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Post by housesparrow on Jan 14, 2011 8:22:28 GMT
Jack works in a public organisation facing huge budget cuts; there is no way they can increase their income. They have tried to minimise compulsory redundancies and have done pretty well, though 20 people will be forced out of jobs. Others, like Jack, will take pay cuts, but it would be churlish to fight your corner if it meant someone else on the dole.
He is quite happy to pass one chunk of his work over to Someone Else. When he took it on he heard it described as the "poisoned chalice" and apparantly used the same phrase to the S E. I said that was unkind, but probably better than saying "Oh, you won't have any problems with this lot - they run themselves".
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Post by Patrick on Jan 16, 2011 13:56:50 GMT
Mind you, I remember my Dad (in the early 80's) telling of one of his friends in the same company but different office reading the paper over the weekend to see his own job being advertised - when he went into work on the Monday he was told he could either re-apply or move sideways. Similarly; For years Dad was a "Marketing Manager" then one day in an office move he became an "Assistant Marketing Manager" - he had no idea how it happened either - though his pay rate didn't change. Though Presumably the new "Marketing Manager" was paid more!
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Post by Weyland on Jan 16, 2011 16:29:37 GMT
Mind you, I remember my Dad (in the early 80's) telling of one of his friends in the same company but different office reading the paper over the weekend to see his own job being advertised - when he went into work on the Monday he was told he could either re-apply or move sideways. Similarly; For years Dad was a "Marketing Manager" then one day in an office move he became an "Assistant Marketing Manager" - he had no idea how it happened either - though his pay rate didn't change. Though Presumably the new "Marketing Manager" was paid more! The three Ms. Modern Man Management. A not dissimilar thing happened to me in my Comet Period. I joined to work in the warehouse and got transferred to sales. Not that I'm a salesman by any stretch of the imagination, but it did give me a chance to play with the computers. Hours at Comet are what they call flexible, meaning you could be working any day of the week at any time that suits the management. This is communicated to the proles by means of rotas posted on the notice-board in the staff room (meaning the room where the vending machine lives). Several different rotas -- management, sales, warehouse, admin, etc. So I checked the sales rota at the end of one week. I'm not on it. No surprise -- admin and management were well known for blunders in any case. Went to see my line manager, but he'd gone. So I asked the head honcho, who said "You're back in the warehouse. Didn't he tell you?" I spent the rest of his time at Comet making life as difficult as possible for the cowardly sales manager, until he left. I'd like to think I helped him find the door. I can be very nasty when I feel wronged. (I don't think the head honcho ever forgave him either.) (Practically everybody except the managers was on a few pence over minimum wage, by the way. By that time the sales commission system had changed into some other system the details of which I have long ago consigned to the barren wastes of the Howling Ether. I gather I was taken off sales because I never reached the target for selling the basically worthless product insurance. But my manager never told me.) I'm not bitter. Experiencing working in Retail was an eye-opener. I really hadn't realised just how unpleasant it can be. Not that Comet is even close to being the worst -- some of the long-term staff at Comet with plenty of retail experience elsewhere regarded it as an oasis in a desert. And I made some good friends. And I was in the Warehouse Pub Quiz Team ("The Dark Side") that thoroughly wiped the floor with the managers' team. I think they were second last. We won. |
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Post by aubrey on Jan 17, 2011 17:44:13 GMT
I did 18 months in the furniture and toy Depts of the Co-op, until I got moved to assistant carpet fitter (probably because I was so scruffy).
I hated it at the time, but seeing Weyland's Comet experience, the Co-op seems like a haven. I would probably have enjoyed it a lot more if I'd been older; you're going to hate your work when you're 18, aren't you? Aren't you?
There were no targets, not that I was told about anyway. My method of selling was just to hang about within calling distance, and let them make their own minds up. Some people appreciated this; but some wanted to be sold stuff (I'd go and get someone else; I can't sell like that).
I was also the bouncer for Santa's Grotto.
