Lol. Doormen getting in trouble (Chicago, Kankakee: median income, maintenance, live)

[HBS2015]

Originally Posted by Dreadnought

What are you interviewing all the "typical" Chicago blonde, tanned, busty women and the poor black doormen that are obviously from the south side in your high-rise?

Whole story sounds like BS to me.

I talk a lot with the doormen; they're pretty friendly so we talked about sports and more personal stuff. Yes, they're all from the south side.

Well, as for the "typical" Chicago look i'm obviously overgeneralizing here, but i used to live in the east coast, where that look is a lot less prevalent. It's probably due to the german/scandinavian roots of many midwesterners.

[rparz]

Originally Posted by emathias

Doormen in luxury buildings who do a good job often earn over $50,000/yr. And if they maintain a good rapport with the tenants, it can be more.

50k in Chicago is a joke. (and this is just speculation) Maybe not for a single person fresh out of school, but for an older person with kids and a wife, that's nothing. Especially if you have to transport yourself DOWNTOWN, provide and maintain your own uniform....It adds up. Toss in the fact they probably don't have health care------

Know what South Siders gave me PHENOMENAL service in the service industry? The bathroom attendants at nightclubs. (Crobar, Spybar, Rive, take your pick) Those guys went above and beyond the call of duty. Their tip jars reflected it. I also have a very high suspicion those guys were raking in more than 50k a year tax free, and their level of effort reflected it.

For what you're paying, it's no wonder they didn't much care. How come there aren't many other HIGHLY QUALIFIED candidates lined up around the block to take their place?

I'm just saying -- if it was a great job that payed well, people would mind their P's and Q's not to screw it up. Maybe one or two bad apples, but definitely not a systematic revolving door of help.

[nearnorth]

Originally Posted by rparz

50k in Chicago is a joke.

The median income for an entire household in Chicago is $43K. $50K is not "a joke."

[Dreadnought]

Originally Posted by HBS2015

I talk a lot with the doormen; they're pretty friendly so we talked about sports and more personal stuff. Yes, they're all from the south side.

Well, as for the "typical" Chicago look i'm obviously overgeneralizing here, but i used to live in the east coast, where that look is a lot less prevalent. It's probably due to the german/scandinavian roots of many midwesterners.

Sorry to break your balls. I was in a pissy mood this afternoon.

[rparz]

Originally Posted by nearnorth

The median income for an entire household in Chicago is $43K. $50K is not "a joke."

It's 44k for the whole country and 47k for the city.

Like I said, if it was such a great paying job, there'd be people that are highly qualified beating the door down to take the position.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by rparz

50k in Chicago is a joke. (and this is just speculation) Maybe not for a single person fresh out of school, but for an older person with kids and a wife, that's nothing. Especially if you have to transport yourself DOWNTOWN, provide and maintain your own uniform....It adds up. Toss in the fact they probably don't have health care------

Know what South Siders gave me PHENOMENAL service in the service industry? The bathroom attendants at nightclubs. (Crobar, Spybar, Rive, take your pick) Those guys went above and beyond the call of duty. Their tip jars reflected it. I also have a very high suspicion those guys were raking in more than 50k a year tax free, and their level of effort reflected it.

For what you're paying, it's no wonder they didn't much care. How come there aren't many other HIGHLY QUALIFIED candidates lined up around the block to take their place?

I'm just saying -- if it was a great job that payed well, people would mind their P's and Q's not to screw it up. Maybe one or two bad apples, but definitely not a systematic revolving door of help.

50 K is not a joke to anyone, anywhere, in today's economic climate.

An earlier post used the expression "professional doorman", and now we have "highly-qualified" candidates--all to just open a door?? I think all you need is a pulse, and a funtioning right hand.

I didn't grow up in a big city--far from it. I also didn't habitually frequent nightclubs when I was in that age demographic, but when I did, I encountered this strange domain of doormen and bathroom attendants. And they never failed, despite their good intentions, to really get on my nerves. Suddenly, it became a race to turn on the water faucet, or competition to find a cab as he whistled for one, and I didn't know that I had to compete for these things. Once a "washroom waiter" beat me to the cold -water faucet by seconds...but I wasn't even "trying"--I didn't really think that I HAD to. Then, as I was about to reach for a paper towel out of the dispenser, the attendant darted in front of it, and handed me a couple towels. It just struck me as being really pathetic.

I'm not an invalid, and I'm not helpless. I can carry my own bags, get my own cab ( or just walk), open my own doors, and turn on my own water faucets. I don't need people handing me paper towels, and I don't need to have someone breathing for me, either. It's not about the money, and I have nothing against "tipping jars" either. It's just the utter ridiculousness of it all.

BTW, it's "PAID",not "payed".

I forgot to add: "GET OFF MY LAWN!!"

[chet everett]

Doormen are more about convenience / secuirty than actually opening doors -- in a building without such an attendant it is relatively easy for folks to find a way into the building / up to your apartment. If you have packages delivered while you are at work / away from home a professional doormen will sign for these and save you the time / hassle of worrying about re-delivery or loss / theft.

