Staff theatened with sack? if they dont offer store card to every customer?

[Geordie Joe]

Hi All

 

I'm sure I read somewhere that it is now against the law for an employer to offer incentives to employers if they persuade customers to take out a store card.

 

But what if they threaten to punish employees if they don't persuade customers to take out a store card, or at least attempt to persuade them?

[dx100uk]

ceo complaint time for sure

 

 

punish no - encourage yes

I wonder if head office know?

 

 

dx

[Geordie Joe]

Thanks dx100uk

 

I work in a diy store and we have a new manager.

 

 

The previous manager encouraged us to offer store cards if the situation warranted it.

i.e. the customer was buying a £400 lawn mower,

but not if they were just buying a couple of tins of paint.

 

The new manager now wants all employees to offer all customers a store card.

She has not said anything to me, yet, but other have said her new orders are offer a store card,

if the customer says no, make two more attempts to persuade them.

 

 

She also has team leaders watching staff and making reports on them,

 

 

I have had two today for not offering a store card to customers.

And have been told it is my job to offer store cards,

and if I didn't I will go.

 

Joe

[dx100uk]

so where is your accusation of punishment coming from?

 

 

ok you get reported but whats the penalty?

 

 

dx

[Geordie Joe]

The penalty is "I will go".

 

The manner in which it was said led me to believe I would be dismissed if I did not offer store cards to every customer.

 

Also, I can't think of any other reason to gather written evidence that I did not offer store cards, other than to use it against me in some way.

 

After both events I freely admitted to not offering the cards as I did not feel it was appropriate. So it can't be just in case I try to deny it.

 

Joe

[dx100uk]

bit like the DCA's might do court if you don't pay them...

 

 

you need to get it in writing

then nail them

 

 

dx

[griffzilla]

How long have you worked there?

[honeybee13]

Hello there.

 

Speaking as a customer, I don't get the previous manager's view on this and think it won't help you if you continue to follow it.

 

I don't agree with pressurising customers into having a card, but I think the idea of only offering cards to people who spend lots of money is silly. The whole point of a loyalty card is to reward people for coming back. They might 'only' buy two cans of paint this time, but if they keep coming back then it could be a lot of money over time.

 

In your place, I would be offering the card to everyone, which is what happens to me in pretty much every national chain I go to. I can't remember anywhere that pressurised me when I said I didn't want a card.

 

HB

[Geordie Joe]

I have worked there 3 years and 3 or 4 months.

 

I know I need to get it in writing, and will try.

 

It appears she is in her first managers job, and is trying to increase takings by being very tough on the employees.

 

She has also told staff to tell customers that they will receive £60 worth on money off vouchers, in with the card, if they take one out. And if they are still hesitating after that to offer them a 10% discount on whatever it is they are buying if the take out the card. I have actually witnessed team leaders doing this several times. And when I asked if offering a 10% discount was Ok, they replied that the manager had told them to do it.

 

Joe

[Geordie Joe]

Hello there.

 

Speaking as a customer, I don't get the previous manager's view on this and think it won't help you if you continue to follow it.

 

I don't agree with pressurising customers into having a card, but I think the idea of only offering cards to people who spend lots of money is silly. The whole point of a loyalty card is to reward people for coming back. They might 'only' buy two cans of paint this time, but if they keep coming back then it could be a lot of money over time.

 

In your place, I would be offering the card to everyone, which is what happens to me in pretty much every national chain I go to. I can't remember anywhere that pressurised me when I said I didn't want a card.

 

HB

 

Hi,

 

Sorry, I didn't make that clear. The store cards are not loyalty cards, they are "store credit cards". You know the type, they work like credit cards but you can only use them in this chain of stores.

[honeybee13]

Thank you for the extra information.

 

Some of the forum members are in retail. I'm a bit confused about whether you're meant to offer customers a card, which is one thing, or do a hard sell on them to get them to take one. Where is the evidence of the discount they would get?

 

Or is this a credit card rather than a loyalty card? I think if they're pressure selling a credit card they could be in trouble.

 

HB

[Geordie Joe]

Thank you for the extra information.

 

Some of the forum members are in retail. I'm a bit confused about whether you're meant to offer customers a card, which is one thing, or do a hard sell on them to get them to take one. Where is the evidence of the discount they would get?

