Garden Centre Retail Associate

Garden Centre Retail Associates work in a fast-paced environment that involves constant interaction with customers. Our goal is to deliver friendly and courteous service while explaining features and benefits of lawn and garden products. This role also involves garden centre maintenance: watering, cleaning, and caring for annuals, perennials and nursery stock, stocking shelves, merchandising, customer carry outs and general housekeeping.

**Responsibilities and Tasks**:
Customer Service Expectations:

- Provide excellent customer service to all customers entering the garden centre.
- Educate customers in the care and maintenance of annuals, perennials, nursery stock and related products.
- Greet customers by smiling and making eye contact.
- Guide customers to the location of requested items. Locates products in the warehouse.
- Answer questions and provide friendly advice and services to customers.
- Suggest value-added and related products to customers to ensure they go home with what they need.
- Answer phone calls.
- Respond to and handle customer inquiries, requests and concerns in a timely manner, over the phone and in person.
- Handle multiple customers in an effective and efficient manner.
- Deal with challenging situations in a professional manner.
- Learn about new products on a regular basis.
- Keep up to date with in-store promotions, in-store deals and product locations.

Operations:

- Ensure that retail basics tasks are executed efficiently (e.g., stocking, labels, facing, etc.).
- Work their assigned sections to understand what needs to be accomplished on a daily basis.
- Maintain inventory accuracy and identify/report low stock levels.
- Maintain and rotate annuals, perennials and nursery stock to ensure they are fresh and appealing.
- Keep the garden centre neat and tidy.
- Advise management of slow and fast moving products.
- Ensure that all merchandise to be purchased is rung through the cash register.
- Organising and completing all carry-out purchases.
- Report stolen and damaged goods to Management.
- Play an active role in the Garden Centre team by openly sharing opinions and ideas on how to improve department success, and by participating in meetings and all training as required.
- Engage in learning activities and listen to feedback to improve their own abilities.
- Comply with company, store, and Garden Centre policies.
- Abide by all health and safety programs and regulations. Reports any observed or potential hazards immediately.
- Use professional language and maintain a professional appearance (uniform, hygiene and grooming) when interacting with others.
- Complete other tasks, as required.

**Requirements**:

- Drivers licence
- Basic math and english skills
- Experience in the industry is considered an asset.
- Experience in a horticultural customer service role and/or in a customer service role is considered an asset.
- Love of gardening and experience gardening is considered an asset
- Ability to complete detail-oriented retail tasks according to instructions and to demonstrate responsibility for outcomes.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced team environment that provides assistance and support to co-workers to achieve common goals.
- Ability to multitask, adapt and cope with challenging situations.
- Positive attitude, punctuality and solid work ethic

Physical Demands and Working Conditions
- Standing/walking for 8 hours.
- Lifting and/or carrying of merchandise items, as required, on a regular, frequent and unassisted basis. Merchandise items may vary in weight from “light” to “heavy”.
- Lifting and turning repeatedly throughout the shift. Lifting above the shoulder, from floor to shoulder and floor to waist.
- Walking and carrying at the same time and pushing/pulling, as required.
- Twisting, turning, reaching and working above shoulder level.
- Ability to work in the heat.
- No fear of bugs, bees, & spiders.

**Job Types**: Full-time, Part-time, Seasonal
Part-time hours: 20-40 per week

**Salary**: From $14.15 per hour

**Benefits**:

- Flexible schedule
- On-site parking

Flexible Language Requirement:

- French not required

Schedule:

- 8 hour shift
- Day shift
- Evening shift
- Morning shift
- Weekend availability

Ability to commute/relocate:

- Ile Des Chenes, MB: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (required)

Work Location: In person