Miya Snell of Crawford may enjoy her summer job more than most students. The University of Alabama sophomore is spending her third consecutive summer working for Sweet Peppers Deli in Columbus and said her job has only gotten easier and more fun as the summers pass.
“It’s one of the best working environments I’ve ever been in,” Snell said. “I love it here. I think that’s why I keep coming back.”
Snell mainly acts as cashier and server for Sweet Peppers, but she also adopted duties at Smackers after the Mississippi-based “Eat With Us” group bought the frozen yogurt shop and incorporated it into the same building in Columbus’ Jackson Square.
“Serving is more fun because you get to actually interact with the people,” Sell said. “Here in Smackers, I’m just a cashier. There’s not much to do other than make sure everything is cleaned and stocked.”
The kinesiology major said her co-workers make her job fun and praised her staff’s ability to work together.
“It’s like a family. You walk in and everybody speaks and laughs with each other,” Snell said. “There’s no competition. If someone wanted to see our teamwork, it would be when we get busy.”
She said she also appreciates the attitude of equality apparent at all levels of the business’ hierarchy, even noting that she’s seen one of the owners in Sweet Peppers bussing tables.
“I think if you have good management, you’re going to have a good crew,” Snell said.
Snell applied to work at Peppers in 2014. She chose the deli job because the business was flexible with her high school schedule at the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science.
“It’s gotten easier,” Snell said. “You learn how to work with new people, and after a certain time, you can take orders in your sleep. You learn the ropes.”
Snell said the most important lesson she’s learned revolves around customer service: “Treat people how you want to be treated.”
“I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter how you may feel that day,” she said. “You have to leave that at the door.”
Another lesson Snell has learned is budgeting. She said she takes a portion from each paycheck to put toward savings.
She said she doesn’t save money for a particular purpose, but she may spend some of the funds on back-to-school supplies before she returns to Tuscaloosa later this month.
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