Retirement didn't suit Roland Eck.
The Fargo man had spent his career in retail. He bagged groceries as a teenager. For 23 years, he managed stores for Kmart. He spent more than four years as a Walmart associate.
Six months after he retired, he applied to work at Fargo's new Walmart at 3737 55th Ave. S.
"I wanted to do something just for time sake. I quickly realized after working for 50 years that I just couldn't give up that routine," Eck said.
The only job available was that of people greeter. "It couldn't have turned out better because I really love it," he said.
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Eck, 62, works from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. four days during the week plus a four-hour Sunday shift. He's been in the job for about three months. He credits good co-workers and managers for making his job enjoyable.
"At my stage in life, that's probably the most important thing there is," he said. "For the first time in my life, I work because I want to, not because I have to. That's a wonderful feeling."
What does being a people greeter entail?
I think that a people greeter, if we do the job the way we're supposed to do it, we can positively affect our customers' shopping experience. I try very, very hard to enthusiastically greet every person when they come in the door and sincerely thank them when they leave.
The reason I think it's important is because in a store like this, many times people greeters and cashiers are the only people that have any interaction with our customer. If it's not a positive experience for that customer, I think we failed as a retailer.
What do you like about your job?
I'm a people person by nature, so I like to be around people, and I like to feel like I've added to the store's attractiveness, if you will, to new customers when they come in the store.
I like to greet people. I like to talk to them. I like to make them feel comfortable. I like to feel like I've added something to the store.
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What's your least favorite part?
Sometimes when it's slow, the time goes kind of slow.
What part of the job do people not understand?
I think that a lot people, with all due respect, look at the job that we do as maybe anybody can do it or it's not that important. I disagree.
I think if we give our heart to the job and do it the way I feel it's supposed to be done, it's not really a job everybody can do. I think you need to be pretty outgoing and people oriented.
You greet so many different people each day. Which interactions are memorable?
I like to talk to all people, and I like to talk to their children because I'm a grandfather myself. I like to talk to the children, and I think that makes the customers feel good when I do that, as well. I really, really like to talk to military veterans, especially Vietnam veterans because I come from that era, although I wasn't in the military. I try very hard to show them how much I appreciate what they did. ... You can learn a lot from anybody you talk to if you just listen to them.
To submit an idea for "It's My Job," e-mail businessnews@forumcomm.com .
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Readers can reach Forum reporter Sherri Richards at (701) 241-5556
