Pros
Ulta has an excellent idea of what they want to accomplish. Unfortunately, it's extremely difficult to fulfill what the corporation wants out of you. Some days I leave feeling like I have an awesome job or a really great shift and others I feel like I'm working in a Nike sweatshop. If the company took a moment to understand how retail as a whole works, they would succeed.
Cons
This has got to be the most difficult customer I have ever encountered. The guests want their hands held through 6 dollar purchases and won't spend a dime over 10 dollars to get their 3.50 off coupon. Which is why I find it humorous that they can't believe there are 50 employees on the sales floor. I've never worked in a place that felt so little like a team. Staying late is frowned upon when you are trying to clean up the disgusting mess of a store. The salon is absolutely filthy and to be honest if state board came to visit, we would be shut down. I could write an essay on how cutting hours hurts you as a retailer, but it happens everywhere. But there are massive tasks required of you and if audited, your store will fail. Customer service seems to be their new focus but I wouldn't say we really give that. It's hard to pass your smile test when you're constantly told you're not doing your job right. I think there is a lot expected out of each employee which again, this is retail. It's not for everyone. I spent my first 2 weeks of being a manager crying in the back because of how little I knew and how upset customers would get with me. Honestly I would love to see any corporate employee work a week in one of these stores with the hours they expect us to run on. My job at Ulta reminds me of that movie Up in the air with George Clooney where you can brig someone in the break down the numbers of how things can work and be possible, but no one understands what you go through working 8.5 hours basically having to beg for your break or even the legally allotted 15 min break in the state of California. My "good days" are the ones that I am not chewed out by a guest and even on the days I feel good about my job I'm reminded of what I'm doing wrong. Maybe I am just too customer service oriented to work in a company who really doesn't want you to give that.