Got a job at the new store opening in my town, right before Christmas. All the managers were way too young and inexperienced, hired way too much staff and then just let them all go after the New Year.
The managers treat the staff very poorly, there were maybe 5 managers (which was WAY too many) and they didn't even take care of their respected departments. Software was a joke, I had to basically learn on the job with no training so I had to train myself. Managers made staff feel bad for calling in sick, one girl was so scared she would lose her job that she stayed at work even after throwing up loads of times. The managers were fine with letting her throw up in our stock room and look like death.
After the New Year, there were so little hours given out that a lot of people left. I got let go recently because apparently I wasn't 'customer service' focused, which basically translates to 'I'm a quiet person and didn't find it comfortable shouting three times at a customer to serve them just so they could walk out of the door ten seconds earlier than they planned'
The managers were so lazy that they would go out for regular smoke breaks, but staff weren't allowed to ever leave the tills to go to the bathroom. A few co-workers started dating a few of the managers during Christmas, and they happened to keep their jobs after Christmas, even though they weren't very good at their jobs. Walked in on my managers buying shoes on sale over the Christmas period, instead of being on th
You would think a toy shop would be a nice place to work, especially around the festive season. But quite frankly that isn’t the case for this shop. In the interview management were very nice and polite but do not be fooled, that all changes when you start working. The management here is shockingly bad, except for a few decent duty managers. The senior management team are extremely rude and not pleasant to work alongside. They treat most employees with very little respect by speaking to employees like children in a condescending manner. They use the little power that they have to bring down staff members and be-little them. They find it amusing to give out to employees and make staff fear them. Also managers open doors late into the shop every morning and dock 15 mins for being “late” even when you are standing outside since 7 waiting for them (this happens everyday). Absolutely disgusted by their management skills because clearly they have none. It’s a shame as all staff are really lovely to work with but management ruin it. Horrible place to work. Definitely wouldn’t recommend.
Typical day in smyths is working on delivery, helping the customers on the foor and keeping the shop floor tidy.
I learned alot about customer service that i can now carry into my job as well as patience and understanding.
Management was okay if you got along with them, If you did not then it was an uncomfortable place to work in. You were expected to stay past your rostered time if things were not done but was never asked.
Workplace culture was great you meet people from all around the world and the staff were the best get on with we were like a small family.
The hardest part of the job without a doubt is christmas time, Its very long hours with not much personal appreciation from managers or the company itself.They also say there is loads of positions to grow "up the ladder" I have never heard so much lies in my life.
The most enjoyable part is definitely the people I worked with, they were polite and mostly funny so it definitely made a difference during the day
A normal work day consisted of in house stock if you were in early, this would consist of checking inventory behind the counter and in the warehouse.
Customer care was also a big part of the day, we would get on average during the Christmas period up to 30-40 people a day. From this I learned to be patient and take the time to help people with their needs.
All manager's in Smyths worked on the floor, mainly in customer service and were extremely polite and helped all customers and employees.
Naturally all employees were very nice and polite due to all of us working face to face with the consumer.
The hardest part of the day was inventory, checking everything that had to do with the section you worked in, this process could take anywhere from 2-4 hours depending on the day and if any deliveries were in transit.
The most enjoyable part is definitely the people I worked with, they were polite and mostly funny so it definitely made a difference during the day.
On a typical day I dealt with customer service queries and complaints. In Smyths, the managers were rarely seen on the floor so the customer Service advisors were the point of contact for all staff and customer complaints.
It was extremely challenging dealing with complaints when people were irrational and aggressive but I dealt with them in the calmest way possible and the majority of the time the customer left satisfied with the service I gave them. I went above and beyond what was expected of me in my role because I did enjoy my job and I really enjoyed helping people.
The team I worked with were incredible, we were a toy store at the end of the day and the atmosphere was light hearted and we all got along extremely well, so much so I am still in contact with some of my co-workers today.
The management were not very hands on and didn't communicate with any of the staff so that was an unusual experience for me.
