Pros
-----Gain Knowledge----- Great amount of retail and customer service knowledge can be gained from this position. With that knowledge, one could gain a far superior job after a year of enduring the FEL position. -----Gain Experience----- Leadership and management skills and attributes can be gained from the direct immersion into a micro role of several different types of leadership ranging from Operations, to Customer Service handling. A strong observation of team performance as far as metrics, work attitude, and work flow are gained in this position. -----Self Empowerment----- An individual desiring to gain managerial experience will benefit from this role by being given the chance to make decisions, and practice company operations that will affect the growth of his/her team. -----Going Further----- Job position is a great stepping stone to better elsewhere.
Cons
-----DISCLAIMER----- Before I continue, I will state the biggest con first pertaining to this position which is that the "Front End Lead" position does not exactly exist. It is a position summoned at time of need by upper management to tend to the higher frequency periods of the store's performance. To gain better understanding of what this job yields is a blend between a Customer Service Representative(Cashier) and Front End Supervisor. The pay is based of of being a cashier. -----Low Pay for Managerial Duties---- The pay is absolutely horrendous. Comparable to being an intern who is lucky to even get paid. There are other positions in retail away from this company but in the same field which will offer 50% more salary for an entry level position below the skill level of Micro Electronics' "Front End Lead" position. -----Poor Scheduling----- Scheduling is handled only a week in advance throughout the whole store, so planning in advance is hard to achieve which can also affect medical types of absences. Luckily, the attendance system of the company can be lenient depending on the type of absence but, an employee should not have to endure such a hardship just to schedule certain events in advance. -----No Employee development/Low Morale----- The job hardly provides development of any sort. It's hard to get scheduled feedback on your performance and have any sort of critique which could improve the company's teams. Annual reviews are scheduled but hardly ever materialized during my time working there. Due to the incredible lack of employee development other than the company wide "retail online training", morale suffers heavily which also affects the work value providing lower than expected metrics. -----Poor Communication----- I'm not sure if this is a company wide issue but one of the biggest cons with Micro Electronics of Fairfax (Microcenter) is the divisions between the departments in the store. The store is divided by iron walls between the departments and ruled by unnecessary amounts of bureaucracy. Seperated into Operations(Front End and Technical Support), General Sales(Accessories, and Gaming) Communications(Computer parts for Building Your Own), and Systems(Whole Computer Unit Sales). Each of these department devisions run by their own sets of operations, rules, and measurements which conflict all of themselves. As a micro member of management in Operations, having to deal with the ordeals at the front can be hard at times due to miscommunication between department managers, fighting between sales reps over sales credits, and the horrendous experiences of trying to achieve solutions with the Store General Manager who mainly just oversees the Systems department due to that department providing most of the company's profits. -----Job Security--- The company's outlook is very dim. Once an impeccable mecca for technology purchasing, the company has seen many changes to it's procedures and offerings to customers which will cause it's downfall. For someone who seeks job security in a retail position, this an establishment I would warn to stay away from. After my departure from the company, I figured, retail is still my calling for now at least, but I conducted several reverse interviews with potential employers in the same category as Micro Electronics. The store has become a black sheep amongst the area for buyers for the environment's apparent commission system, noticeable low employee morale, and lack of true computer set ups, and shady computer service "repair" plans. The company unexpectedly closed down their Santa Clara location in early 2012, then opened about 4 more new stores but are suffering from the unforeseen POST PC Era. Now only catering the most to a Niche community and diehard fans, affected by the restructuring of Best Buy, and with literally 3 stores within the DC area, I don't know how I feel about all 3 lasting for much longer if no changes are made. It's never too late to make necessary changes in retail, especially for Micro Electronics you at least still have a foundation with those NICHE markets and 30-50 year old demographic. From what I know, maybe if the company resurrected some of its practices during it's genesis it could be even better because we all do know, they did work. Maybe a bit on the expensive side to bring it back but at least it's worth it for the long run health of the company.
