Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1890-11-15
THE FIOoR:WALKER.

fulfill the duties of floor walker" said
one Of those tirelcss beings who stand
in tho front OF all largo stores and an
swor innumcrablo questions all day to a
Chicago News reporter.
"Yos. I feel sato in saying that man
has to possess moro than ordinary intel
ligcncc to DO Is competent floor walker.
EvorY. man can't do it. 1t takes years
Of tho hardest kind Of work to acquire
that insight into the business that will
mako man almost unorring in his judg-
mcnts of mon, goods and prices And
snch n knowledge must tho floor walker
have if no aims to satisfac torily perform
his work. lilo must bavo at his tongues
end tho exact location OF every depart
ment Of tho store. no matter how vast
tho emporium may no. 10 must bc able
alta glance to determine tho correct valuo
Of goods sold. and. without hesitation,
no ablo to sottlo disputes. Such arc tho
incidents which mako up tho day in tho
life OF tho average floor lkor.
"a lloor-walkcr's position" continued
hr. "sccms to tho unohscrvant To no u
nico ono indeed. Tho crowds notice tho
well-dressed mon standing around Civ
ing directions hero and there. and APP
parcntly enjoying rathor an easy time
compared to tho clorks. That is as far
az tho observance OF tho crowd goes.
and. as is usually tho case with opinions
formed ny tho public. is incorrect. They
don't see tho daily bardships and trials
wo arc compelled to endure. tho actual
work we do. and the responsibility that
rests upon US. Overlooking tho bard
things, thoy SEQ us rs wo occasionally
stand on a dull day having nothing to
do. and foolisbly imagine that that is
fair example OF thoway we work.
Tho average floor-walkcr is an ordI.
nary sort Of person. Commencing lifo
probably as casb-hoy. no has. by as
sidnous application TO work. raised him
self to something better. But no has
spent years in tho business. and knows
nothing clso. Commencing work at
eight q. m. and finishing at six p m. he
finds tho day long enough. IIo has
many things to look aftor. and. If bo at
tends to his duties. is thoroughly tired
out when night comes Let mo show
you what head floor walkor has to do
lIn has charge Of tho cash boys-no light
work. that.
."Thon he must. in a sort OF way be
tho head Of tho department in which he
il placed. Tt Is Irue tho clerks arc not
under him. but be is. nevertheless, sup
posed to keep an cyo upon thcm. IT n
customer is not being waited upon no
is to SEQ tha&sl.e is attended to as soon
as possible. Merry ofton n disagroeablo
person will insist on getting into q row
with the clork over the sale OF somo
article. Tho floor-walkor is supposed
tn ho diplomatic enough to scttlo the
affair up without letting it. go any fur
thor. Suppose tho row is,jahout tho
price Of somo article. Tho floorwalkcr
must no discreet enough to make q
satisfactory arrangement without hurt
ing tho interests OF tho house or losing
tho customer. 1t is tho floor-walker
who is appealed to in all such cases.
and no must he able at all limos. no
matter what may no tho trouble. to az
ford y solution Of the problem. And
then, sometimes clerk will become inn
pudcnt 10 n customer, and 1t is then tho
dnty OF tho 1Oor-walkor to report tho
clcrk u tho manager. II be fails in
this and tho customer makes tho com.
plant tho floor-walior Is bold response
bio. So it Coos. ono thing and another.
"Ono Of the greatest tcsts that marks
tho successful floor-walkor is his thor
omgh knowledge Of business. That is,
in ovory sense Of tho term. Beyond
fulfilling tho duties assigned him he
should be practical business man. and
act just rs though it. was. his own store
and be was doing all no could to pro.
mote the growth and welfare Of the con-
corn. He must be- thoroughly acquaint-
od with tho prices Of any thing in his dc.
partment, and ab]o to toll al u glance
whether Or not tho clerk is dealing fairly
with the customer and tho house. Now.
for instance, this caah-boy brings me
this pair Of gloves that has just been
sold; will sign tho check. and then tho
money, gloves and check will bc sent
to tho wrapping counter. It was my
business to know positively before
signed that check that the proper
amount had been eli arOod for that nair