ProsGreat Atmosphere and co-workers
ConsNot having supportive Managers communicate with us
Horrible company to work for. Bullying management and senior management. Crazy staff rotation. They don't care about long term members at all. No work/life balance whatsoever, you gonna be rang on your day off or you'll be expected to come in and drop all your plans. The job itself isn't bad at all, you can gain many skills like merchandising - only if their work ethic was better and they would treat employees with respect, not like another number. Store managers usually do nothing bar spending the day in the office, but they will expect everyone else to work on highest possible speed. Noone sticks to company policy either, why having it then at all? Won't even mention the hours, managers are doing average of 50h/week and not even getting paid for overtime. I would recommend it for young people as temporary job until they find something better.
ProsCompany invests in trainings eg. Customer service, first aid, forklift, departament trainings
ConsLong hours, no work life balance, pressure, unfairness, bullying
A typical day at work would start off by getting the delivery out, whilst doing this helping any customer that have any questions or issues. constantly facing off and ensuring there are no health and safety hazards at all on the shops premises(this is taken very seriously)
I learned a lot such as my limits as to how much i myself can work, and how hard, how to deal with aggressive customers, manage important top sale lines.
the hardest part of the job was defiantly night pack. i did 15+ hour shift almost every night 5-6 days a week, 5 people with 7 large aisle packed out an entire shop every night. we would arrive at 9pm every night and all the shelves would be empty, by opening we just managed to restock them.
The most enjoyable part of the job was genuinely interacting with the customers and having the craic with them and helping them out. also the staff in Smyths are usually 25 and below so its always a fun working environment.
But unfortunately not for me I found the manager quite rude very ignorant to me and always treated me second-best . He wouldn’t treat all the staff the same he would treat the permanent staff better then he would for the Christmas stu he wouldn’t treat all the staff the same he would treat the permanent staff better then he would for the Christmas staff.
When I went upstairs into the employee ease kitchen to receive a chair to bring down to the shopfloor to let an elderly lady sit down because she was on able to stand up the manager said to me where are you going with that chair I explained my reasons to him and he just said so what let her fall I was appalled I did not listen to him I brought the chair down and let the elderly lady sit down I would never work in that shop again
ProsI didn’t see anything good to put down sorry
ConsI was looking for more hours and they wouldn’t give them to me they give me three hours twice a week
My days would consist of anywhere between 10-14 hours. The main aspect of the job was customer service, that is Smyths forte. To ensure customer satisfaction. The hardest part of the job was finding the right balance between customer satisfaction and keeping the shelves packed so the customer actually had something to look at on the shelves. The closer to Christmas it got this became more and more of a battle.
As all workplaces co-workers range from honest and hard working to lazy and scrupulous. Smyths was no exception.
My managers seemed to like me and trained me on SAP and Netweaver which i know a lot of other companies use to track their stock. This i believe will stand me in good steed in the future. Christmas is over and I no longer have the option to work as many hours as i like as a result I have been reduced right down to 19 hours a week.
It was a pleasure working in Smyths Toys, I have met great professionals there and also, from my point of view their values, and policy are admirable.
* A typical day at work:
Very busy, because I have worked there for Christmas time, but, from my point of view, they had enough staff for the demand.
* What I Learned.
How to treat customers in a real high level, making sure that they were leaving the store highly satisfied.
*Management.
The management there was great, I have never had any problem that I did not get a proper support.
*Workplace Culture.
Always working in an ethical behavior, serving customers as best as we could, and also they were very worried about safety.
*The hardest part
Some days it would be very tiring because we needed to work until nearly 2am in the busiest days.
*The most Enjoyable part of the job.
Help customers and in someway contribute to their happiness, it was great.