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Post by everso on Jan 17, 2011 18:20:03 GMT
I did 18 months in the furniture and toy Depts of the Co-op, until I got moved to assistant carpet fitter (probably because I was so scruffy). I hated it at the time, but seeing Weyland's Comet experience, the Co-op seems like a haven. I would probably have enjoyed it a lot more if I'd been older; you're going to hate your work when you're 18, aren't you? Aren't you? There were no targets, not that I was told about anyway. My method of selling was just to hang about within calling distance, and let them make their own minds up. Some people appreciated this; but some wanted to be sold stuff (I'd go and get someone else; I can't sell like that). I was also the bouncer for Santa's Grotto. What, you mean one of his elves? |
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Post by Weyland on Jan 17, 2011 18:41:46 GMT
I was also the bouncer for Santa's Grotto. Evvie!! Go and tidy the attic!  <for Aub> <for Ev> |
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Post by Weyland on Jan 17, 2011 19:04:26 GMT
My method of selling was just to hang about within calling distance, and let them make their own minds up. Some people appreciated this; but some wanted to be sold stuff Me too. I might sidle past and ask if I could help. That's all. I remember this gorgeous Swedish lady and her set-top box . . . When the Mystery Shopper came and asked me how the Samsung walk-in American Fridge automatic defrosting system worked, I just pleaded ignorance. Not the correct answer it seems. No such training, and you're supposed to blag it. Can't do it. My "career" in Sales was not a long one. I was pretty good at Stock Control, which was my final challenge at Comet, but it could be extremely boring, especially searching high and low trying to track down stuff that had clearly been nicked, or "borrowed" on the sly by a manager. The whole of a Wednesday would be devoted to packing, documenting, and paletting the huge mounds of Returns in the warehouse and behind the help-desk, complete with a good dose of shrink-wrapping to finish. Crap computer system with VERY limited access, even for the Stock Controller (me). Minimum wage + a few pence. I left. ___________________ * The Stock Controller's Anthem: U2's "I still haven't found what i'm looking for", which was on the muzak every hour or so. |
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Post by everso on Jan 17, 2011 19:18:10 GMT
I was also the bouncer for Santa's Grotto. <for Aub> <for Ev> Ah. You obviously saw LTC last night. |
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Post by Weyland on Jan 17, 2011 19:46:03 GMT
Evvie!! Go and tidy the attic! Ah. You obviously saw LTC last night. It just gets better and better. I used the very wonderful iPlayer. (I have no working TV or FreeSat receiver right now. Or kitchen.) I had to wait until about half an hour after it had finished on BBC1. Then it came online. [Mrs YI hates the fact that she can't use iPlayer in Amsterdam. But then she does get BBC1 & 2 on her cable. (Everyone in built-up areas in Holland has cable, if they want it. It's treated just like the other utilities. The cable companies pay the BBC for the privilege, which is as it should be. But iPlayer is a different ball-game.)] |
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Post by riotgrrl on Jan 17, 2011 20:04:51 GMT
I am crap at face-to-face or telephone selling. (This was a drawback in many ways when my job included raising funds.)
I always feel guilty; if they want it they'll ask for it. Guilt-tripping people into handing over money never sat well with me.
It's why I would never succeed at 'The Apprentice'. I would cringe too much at the hard-sell tasks.
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Post by Weyland on Jan 17, 2011 21:04:36 GMT
It's why I would never succeed at 'The Apprentice'. I would cringe too much at the hard-sell tasks. I think we all know who of us would be most likely to win The Apprentice. To be sure, to be sure. [Riot: It came back, slow. Thanks.] |
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Post by everso on Jan 18, 2011 10:20:52 GMT
I am crap at face-to-face or telephone selling. (This was a drawback in many ways when my job included raising funds.) I always feel guilty; if they want it they'll ask for it. Guilt-tripping people into handing over money never sat well with me. It's why I would never succeed at 'The Apprentice'. I would cringe too much at the hard-sell tasks. Me too. When I worked as a secretary at the estate agents, they occasionally left me in charge when they were out on visits. I'm afraid I was too truthful and always wanted to point out to potential clients the dodgy areas of Chelmsford or the fact that a particular property wasn't up to the everso standard. |
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Post by aubrey on Jan 18, 2011 12:18:22 GMT
Most people are quite happy way below Everso standard, you know. We don't need sunken baths and heated pools and saunas and Jacuzzis and all that sort of thing.