 

Or is this a credit card rather than a loyalty card? I think if they're pressure selling a credit card they could be in trouble.

 

HB

 

Hi, it's not a loyalty card where you get points for shopping there. It's a credit card where you get a credit limit and can purchase anything in the store up to that amount without paying for it at the time. You get a monthly statement and if you pay off the balance you don't pay any interest, but if you don't pay it all off you pay interest.

 

The wording is always "offer the card", but tell them about the money off vouchers and if that doesn't persuade them to take the card offer them a 10% discount. But make it plain that they can only get the 10% discount if they take out the card there and then and use it to pay for the item. If they pay for the item by any other means they can not get the 10% discount.

 

Unfortunately there is no evidence of regarding offering the 10% discount, except team leaders tell people that that is what the manager said they should do.

 

The discount vouchers are mentioned in the training video, you are told to tell the customer about them and at the end of the video you are given a test to prove you have read/heard and understood about the vouchers.

 

However, you are also told to tell the customers that they can use the card immediately, but the actual card will be sent to the by post in 7 to 10 days and the discount vouchers will be in with the card. I guess the vouchers not arriving for 7 to 10 days gets round the rules about them.

 

I have no doubt that if someone from say Trading Standards went into the store and took and interest in a high price item they would be offered the store card, vouchers and if they hesitated they would be offered the 10% discount.

 

However, I like all my colleagues, except this one, so would not want any of them to get into trouble.

 

Joe

[ericsbrother]

You are not responsible for the morality of the card scheme, so "render unto caesar what is caesars".

I was offered a card last time i went into a "big shed" diy store and I declined. If I was asked another 2 times I think I would say something very rude and this should made clear to the management, harassing customers isnt the best way of getting repeat business. The follow on spiel should be just that, you cant go telling someone who isnt faintly interested in the card about is supposed benefits otherwise the same response of the multiple card offer would apply.

I'm sure that the other customers will be delighted at an even slower checkout.

[Geordie Joe]

I completely agree with you ericsbrother.

 

Having been in debt in the past, with debt collectors chasing me, and gotten out of it with the help of people in here, I am not about to try and push or persuade others to get into debt.

[Sidewinder]

Nothing wrong with offering store cards to customers, but words such as 'pressure' and 'discount' almost certainly breach the lending code which was agreed by members of the BRC and FLA in 2011 - especially offering discounts as incentives to customers at the point of agreement.

 

There is nothing really which covers threatening staff who do not offer cards, but I daresay that apart from the old 'failing to obey a reasonable instruction' it would be a matter of whether such disciplinary sanctions are covered in the contract. Of course if you have less than two years service then the employer can dispense with your service without good reason anyway, so probably wise to tread a little carefully.

 

Union membership? It certainly needs some sort of clarification.

[Conniff]

The whole point of a loyalty card is to reward people for coming back.

HB

 

It's not loyalty cards Honeybee, it's store cards ie high interest credit card.

[renegadeimp]

If its not in writing then that manager can't do anything. If she persists with threats, speak to your area manager or head office. If you have a personell manager , perhaps speak to them as in some cases they can go over the managers head.

[caro]

I think I'd ask to see the written guidance/policy/procedure on offering store cards, so that you can study it and make sure you're doing it properly. Some people find it easier to take in if they see it in black and white. if you have any queries then you can put them to your manager in a non-confrontational way - just so you understand it.

 

I'd also like to ask sidewinder if he thinks that someone could be dismissed straight off without going through first, second, third warnings as I can't see that it could be grounds for gross misconduct.

[Geordie Joe]

The only guidance I can remember seeing only told you what to say when you talk about the store card. I don't remember seeing anything about when you should talk about it. The previous manager used to say "if the customer is buying a high priced item use your own judgement, if you think it is worth trying, try offering a card".

 

I have no problem taking things in, it's just this manager has changed the way we do things and I don't think it is the way the company wants it to be.

 

I am not talking about offering a card when they are paying at a till, I am talking about all shop floor staff offering a card to every customer who passes them. Even if you are stacking shelves and a customer walks past you are supposed to ask them if the need help and make 3 attempts to get them to take out a store card.

 

I don't think this can be right, if there are 10 colleagues on the shop floor a customer could have each one trying 3 times to get them to take out a store card.

