My job being advertised

anewman

Erm I wouldn't want to reveal which company it is. I believe there are a number across the country that do similar, but hopefully they'll never find this post anyway. I'll try avoid the obvious key words anyway so a google shouldn't bring it up. Please don't try to guess the company name otherwise this post will light up like Vegas on google (beg beg, please please) I may come back and reveal after the saga has reached a conclusion for potential employees of the company to find, I have the feeling she won't go back a third time

Basically they sell a pic session for a small fee at which the company would run at a loss on if that's all they ever sold, for which you get one pic included. Where the money comes in is when people buy further pics, but the pics cost a great deal more than the session so you tend to get people just after the cheapie and it's difficult to sell the expensive pics, especially in the current economic climate where a couple could see an average person's weekly wage gone. In fact people seem to make a habit of going just for the cheapie. I guess they're after impulse buys when people are shown the pics. The actual materials (pics) cost the company pennies and minutes to print, the biggest cost is in man hours involved. They also tend not to advertise the cost of additional pics and I think people are often taken aback when they hear the cost compared to what they're paying for the cheapie which is just designed to get them in through the door.

BAILEYS6904

Any job involving 'Sales' means that you are as good as your profit figures. You can slack off, have extra breaks, basically take the p*ss, if you are top selling person, you'll pretty much get away with it. On the flip side, if you're not meeting targets, the jobs not safe, and you can easily be managed out of the business. I guess thats why you dont have to have qualifications coming out of your ears to get a great salary (I speak from experience, as a 20 yr old, I was earning more in sales than my mother as a headteacher of a school).

However, there are other retail jobs, where if your GF is happier, she will probably sell more, its hard to get someone to buy if you dont actually believe in the goods or company you're selling for. I would say, try and get GF to concentrate on her sales figures but look out for other opportunities

anewman

Ok apparently she was handed a handwritten questionnaire by store manager and told it was to see how well she understood the job. To me it seems to be trying to incite her to say negative things about herself, the job, the company, or colleagues.

Some ask what the target was, if it is unrealistic, why the target was not met, and why targets are set. One asks why one part of the job was not performed on a specific day. Asking if it is understood a company has to make profit. Asking why it is that it cost more in wages than what was brought in and why this happens often. Asking why they spend money promoting. Asking if she works as hard as she possibly can. A particularly intriguing question is the boss asking why they work, stay late, miss lunch, and work on days off (well there is an obvious answer to that one which that individual or the company will not like, lol). The boss saying they think they have done a great deal to help meet targets and asking what more they can do. It looks to me like the store manager is trying to cover her !!! to the area manager. I am not sure who the intended recipients of the completed one are, whether it is for the benefit of only the store manager or also the area manager - but I presume they are hoping to use responses or lack of response as the basis for a disciplinary. I don't think any assurance it would go no further could be taken seriously. It seems people quite happily screw one another over when it means keeping their own job.

My initial thoughts on this are to refuse to answer any questions which may incriminate herself or others (probably nearly all of the questions). The other part of me says if they're advertising the job and they pretty much want her gone to fill it in with some really good answers to show the company what a bunch of hypocrites they really are as she won't be in the job long anyway whatever happens - but then again I doubt anyone would take notice, even if the responses are of particular merit, nullifying the whole point of doing so.

My other thought is to just give a one paragraph response to all of it stating something like.... devoted to job, do best, work unpaid hours and have short/no lunches too myself thanks, and as I have been told I am no longer required I refuse to respond to this poorly considered questionnaire any further.

getmore4less

Having found one company that does this sort of stuff what I don't understand is why they need 3 people to run one of these places if business is not that good?

As you say stupid intro price and little to guide on the followup costs except the free one is worth XXXX


I think your OH needs to check with the higher ups what is going on and why they don't want her any more. Give it the full story something like

I work my but off .......... ,get no thanks and this new manger is useless I could do a better job.