What did a trainee do, in a Catalog
Sales Office, CSO? Sweep the sidewalks,
in front, received freight from orders.
An archaic way to do business prior to
computers. Orders sent to the CMDC,
for filling. Shipments received, every
morning, except Saturday. We were
closed on Sunday.
Learning about credit. No credit cards yet.
Credit was maintained at each CSO.
If you didn't want credit, orders could be
made through Cash Sales or via Collect on
Delivery, COD. Merchandise returns could be
made at the CSO. Sears had Standard Operating
Procedures, or SOP. It provided a step by step
way to do everything. It became the bible for
me at Sears and all future jobs I had with other
organizations, at Advanced Technology Laboratories,
King County Medical, now Regence Blue Shield, or
KCMBS, my last place of employment.
I must explain about the bible. It served as a basis of
writing or understanding operational procedures. The only
differences were the "Buzzwords", unique to each business.
The format worked for everything.
I learned to read Profit and Loss statements, P&L's, Balance
Sheets, Budgeting, Inventory Control, Credit Essentials,
Freight Shipments and dealing with employees, which served
me well later in life at other organizations.
(to be continued)