Originally I was excited and looking forward to working in the new store, I imagined it would be fun and good experience. I was very wrong! during our training one of the managers was horrible to us and particularly picked on certain individuals whereas others could get away with doing nothing. The training took place in the Watford store, the staff there were all really friendly and helpful including the manager. the training was five days a week, 11 hours a day. That wasn't too bad, it was just the way one of our managers treated some of us that got under my skin. After we were doing the store fit for our store, six days a week, 12 hours a day. The one day off we got was spent in bed recuperating from the physical labor. Throughout the store fit we were treated awful, as if we didn't have a clue what we were doing even though we had been told about a hundred times as if we were children. We were made to do pointless tasks when the store was done for example changing the red and yellow stripping everyday for a week 'because it's dirty and/or broken'. Since the store has been opened we've been treated as children and repeatedly told the same things again and again. Constantly spoken to in a patronizing tone and as if we were beneath them, just dirt on the shoes. a few individuals were spoken to like human beings, those of which have been dubbed their 'favorites', treated fairly and even able to do stuff we couldn't. One member of management seemed to think it was acceptable t
I worked for Smyths Toys for approximately 3 months. I was paired with an experienced member of staff to teach me how to do the basics of the job but unfortunately, she was always too busy to really show me how to do things so I pretty much learned as I worked which wasn't too bad as most things were simple enough to get the hang of.
The day started with setting up the customer service desk and till to make sure we had everything we needed through the day, including labelling stock that needed to be placed on and around the desk. Before the store opened I would have to answer any telephone calls that came through. Then I would have to spend the day tidying stock around the desk, answering questions, giving directions and serving customers with their products.
A general day was never really too busy, there would be the odd rush of customers but I never really felt overly stressed. Management were usually very busy but would always try their best to be available which was good.
Once the shop was closed, we would need to 'face' the shop to make it presentable for the night staff/next day.
The most difficult part of the job initially was the aching feet! But after that it was the lack of variation in the job, as a customer service desk assistant I was not allowed to do any other jobs around the store I was only there to serve customers. I was desperate to do other things and learn new skills but the staff were just not available to show me these things. This was really frus
ProsFlexible shifts
ConsStaff too busy to mentor, lack of variety, no job security
If you walk through the doors make sure it is to buy things and not apply for a job, or you will pretty soon regret this decision.
The gen staff are great, as are select managers, but thats about as far as the good stuff to say goes.
If you are unfortunate enough to be either needed or good at your job you will have 8.45-C on your rota 4/5 days per week and have more & more jobs piled on you as a consequence.
The same is not true for the managers though.
Less jobs for them and you will likely not see 1 full day per week where they are rota’d for an open to close let alone 4 or more per week.
No consideration or care is given for your life outside of here but you are expected to care about the job in the same breath.
You will find the word “close” on rota a lot, this means you will not have a finish time and actually told you are not allowed to go until its done.
So if the store is trashed and they need to cut back on hours AND you are short staffed, you ain't going home so 1hr+ after potentially very long shifts 4 days per week.
Good luck if you have someone waiting to pick you up outside or the last bus is after a certain time, not their problem.
Point blank don't care even if you explain this.
You will not get a rota in advance so you cannot plan your own life, you will get it on a Thursday/Friday for next week and put on standby for certain days but also not paid if you are not needed despite being expected to be available.
Also if sales are quiet you will then have the ot
ProsLong lunch breaks, select managers are great.
ConsLong hours, 3 days notice on a rota, told you are not allowed to go home, standby shifts without pay.
3.0
Customer Service Representative | Suffolk | 20 Aug 2017
Not the best place to work
Firstly, the pay is ridiculous. As a hard working and experienced 19 year old I find it insulting how I get paid only £5.80 an hour in comparison to 21+ year olds getting over £7. I found myself being more hardworking that many of my older colleagues as many would love to work and chat at the same time, and thus I still cannot get my head around why the pay is so dramatically different. There were many young people in my age pay bracket who also have homes and children to pay for, much like those older than us. For doing the same job, this is very insulting. Also, a young person with lots of energy is capable of doing a much better job than older people, this is because there is a lot of moving up and down ladders and down aisles, sorting out delivery as quickly as possible, etc. meaning it was clear that the older people were being paid MORE for doing LESS work.
Secondly, the management were generally nice, yet they had tendencies of creating inappropriate conversations being held with other staff. The gap between customer service staff and managers was very clear... they'd talk rudely sometimes and even grab things from your hands without any warning.
