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Hi. This may seem quite long so apologies. I work for a well known electrical company and have done for 12 years. For the past 6 years I have been employed as a customer service advisor. Two years ago we introduced a new department within our store that also doubled up as a pc set up base but although this was where I was based I was still customer services, dealing with customer issues as in faulty goods, complaints etc.
On the department where 4 of us, 2 technicians and 2 customer services. As me and my other cs colleague where not pc trained there was not a lot of help we could give but we would help out where we could. The manager then decided to give us targets for selling services as in set ups, 24/7 help and advice, diagnose and fix etc, all the things that I and my colleague where not trained in. The company set a department target but our store manager set individual targets. These targets where extremely high, especially for 2 people who did not fully understand what could be done regarding the fixing of these pcs.
As a full time colleague my target was the same as the technicians but my knowledge way less. I asked numerous times to be shown how to do the jobs that they could do but this never happened. Bearing in mind my job of dealing with customers, customer issues, manufacturer issues, store issues and distribution issues was taking up my full time hours, some days I never managed to get a break, but this was my job so fair enough. However these targets where there and I was struggling to meet them. The manager then decided I needed to go on to a capability process where I was monitored over a 12 week period and given support where I needed to help reach my target. This process was meant to be reviewed every 4 weeks.
The first meeting took place and I voiced my concerns and was promised I would be supported. This never happened. Approx 8-10 weeks later I had my 2nd meeting, again broken poromises. eventually around 8 months later we got to stage 3, remember this was a 12 week process. The reason it went over the 12 week was because there was nobody else available that could do my customer service job due to lack of knowledge of process. Anyhow we got to 3rd stage. The day before this took place my manager took me to the office and we sat and had a chat about what could happen and he offered me a job on the sales floor in the home appliance dept, which due to there being a chance I may lose my job I took this new position. The next day after my hearing another manager, later on that day, took great pleasure in coming to inform me that had I not taken the new role I was going to be sacked. So they where going to sack me for not selling services but put me into a full time selling role. heres where the real fun starts.
I got a letter within 2 days from hr informing me of my new position with AN IMMEDIATE START, however the management team had to fing somebody to replace me and quick. He employed 2 new people but due to no customer service experience he left me with them for me to train to do the job I that I technically was going to be sacked for not being able to do. I eventually moved after 7 weeks to my new department.
Thought that was it didn't you, well no. I have now been informed today that any customer service issues that the new people are unable to do will be sent upstairs for me to sort as my knowledge is far greater than theirs. However my sales target for upstairs will not be reduced to compensate this, and as I said earlier these issues are continuous and some take several days to sort.
Can he do this to me, have I any rights whatsoever. I feel as though I am being used. how can you tell someone they are not good enough to do there job and then A) get them to train the new people and B) then say I have to deal with the issues anyway. My only problem was that I struggled to sell the services because I was not a technician and did not fully understand and not support was given. Sorry this is so long, please can somebody advise.
Pam
On the department where 4 of us, 2 technicians and 2 customer services. As me and my other cs colleague where not pc trained there was not a lot of help we could give but we would help out where we could. The manager then decided to give us targets for selling services as in set ups, 24/7 help and advice, diagnose and fix etc, all the things that I and my colleague where not trained in. The company set a department target but our store manager set individual targets. These targets where extremely high, especially for 2 people who did not fully understand what could be done regarding the fixing of these pcs.
As a full time colleague my target was the same as the technicians but my knowledge way less. I asked numerous times to be shown how to do the jobs that they could do but this never happened. Bearing in mind my job of dealing with customers, customer issues, manufacturer issues, store issues and distribution issues was taking up my full time hours, some days I never managed to get a break, but this was my job so fair enough. However these targets where there and I was struggling to meet them. The manager then decided I needed to go on to a capability process where I was monitored over a 12 week period and given support where I needed to help reach my target. This process was meant to be reviewed every 4 weeks.
The first meeting took place and I voiced my concerns and was promised I would be supported. This never happened. Approx 8-10 weeks later I had my 2nd meeting, again broken poromises. eventually around 8 months later we got to stage 3, remember this was a 12 week process. The reason it went over the 12 week was because there was nobody else available that could do my customer service job due to lack of knowledge of process. Anyhow we got to 3rd stage. The day before this took place my manager took me to the office and we sat and had a chat about what could happen and he offered me a job on the sales floor in the home appliance dept, which due to there being a chance I may lose my job I took this new position. The next day after my hearing another manager, later on that day, took great pleasure in coming to inform me that had I not taken the new role I was going to be sacked. So they where going to sack me for not selling services but put me into a full time selling role. heres where the real fun starts.
I got a letter within 2 days from hr informing me of my new position with AN IMMEDIATE START, however the management team had to fing somebody to replace me and quick. He employed 2 new people but due to no customer service experience he left me with them for me to train to do the job I that I technically was going to be sacked for not being able to do. I eventually moved after 7 weeks to my new department.
Thought that was it didn't you, well no. I have now been informed today that any customer service issues that the new people are unable to do will be sent upstairs for me to sort as my knowledge is far greater than theirs. However my sales target for upstairs will not be reduced to compensate this, and as I said earlier these issues are continuous and some take several days to sort.
Can he do this to me, have I any rights whatsoever. I feel as though I am being used. how can you tell someone they are not good enough to do there job and then A) get them to train the new people and B) then say I have to deal with the issues anyway. My only problem was that I struggled to sell the services because I was not a technician and did not fully understand and not support was given. Sorry this is so long, please can somebody advise.
Pam
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