"Mortimer Schnerd, RN" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> I had a friend who worked there after a full career as an electrician. He
went
> because he enjoyed it and the extra income helped him out as well. He
didn't
> *have* to work.
That would be the best case scenario.
Mortimer Schnerd, RN wrote:
> Upscale wrote:
> > Every time I seen mention of the older people working at Home Depot
I get
> > the idea that many of them work there to be active, or to gossip
with other
> > 'home renovation' people, or just for something to do. Considering
the low
> > wages they get, I hope expect too many of them are working there
for the
> > money, at least I hope so.
>
>
> I had a friend who worked there after a full career as an
electrician. He went
> because he enjoyed it and the extra income helped him out as well.
He didn't
> *have* to work.
>
>
>
> --
> Mortimer Schnerd, RN
>
> [email protected]
I knew a guy who retired from contracting and worked PT at a local HD,
mostly setting up and teaching classes. This was a few years ago, but
as I recall, he got about $18-$19 an hour, which isn't bad money in
this area (or a lot of others). He didn't have to work either, but
found the extra money helpful.
Upscale wrote:
> "Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >
> > I knew a guy who retired from contracting and worked PT at a local
HD,
> > mostly setting up and teaching classes. This was a few years ago,
but
> > as I recall, he got about $18-$19 an hour, which isn't bad money in
> > this area (or a lot of others). He didn't have to work either, but
> > found the extra money helpful.
>
> That's not half bad. I'm of the mind that they mostly take advantage
of
> employees like most conglomerates.
I'm not sure I'd called the big box stores conglomerates, but, in fact,
I've seen Mom & Pop stores taking advantage of employees just as much
as larger companies. The kicker is, they do it two or three at a time.
As an example, years ago, my wife worked for a small store (four or
five employees, total); no benefits, which was expected; no raise for
either four or five years (which is why she quit). Her work was way
above satisfactory, but I was making good money, so her boss simply
didn't think she needed the money.
If you think that kind of idiotic thinking is unusual, take a look
around you at some smaller stores. My first mother-in-law ran into the
same problem many years ago. She was by far the best-qualified science
teacher at a local high school, but the men working in the department
got raises because her husband made excellent money. I never did figure
out what Ben's job had to do with Faith's job performance and pay,
except in the minds of '60s educational admin types around Orange
County, NY.
Their, their...
Lou
In article <[email protected]>,
Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
> In article <[email protected]>,
> Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > That was there excuse too: "Just business, Rob,
> > really"....
>
> Ouch ouch ouch...I wrote:
>
> That was there excuse too: "Just business, Rob, really"....
>
> Was supposed to have read:
>
> That was their excuse too: "Just business, Rob, really"....
>
>
> *shaking my head* That does it, I need to stop reading UseNet....LOL
On Sat, 14 May 2005 13:16:08 GMT, "Gary" <[email protected]>
wrote:
>
>"Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>>
>
>> As an example, years ago, my wife worked for a small store (four or
>> five employees, total); no benefits, which was expected; no raise for
>> either four or five years (which is why she quit). Her work was way
>> above satisfactory, but I was making good money, so her boss simply
>> didn't think she needed the money.
>>
>Its sad to say, but pay for seniority is a dying concept in this country.
>Pay for performance with meager cost of living adjustments seems to be the
>norm now days.
Is that a bad thing? If a guy has worked at the same place for five
years, and still is as useless as the day he was hired- why would he
get paid more?
OTOH, if a new guy comes in and works twice as hard as one of the
long-timers, why should he get paid less?
Aut inveniam viam aut faciam
"toller" <[email protected]> wrote:
> I bought some pipe fittings marked 3/8" at Chase Pitkin Tuesday. When
> I found they didn't fit 3/8" tubing I took them back today, but
> misplaced the receipt. CP refused to give me store credit, despite a
> sign saying they give store credit without a receipt. I called the
> main office who told me to fo fly a kite. I called the credit company
> and reversed the charge.
>
> I also took a smoke detector back to Home Depot today. I bought it 6
> months ago and just got around to installing it, when I found it was
> defective. They no longer carry that brand, but gave me a full refund
> without a receipt.
>
> Guess who is going to get my business. Say what you want about HD, but
> they perform.
Home Depot is a tremendous resource. Thirty or forty years ago, a chain
of stores with such an impressive inventory wouldn't have been believable
by most folks. Like toller said, their customer service is top of the
line. Some of us in rural areas are also very impressed with their
prices, too. I like to support small businesses whenever I can, but with
HD around now I'm seeing less and less reasons why I should go anywhere
else for so many things.
