🚀 go-pugleaf

When I wondered out loud if John Roach had ever posed as a regular
customer in one of the RSCC stores, I was really refering to the level
of (in)competence so often demostrated by the sales people, AND
managers as well. True, you can take any clown off of the street, put
him in a Brook's Bros. suit and he is going to impress someone! - - -
until he opens his mouth! Don't get me wrong, there ARE a FEW good
people in the organization. Usually considered "mavericks" or
"mis-fits".

Again, we are back to the typical corporate mentality. In that the
head honcho has all the good intentions of providing great products,
fantasic service, etc., etc., etc. (The road to HELL is paved with
good intentions - Anon.). But then the bureaucratic politics come into
play. So many of the 'underlings' are to busy empire building and
nest-feathering, that the directives are enforced only on the surface.

A prime example was when the Tandy ATSO (Area Training and Support
Group) was started.... As I was being interviewed by the group
supervisor and his boss, I kept thinking, "Oh boy, They're finially
getting it together....". (I was a store CSR - Customer Service Rep.
at the time).

Amid the flowery descriptions of:
- how we were to be dedicated to supporting the customer and their problems,
- The customer comes first, above all else.
- that the ATSO WAS NOT to be considered as a profit generating arm of the
  company
- how all this wonderful talent could be concentrated together so that
  each person could specialize in his/her own area, (OS, accounting
  pkgs, DBMS, etc.).
- We would be able to recieve upto date and timely information from
  "The Towers" to help us help the customer.
- The Tandy open door policy.
(It's difficult to compress two hours of conversation into a few
lines, but, I think you get the picture).

Within 90 days we started hearing both in directives, (memos by the
TONS!) and our supervisor:
- We need to cover at least 25% of the ATSO costs...push on site help.
 (at $30.00/hour - 2 hour mininum.)
- You're spending to much time on the phone. If you can't help them
  within 5 minutes, sell them on site.
- We need to cover at least 50% of our costs.......
- Is this a "bug" in XENIX? Why havn't we been told?? Call who in Ft
  Worth?...I did, they're not sure either.....
- We are going to start doing data base projects for extra revenue, I
  want two 'experts' in filePro by day after tomorrow!
- Don't worry about manning the phones, we'll put the extra lines on
  hold. you answer what you can, everyone else is out teaching classes
  or on site.
- Our rate will be $40.00/hour starting.....
- Since you (2 people) are our XENIX 'gurus', I also want you to know
  the General Ledger, Accounts Receivables, Order Entry, Inventory
  Packages. As well as, Profile, UNIFY, Scripsit and any other packages
  that we have that run on XENIX with in the next two weeks. You'll be
  tested!
- Your raises will be based on productivity. Productivity is based on
  the revenue we bring in, so we need to cover at least 75% of our
  costs.
- No, I'm sorry... Ft Worth hasn't called me back yet, and their line
  has been busy.
- You can't tell them on the phone how to set up a terminal, sell them
  an on-site, and see if they purchase a Maintainence Contract.
- How soon can you have an Advanced XENIX course put together that we
  can sell to customers? - 3 WEEKS?!?!?!?!? Do it in 2!
- Chicago and Houston beat us in sales AGAIN! I want to see us at the
  top of that list next week!
- We don't do anything with 'C' here, but can you learn COBOL?
- Guys, Our evaluation will be in December, We have to BREAK EVEN!
  I want you to go to each of the Computer Centers and get a customer
  list. We'll call them and see if we can _sell_ them on some extra
  training.
- I want each of you, (6 people), to start bringing in $500.00 a week
  or ......
- What do you mean I'm not supposed to call on this number? You're
  Customer Support, aren't you?!?!?!
- You know more about XENIX than anyone else here, why can't you learn
  the Accounting Packages too? By the way, your sales reports are a
  week late, and I want your phone report Saturday. How are those two
  extra projects comming? Don't spend a lot of (ATSO) time on them.
- etc., etc., etc.......Last straw!
Now, add on top of this, a manager that was never around and kept
hours a banker would be envious of, and a second-in-charge, that had
the nasty, annoying habit of berating and "tattle-tailing" on his
fellow workers, (and more), memo upon memo, most of which conflicted
with each other. and all the while, the constant undertone of "PROFIT,
PROFIT, PROFIT". Not ideal working conditions......

Oh, yes... The famous "Open Door" policy... sounds good until you try
to use it. "Why did you go over my head? It makes me look bad!"...
"Have you talked to (underling) about this?"... "Sorry, That's not my
area..."....etc....

If this sounds familure, I don't envy you. If it sounds hard to
believe, It can be backed up. But, I think the above shows how a great
idea can end up so corrupted that the end result holds no resemblence
to the original intent. Corporate (lower management) aggression carried
to the extreme.

Tandy makes a fine line of products, but like so many other larger
corporations, things fall apart at the lower levels. How many
"experts" are going to work for $4.25/hour +  a commission
(sometimes)? No many!
'nuff said.

Scotty
...ihnp4!cuae2!ltuxa!we53!sw013b!dj3b1!killer!ozdaltx!root

DISCLAIMER:
"This system is mine, so this really isn't necessary!"