Disciplinary Hearing (Gross Misconduct)

Proc

imacdo2212 wrote: »

Just to finish this

My hearing was finally conducted on the 20th September, they have taken the decision to dismiss me for Poor Customer Service and lack of respect for management on the 4th August. I'm considering appealing because I wasn't brought to the disciplinary for these reasons but feel it almost a waste.

Have since found out that they were trying to get rid of me because they had already offered my job to someone else. They have basically looked for any reason to get rid and used it. My final day in I had hours on the board for the next two weeks (so to show that the decision hadn't already been made to let me go) but was told to check properly on the hours... my hours were a mirror image to a new starters hours and had only been put onto the board in the hope I'd only quickly glance at them. Also been told that the "complaint" had been made by a person/friend of the manager who has finally sacked me.

Just feel very let down. I didn't swear and knew I hadn't, just annoyed at how I've been treated.

Oh I see. Another moron who's been sacked but hasn't learned anything from it. I know you don't think you've done anything wrong but your "I never did nuffin" attitude is terrible. The fact is, even without the swearword, what you said about that customer was pretty darned rude. I'd me absolutely mortified if I saw one of my staff talk about a customer in that way. The fact that you meant it as a "joke" (real funny) is completely irrelevant. All that matters is how it's perceived.

They don't need an "excuse" to get rid of you. You'd only been there less than 8 months. They can sack you for any reason as long as it's not race/sexual/disability etc discrimination. If they wanted, your team leader could have walked right up to you and said "hey chump, you're fired".

With regards to the witness/union etc. Completely irrelevant. You could have had all the witnesses in the world saying you never swore. Hell, you could have proved that you weren't even there that day and it's all a big lie. They still could have fired you just because they can.

I know you say you feel like it's been handled unfairly, but in my opinion you're lucky they seemed to have attempted to follow proper processes when they could have got rid of you on the spot.

Oh and it was a manager's friend that reported it? How dumb to go mouthing of to someone so close to your boss. Really, what did you expect?

beth58_2

Poor customer service and shouting at your team leader both justify gross misconduct. I'm sorry you lost your job, in reality they can do this and there's very little you can do.

Personally if a member of customer service staff spoke to me like that, I'd walk out.

imacdo2212

Firstly Proc I didn't make the comment, the fact that I made a "joke" or reference to my own poor customer service skills was never contested. I did, and in that regard I've nothing to say about it. As for what I said about the customer? The comments I actually made... were all in relation to my own poor customer service. They were never regarding the customer so whatever.

It wasn't handled fairly, but thats beside the point. Once more I didn't mouth off, to anybody... a complaint was made by my managers friend so that I could be taken to a misconduct hearing. The fact that she didn't have to do so doesn't change a thing, it reflects in truth to her own ignorance rather than mine. I knew she could get rid of me without the hoopla, she didn't.

As for perception... I've dealt with customers of all ages - from 10-80 and have never before had a complaint about the way I speak to or around customers. I've had eight job offers from customers from that particular place in the last 7 days, if I were anything less than good at my job they wouldn't be demanding my phone number from other colleagues to ask to me go for interviews. I asked for some advice here and got it, gratefully... now your just acting OTT.

Also... learning from it? I've learnt plenty and will continue to do so.

imacdo2212

Beth, I agree... the poor customer service comment is justified. I haven't shouted at my team leader though, what I did state in both investigation and later was that if at all a swear word was utterd it would have been at my team leader... again, she's said in private that I never made the comment but that officially was told that I had... not asked if I had... was told that I had.

pinkshoes

Perhaps it's a blessing in disguise, that customer service really isn't your strong point, and it's fate telling you to pursue a career in another area!?

SarEl

imacdo2212 wrote: »

It wasn't handled fairly, but thats beside the point. Once more I didn't mouth off, to anybody... a complaint was made by my managers friend so that I could be taken to a misconduct hearing. The fact that she didn't have to do so doesn't change a thing, it reflects in truth to her own ignorance rather than mine. I knew she could get rid of me without the hoopla, she didn't.

As for perception... I've dealt with customers of all ages - from 10-80 and have never before had a complaint about the way I speak to or around customers. I've had eight job offers from customers from that particular place in the last 7 days, if I were anything less than good at my job they wouldn't be demanding my phone number from other colleagues to ask to me go for interviews. I asked for some advice here and got it, gratefully... now your just acting OTT.

I don't agree. You were treated fairly. You may not have sworn, but you did "mouth off" and you involved a customer in it. It doesn't matter who reported you - you were acting in an appalling manner towards a cutomer. That particular customer may not have felt confident complaining, but it doesn't excuse the fact that you acted in an inappropriate manner. I'm sorry that you lost your job, but if your other customers are employers (which sounds somewhat incredible) then I hope they don't have you dealing with customers until you have recognised that this isn't the way to act with customers.