VK
"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
Forget "qualifications" for a job, people hire people they like.
> The DMV and post office hire people that took a test and had a passing
> score. Look at the personalities of those places.
Not just the test, since we're doing reparations with hiring preferences.
However, well said. Seems back in the Hillarycare days someone mentioned
that a government-run healthcare would feature the speed of the post office
and the compassion of the DMV.
"Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I'm not sure I'd called the big box stores conglomerates, but, in fact,
> I've seen Mom & Pop stores taking advantage of employees just as much
> as larger companies. The kicker is, they do it two or three at a time.
> As an example, years ago, my wife worked for a small store (four or
> five employees, total); no benefits, which was expected; no raise for
> either four or five years (which is why she quit). Her work was way
> above satisfactory, but I was making good money, so her boss simply
> didn't think she needed the money.
>
> If you think that kind of idiotic thinking is unusual, take a look
> around you at some smaller stores. My first mother-in-law ran into the
> same problem many years ago. She was by far the best-qualified science
> teacher at a local high school, but the men working in the department
> got raises because her husband made excellent money. I never did figure
> out what Ben's job had to do with Faith's job performance and pay,
> except in the minds of '60s educational admin types around Orange
> County, NY.
>
From each according ....
Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
>
> "Gary" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> > Its sad to say, but pay for seniority is a dying concept in this country.
> > Pay for performance with meager cost of living adjustments seems to be the
> > norm now days.
>
> I don't see a problem with that. If a drone has been on the payroll for ten
> or twenty years, should he/she make more than a one year employee that does
> an excellent job? One would hope that the long term employee is more
> valuable and has greater knowledge, but that is not always the case.
> Seniority counts for vacation time picks, but has nothing to do with the
> quality of work, and thus, the amount of pay
And no response to date has mentioned the problem of the <employer>
trying to make payroll every period...
"Mark & Juanita" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> I know that in my "poster child" HD story, the "little" factoid that a
> supposedly "expert" HD employee didn't know was the fact that one could
> have more than 100 amps worth of circuit breakers in a 100 amp electrical
> panel and, in fact, insisted that one could not have more than 100 amps
> worth of breakers in such a panel. Seems like kind of a major issue when
> he was trying to influence the design and purchase decisions as a supposed
> "expert" on the floor. In fact, he attempted to emphasize this fact by
> telling us that he was an electrician before coming to work at the Borg
(he
> was a fairly young fellow, so he definitely wasn't a retired electrician).
If they paid him an extra two bucks an hour, he'd be much more
knowledgeable.
Amazing how they're all slugs, slackers and stupid - and underpaid....
Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
>
> "Duane Bozarth" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> >
> > And no response to date has mentioned the problem of the <employer>
> > trying to make payroll every period...
>
> That's because corporations have LOTS of money and everything they buy is a
> tax write-off. ;)
Right...I'd forgotten they don't have to make a profit to stay in
business...
But, I was particularly referring to the examples of the poor
individuals not getting annual raises, etc., from a local employer...
"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> > - One could also argue that the long time employee
> > knows how to work the system, but anyway you slice it, there's always
> > going
> > to be some advantages that the long time employee has over newer
> > employees.
>
> One would hope so, but . . . . There will always be an exception. You
> don't need the old guy telling the new workers to slow down. Why do 110
> widgets when the company only expects 100?
>
>
I see you've worked in a union shop. Production plus one, even if you had
to stop the line a couple times in the last hour for critical potty breaks.
BTDT
Upscale wrote:
>
> "Prometheus" <[email protected]> wrote in message >
> > Is that a bad thing? If a guy has worked at the same place for five
> > years, and still is as useless as the day he was hired - why would he
> > get paid more?
>
> Not to disagree with your opinion, but there are some things that make the
> long time employee more valuable, at least from the get go when hiring a new
> person.
>
> - New person takes time to train and has to prove himself. Working twice as
> hard in the beginning, while laudable, doesn't state much since every new
> employee works twice as hard in the beginning.
> - Long time employee has assumedly proven that he's going to show up for
> work.
> - Long time employee has assumedly proven that he's trustworthy.
> - Long time employee has the experienced the occasional operation problems
> and how to accomplish something if there's a difficulty doing it the regular
> way.
> - If the long time employee has contact with customers, then he's going to
> have developed a relationship with some or perhaps many of those customers.
>
> Sure the long time employee could be lazy, untrustworthy and barely worth
> his wages, but if that was true, then it's the management's problem for
> keeping him as an employee. One could also argue that the long time employee
> knows how to work the system, but anyway you slice it, there's always going
> to be some advantages that the long time employee has over newer employees.
