportunity for advancement is there if you are willing to work for it. You have the typical high turnover of any retail experience and the benefits are on the lower end of average.

Advice to Senior Management

I would focus more on helping each employee grow. Sometimes the managers are more worried about their commission than their team.