Waterbury evening Democrat., 1890-10-09
THE FLOOR-WALKER.
His Lot Us Not as Easy as Is Gen.
 orally Supposed
Duties Of the Man Who Meets You at the Entrance to Every Goods Store A Calling That Requires Cool
 and Diplomatic Head.

A Calling That Requires . Cool and Diplomatic Head.
 GA man needs to be something of a | judge of human character, something a little above the average, to thoroughly fulfill the duties of fioor-wa1ker," said one of those tireless beings who stand in the front of all large stores and am swer innumerable questions all day to @ Chicago News reporter.
 "Yes, feel safe in saying that Q man has to possess more than ordinary intel ligence to be a competent foor-walker Every man can't do 1t. It takes years of the hardest kind of work to acquire that insight into the business that will make man almost unerring in his judg- ments of men, goods and prices. And such a knowledge must the floor walker have if he aims to satisfactorily perform his work. He must have at his tongues end the exact location of every depart ment of the store, no matter how vast the emporium may be. He must be able at 8 glance to determine the correct value of goods sold, and, without hesitation, be able to settle disputes. Such are the incidents which make up the day in the life of the average hoor-walker.
 GA fioor-walker's position" continued he, ''seems to the unobservant to be a nice one indeed. The crowds notice the well-dressed men standing around giv- ing directions here and there, and ap- parently enjoying rather an easy time compared to the clerks. That is as far as the observance of the crowd goes, and, as is usually the case with opinions formed by the public, is incorrect. They don't see the daily hardships and trials we are compelled to endure, the actual work we do, and the responsibility that rests upon US. Overlooking the hard things, they see us as we occasionally stand on a dull day having nothing to do, and foolishly imagine that that is 2 fair example of the way we work.
 "The average floor-walker is an ordl- nary sort of person. Commencing life probably as a cash-boy, he has, by as- siduous application to work, raised him. self to something better. But he has spent years in the business, and knows nothing else. Commencing work at eight a. m. and finishing at six p. m., he finds the day long enough. He has many things to look after, and, if he at tends to his duties, is thoroughly tired
 
 you what head hoor-walker has to do. He has charge of the ecash-boys-no light work, that. He hires and discharges them, and is supposed to attend to them properly. Besides this he must stand at the head of the aisle or floor where he is placed and direct customers to any department they may ask for. This necessitates the floor-walker being thnPnndhly ha location of the house.
 '"Then he must, in @ sort of way, be the head of the department in which he is placed. It is true the clerks are not under him. but he is, nevertheless, sup posed to keep an eye upon them. If 8 customer Is not being waited upon he as possible. Very often a disagreeable person will insist on getting into a row with the clerk over the sale of some article. The foor-walker is supposed to be diplomatic enough to settle the affair up without letting 1t go any fur ther. Suppose the row is about the price of some article. The 1oor-walker must be discreet enough to make a satisfactory arrangement without hurt ing the interests of the house or losing bu0 Ou5JOD6Es 4O IS Gu0 uOO1~WalkSF who is appealed to in all such cases, and he must be able at all times, no matter what may be the trouble, to af- ford 8 solution of the problem. And then, sometimes clerk will become inn pudent to a customer, and 1t is then the duty of the hoor-walker to report the clerk to the manager. If he fails in this and the customer makes the com plaint the f1oor-walker is held responsi- ble. So 1t goes, one thing and another, to keep the door-walker's wits active.
 ''one of the greatest tests that marks the successful hoor-walker is his thor ough knowledge of business. That is, in every sense of the term. Beyond fulfilling the duties assigned him he should be practical business man, and act just as though 1t was his own store and he was doing all he could to pro- mote the growth and welfare of the con- cern. He must be thoroughly acquaint- ed with the prices of any thing in his de- partment, and able to tell at glance whether or not the clerk is dealing fairly with the customer and the house. Now, for instance, this oash-boy brings me this pair of gloves that has just been sold; will sign the check, and then the money, gloves and check will be sent to the wrapping counter. It was my business to know positively before signed that check that the proper amount had been charged for that pair of gloves
 "This is business that requires a cool head, a mind adapted to business, and nothing else. If the foor-walker attends to his business he picks up list of acquaintances that are invalua| ble to him. He should be able to have his particular customers, and be able to recognize them when he sees them. These are the points which constitute g. good hoor-walker."
 A Rat Sacrihoos a Leg.