The upshot of all is always that labor is a cost of doing business--it's
required that the labor be cost-effective for the employer or there
won't <be> any long-term employment.
If productivity is improved, then there may be additional revenue
generated that can absorb increased wages, but these benefits are often
offset by rising costs in other areas.
"Mark & Juanita" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
>
> I know that in my "poster child" HD story, the "little" factoid that a
> supposedly "expert" HD employee didn't know was the fact that one could
> have more than 100 amps worth of circuit breakers in a 100 amp electrical
> panel and, in fact, insisted that one could not have more than 100 amps
> worth of breakers in such a panel. Seems like kind of a major issue when
> he was trying to influence the design and purchase decisions as a supposed
> "expert" on the floor. In fact, he attempted to emphasize this fact by
> telling us that he was an electrician before coming to work at the Borg
(he
> was a fairly young fellow, so he definitely wasn't a retired electrician).
>
I know what you're saying Mark but that would fall into the category of
anecdotal. Not all of the advice in the BORGs is advanced level advice and
occasionally you can find downright wrong advice as in this case. Not
trying to suggest it does not exist, just that it is anecdotal and things
like this are too often use to characterize the folks there. Heck - I've
gotten plane and simple wrong advice at far better stores than HD before -
it happens. Frankly, I don't look to the folks at the BORG for much more
advice than where a particular product is in the store. It's all I really
expect from them for the most part, so I'm seldom disappointed.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
Upscale wrote:
> Every time I seen mention of the older people working at Home Depot I get
> the idea that many of them work there to be active, or to gossip with other
> 'home renovation' people, or just for something to do. Considering the low
> wages they get, I hope expect too many of them are working there for the
> money, at least I hope so.
I had a friend who worked there after a full career as an electrician. He went
because he enjoyed it and the extra income helped him out as well. He didn't
*have* to work.
--
Mortimer Schnerd, RN
[email protected]
"Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" <[email protected]> wrote in
message
> >
> > I had a friend who worked there after a full career as an electrician.
He
> went
> > because he enjoyed it and the extra income helped him out as well. He
> didn't
> > *have* to work.
>
> That would be the best case scenario.
>
>
I'm not so sure. I've never applied for a job there, but I do see people of
all ages there. Most younger ones pass through pretty quickly as I would
expect. Middle age to older folks - and I don't see a lot of retired people
working at HD or Lowes in my neck of the woods, seem to stay there for a
long time. Seems they must like it pretty well. The job market is not
hopping around here, but it's not so bad that a fellow would stay at a
terrible, minimum wage job for several years just because there was nothing
else for him to do.
It's amusing to watch the conversations here. So many of the regular
posters here seem to love taking shots at the people at HD simply because
they observed some simple human failure at work. Some little factoid that
the HD guy didn't know, or somehow slipped up on, or in some other way
didn't pass the test of doing everything to the absolute satisfaction of the
poster. I'm convinced that most of these complaints or "observations" only
come from frustrated people who have nothing better to do than to find the
issues (or exagerate them in order to really create an issue) in other
people (HD employees make such a big target in a group like this) in order
to feel somehow above those folks and part of (this) "elite" group. The
same thing comes through often is the way simple questions are answered with
all sorts of obtuse, irrelevant mantras which wander off into bizzare
threads - just to sound "authoritative".
Oh well - Saturday morning rant compete. BTW Upscale - this is not directed
to you. It's really more of a generalized statement about what I see here
every time a thread comes up involving people who work at BORGs, and the
like.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
I think you may be missing some of the point to their anger--
In my metro area, I can reach 4 HD, 2 Loews, 2 Wal-Marts, several Sears,
K-Marts and so forth without a major drive.
Each individual store has their own unique 'culture' or flavor if you will.
The two Wal-Marts are the most extreme different. There is an indescribable
psychic feel to the stores. Everyone who enters can feel and react to this
psychic flavor. And to some extent, the reaction by the customer results in
anger; a very strong anger.
Two of the BORGS and one Wal-Mart near me I will never go into again. Darn
outright surly and go out of their way to be unhelpful staff. Yet last
summer when a new Loews opened up a few miles north of me, I was shocked,
and down-right jaw dropped surprised at the warm friendly atmosphere of the
place plus the shelves were fully stocked and, if you can believe it, the
shelf price stickers actually had something to do with the merchandise on
the shelf above the sticker. Not so on my last two visits. No one around
to help, stock missing, and some merchandise on wrong shelf or out of place.
