Is stealing time the same as stealing money?

I would say yes! Because you are stealing from the company insofar as not doing a job that the company are paying you to do.

I work with several women who think nothing of skivving. It has gotten so bad that it is now part of their shift. Rather than serve customers on a till, which is what we get paid to do, these women will do anything except sit on a till. On the rare occassions they do, they only do so for very short periods of time. And what is more annoying is that the manager knows because she has been told by lots of different people who work on different shifts that this is the case. But instead of reprimanding her she gives her more jobs to do. So this one woman milks the jobs so that she doesn't have to spend time sitting on a till.

I really don't understand supermarket managers - why are they so afraid to become unpopular. Surely, the name of the game is to promote teamwork, honesty and making profits? So who can you go to? Is there anybody who could help. Please tell me if you know of someone - I personally don't think there is anyone in the store who cares - including the managers.

Ice is bad news for checkout operators

Just heard a report from Justin King CEO Sainsburys saying that there was no panic buying in his chain. The empty shelves are a result of customers buying extra because of the bad weather. Does he realise that extra is "extra shopping trolleys" piled to the hilt with anything that may not be available if the bad weather continues? Things like: milk, bread, tinned food, fresh food, chilled food, toilet paper, coffee, tea, cereals - basically most things that Sainsburys sell.

When he was speaking on the telly he looked quite tanned so I am assuming that he had been away to somewhere hot. Therefore, he would not know the extend of deplication in the stores coupled with the problems lorry drivers have had getting through to stores. However, it is not just the smaller stores, it is the larger ones as well.

A further problem is the lack of staff. Most staff are not able to make it in and according to Justin they have a month to make up their time or take it as holiday.

My problem is that when the government and motoring agencies advise against travelling we, the staff who serve customers, should NOT be penalised if we are unable to get to work.

As the unions have said, the problem will be that staff will not be motivated to help out ever if the bigger chains don't relent and give way. These organisations should not be allowed to have their cake and eat it too - look at the vast profits they make.

Last minute Christmas shopping

Why is it that shops and supermarkets are heaving with customers to the point where it seems like the end of the world. Supermarkets and food shops are only closed for one day Christmas - and even then you could probably find a shop somewhere that is open.

I don't know about you but by the end of Christmas day the last thing I want is food. And the last place I want to go is a shop or supermarket. I have bought too much, feel bloated, overweight and uncomfortable. All I can think of is how much weight I put on and how long it will take me to get rid of it.

What has happened to buying one thing for each person on your list and making the most of the day rather than trying to outdo each other buying presents nobody wants and that will be forgotten about in a matter of hours.

What has happened to the our society? We have never had it so good, even in this recession but we are not happy, in fact, we are more depressed than ever.

Anyway,

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year - I hope that 2010 will be a happy and healtby year for you and your families.

Merry Christmas to Checkout Operators Everywhere

Don't you just love this time of year? Festive decorations, lots of nice things on the shelves of stores, supermarkets and decorations everywhere. But where is the season of goodwill when it comes to Checkout Operators?

This Christmas, when you are buying your shopping, putting your food on the conveyer belts with lots of goodies spare a thought for the Checkout Operators.

1. Be patient - mistakes happen when people are in a rush.

2. Be a good customer - have empathy for all checkout operators

3. Remember CO's are people too and someone has to do that job.

4. Be polite - it is amazing how far a please and thank you will go - it really does speed up
your chopping experience.

5. It is not the CO's fault when things go wrong. Technology has a lot to answer for.

6. For many CO's who work long hours normally, Christmas is a time when they too can
make extra money.

7. Season greetings apply to everyone.

8. Don't forget to write a letter to the Store Manager and tell them about your good customer
relations experience and who the CO was that provided it. It will make the CO's day too!

Make this year a season of goodwill to everyone - especially Checkout Operators (CO).

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

You've done a good job - now you'll get a verbal warning !

What a strange week this has been! First I had a Red Obervation for my lack of Customer Service i.e. there was no beginning or an end although the middle bit was better than anyone else - so I failed. As if that wasn't bad enough, it was followed by my getting a Shinning Star (£10 voucher) for my Customer Services. This was given to me by the Store Manager because a customer has recommended me for it. Crazy isn't it???

Two weeks later, a student, not even a manager gave me another Red Observation for once again my failure in producing a beginning and end. Although this time I was award TWO Shinning Stars - one from a customer who said I gave superior customer service and a second from the Mystery Shopper.

And guess what? I was also given a Verbal Warning that my Customer Service skills are lacking - you couldn't make this up could you?

So who decides on the customer services template? Some bozo in head office who has never sat on a till in their life - let alone for 8 hours a day. Is this unfair or what?

The funniest thing to come out of this is that I suggested to Head Office that we, the staff, be able to assess management the way they assess us - and guess what - I got a Shinning Star for that too! To date I have 9 Shinning Stars from Head Office this year alone. Pity my customer service skills are lacking?????????

How to avoid (serving) customers!

Although you work on checkouts in a large store you may be interested in learning how colleagues I work with avoid working!

