Volunteer Area
VOLUNTEERS HANDBOOK – REVISED June 2010
How to Do Things at Small Things – written for my kids, but useful to all.
A. Before you leave the house
1. Make sure you have a store key. In case you forget, Kim has one at Total Nursing Care and Sara at Skooby Doo does too.
B. Start up at the store
2. The key works in both locks. Sometimes both locks need to be opened. Sometimes just the one.
3. Put out the A frame sign at the front of the mall. Need to be careful it’s not too close to the road.
4. Turn on the lights – the light switch near the door, and the top lamp at my desk. The black light stays on always.
5. No cash on site – talk to Jan.
6. Nice background music is a plus…
7. Refresh kitties’ water and food.
8. Scoop the box. There are white bags under the sink. Empty the garbage. You can put the yucky bag into the dumpster.
9. Air out by opening bathroom window and screen door. I keep both fans on always in the summer. If you change to “air conditioning”, shut door and windows. In the winter, you can turn up the heat – front heater only - but slowly. It can get really hot.
10. There is now Keurig coffee and it makes hot water for tea too!
11. Milk is the condensed milk in the fridge.
12. There should be sweets of some kind available.
13. Put the FREE BOOKS cart out under the plant, to the right of the window (facing the store.)
C. When a Customer comes in, you can use this “script.”
Say “Hello! I’m _____! Have you been to Small Things before?”
If they say, “yes” – then just tell them that if you can be of any help, you’ll be happy to do so.
If they say “no” – then give the mini tour.
Small Things has arts, books, crafts and delights. Everything is locally made. Oh yes, and cats for adoption from the Sudbury shelter.
- The arts are hanging on the wall
- The crafts are in the book cases – please feel free to open.
- The new books are _______>.
You get 20% off new books in keeping with Chapters.
- The used books are_______>. They are normally $4.
- Free books are _______>.
Delights include coffee, fudge, jam, etc.
Tell them to make themselves at home – offer a taste of a sweet and a coffee or lemonade..
D. Other Things
1. There is a book to leave notes for me.
2. You can phone me at 675-1151 #3217 or 522-5126 if you have questions. I may not be able to answer right away – but I’ll call you back.
3. Used book buying happens when I’m in the store. They can leave their books and their contact info. I will review on Saturday. (Or try to.) It’s $1 per book for books I can sell, paid in book bucks. We only take recent books ie 2000 and later.
4. Artists and crafts are welcome to leave a sample of their work and their contact info. I’ll take a look at it. They get 70% of price they assign, the store gets 30%. We only take items with a domestic pet or wildlife theme. CATS are preferred. Prices should be $50 or less.
E. Paying for Things
1. Customers can pay by cash or cheque or can be invoiced.
2. Cheques are made out to Jan Steven – NOT Small Things.
- Arts and Crafts – 5% GST and 8% PST
- New Books – 5% GST only
- Used Books – no tax (in price already)
- Coffee, jam – no tax.
- Fudge – both taxes.
3. Explain to the customer how you arrived at the figures. Offer a bag. (LHS, bottom drawer.)
4. We have gift bags (free) and gift baskets.
F. Closing up
At 4:45 (or 3:45 on Sundays)
1. Bring in the FREE BOOK cart if it’s going to rain.
2. Bring the sign in.
3. Check kitties’ litter box and food/water dish.
4. Leave on radio or music and white light, but turn out the others.
5. Check to see the bathroom window is closed and locked.
6. Change “air” to fan. In winter, turn the heat down if you have turned it up. It gets very hot in here.
7. No cash on site. Talk to Jan.
8. LOCK THE DOOR!