(the can was shellac, the shelf price label was for Deft.) That turn around
took less than a year for that store.
The problem is not the customers, the employees, or the store location.
Faults like these are management, fully and specifically problems with
management.
I do hope your nearest HD or Loews, or Wal-Mart are still stores that you
feel at least welcome into, and you can find what you want, when you want
it. and there is someone to answer your questions (and who knows the
answer). This is not so in each and every one of these stores in my area.
And my anger is doubled because I now must drive to the next store, again,
to get what I wanted.
Phil
"Don Haynes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> all you people pissed off at h.d. get a life
>
"Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> I knew a guy who retired from contracting and worked PT at a local HD,
> mostly setting up and teaching classes. This was a few years ago, but
> as I recall, he got about $18-$19 an hour, which isn't bad money in
> this area (or a lot of others). He didn't have to work either, but
> found the extra money helpful.
That's not half bad. I'm of the mind that they mostly take advantage of
employees like most conglomerates.
"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:oVGhe.12
>
> One would hope so, but . . . . There will always be an exception. You
> don't need the old guy telling the new workers to slow down. Why do 110
> widgets when the company only expects 100?
Unfortunately, I've had direct experience with something similar in only one
place and that was a union setting. When I worked at Pearson Airport in
Toronto for General Aviation some thirty years ago, the 'minimum needed'
type of work ethic was 'strongly suggested' in almost every case because it
supported the union. The people I respected and befriended there were people
who didn't subscribe to that ethic and to a man, they all transferred out to
other companies at the airport during the two years I was there. I was glad
to get out of there because of the strong-arming that went on. One or two of
them I could have challenged and would probably have had to fight if it came
down to it, but to challenge dozens at the same time is tantamount to
getting the crap beat out of you.
The only other union shop I worked in was the job I had at Goodyear in a
truck tire retreading plant. Unknowingly, I befriended one of the union
stewards so that the job was relatively stress free, but like the idiot I
was, I left that job for the better pay at the airport. That's something
that was very demoralizing, reaching for something I thought was better only
to find that I landed in a world of shit.
"Duane Bozarth" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> And no response to date has mentioned the problem of the <employer>
> trying to make payroll every period...
That's because corporations have LOTS of money and everything they buy is a
tax write-off. ;)
"Mike Marlow" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> Oh well - Saturday morning rant compete. BTW Upscale - this is not
directed
> to you. It's really more of a generalized statement about what I see
here
> every time a thread comes up involving people who work at BORGs, and the
> like.
Sure, I understand that. I was just musing on what I see because since I'm
in my 50's, I can envision myself working at a Borg like store at sometime
in the future. It might be for the money or maybe just to be active in some
way within an area that interests me and which I believe I have a certain
level of knowledge. Just hoping that I'll like it.
"Norman D. Crow" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> service. They also have a staff of *R.O.F.'s*(Retired Old Far^^) who are
> VERY helpful and knowledgeable.
Every time I seen mention of the older people working at Home Depot I get
the idea that many of them work there to be active, or to gossip with other
'home renovation' people, or just for something to do. Considering the low
wages they get, I hope expect too many of them are working there for the
money, at least I hope so.
On Sat, 14 May 2005 14:52:41 -0500, Duane Bozarth
<[email protected]> wrote:
>Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
>>
>> "Duane Bozarth" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> >
>> > And no response to date has mentioned the problem of the <employer>
>> > trying to make payroll every period...
>>
>> That's because corporations have LOTS of money and everything they buy is a
>> tax write-off. ;)
>
>Right...I'd forgotten they don't have to make a profit to stay in
>business...
>
>But, I was particularly referring to the examples of the poor
>individuals not getting annual raises, etc., from a local employer...
Or not getting paid at *all* when the mom&pop place goes through a
cash-flow crisis. BTDT.
Lee
Another Phil wrote:
> The problem is not the customers, the employees, or the store location.
> Faults like these are management, fully and specifically problems with
> management.
To me, 99.999999% of all corporate failings are management fueled. I will give management only
the occasional & rare rogue employee as a part of the corporate puzzle piece that they can't
control or reasonably predict. EVERYTHING else is within their grasp to manage. Yet they
continue to fail & whine that it's someone/something elses' fault why they fail.
"Gary" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> Its sad to say, but pay for seniority is a dying concept in this country.
> Pay for performance with meager cost of living adjustments seems to be the
> norm now days.
I don't see a problem with that. If a drone has been on the payroll for ten
or twenty years, should he/she make more than a one year employee that does
an excellent job? One would hope that the long term employee is more
valuable and has greater knowledge, but that is not always the case.