1. Think of the irrelevant - like cleaning your till area when there are lots of customers about.
Take your time making sure you haven't forgotten a speck of dirt.

2. Go to the loo a lot. And take your time walking there and back . Don't forget to wash your
hands so clean that the skin almost falls off.

3. When it is hot - ask to get a drink . . . and again, and again.
When it is cold you will need a hot drink and a jumper. Don't get them on the same trip
make two very slow trips to the changing rooms and to your locker.

4. Forget about queues - there will always be long queues - let your supervisor through their
weight around. It is not your problem.

5. What ever you do - don't be good at it because people who do their job and people who work
hard are the ones who get all the aggro from staff. It is the people who milk the system
that get on in this environment. Learn from others who are successful how to milk the
system otherwise you will be the odd one out.

Disciplinary for doing your job

Sorry to my supporters for being absent - health problems! Never mind I am back with Tales from the Checkouts!

What has happened to work? Remember in days not so long ago, you were excepted to do a days' work for a days' pay - not avoid being on the tills.

I work with one lady who is such an expert, my manager gave her more jobs to do (otherwise known as more opportunities to get off serving people) and she got away with it. I am beginning to wonder who is the MUG here. Think it is me.

Hope you all had a nice summer!

I'm running Sainsbury's

U watched this programme with great interest! The idea seemed too good to be true . . . and it was. What it was, was a PR exercise to show how good Sainsbury's are. But are they?

Knowing what I do about how superstores like this are run, I found it strange that Head Office did not give this poor girl a hand like they would do for every other new product on the shelf i.e. vouchers, start the campaign at the weekend, offer tastings, even showing her how to sell. But then they wouldn't because it is not really in their interest to simply because they would stop the customer from buying more as they searched for the key things to make up their "Feed a Family for a Fiver".

I also thought the staff at Head Office were patronising to Becky.

So they got their PR but I personally don't think they got very good PR because it showed how ruthless they are especially when it comes to supporting staff and their ideas!

Who is the mug??

Ok, I am paid to do a job. The job is not brilliant but it pays money and that is what I am paid to do. However, my bone of contention is the fact that I have to work twice as hard because two people I work with spend all their time doing anything but work. Which I think is grossly unfair!

And the worst part is that you tell your manager who does nothing. You tell senior management who also does nothing - so who else is there?

Would you like to know what really gets my goat is when I am pulled into the office for stupid things like I took my tea break at the wrong time or I asked too many questions - but that is how you sell, by asking questions. So perhaps I am the mug by not milking the system like the women I work with do. Therefore, in future I will try to milk the system and do it better than them. At then, I won't feel like such a pratt!

Scandal hits the checkouts

Just about every month you have someone who thinks they can "get away" with stealing money from the tills. But they are told when trained that it has been tried and no one has EVER succeeded, yet still the people who steal seem to think the store won't miss an odd £100 here and there. When will they ever learn? The system is bigger than any one or collection of people and nobody ever gets away with it.

This time the victim was the daughter of one of the supervisors (who didn't have anything to do with it, nor did she know her daughter was stealing money). How awlful that must have been for her to go back into the store knowing that everyone was talking about they theft. But she did it, my heart really goes out to her because she is a good person and would never do anything like that ever. Most of the people I work with would never do it either.

What they don't seem to appreciate is that they are stealing from us the workers rather than the fat cats at the top. We are the ones who will suffer with our bonuses etc.. It is not fair! But then the world is not fair either.

Back to work

Finally, after another operation on my hand, I am back to work. But am still working on the tills. Fortunately, I am doing reduced hours although I am not sure for how long. However, there is another lady also doing rehab hours and she is milking the system and playing a strange game of making sure everyone knows her problems i.e. she was injured by a customer. My point to her was why didn't she do something i.e. take it up with the unions solicitors sooner rather than later? Because she does keep going on about money and how much she needs to live. Her situation is really odd - I think.

There I am plodding along and making the most of it. But I have another operation to come and am waiting for a date. I am convinced that someone has put the evil eye on me because of all the medical issues I have had. Normally I am fit and healthy and had enough operations during my early years to last a lifetime - so why more now????

Managers Meeting

As you know I work in a large supermarket superstore. Recently, I have had an operation on my hand explaining the absence of my postings. I went back to work last week to find that I have been the subject of a managers meeting because they (the managers) think I am negative. My colleagues think that I am no more negative than anyone else.

You would think that managers would be more interested in increasing profits rather than talking about me.

Milk the system and be popular with your manager

This week has been interesting to say the least. My manager read me the riot act for taking my tea break at a different time. I did it to help out my colleagues. When I pointed how stupid this was she threw back in my face how she had been helping me??????
Then I pointed out that she should be clamping down on the people milking the system - what about the time stealers? What about the people who spend excessive amounts of time doing simple jobs? What about . . . being a manager to them?
She didn't like that and hasn't spoken to me since.
At least mega mouth is gone - hooray!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Judgemental to customers

When you think I have been off work for almost 6 months, having just gone back, after 5 minutes it is like I have never been away. It is like a hiccup in time However, some things have changed.