I found myself very down and lonely most days, as most of the staff were childish, which i try to avoid. There were times of tension between certain groups and it felt a lot like high school. It was not a great place to work but some of the staff were friendly towards the end. I do not regret leaving as the hours were long a
unrealistic goals and work hours, not a very nice place to work, or people
The work/life balance is completely one sided. As a manager, we are paid a salary based on a 39 hour week, but we do well into the 50s on a regular basis and during christmas it isnt unheard of to do over 80 hours and we also have to work a minimum of 12 hour day 6 day weeks. This goes for the shop assistants as well, they never finish on time and usually work an hour after they are supposed to finish. There is even regular +16 hour shifts of which we receive no thanks for.
The safety of your job completely relies on weather or not the store manager likes you personally and as for the rota system, we don't receive the rota until sunday for the next week which leaves absolutely no room for planning anything outside work life.
This is only a review from one member of staff in one store but my personal experience is the same as everyone else in the store. The upper management are purely focused on the growth of the business rather than looking after the staff that are of value to them, therefore losing most of the in-store management. The turnover of both staff and management is by far the most frequent i've ever seen. Think long and hard about applying for a position in this company if you want a career because what I have witnessed in the past and present, there is no room for error for management who come in from other companies. The salary of which you are offered initially may attract you but the stress of the job itself and the way these stores are run will deter you soo
Prosmanagement? none
Conslong hours, unsafe mentality in regards to job security and favouritism
I worked at the Greenford branch as a Christmas temp in 2020 and I have no regrets!
A typical day would be handling cash and card payments on the till, keeping the store neat and tidy, making sure that I completed tasks set by the manager, assisting them with pricing as well as other tasks.
To be completely honest, it was very boring when there were no customers and I did struggle to stay awake at times. As well as that, there was no seating near the till so you had to stand for the whole shift, which was very tiring. But the shift was good when the right people were in work.
We had the chance to use the devices when processing online orders and dealing with click and collect orders during Lockdown which was very interesting and something that I enjoyed because it was different.
During the November lockdown, it was very boring because there were not many customers.
The store manager was excellent and super friendly with exceptional leadership skills, who had lots of empathy. The others liked to micromanage you and if they were not watching over you physically then then they would see you on the camera.
Colleagues were great and always willing to help out, giving you advice and reassuring you that everything will be fine. One of them said that we are all one team and we should not let each other down, which is something that every retailer should adopt.
I really liked the customers, the cute little kids who were excited to buy something or the parents that were buying so
ProsColleagues were amazing, the pay was good
ConsHad to work until 11pm before December lockdown, boring when there were no customers
Typical day includes; a shed load of tasks to complete, even before you clock in. I have learned how to talk down to people and not to listen to any needs of the member of staff. Management is non-existence. The workplace culture is just a toxic relationship between staff and management. The hardest part of the job includes: not allowed to have water on shop floor, asking to go toilet. But waiting for cover so you can go up. Constantly overworked & underpaid. If your shift is 12-8 your looking to leave at 9:30 on a good day. The most enjoyable part of the job is going home. Member of Staff who think they are better than everyone else. Asking everyone for availability, do they follow availability?! no they do not. Roles like Toy Experts.. should not exist. They seem to think everyone one is a robot, so calling in sick once or twice will get you a final warning. Your expected to do everything in such tight-frames. Hours not guaranteed one week your doing 25+, the following week your only on 8 hours. Part time doesn't support the needs of the business apparently. So in theory you should aim to be there every single hour of your time. Smyths claim that, you are the difference. But its them that's the real difference. Constantly managed for small small issues. No such thing as trust in this 'Business.' Managers whistle-blowing other managers for ones personal gain. NO SYMPATHY FOR MEMBERS OF STAFF who live far. Management is very much corporate, TARGETS TARGETS TARGETS. SALES SALE
