Was my boyfriend wrong?

TWDgirl_2

I am asking this on behalf of my boyfriend, he is at work right now and called me and briefly told me whats going on.

He works fulltime, and that includes every second saturday from 8-12.30.

On saturday 12.30 arrived and he started to turn off all the computers, turn off all the lights and lock up all the doors and windows as he usually does.

Once he had finished it was about 12.40 so work had already finished for the day and everyone else apart from one other person had gone home.

He went to his locker upstairs and got his coat etc then made his way back down and was about to leave (12.45) when the other guy who was there came to him and told him a customer had just showed up and was waiting for him at the front desk.

My partner told the customer that everything had been turned off/locked up and that the place closed at 12.30 (it was now almost 12.50) the customer went mad and gave my partner a few choice words then stormed out.

Boyfriend got into work this morning and was taken to his managers office, manager told him the customer had made a complaint about him, that he was not pleased at all and that my partner was to expect disciplinary action because he should have served the customer.

The customer came in through the main entrance, which has a sign up with the opening times, went to the front desk and nobody was there as they had gone home, the only lights on in the place was in the service dept where the other guy was still turning his computer off.

My partner does not get paid for overtime at all, and there is nothing in his contract about having to stay behind after closing time etc.

Was my boyfriend wrong? Should he have turned everything back on, unlocked everything, started up the computers again to place an order for the customer?

GavB79

If everything was closed, the main entrance should have been locked. That's the first thing you do, before shutting everything else down?

What is the business? If he lost a sale of a £50k car, the manager might rightly be furious. If it was a pint of milk, less so.

TWDgirl_2

GavB79 wrote: »

If everything was closed, the main entrance should have been locked. That's the first thing you do, before shutting everything else down?

What is the business? If he lost a sale of a £50k car, the manager might rightly be furious. If it was a pint of milk, less so.

The way his workplace is layed out is a bit strange from memory, the workers leave through the main entrance so the door is locked by the last person out, not the best way to do things I know.

He works in a large car firm, he is in the parts department.

Andy_L

A lot depends how he told the customer they were closed, since they made a complaint that may be the problem

What sort of business is it? Is a walk-in customer coming in a mid-day likely to spend a lot?

Jarndyce

Technically he may have adhered to the letter of his contract and work instructions but if the employer can point to issues with his attitude or behaviour on this occasion he may have a problem. Lets hope he has a good union rep or colleague to put his case at the disciplinary. If he is doing it himself he needs to stay calm and be objective and point out the perceived injustice of the employer's position.

Once that is out of the way he needs to clarify exactly what he is expected to do if that happens again (or to avoid it hapopening again) and stick to it. Really, if they expect him to serve customers after his allotted finishing time they should pay him for that time, although unless he is on or near the minimum wage there is probably nothing he can do to enforce that.

TWDgirl_2

Andy_L wrote: »

A lot depends how he told the customer they were closed, since they made a complaint that may be the problem

What sort of business is it? Is a walk-in customer coming in a mid-day likely to spend a lot?

According to my partner he told the customer that they colsed at 12.30 and everything was locked up and the computers had been closed down already, before he could say anymore the customer gave him a few choice words then stormed out.

What I dont get is the cut off time to place orders is 10am on saturdays so even if my partner had served him he still couldnt have placed the order until monday anyway.

He works in a car firm in the parts department.

Sambucus_Nigra

I'd have tried to make the sale or asked what I could do for him, bearing in mind all the computers were off now; I'd never have said 'we close at 12:30' - ever!

getmore4less

Mystery shoppers got to hate them

They should get a latch on the front door, anyone could walk in and rob the place.

wellused

There must be an insurance issue working while not being paid to do so, hypothetically what would have happened if he had turned the computer back on and received an electric shock, would he have been asked why when the store closed at 12.30 he was turning the computer on at 12.50?

ILW

wellused wrote: »

There must be an insurance issue working while not being paid to do so, hypothetically what would have happened if he had turned the computer back on and received an electric shock, would he have been asked why when the store closed at 12.30 he was turning the computer on at 12.50?

That is very unlikely, insurance does not stop just because a sign on the door says closed.

mountainofdebt

Tbh yes I think your boyfriend was in the wrong.

Garages (and that includes main dealers) are having a difficult time at the moment and every sale counts. Whilst I appreciate your bf doesn't get paid overtime does that mean his employer are doing so well that they can afford for their staff to effectively turn away business?

If everything was had been shut down why didn't your boyfriend explain that to the customer and at best turn everything back on or at worst grab a piece of paper and write down the information and then order the part yesterday?