Seniority counts for vacation time picks, but has nothing to do with the
quality of work, and thus, the amount of pay
"Don Haynes" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> all you people pissed off at h.d. get a life
>
I bought some pipe fittings marked 3/8" at Chase Pitkin Tuesday. When I
found they didn't fit 3/8" tubing I took them back today, but misplaced the
receipt. CP refused to give me store credit, despite a sign saying they
give store credit without a receipt. I called the main office who told me
to fo fly a kite. I called the credit company and reversed the charge.
I also took a smoke detector back to Home Depot today. I bought it 6 months
ago and just got around to installing it, when I found it was defective.
They no longer carry that brand, but gave me a full refund without a
receipt.
Guess who is going to get my business. Say what you want about HD, but they
perform.
(yeh, I know; take better care of the receipt...)
"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:design-
>
> Don't get me ranting on that one, Ed...LOL PLEASE!!!
> I used to supply roughly 20 area kitchen dealers with solid surface
> counter tops."The Big Boys" from the big city rolled in
> radius around Toronto) and started to beat my prices.
Let me guess. This one of your wife transitioning periods? :)
"Norman D. Crow" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
<snip>
> If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, then you baffle them with
> BS?
>
That syndrome certainly isn't unique to the BORG.
We had a different saying, back in the day:
Ignorance to Arrgoance, in 90 days.
Patriarch
"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
<snip>
> It's a tough world out there. I can cite plenty of examples in our
> industry where cost of materials bought has gone up and the selling
> price has gone down. We've walked away from about a $1 million in
> sales and profits did not change at all.
In my industry, what sold for $400/unit in 1999 sold for $40/unit in 2004,
and in significantly higher unit volume. Such is the world of Moore's Law.
Patriarch,
not complaining
"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> In one case, we made parts for air conditioners. After year one, the
> customer expected a 10% price decrease and we were able to do it as we
> came up with better methods and efficiencies. In years 2 and 3 they
> took longer to pay. Much longer.
> In year 4, they wanted a 25% decrease plus a 6% rebate for the
> previous year. that is when we walked. The company that took over
> the business from us lost their ass and almost shut down. By year 5
> the customer moved their operation to Mexico.
>
> In another industry that we supply, we wanted to increase prices 5% to
> cover increased raw material cost. One of our competitors responded
> by offering the same customers a new lower price, less than our
> original price. They took the business away. They went bankrupt and
> were sold.
>
I've seen that too. There is tremendous power in knowing when to, and
being able to, say 'no'.
And mumble kma as you walk out through the parking lot.
Patriarch
"Without vision, the people perish." (Proverbs 29:18)
"Duane Bozarth" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> But, I was particularly referring to the examples of the poor
> individuals not getting annual raises, etc., from a local employer...
Keeping up with the cost of living is tough enough. I know someone that
owns a "dollar store". They either have to become a dollar-fifty store or
go out of business. Just the increased cost of freight alone is taking the
profits and they cannot give anyone a raise. Just not enough stuff that can
be bought at the right price to maintain the dollar concept.
It's a tough world out there. I can cite plenty of examples in our industry
where cost of materials bought has gone up and the selling price has gone
down. We've walked away from about a $1 million in sales and profits did not
change at all. It would have hurt to keep it. We did get a modest wage
increase this year though. It is difficult to justify giving anyone more
than a cost of living increase unless they do something to deserve it, such
as take on more responsibility, or additional duties. You already (or
should, anyway), get paid for doing a good job and showing up every day.
That is just a basic part of being employed.
Sometimes you have to change with technology. Considering the proliferation
of digital cameras, it would not seem prudent to invest your life savings in
a one hour photo shop. There will always be film, just not as much of it.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/
"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Another Phil" <NoSpamming@one two three four five.com> wrote in message
>
>> The two Wal-Marts are the most extreme different. There is an
>> indescribable psychic feel to the stores. Everyone who enters can feel
>> and react to this psychic flavor.
>
> .
>>
>> Two of the BORGS and one Wal-Mart near me I will never go into again.
>> Darn outright surly and go out of their way to be unhelpful staff. Yet
>> last summer when a new Loews opened up a few miles north of me, I was
>> shocked, and down-right jaw dropped surprised at the warm friendly
>> atmosphere of the place
>
>
>> The problem is not the customers, the employees, or the store location.
>> Faults like these are management, fully and specifically problems with
>> management.
