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Gift Shop Management (from Auxiliary to DVS)

  • Friday, August 20, 2010 1:35 PM
    Message # 406163
    Deleted user
    Have any of you had experience transitioning the management of your Gift Shop from the Auxiliary to the Director of Volunteer Services?  If so, I would like to know how you made this transition (positives, negatives, anything to avoid).
  • Monday, August 23, 2010 11:34 AM
    Reply # 407160 on 406163
    We transitioned about 5 years ago to a paid gift shop manager.  It was actually a welcomed transition because the volunteer that had done it for years had died and another took over by default and then her husband died and she didn't want the responsibility any more.  None of the other volunteers wanted the responsibility either, so we were very fortunate!  I wish you the best, many of these circumstances are very touchy!
  • Monday, August 23, 2010 2:40 PM
    Reply # 407289 on 406163
    Deleted user
    I did not have this exact situation.  Several years ago our gift shop was overseen by the DVS, had a part time manager, and was staffed by volunteers during the weekdays and paid staff on nights and weekends.  We then reached a point that it either had to be all volunteer or all paid.  We took this to the volunteers and gave them the option to take it over or we would outsource it.  They did not feel like they wanted to staff it on nights and weekends, but they were not at all happy about the decision to outsource.  We found this transition to be quite difficult for the volunteers...about 10 of our volunteers quit and there was a lot of negative energy for a while.  I wish you luck!
  • Monday, August 23, 2010 2:51 PM
    Reply # 407294 on 406163
    We have a paid manager for the gift shop and she reports to me.  The proceeds from the shop are part of the Auxiliary fundraising and both she and I sit on the Auxiliary board.  It is very strange as I do not report to that board, but to the VP of HR.  The Auxiliary falls under the Foundation Offices.  It works well, but I could see where there would be problems if the manager had a different personality.  She manages the volunteers who cover all shifts (evenings and weekends as well) and is a great liaison between the hospital and Auxiliary, always promoting both.
  • Tuesday, August 24, 2010 8:17 AM
    Reply # 407656 on 406163
    Deleted user

    Our Gift Shop has it's own cost center and is managed by a Gift Shop Manager, who reports to me.  All money is run through the hospital finance department and a check of the proceeds is written to the Auxiliary each month. 

  • Tuesday, August 24, 2010 9:40 AM
    Reply # 407692 on 406163
    Deleted user

    Good morning, our gift shop, The Front Door, is owned solely by the hospital Auxiliary.  It is their primary fundraiser and all profits go back to the hospital to benefit patient care.  We have two full time and two part time employees and many volunteers who work in the shop.  Since 2001, the Auxiliary and the shop employees report to the Dir. of Volunteers and Retail Services (me).  That does not mean, however, that the Auxiliary has no say.  The Auxiliary is part of our team and I support them 150%!  I am a non-voting member on their board and one of the two buyers for the shop.  It was a somewhat difficult transition but we all got through it without any casualties.  Since 2001 the sales in the shop, with an experienced shop manager, have tripled.  There are ways to work it all out without resorting to outsourcing.   The auxiliary/volunteer-only gift shop management paradigm, in most cases, no longer works.  The face of hospital gift shops is changing and we need to stop doing things the way they were done twenty years ago.

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