 

I too would like to know if I could be dismissed instantly for not offering cards to everyone, or even for not offering them to anyone.

 

As I said earlier, the previous manager left it up to the staff member and he never asked anyone if they offered a card. But now it seems every time you speak to a customer a team leader sneaks up behind you and listens in, then makes a written report.

 

I really don't think this is company policy, just the new manager trying to bully staff into offering more store cards. I know the stores are set targets for how many new cards they should get each month, as he used to tell us how we were doing. As we were usually around the target, sometimes a little above and sometimes a little below, he didn't put pressure on anyone to do better. Although he did encourage the team as a whole to try harder sometimes at team meetings.

[ericsbrother]

I suspect that HO has set targets for cards and as they dont have a clue as to why the take-up is lower than they want the manager is left to try and do whatever they can to reach the target. I am a little disturbed about the approach taken as I am certain it is against the old FSA rules and so probably against FCA guidelines for the offering of financial services/contracts for a couple of reasons, firstly the training and sign-off for the staff expected to do this and secondly the incentives offered to the prospective applicant. There are rules

[caro]

Just to be clear I wasn't suggesting you struggle to take things in, but a way of checking official guidance against what you're being told without appearing to be confrontational to the new manager.

[Geordie Joe]

Just to be clear I wasn't suggesting you struggle to take things in, but a way of checking official guidance against what you're being told without appearing to be confrontational to the new manager.

 

No worries, you actually did me a favour. The guidance is on a training video, well more of a PowerPoint presentation with a "quiz" at the end. You watch it and do the quiz, if you get all the questions right you never see the presentation again. If I "let it be known" that I am not sure of the procedures for store cards they might just take the easy way out and make me watch the presentation again. If I get one question wrong on the quiz I will be forced to watch the presentation again, and redo the quiz until I score 100%.

 

ericsbrother, there are targets. If the store doesn't meet the targets the manager has to explain why, and if you do meet the targets a certain number of times in a row they increase the target.

 

I'm sure the new manager is just trying to beat the targets just to "make a good impression". However, I think the way she is going about it is all wrong. And, as she is new, she hasn't learned that if you hit the targets they just increase them, and hit you harder to make you reach the new target.

[renegadeimp]

Cant sack you if its mere guidance. You want a hardcopy of company policy. If it doesnt state that you MUST offer a card to every customer, then you can ignore your manager. Sure, she might make your life hell, but thats for another discussion.

[Sidewinder]

I think I'd ask to see the written guidance/policy/procedure on offering store cards, so that you can study it and make sure you're doing it properly. Some people find it easier to take in if they see it in black and white. if you have any queries then you can put them to your manager in a non-confrontational way - just so you understand it.

 

I'd also like to ask sidewinder if he thinks that someone could be dismissed straight off without going through first, second, third warnings as I can't see that it could be grounds for gross misconduct.

 

Hi Caro

 

Without two years service the employer can dismiss at will without due process even for wearing the wrong aftershave. That is unless there is a provable case that the dismissal was made for a protected reason - race, gender, age etc

 

With more than two years service, then as this is unlikely to be a case gross misconduct, then the employee would be entitled to the disciplinary process involving at least one warning prior to dismissal - or whatever is outlined in the employer's disciplinary procedures

[caro]

No worries, you actually did me a favour. The guidance is on a training video, well more of a PowerPoint presentation with a "quiz" at the end. You watch it and do the quiz, if you get all the questions right you never see the presentation again. If I "let it be known" that I am not sure of the procedures for store cards they might just take the easy way out and make me watch the presentation again. If I get one question wrong on the quiz I will be forced to watch the presentation again, and redo the quiz until I score 100%.

 

ericsbrother, there are targets. If the store doesn't meet the targets the manager has to explain why, and if you do meet the targets a certain number of times in a row they increase the target.

 

I'm sure the new manager is just trying to beat the targets just to "make a good impression". However, I think the way she is going about it is all wrong. And, as she is new, she hasn't learned that if you hit the targets they just increase them, and hit you harder to make you reach the new target.

 

Oh I sympathise! Best job I ever had became hell when a new manager wanted to make an impression.

 

Thanks for the info sidewinder. As Geordies been in post for over 3 years he is unlikely to be dismissed without warning, although clearly needs to resolve this.