>
> Like people, businesses have personalities. If the people at the top are
> cheerful, customer oriented, the probably hire others that are of similar
> attitude. Forget "qualifications" for a job, people hire people they
> like. The DMV and post office hire people that took a test and had a
> passing score. Look at the personalities of those places.
>
> I tend to go to stores that are favorable to my personality.
> --
Don't know about the "feel" of our HD, but I go there somewhat regularly.
Living in an area that is "employment challenged", they have quite a few
employees who had worked in hardware/wood-working related businesses, are
now @ HD. They have the knowledge and abilities.
I frequently use an Ace hardware which is closer than HD. They have a little
of everything, including a small wood supply and a large tool rental
service. They also have a staff of *R.O.F.'s*(Retired Old Far^^) who are
VERY helpful and knowledgeable.
--
Nahmie
The greatest headaches are those we cause ourselves.
On Sat, 14 May 2005 14:56:32 GMT, "Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>"Duane Bozarth" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>>
>> And no response to date has mentioned the problem of the <employer>
>> trying to make payroll every period...
>
>That's because corporations have LOTS of money and everything they buy is a
>tax write-off. ;)
>
You forgot to throw in the "corporate welfare subsidies" :-)
>
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
"Mark & Juanita" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
<snip>
>
> I know that in my "poster child" HD story, the "little" factoid that a
> supposedly "expert" HD employee didn't know was the fact that one could
> have more than 100 amps worth of circuit breakers in a 100 amp electrical
> panel and, in fact, insisted that one could not have more than 100 amps
> worth of breakers in such a panel. Seems like kind of a major issue when
> he was trying to influence the design and purchase decisions as a supposed
> "expert" on the floor. In fact, he attempted to emphasize this fact by
> telling us that he was an electrician before coming to work at the Borg
> (he
> was a fairly young fellow, so he definitely wasn't a retired electrician).
>
>
If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, then you baffle them with BS?
--
Nahmie
The greatest headaches are those we cause ourselves.
In article <[email protected]>,
"Edwin Pawlowski" <[email protected]> wrote:
> In another industry that we supply, we wanted to increase prices 5% to cover
> increased raw material cost. One of our competitors responded by offering
> the same customers a new lower price, less than our original price. They
> took the business away. They went bankrupt and were sold.
Don't get me ranting on that one, Ed...LOL PLEASE!!!
I used to supply roughly 20 area kitchen dealers with solid surface
counter tops.
"The Big Boys" from the big city rolled in (and elsewhere in a 200-mile
radius around Toronto) and started to beat my prices.
Many dealers dropped me, some loyal guys stayed on (and some are still
with me even though I sold the business.)
"The Big Boys", with me out of their way, started jacking up the prices,
but they simply could not sustain their low prices, because most of the
costs are material-related and the same for both of us.... except, they
had higher transportation costs, and their labour force was living in a
much higher cost-of-living area than my guys and I.
Soon enough, my previous dealers started to trickle back to me... My
prices TO THEM were increased by 15 - 20%.. My guys got a raise... and
we all lived happily ever after.
One of the "Big Boys" had made serious investments in buildings and
machinery and had to bail. Many investors lost their shirts.
Moral of the story: when one of my loyal customers calls for a rush job,
I'll stay late to make it happen. If one of the dealers who dropped me
calls for a rush job...he waits and his price goes up. That is not
revenge, it's business. That was there excuse too: "Just business, Rob,
really"....
In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] (Don Haynes) wrote:
> all you people pissed off at h.d. get a life
Uh-oh... sounds like somebody is miffed because somebody poo-poo-ed his
employer.
You should have finished grade 5 and got a job at Lowe's instead....
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
wait the customary 3 minutes before the ass-wipe realizes he's been
insulted....
In article <[email protected]>,
Robatoy <[email protected]> wrote:
> That was there excuse too: "Just business, Rob,
> really"....
Ouch ouch ouch...I wrote:
That was there excuse too: "Just business, Rob, really"....
Was supposed to have read:
That was their excuse too: "Just business, Rob, really"....
*shaking my head* That does it, I need to stop reading UseNet....LOL
"Another Phil" <NoSpamming@one two three four five.com> wrote in message
> The two Wal-Marts are the most extreme different. There is an
> indescribable psychic feel to the stores. Everyone who enters can feel
> and react to this psychic flavor.
.
>
> Two of the BORGS and one Wal-Mart near me I will never go into again.
> Darn outright surly and go out of their way to be unhelpful staff. Yet
> last summer when a new Loews opened up a few miles north of me, I was
> shocked, and down-right jaw dropped surprised at the warm friendly
> atmosphere of the place
> The problem is not the customers, the employees, or the store location.