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Post by everso on Jan 18, 2011 22:38:28 GMT
Most people are quite happy way below Everso standard, you know. We don't need sunken baths and heated pools and saunas and Jacuzzis and all that sort of thing. The everso standard is cleanliness, decent d.i.y. and a neat garden. And another thing: when the lads I worked with took internal photographs of a property, I was often appalled at the state in which people left their bedrooms. I mean, it's reasonable to leave your bedroom in a state when you know nobody's going to see it, but if you have someone coming round to take photographs of it because you're trying to sell your house, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the bed to be made properly. I used to tell the lads off for not straightening duvets and pillows before taking photographs too. |
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Post by Weyland on Jan 18, 2011 23:11:07 GMT
I was often appalled at the state in which people left their bedrooms. Turner Prize. Better than working. Good old Tracey. Is she from Essex? Why not? |
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Post by housesparrow on Jan 19, 2011 8:21:24 GMT
The everso standard is cleanliness, decent d.i.y. and a neat garden. And another thing: when the lads I worked with took internal photographs of a property, I was often appalled at the state in which people left their bedrooms. I mean, it's reasonable to leave your bedroom in a state when you know nobody's going to see it, but if you have someone coming round to take photographs of it because you're trying to sell your house, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect the bed to be made properly. I used to tell the lads off for not straightening duvets and pillows before taking photographs too. Sounds common sense to me. We will have to put in a lot of work before our house gets into a saleable state. But some people I know were selling their house in America and were advised by their selling agents to undertake work before even putting it on the market. I'm not talking about building work, just moving furniture around, changing curtains or whatever; things you and I are probably canny enough not to get in the way of basics. The husband was all for advertising anyway but she refused. The result was that they were caught out when property prices fell, and sold at a big loss. |
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Post by riotgrrl on Jan 19, 2011 8:59:03 GMT
It's daft to do up your house to sell it.
It does not increase the value of the house beyond the cost of the repair/improvement.
Does that make sense?
If your house is worth £250k but (say, like mine) the wooden flooring needs replaced.
So you spend £5k replacing the wood.
Your house is still worth £250k.
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Post by everso on Jan 19, 2011 10:19:26 GMT
It's daft to do up your house to sell it. It does not increase the value of the house beyond the cost of the repair/improvement. Does that make sense? If your house is worth £250k but (say, like mine) the wooden flooring needs replaced. So you spend £5k replacing the wood. Your house is still worth £250k. If you install a swimming pool in the garden that will definitely not increase the value of your house - indeed it will positively put some people off even viewing it - but things like keeping the house and garden tidy, giving it a lick of paint and de-cluttering definitely helps. If your house is in a bad state of repair, it will sell, but at a knockdown price. The trouble is that often sellers think their house is worth more than the market price. However, if your house needs a new kitchen, new bathroom it's not really worth the outlay as you'll probably not recoup your money - just don't expect to get the same price for it as your neighbours who have kept their house in pristine condition. |
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Post by Patrick on Jan 19, 2011 11:19:25 GMT
A lick of paint is everything. I think people still like it if they go round a place and it's beige or white or perhaps Primrose yellow right through. As for kitchens - as long as it's tidy and serviceable - for instance I've seen a couple of places with beautiful '70's kitchens with the chrome strips on the doors and wood veneer/white drawer facings that, because they looked like new would be perfectly serviceable. Makes a pleasant change from all these 'Shaker' kitchens with the long handles that are all the rage at the moment.
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Post by everso on Jan 19, 2011 11:44:12 GMT
A lick of paint is everything. I think people still like it if they go round a place and it's beige or white or perhaps Primrose yellow right through. As for kitchens - as long as it's tidy and serviceable - for instance I've seen a couple of places with beautiful '70's kitchens with the chrome strips on the doors and wood veneer/white drawer facings that, because they looked like new would be perfectly serviceable. Makes a pleasant change from all these 'Shaker' kitchens with the long handles that are all the rage at the moment. I guess if you installed quality units in the 70s they might still be o.k., but for those of us who went to MFI, I'd be amazed if they were still looking good. Having said that, expensive units don't always last. We paid quite a reasonable amount for our units in 1995, thinking that they'd see us out, but they haven't worn well. In fact we've worn better!  |
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