I've been a kitchen designer for almost a year now, our store has 2 designers. Yet my old department still has 1-2 people moaning that I don't help them enough. I have only 20-25 hours a week to do all my design work, and follow up with customers (which includes follow ups from measures I set up from that other department). Our store has not been particularly busy, either. So why they need my help doesn't actually make sense to me, other than some people don't want to do their jobs or not enough people hired.

Our store is arranged terribly so I am bombarded as the first person customers see for my old department. I have expressed grievances about this and was just told to "manage your time better." How can I manage the influx of customers constantly interrupting me? I know they "come first" but I the other department's terrible scheduling / coverage / disappearing associates should not be my problem. I should be the BACKUP help, not with my desk RIGHT next to their products. Barely anyone seems to comprehend how much work kitchen design is.

How often are you expected to work in other departments? How often does it cause you to stay late or delay your follow up with a kitchen customer?

Paywise --- I live in one of the most expensive cities in the US and am paid only $3 more than minimum wage to be a kitchen designer. I see Harbor Freight is now paying just .50 cents less an hour than what I make in my city, for their new Retail Stocking Associates. I feel idddiotic for taking on this extra responsibility and work for incredibly uncompetitive pay, all while being resented/unappreciated etc. because my old department still expects me to be available at their beck and call.

How many dollars per hour do you make than your local minimum wage as a kitchen designer?

Why "invest" all this training in me, and then pay so little + while also interfering with my ability to do my job? No wonder there is such a high turnover rate for designers. I don't think I will make it through 2021 with HD.