> Faults like these are management, fully and specifically problems with
> management.
Like people, businesses have personalities. If the people at the top are
cheerful, customer oriented, the probably hire others that are of similar
attitude. Forget "qualifications" for a job, people hire people they like.
The DMV and post office hire people that took a test and had a passing
score. Look at the personalities of those places.
I tend to go to stores that are favorable to my personality.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/
On Sat, 14 May 2005 07:48:55 -0400, "Mike Marlow"
<[email protected]> wrote:
>
>"Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>news:[email protected]...
>> "Mortimer Schnerd, RN" <[email protected]> wrote in
>message
>> >
>> > I had a friend who worked there after a full career as an electrician.
>He
>> went
>> > because he enjoyed it and the extra income helped him out as well. He
>> didn't
>> > *have* to work.
>>
>> That would be the best case scenario.
>>
>>
>
... snip
>
>It's amusing to watch the conversations here. So many of the regular
>posters here seem to love taking shots at the people at HD simply because
>they observed some simple human failure at work. Some little factoid that
>the HD guy didn't know, or somehow slipped up on, or in some other way
>didn't pass the test of doing everything to the absolute satisfaction of the
>poster.
I know that in my "poster child" HD story, the "little" factoid that a
supposedly "expert" HD employee didn't know was the fact that one could
have more than 100 amps worth of circuit breakers in a 100 amp electrical
panel and, in fact, insisted that one could not have more than 100 amps
worth of breakers in such a panel. Seems like kind of a major issue when
he was trying to influence the design and purchase decisions as a supposed
"expert" on the floor. In fact, he attempted to emphasize this fact by
telling us that he was an electrician before coming to work at the Borg (he
was a fairly young fellow, so he definitely wasn't a retired electrician).
... snip
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough
+--------------------------------------------------------------------------------+
"Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> "Prometheus" <[email protected]> wrote in message >
> > Is that a bad thing? If a guy has worked at the same place for five
> > years, and still is as useless as the day he was hired - why would he
> > get paid more?
>
> Not to disagree with your opinion, but there are some things that make the
> long time employee more valuable, at least from the get go when hiring a
new
> person.
>
> - New person takes time to train and has to prove himself. Working twice
as
> hard in the beginning, while laudable, doesn't state much since every new
> employee works twice as hard in the beginning.
> - Long time employee has assumedly proven that he's going to show up for
> work.
> - Long time employee has assumedly proven that he's trustworthy.
> - Long time employee has the experienced the occasional operation problems
> and how to accomplish something if there's a difficulty doing it the
regular
> way.
> - If the long time employee has contact with customers, then he's going to
> have developed a relationship with some or perhaps many of those
customers.
>
Good points Upscale - you well identified some of the characteristics of
"performance". Well worth paying for.
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
"Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> I can envision myself working at a Borg like store at sometime
> in the future. It might be for the money or maybe just to be active in
> some
> way within an area that interests me and which I believe I have a certain
> level of knowledge. Just hoping that I'll like it.
My plan is to never retire 100%. (Unless I hit the Powerball tonight for
$111 million). I'll be 60 later this year and I've already thought of a
couple of things I'd like to do. They all require getting out of the house,
socializing with others, responsibility but not high stress. Make a few
bucks to buy wood or take some vacations. My boss (the company owner, 1 year
older than me) figures we'll both still be coming into the shop or a
semi-regular basis. I figure if you sit home and watch Jerry Springer you
die too soon.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/
"Patriarch" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> In my industry, what sold for $400/unit in 1999 sold for $40/unit in 2004,
> and in significantly higher unit volume. Such is the world of Moore's
> Law.
Great that it can happen in certain industries. Problem is, people have come
to expect it in everything. While computers and most electronics have
improved and gotten cheaper, appliances have turned to crap just to lower
cost.
In one case, we made parts for air conditioners. After year one, the
customer expected a 10% price decrease and we were able to do it as we came
up with better methods and efficiencies. In years 2 and 3 they took longer
to pay. Much longer.
In year 4, they wanted a 25% decrease plus a 6% rebate for the previous
year. that is when we walked. The company that took over the business from
us lost their ass and almost shut down. By year 5 the customer moved their
operation to Mexico.
In another industry that we supply, we wanted to increase prices 5% to cover
increased raw material cost. One of our competitors responded by offering
the same customers a new lower price, less than our original price. They
took the business away. They went bankrupt and were sold.
