The Black range. (Robinson, Socorro County, N.M.) 1882-1897, 1895-02-15
THE. FL00R-WALKER.
His Lot Is NoT.ss Easy as Is Gen.
orally Supposed
Outies Of the Man Who Meats You at the
Entrance to Every Dry Goods Store
A Calling Ttist Reqvsrssa Cool
and Diplomatio Head.

a hAoh A0IAcl ~ ukf+ o0AItlAAliE VI Il
judge ofhuman, character, something
little above the average, to thoroughly
fulfill the duties of fioor~walker," said
one of those tireless beings who stand
in the front of all large stores and an
swer innumerable. questions all day to
Chicago News reporter.
"Yes, feel safe in saying that man
has to possess more than ordinary intel
ligence to be a competent floor-wallzer.
Every man can't do it. 1t takes years
of the hardest kind of work to acquire.
chat insight into the business that viii
make man almost unerring in his judg
ments of men, goods and prices. And
such 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
alta 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 foor-walker.
"a floor-wal1er's position continued
he, ''seems to the unobseryant to be u
nice one indeed. The crowds notice the
well-dressed men standing around Civ
ing directions here and there, and APP
parently enjoying rather an easy time
compared to the clerks. That is as far
as tho 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 dull day having nothing to
do, and foolishly imagine chat that is a
fair example of the way we work
''The average foor-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, ii he at
tends to his duties, is thoroughly tired
out when night comes. Let me show
you what head foor-walker has to do.
He has charge of the cash-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
neeessitates the foor-walller being
thoroughly acquainted with the entire
location of the house.
"Then he must, in sort Of way. be
the head of the department in which he
is placed. 1t is true the clorbs are not
under him, but he is, nevertheless, sup
posed to keep an eye upon them, If
customer is not being waited upon he
is to see that she is attended to as soon
as possible. Very often disagreeable
person will insist on getting into row
with the clerk over the sale of somc
article. The foor-walker is supposed
to be diplomatic enough to settle the
affair up without letting it go any fur
ther. Suppose the row is about the
price of some article. The floor-walker
must be discreet enough to make a
satisfactory arrangement without hurt
ing the interests of the house or losing
tho customer. 1t is the floor-walker
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 solution of the problem. And
then, sometimes clerk will become inn
pudent to customer, and it is then the
duty Of the foor-walker to report the
clerk to the manager If he fails in
this and the customer makes the COM
plant the floOr-walker is held RESPONSE
BILE. So il. goes, one thing and another,
to keep the fioor-walker's wits active.
"one of the greatest tests that marks
the successful Aoor-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 a practical business man, and
act just as though it was his own store
and he was doing all he could to pro-
mote the growth and welfare Of the con-
Germ. He must be thoroughly acquaint-
ed with the prices Of any thing in his de-
partment, and able to tell at a glance
whether or not the clerk is dealing fairly
with the customer and the house. Now,
for instance, this cash-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. 1t was my
business to know positively before
signed that check that the proper
amount had been charged for that pain
Of gloves.
"This is business that requires o
cool head, mind adapted to business,
! and nothing clse. If the foor7walker