Washroom attendants are a whole other story...

[rparz]

Originally Posted by MassVt

50 K is not a joke to anyone, anywhere, in today's economic climate.

Currently we're just speculating that they are making $25/hr. I'd guess it's closer to 8-12 an hour, otherwise you'd have more Logan Square hipsters looking to quit their job waiting tables in droves to get this gig. Who'd want to work in retail when you could just open a door every five minutes for the same pay? Seriously, maybe in small town America that's good money, but in the middle of downtown Chicago, that will barely pay for parking and lunch.

An earlier post used the expression "professional doorman", and now we have "highly-qualified" candidates--all to just open a door?? I think all you need is a pulse, and a funtioning right hand.

Apparently, people are expecting a certain standard of conduct of these guys. It's a friggin' part-time job with no opportunity for advancement. And then, people are appalled when they expect 5-star service and don't get it. Honestly, I wouldn't take the job that seriously either. If it is true they've fired 'multiple' guys in short order, it's clear that management isn't taking these guys all that serious either.

It's really simple. If your business is the service industry, the face of your business is the employees. None of the tenants know who the CEO of whatever private investment trust own and manage the building. They know who the door man and maintence guys are by name though. As the upper management, it's their job to ensure they are motivating these front line workers to embody the values and standards of the company. And, why wouldn't these guys be inclined to do so as well? Probably because they aren't paid very well. As indicated by multiple complaints in short time. Why do you think these guys don't feel the need to adhere to basic standards, let alone go over and above as you'd like most employees to?

I didn't grow up in a big city--far from it. I also didn't habitually frequent nightclubs when I was in that age demographic, but when I did, I encountered this strange domain of doormen and bathroom attendants. And they never failed, despite their good intentions, to really get on my nerves. Suddenly, it became a race to turn on the water faucet, or competition to find a cab as he whistled for one, and I didn't know that I had to compete for these things. Once a "washroom waiter" beat me to the cold -water faucet by seconds...but I wasn't even "trying"--I didn't really think that I HAD to. Then, as I was about to reach for a paper towel out of the dispenser, the attendant darted in front of it, and handed me a couple towels. It just struck me as being really pathetic.

I'm not an invalid, and I'm not helpless. I can carry my own bags, get my own cab ( or just walk), open my own doors, and turn on my own water faucets. I don't need people handing me paper towels, and I don't need to have someone breathing for me, either. It's not about the money, and I have nothing against "tipping jars" either. It's just the utter ridiculousness of it all.

You do realize these guys were just doing their job, right? The owner of the establishment you were patronizing wanted to offer a more upscale experience and made a conscious effort to have guys there to open the doors and work the restroom. Sounds like when they 'beat you to it' they were doing a pretty good job.
Why would this make you upset or annoyed? No one makes you give the guy a tip. Obviously you don't like the expectations of tipping people in the city.

If you want to be cheap, stay home in the suburbs.

BTW, it's "PAID",not "payed".

Oh, you got me.

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by chet everett

Doormen are more about convenience / secuirty than actually opening doors -- in a building without such an attendant it is relatively easy for folks to find a way into the building / up to your apartment. If you have packages delivered while you are at work / away from home a professional doormen will sign for these and save you the time / hassle of worrying about re-delivery or loss / theft.

Washroom attendants are a whole other story...

Calling someone a "professional doorman" is as silly as referring to myself as a "professional can-opener", or a "professional toilet-bowel flusher". Well, perhaps not the latter---that will be the washroom attendant's next duty, once he has passed the vigorous program at the College of Bathroom Attendance, and taken the Sacred Oath of the Toilet Cleansor, because only then can he be called a true "professional"...

[MassVt]

Originally Posted by rparz

Currently we're just speculating that they are making $25/hr. I'd guess it's closer to 8-12 an hour, otherwise you'd have more Logan Square hipsters looking to quit their job waiting tables in droves to get this gig. Who'd want to work in retail when you could just open a door every five minutes for the same pay? Seriously, maybe in small town America that's good money, but in the middle of downtown Chicago, that will barely pay for parking and lunch.


Apparently, people are expecting a certain standard of conduct of these guys. It's a friggin' part-time job with no opportunity for advancement. And then, people are appalled when they expect 5-star service and don't get it. Honestly, I wouldn't take the job that seriously either. If it is true they've fired 'multiple' guys in short order, it's clear that management isn't taking these guys all that serious either.



You do realize these guys were just doing their job, right? The owner of the establishment you were patronizing wanted to offer a more upscale experience and made a conscious effort to have guys there to open the doors and work the restroom. Sounds like when they 'beat you to it' they were doing a pretty good job.
Why would this make you upset or annoyed? No one makes you give the guy a tip. Obviously you don't like the expectations of tipping people in the city.

If you want to be cheap, stay home in the suburbs.


Oh, you got me.

I'll tip pretty well for waitresses, barbers ( sorry, "hair stylists"), cabbies, etc, and I'll leave money in tipping jars, but I don't think that turning on a water faucet really merits a tip, especially when he made it into a "contest"..

I also don't care about an "upscale" bathroom experience.