Customer team member Review

My job role as a customer team member at the coop involves me being a key part of the running of the shop on a day to day basis. I serve customers on the till, put stock onto the shelves aswell as checking the dates on our fresh produce each day to ensure we meet legal requirements.

I have learnt many new skills whilst working for the co op. One of these skills is customer service and how to deal with different people on day to day basis, I have learnt that although equality is important some customers need more attentive help and care than others and catering to different needs is a big part of the job.

I struggled at the beginning of the program because there was not much support from the course provider which caused me to lose interest in the apprenticeship early on. However with the help of my manager and other staff within the workplace I managed to get back on track and now quite enjoy the course.

The programme isn’t very well organised and it can be hard to get in touch with the course provider if I have any questions or problems. The software they use for assignments is complicated and hard to navigate also. I feel COVID has impacted upon this a fair amount and look forward to seeing how this can improve.

At the beginning of my apprenticeship I did not receive much support or help from the Co op as a business, however my store manager was committed to helping me get through the course and when she left my new manager has also been very supportive and encourages me to ask questions and learn from him.

I have received no real support from my training provider towards my qualifications so far and feel this has been due to a major lack of communication. I rarely receive emails from my tutor and struggle to get in touch with them when I have any queries about my work.

I’ve definitely become better at my role since starting the apprenticeship because it has given me a deeper understanding of what goes into running the business as a whole and how important my part is in doing so. I now know exactly how what I do impacts the company and know what needs to be done to progress.

There are not that many activities to get involved in at the moment as COVID has restricted most events but we still hold a lot of charity fundraising raffles and we have hosted events such as sports day’s between the different co ops in our area in the past.

Yes

It is a good business to be a part of in my opinion as huge strides have been made in the past couple of years to improve the relationship between the staff and the business itself. There are many great benefits like discounts and online events and the wage is competitive and fair.

I would tell anyone applying to the coop that it is a great place to work but you need to have the right mindset. You need to be committed to helping people both in store and as a team of staff. It can be difficult at times but as long as you have the right attitude you’ll do well.