Some people I work with have become more dissatified with work and therefore get annoyed or upset by stupid things. For instance, one older lady I work with has become judgemental about customers she serves - making comments about them, their appearance, size, or matter. I told her that we are not there to be judgmental just to serve and get people through the door as quickly as possible. But I know she really doesn't want to be there and quite frankly, if she feels that strongly why doesn't she leave?

It is a pity that people have to behave like that. I can remember a time when people would jump through hoops for you but not now. Now we have a credit crunch, no pensions, no money and the cost of living has risen sharply hence, some people feel they are justified in behaving in this judgemental way.

After the Christmas Party

Sorry for the delay in adding content to my blog but due to unforseen circumstances I have been unavailable to access my spot on the internet, Things are getting back to normal after a hectic few months including Christmas.
It has been entertaining watching senior management behaving like schoolboys who have just reached puberty at the staff Christmas parties. All I can say is that school girls must be getting desparate to let these "old" men anywhere near them. And believe me they are not much to write home about. Yet they are the ones who preach how mature we must behave to customers.. . yet it is OK for them to get legless.
On a positive note, I was pleased to see Jamie Oliver having a go at Sainsbury's in the papers this morning about not attending his conference on animal welfare in farming. Good on ya Jamie - their excuse was pretty lame if you ask me. They replied saying that a statement had already been made and therefore they did not see the need to attend. Yeah, right. I hope the customers boycott the stores then that will teach them.

Stealing time from your employer

I did think I was alone in my opinions about the queen of milking the sytem, but I found out that I was NOT alone and that more people than I first realised felt the same as I did i.e. that it had been going on for too long, that it wasn't fair on the rest of us, that she wa also bullying me. However, when I went to management, on three occasions to complain about the bullying nothing was ever done except that it got forgotten. So much for management helping resolve issues like this. But, I refused to go once again to management and be degraded into thinking it was my fault although this time it wasn't the issue. The issue was stealing from the company which to anyone else would have been instant dismissal but to her it was just another warning. Let's face it when you are suppose to be working and manage to do other things that take forever you are clearly milking the system and stealing from your employer. Trouble is that management in these large supermarket superstores don't see things like that they seem to see things in front of their face.
I'm not hoping for miracles just for this to be resolved for once and for all but I am not holding out a lot of hope on that front either - I am realistic.

Red is for HWAID

What is an HWAID you ask? In supermarket superstore speak it is "How Well Am I Doing" which in laymens terms is suppose to be an assessment of your customer relation skills. And I had mine yesterday.
Bearing in mind I am on a till (all day) serving customers (all day) with the use of one hand (due to medical conditions preventing me from using the other.).
One of the criteria of this HWAID is being observed by some jumped up know it all . Needless to say I failed on this because I could not pack customers items. I really find it hard to take this job seriously when so many of the people I work with clearly abuse the system by disappearing off the tills for long periods of time leaving the rest of us to cope - yet they are the ones given the responsibility, they are the one given Shinning Stars and they are the ones management likes. I know this world is unfair but that just about takes the cake.
Anyway, I did badly on this HWAID because I am disabled and unforunately this is not taken into consideration. But who do I go to? Where can I turn?

Migrant worker vs. British

I read in the Daily Mail yesterday that Sainsburys prefer migrant workers because they work harder than the British. You've got to ask yourself why is that?

Part of the reason, I think is the way management treats you. Most supermarket managers regard their staff as thick, lacking in ability, not useful for anything and never use their brain. Their employees are sub-normal and sub-standard. So it is no wonder that workers lack motivation, inspiration that transpires into just not caring. After all most managers don't care either. As far as they are concerned they are above the workers and are always right - perhaps this is what they are taught when they train as managers or maybe it is in their blood - who knows? But what is annoying is that a company like Sainsbury's who is one of the major companies who disregard their staff to the point that they either leave (after a short time), or end up on anti-depressants because they are bullied should then produce a statement along those lines. What chance is there for anyone then if this is how they think? It's not good enough if you ask me.

I didn't like yesterday

Sunday was not a bad day, it was just a normal Sunday - very busy but not excessively busy. Monday was the problem. Unbeknown to me MegaMouth had a bad day on Saturday - fortunately, I didn't see her on Sunday so it wasn't until Monday that she became annoyed with me. What did I do to deserve her wrath? Come to work was enough.
For some reason she thinks she is a manager and tries to behave like one. The problem is that chronologically she is an adult but mentally she is only 10 and a school yard bully. Her life must be so empty because all she cares about is picking on someone - she has worked her way through members of staff. Regretfully, our manager has tried to put her in her place but she is not dealing with someone normal but someone with a host of problems, in particular, her lack of interpersonal skills. She is not able to talk to people - any person. Yet she is put in charge of people and even those both customers and staff have, over a long period of time, reported her to their managers and personnel, nothing is ever done.
It isn't fair because anyone else would immediately get the sack but not her. She is unbearable to work with. Your worst nightmare!
So Monday, she was more of a problem than she is normally because of the row she had (in front of a customer) with another member of staff and she also missed out seeing male strippers because she had to work.
I don't wish ill luck to anyone, but her. She is pure evil!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!