Bad Language

jaqpot45

Hi There

Just a bit of advuce is needed here please guys!

I work in a pressurised sales office where I understand that the managers are under a significant amount of pressure to get results.

I have had a reasonable sales result this week anyway but my boss asked us all to commit to doing more business this afternoon. I committed to doing a further £2500 of business.

This was a rhetorical question really, because we all had to commit to doing business or questions would have been asked of our intentions - and people would be sacked - it happens all the time! We are cold calling media sales people so it is a tough job.

Anyway - 5pm came and despite some great close calls - it didn't happen - and I had to pick a 4 year old daughter up from nursery - so at 5.15pm I was becoming anxious and asked to leave. (nobody had left at this stage!)

I explained my reasons for needing to go - and I was hauled into an office where the sales manager - not my own immediate manager incidentally, who was also present and he had told me I could go home - demanded to know 'Where the F*** is my £2500 - why did you commit to it if you could stay till it was done - I explained that I had tried really hard, but I now need to go to collect children, and this woman said to me 'Who looks the bigger C*** here? You or me?'

To be honest, I was so shocked, that at the age of 45, a 20 something year old woman thinks it is OK to talk to someone who has performed well like this!

I have come home and have been so upset - I don't really want to go back to work on Monday. I have been in the job for 12 months.

I want to know how best to get my message across without looking like a wimp - which I am not - and without being in danger of being 'managed out'

Thanks JP

whitewing

If that was the c word ending in t (and you are not in Scotland, where I believe it is used more regularly), I would find this extremely offensive in a work environment.

jaqpot45

It was indeed that word and I was very offended. There was no need for it at all! Andi am not a prude!

MissSarah1972

My reply would have been 'you' to her if she had said that to me then reported her to HR

sniggings

why would you want to try and fight back and lower yourself for that kind of person.

If you don't want to look like a wimp it's too late now as you sat there and let someone swear at you, you should have got up and left.

If no apology on Monday I would be looking for a new job.

barbarawright

sniggings wrote: »

why would you want to try and fight back and lower yourself for that kind of person.

If you don't want to look like a wimp it's too late now as you sat there and let someone swear at you, you should have got up and left.

If no apology on Monday I would be looking for a new job.

Looking for a new job is all very well but even if the OP gets one immediately, she'll still be around for a few weeks. Do you have either a union or, more, likely, an HR department (even an outsourced one)? It should reported - don't think it's too late. Not everyone thinks clearly in these circumstances and very few people have the right snappy answer in place. But you should definitely established whether this is acceptable to senior management. If it is, then you should perhaps consider whether it's the right environment for you but I know that getting a new job is eaiser said than done

DVardysShadow

As this is sales to business, what is the point of staying beyond 5.15? Unless it is to irritate your potential customers.

Slinky

Who on earth thinks that anybody buys from cold callers on a Friday afternoon. Your boss needs to get real. He/she might want £2.5K, it doesn't mean to say other people are going to want to part with it!

I worked for years in a media sales office, our sales team were expected to be out in the mornings as psychologically people are more likely to say yes in the mornings. I work for myself now selling advertising, and I'd never cold call on a Friday afternoon. I won't even call my regulars on a Friday aftenoon!

robpw2

i admire you , i couldnt do your job and i tried when i was younger , my problem is im too nice if someone says no i just take it as no,, where as i had collegues who would badger them till they said yes ...
the thing is its very high pressured environement and swearing tends to be commonplace however i think the c word is atrocious and should never be used