A Question For Store Managers.

advent1122

Do you have training or indeed know anything about the Sale Of Goods act?
I would think this is an important part of customer relations, but whenever I have got into a barny with a manager it seems they haven't a clue about the SOGA (of choose to ignore it).

alwaysonthego_2

When I worked in retail, as a sa, we were given no training on the soga what so ever!!!

skylight

I used to work in retail many years ago. And no! No training.

Likewise, my FIL is a department head for a supermarket. As its general merchandising, you would have thought that he would have had the training. But no. He does like to argue the "law" that I have to point out is store policy not law.... Sadly he likes to argue the "law" at other shops too.......

illuminate

don't like to be a cynic but I would suggest that they are deliberately kept in the dark.

SOGA is there to protect the consumer, not the retailers profits.

Colliefrog

I'm not a store manager, just a customer advisor. When I started working for Argos it was a new store opening and we had 3 weeks of thorough training. 1 week classroom based learning about SOGA and the company's own policies etc, then 2 weeks live training in a nearby store ready for our on store opening. But since then, whenever we've taken on staff (usually Xmas and the summer cat launch) they don't really get much training at all. They have to learn as they go. It is frustrating when, especially at xmas, they are coming to you every 5 minutes because they aren't sure of the procedure for their problem, and often takes another member of staff to sort the problem out. To be honest sometimes they might as well not be there! And it isn't their fault, it is the company who is wrong for the lack of formal training. I feel everyone who works in retail should have some kind of formal training before starting their job. With the training I had I'm no expert, but know enough to give good, fair customer service.

narabanekeater

I am on maternity leave but work as a duty manager for one of the big stores and yes I do know the act well
Not from work training but from needing to know it myself if that makes sence
Were not all nasty people honest. Im lovely (or so im told lol) if you were one of my customers and something was wrong I would do all I can do to help
Its the customers who come in guns blazing and wanting my head on a block that dont get everything done that maybe they could

Halloway

If all store managers stuck to the letter of the law when it comes to SOGA there would be even more anguished gnashing of teeth on this forum that there is already. There would be no returning of items because they don't fit or "I've changed my mind" or "I've seen it cheaper elsewhere".

The fact of the matter is that most major store chains in this country offer a service which is above and beyond SOGA and too many customers think they are entitled to a level of restitution which much greater than the law requires.

(Which is not to say that there aren't many instances where SOGA is broken, either through ignorance or deliberate act.)

DCFC79

Well i believe the store managers are given training on SOGA but it all depends on how they interpreted it i guess,

Halloway

DCFC79 wrote: »

Well i believe the store managers are given training on SOGA but it all depends on how they interpreted it i guess,

And I would imagine that their interpretation can vary depending on which gobby !!!!!! happens to be giving them a hard time over nothing.

sweep9

I'm fully aware of the SOGA. I just wish customers would know it when they try to quote it :rolleyes:

There's not just SOGA!

There's the:-

Price Marking Order
Supply of Goods Act
Supply of Services Act
HASAW Act
etc.

that all should know...

dreamypuma

sweep9 wrote: »

There's the:-

Price Marking Order
Supply of Goods Act
Supply of Services Act
HASAW Act

Without sounding dim, how does HASAW affect the consumer? Staff may suffer stress and bullying from consumers, but surely this doesn't affect the consumer. Or am i missing something? I'm intrigued.