Minimum Wage Increase Doesn't Help Minimum Wage Workers

Raising minimum wage to $15 an hour is bad for the economy,  business AND minimum wage workers. 

Most employers pay what they can afford while they struggle to keep the lights on. The higher minimum will require either schedule cutbacks, layoffs or higher prices IF the business doesn't close.  This will have the $15 an hour worker NOT making ends meet at a higher salary...AND...they and their employer WILL be paying additional income and assorted payroll taxes on the higher wage.

Also, the reduced staff will reduce customer service while increasing the burden for the remaining workers. 

The business owner will also lose good workers who were already paid $15 an hour because they will want the same un-affordable % increase.
The simple answer is that NJ should LOWER TAXES & TRAIN lower wage workers to earn more because they will then be worth more.  This helps with a 'hand up' to all New Jersey residents not a 'hand out' that won't help.

So, we've created a petition to tell Governor Murphy to get it right for NJ workers: Sign this petition if you agree that to earn more,  an employee needs to be worth more. Tell NJ to lower property, sales, gas & income taxes AND provide training grants that require minimum wage workers improve their skills before they earn a raise to $15 per hour. 

Find the petition here 

Don't Blame The Internet

At a local shop, I asked for a price of an item. There were two on the shelf with no price.

FOUR sales personnel were chatting with each other at the desk. They looked at each other and finally decided the item should go into storage because they had no price, no one to ask, no customerservice system.

I left the store and found the item in 20 seconds online.

Do not blame the internet for the empty stores you see in your neighborhood.

TRAIN YOUR STAFF!  ....and why did this store need more staff then registers or customers anyway?

SECRET SHOP YOUR STORE: If you can't afford a service, ask a friend.

Give a friend a gift from your store or a local restaurant and ask them to check a list of what's important. Here's a list to get you started:
1. Was the sales area neat?
2. What were the staff doing?
3. Did anyone greet you?
4. Did anyone offer to help you?
5. Did you feel welcome?
6. Did the staff talk to you during your visit?
7. Did anyone make suggestions during your visit?

Use the results to train your staff and reward them for increased sales that result from their efforts.

The fact that someone enters your store is huge! Your staff needs to understand that it is a privilege to serve your customers. 

They need to be reminded, often, how return customers make a difference to the success of the store and their job.

If someone shops local,  they enjoy building a relationship with you and like to know they matter. Make them feel that way and you won't need to fear the internet.
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Need customer service training in Northern NJ? We'll shop your store and tailor a class just for you. CALL-ISG www.callisg.com