Posts made by handsofqwerty

I'm dying! ROFL
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@Bob-Beatty , @antonit , Justin and I are on SW homepage today!

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Some of these just made me cringe...
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@scottalanmiller said:

@handsofqwerty said:

C) They are behind our results, but are totally ignorant to our methods, as they are at the district level (our DM is a totally incompetent idiot too).

This implies that they don't care all the way up. So if it is not important to them, why is it important to you?

Because I care. Because I refuse to come down to their standards for my own ethical reasons. And because the customers don't normally get that from a retail store and I feel they should. Yes, it's my standard, not the company's.

@scottalanmiller said:

@handsofqwerty said:

And stores compete, so if we do better and it makes it so someone will come to my store instead of one of the other local stores, that's viewed as a success by the company.

If that is true, why is someone trying to keep that from happening and why hasn't the store manager or regional manager or higher stepped in? Unless they have, you have something wrong in your assumptions.

Because the company doesn't work that way. But we get reports every week about how we did compared to other stores in tons of metrics and we compete with other stores in our district especially to do better than they are. And the success of our store, in most metrics, is directly linked to me.

@Breffni-Potter said:

@handsofqwerty said:

And stores compete, so if we do better and it makes it so someone will come to my store instead of one of the other local stores, that's viewed as a success by the company.

I think the key questions to ask with this are

A) If this is how the store operates, why does the tech supervisor disagree with you? Why is he alien to the culture?
B.) Does the Manager encourage this behaviour? Has he written this down in the guidelines?
C) Is Management at the regional level behind this?

A) It used to. He is alien to the culture because he's only been in the store 3 months. But this was all started long before I started back in 2010.
B) The old manager, who was the foundation of the store, did. The current actual manager in the position hasn't really voiced an opinion yet.
C) They are behind our results, but are totally ignorant to our methods, as they are at the district level (our DM is a totally incompetent idiot too).

@scottalanmiller said:

@handsofqwerty said:

People come to our store because they know that we've always done above the minimum required. This has been critical to building our long-term business.

This may or may not be true. However, let's assume that it is is completely true.

Even assuming it is completely true, it is also completely irrelevant. This does not have any bearing, whatsoever, on any component of this discussion. It is a red herring.

How is it a red herring? We've built the store's business on a certain concept. It's what has led the store to continue to do better and better, which is better for the store, and the company. And stores compete, so if we do better and it makes it so someone will come to my store instead of one of the other local stores, that's viewed as a success by the company.

@scottalanmiller said:

@handsofqwerty said:

But the difference between shoddy ....

If shoddy is the guideline and all you are asked to do is confirm that shoddy was done, that's all your signature implies.

People come to our store because they know that we've always done above the minimum required. This has been critical to building our long-term business.

@scottalanmiller said:

@handsofqwerty said:

My comment was that customers don't know what they really want or need. They have needs. They have wants. My job is to find the best solution to address those. But I will almost certainly never do what the customer wants when they come in, unless they are really adamant about it. The reason is that customers just don't know. That's why they came to see me in the first place.

Obviously, but they are also violating the social contract of sales - asking for technical advice from a sales person. They know that they are doing this when they go in. It's just part of the social structure. When you go to a store and "ask for advice", you know that you are not getting good advice except for within a very carefully defined, socially accepted window and that even that is coloured by margins, stock levels, etc. There is no social obligation for you to do anything beyond push the products the store tells you to push, none. Not even the slightest. The store may decide that they want you to do more, but that is purely and unequivocally between you and them.

You are correct, if they knew what they wanted or needed they would not be in the shop at all. That's a tough position, but you are a sales person and you have an obligation to your employer to attempt to sell what they want you to sell. It's that simple. The "customers" of the store accept this obligation when they solicit free advice from you - they know that that advice is paid for by the sale and that your obligation is to making money for the store. Now, why anyone would still ask for that advice is beyond me, but everyone is aware of the relationship and what it means for you, for them and for the kind of advice that can be given.

I'm not told to push any specific computer or brand or anything. That's left up to me. As long as they buy it from my company, the company doesn't really care what I sell them.

@scottalanmiller said:

@handsofqwerty said:

No, I'm signing off that the work is completed to both the company's standards and mine.

Where does it state that it is to your standards? Is that in writing? Unless it is, I feel you have made this up completely because you want it to be the case.

There is nothing in writing about that Scott. But the difference between shoddy and good tech work in many cases isn't spelled out word for word at most companies. But someone who's technical can tell the difference.

@scottalanmiller said:

@handsofqwerty said:

Also, I told my tech supervisor that when I sign off on a computer, it's my name and reputation that I'm signing off on. Yes, the tech work is done at my retailer. But customers come back asking for me, many times years later. It's because I don't do shoddy work and I take the time to do it right, as well as engage the customer in a beyond-the-superficial manner.

Are you signing off that it is "perfect" or that you have met company standards? Signing off is not a generic exercise. That your customers come back asking for you is, again, a red herring. They are not your customers, they are the business' customers. The company is your customer, are they telling you, in writing, that what you are doing is perfect and not to listen to the tech manager? If not, you are making assumptions that have no foundation.

If you are only signing that your job is done, your reputation is still intact. Are they asking you to sign off on less than meeting their minimum standards?

No, I'm signing off that the work is completed to both the company's standards and mine.

@scottalanmiller said:

@handsofqwerty said:

• provide quality technical work, and that means quality from a professional standpoint, not a corporate one

Again, is this in writing from the company?

No, their standards are the corporate ones. I meet those and exceed them. But by doing that, I've built the long-term business and I've got a huge list of customers as proof of that.

@scottalanmiller said:

@handsofqwerty said:

My job is to make the customer happy and the company money. My sales accomplish both.

Is that official policy or an assumption? Is it in writing?

No, that's policy. We push for warranties and tech work because it's very profitable for the company, and honestly it's also in the customer's best interest. Also, we are to make customer's happy because that affects CSAT scores and the like.

@scottalanmiller said:

@handsofqwerty said:

• get them the best solution at the best price while still making my company the most money

That's not for you to decide. Is this explicitly stated by the company that you work for? If not, you may be making this up. It sounds good, but there is nothing to imply that this is your responsibility if not stated.

My job is to make the customer happy and the company money. My sales accomplish both.

@Breffni-Potter said:

He knows you are moving on right?

I think he is just trying to poke at you, shrug him off.

Well, I made a post on Facebook about it and tagged him in it and he has since unfriended me.

This is just amazing! @scottalanmiller
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The feels are real...