On Sat, 14 May 2005 07:45:49 -0400, the inscrutable "George"
<george@least> spake:
>"Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>> If you think that kind of idiotic thinking is unusual, take a look
>> around you at some smaller stores. My first mother-in-law ran into the
>> same problem many years ago. She was by far the best-qualified science
>> teacher at a local high school, but the men working in the department
>> got raises because her husband made excellent money. I never did figure
>> out what Ben's job had to do with Faith's job performance and pay,
>> except in the minds of '60s educational admin types around Orange
>> County, NY.
>>
>
>From each according ....
Manifesto noted. ;)
------
We're born hungry, wet, 'n naked, and it gets worse from there.
- http://diversify.com Website Application Programming -
"Charlie Self" wrote:
> except in the minds of '60s educational admin types around Orange
> County, NY.
It's a tossup what goes through the minds of most educrats in this country.
From a taxpayer's perspective it appears to revolve around milking us for
all they can get. That it is not "education" has become so bloody obvious
that it should be a source of everlasting shame.
--
www.e-woodshop.net
Last update: 5/06/05
"Upscale" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> Not to disagree with your opinion, but there are some things that make the
> long time employee more valuable, at least from the get go when hiring a
> new
> person.
(good list of attributes snipped)
All those things do add up to a more valuable employee and if true, he
should make more. In the real world. that is not always the case.
Let's say we make widgests. We have 20 people making them. We expect each
employee to make 100 widgets a day. It is repetative labor, not much skill
required. The new guy comes in and makes 80 widgets today, 90 a few days
later, eventuall work up to 110 a day. Old Fred has been here for 15 ears
and makes between 99 and 101 a day. Has never taken on any additional
duties, never showed interest in a promotion, just keeps making his widgets
and goes home.
We sell widgets based on what our costs are and what the market will bear on
prices. How can you justify paying the senior person more money?
In a skilled labor environment, experience make a huge difference. Knowing
where the main power switch is on a malfunctioning machine, knowing how a
problem was solved ten years ago can save the company thousands of dollars
in down time. That makes an employee valuable.
>
> - One could also argue that the long time employee
> knows how to work the system, but anyway you slice it, there's always
> going
> to be some advantages that the long time employee has over newer
> employees.
One would hope so, but . . . . There will always be an exception. You
don't need the old guy telling the new workers to slow down. Why do 110
widgets when the company only expects 100?
"Robatoy" <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> One of the "Big Boys" had made serious investments in buildings and
> machinery and had to bail. Many investors lost their shirts.
>
> Moral of the story: when one of my loyal customers calls for a rush job,
> I'll stay late to make it happen. If one of the dealers who dropped me
> calls for a rush job...he waits and his price goes up. That is not
> revenge, it's business. That was there excuse too: "Just business, Rob,
> really"....
Glad you hung in there.
Second moral to the story. Bigger is not always better; more sales is not
always more profit. You MUST make a profit.
"Charlie Self" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
>
> As an example, years ago, my wife worked for a small store (four or
> five employees, total); no benefits, which was expected; no raise for
> either four or five years (which is why she quit). Her work was way
> above satisfactory, but I was making good money, so her boss simply
> didn't think she needed the money.
>
Its sad to say, but pay for seniority is a dying concept in this country.
Pay for performance with meager cost of living adjustments seems to be the
norm now days.
"Prometheus" <[email protected]> wrote in message >
> Is that a bad thing? If a guy has worked at the same place for five
> years, and still is as useless as the day he was hired - why would he
> get paid more?
Not to disagree with your opinion, but there are some things that make the
long time employee more valuable, at least from the get go when hiring a new
person.
- New person takes time to train and has to prove himself. Working twice as
hard in the beginning, while laudable, doesn't state much since every new
employee works twice as hard in the beginning.
- Long time employee has assumedly proven that he's going to show up for
work.
- Long time employee has assumedly proven that he's trustworthy.
- Long time employee has the experienced the occasional operation problems
and how to accomplish something if there's a difficulty doing it the regular
way.
- If the long time employee has contact with customers, then he's going to
have developed a relationship with some or perhaps many of those customers.
Sure the long time employee could be lazy, untrustworthy and barely worth
his wages, but if that was true, then it's the management's problem for
keeping him as an employee. One could also argue that the long time employee
knows how to work the system, but anyway you slice it, there's always going
to be some advantages that the long time employee has over newer employees.
Patriarch <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Norman D. Crow" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
> <snip>
>> If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, then you baffle them with
>> BS?
>>
>
> That syndrome certainly isn't unique to the BORG.
>
> We had a different saying, back in the day:
>
> Ignorance to Arrgoance, in 90 days.
A ninety day Blunder?
>
> Patriarch