Typical day includes; a shed load of tasks to complete, even before you clock in. I have learned how to talk down to people and not to listen to any needs of the member of staff. Management is non-existence. The workplace culture is just a toxic relationship between staff and management. The hardest part of the job includes: not allowed to have water on shop floor, asking to go toilet. But waiting for cover so you can go up. Constantly overworked & underpaid. If your shift is 12-8 your looking to leave at 9:30 on a good day. The most enjoyable part of the job is going home. Member of Staff who think they are better than everyone else. Asking everyone for availability, do they follow availability?! no they do not. Roles like Toy Experts.. should not exist. They seem to think everyone one is a robot, so calling in sick once or twice will get you a final warning. Your expected to do everything in such tight-frames. Hours not guaranteed one week your doing 25+, the following week your only on 8 hours. Part time doesn't support the needs of the business apparently. So in theory you should aim to be there every single hour of your time. Smyths claim that, you are the difference. But its them that's the real difference. Constantly managed for small small issues. No such thing as trust in this 'Business.' Managers whistle-blowing other managers for ones personal gain. NO SYMPATHY FOR MEMBERS OF STAFF who live far. Management is very much corporate, TARGETS TARGETS TARGETS. SALES SALE
A typical day at work is very draining and boring, there is never much to do apart from walk around especially when it isn't busy, however when the shop is busy there is loads of tidying to do and it does make the day go quicker. I learned quite a bit at Smyths, how to use the tills, how to use the gun and printers, however the down side of learning there is you have to learn mostly everything yourself, there isn't much training from management. Management can be helpful but mostly don't help you when you need them and you can be left a while until helped by a member of management. personally i felt looked down on by certain members of management and felt like i always did something wrong when attending my shift. They weren't very friendly and didn't really interact, you had to be a favourite to be liked and spoken to by management, they mainly look on the mistakes you make instead of the achievements. working with staff is great but you always have to be careful because management don't like members of staff working together unless asked to. Throughout your time there you learn which staff you can trust and who you can't, its a very immature place to work, nearly everyday is like being in a school play ground, personally best thing to do is keep yourself to yourself. certain staff members have no respect towards you, they speak to you like rubbish and make you do everything, very lazy and very rude. The hardest part of the job is dealing with certain staff members and dealin
Prosweekly pay
Conslong hours, short breaks, rubbish pay, rude staff
A typical day consists of being put on the till for 9+ hours and thats it. Before hand they tell you how to act, what to say and how to say it. You arent allowed to say certain words like 'sorry' because they are somehow 'offensive' to customers. This is all to impress ONE mystery shopper. Its all they care really care about.
I learned the tills, thats it and most of that was on my own with no help whatsoever. Once they can just leave you on there, you'll never see management again. Other than that, theres nothing I would ever take into another retail job as their way of doing things is only to impress one particular person and its very basic, monotone and dead.
Management are very often clueless, dismissive and arent at all bothered. They all have the wrong attitude towards what it actually means to run a shop, they put a lot of pressure on supervisors and 'section experts' who basically run the shop for them while they are no where to be found for hours at a time. They look very untidy and unprofessional also. Some had scruffy hair, no tie and just a creased shirt which looked liked something from a charity shop.
On your first day you are given what feels like a trial run on shop floor and then on tills. If you get put on tills, then good luck to you because youll be stood there bored out of your mind for hours on end. If you get shop floor, you just stand there all day talking and not doing much work. Thats literally it, the managers are never around and most of
ProsMcDonalds is right next door.
ConsEVERYTHING.
Questions and answers about Smyths Toys
What benefits does Smyths Toys offer?
Asked 31 May 2019
10 percent discount
Answered 18 May 2023
Working for over a year provides a me2u gift card with an extra wee'ks wages
Answered 12 Mar 2023
How would you describe the pace of work at Smyths Toys?
Asked 13 Mar 2019
Constantly busy
Answered 23 Feb 2022
It is a fast paced environment
Answered 17 Feb 2021
What should you wear to an interview at Smyths Toys?
Asked 19 Oct 2017
I am from so i prefer suit
Answered 19 Oct 2020
Suit and tie
Answered 9 May 2019
How long do you have to work at Smyths Toys before you can go on maternity leave?
Asked 15 Jan 2023
No maternity leave
Answered 11 May 2023
3 months
Answered 7 Apr 2023
What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
Asked 9 May 2019
Customers, no lifestyle
Answered 28 Apr 2021
Management they talk to you like your nothing
They do not value you your just a pair of hands shocking treatment in 2020
I felt sick everyday going to work knowing i was going to yell at
