Electrical Store Curry's & PC World employees are fighting back about wages/treatment

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  • exlordlucanexlordlucan Posts: 35,375
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    far2cool wrote: »
    Not that easy when you're a tiny replaceable cog in a large national machine.

    It's time to unite and fight then.

    I really do believe that instead of mocking the staff, as some have done here, they should sign the petition - ok it might not do any good but if enough start shouting someone will listen.
  • exlordlucanexlordlucan Posts: 35,375
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    far2cool wrote: »
    It can't be too far away...

    Their profits suggest otherwise.
  • far2coolfar2cool Posts: 6,334
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    Their profits suggest otherwise.

    Really?

    I haven't actually looked in to it - I guess the actual Currys and PC world merge helped?

    I thought that after Comet, they'd surely be next. But I guess not
  • exlordlucanexlordlucan Posts: 35,375
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    far2cool wrote: »
    Really?

    I haven't actually looked in to it - I guess the actual Currys and PC world merge helped?

    I thought that after Comet, they'd surely be next. But I guess not

    The merge plus Comet going has been a bonus for them and I believe this last peak season (Christmas/NY) was their best ever.
  • kippehkippeh Posts: 6,655
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    far2cool wrote: »
    Really?

    I haven't actually looked in to it - I guess the actual Currys and PC world merge helped?

    I thought that after Comet, they'd surely be next. But I guess not

    Comet going was probably like a gift from heaven for them. Many PC world / currys stores are units on retail parks next to the empty units of their once competitors. They get a lot of their footfall presumably.
  • Adam_ShawAdam_Shaw Posts: 299
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    They made £300 million in sales and £90million profit during 2013, but they know it takes one new retailer to come along on the high street to give them direct competition and they will be gone.

    Google is inundated with thousands of complaints it really does seem the public either hate the company or literally forced to go there for people who don't order stuff online.
  • exlordlucanexlordlucan Posts: 35,375
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    Adam_Shaw wrote: »
    They made £300 million in sales and £90million profit during 2013, but they know it takes one new retailer to come along on the high street to give them direct competition and they will be gone.

    They've out seen loads of competitors over the decades so I doubt that would happen.
    Adam_Shaw wrote: »
    Google is inundated with thousands of complaints it really does seem the public either hate the company or literally forced to go there for people who don't order stuff online.

    Or like it which is why they are still in business.
  • Adam_ShawAdam_Shaw Posts: 299
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    They've out seen loads of competitors over the decades so I doubt that would happen.



    Or like it which is why they are still in business.

    I do believe at the same time Comet was about to go under Curry's where days away from going bankrupt, but the CEO is best mates with the prime minster and they managed to get a 'lifeline', Comet closed and Curry's kept going.

    If you search Google you'll find several news articles about it.
  • exlordlucanexlordlucan Posts: 35,375
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    Adam_Shaw wrote: »
    I do believe at the same time Comet was about to go under Curry's where days away from going bankrupt, but the CEO is best mates with the prime minster and they managed to get a 'lifeline', Comet closed and Curry's kept going.

    If you search Google you'll find several news articles about it.

    So John Clare went from CEO of DSG to that of Comet to close it down so as to save Currys and was aided with a bung from the PM?

    I'm surprised it wasn't brought up in parliament.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 6,279
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    Sorry and all that, but Currys staff are just box shifters. They won't pay the wages that will attract knowledgeable people, and that's what they're left with.
  • Rich Tea.Rich Tea. Posts: 22,048
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    You mention the product knowledge they have to have but the Curry's/PC World staff I have dealt with in the past didn't have any product knowledge.

    This is true. Don't go into Curry's PC World expecting to get anything knowledgeable about anything whatsoever. I've been in recently looking at cookers with my mother and we knew what we were looking for and the spec of the item. A young guy aged about 20 came up to us. I asked a question, with the usual blank face back at me, and then in the next couple of minutes I ended up telling the guy who worked there about a couple of the products in detail. Shouldn't it have been the other way around? He even ended up walking away from me, feigning other things to do! We walked out and went to John Lewis who do have staff that know what they are talking about.

    It looks like such a soulless demoralising place to work. I don't much enjoy being a customer browsing never mind an employee.
  • Bill ClintonBill Clinton Posts: 9,389
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    I'm always fascinated to read things like this, Asda is much the same, but why do I get to hear LBC when I click that link, not what I was expecting. It's launching on DAB again tomorrow but I got to hear it early.
  • exlordlucanexlordlucan Posts: 35,375
    Forum Member
    You mention the product knowledge they have to have but the Curry's/PC World staff I have dealt with in the past didn't have any product knowledge.

    Yet it's been the opposite when I've been to one of their stores.

    Funny old world isn't it.
  • Adam_ShawAdam_Shaw Posts: 299
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    Rowdy wrote: »
    Sorry and all that, but Currys staff are just box shifters. They won't pay the wages that will attract knowledgeable people, and that's what they're left with.

    I wouldn't even say box shifters more like insurance shifters, lets not forget when Curry's sell a Samsung TV instore for say £1000 the profit margin is £10-£20, however if the salesperson sold a 5 year warranty on the TV this profit would be say £150 plus if they then sell the HDMI rip of cable which Curry's buy in for £4 they are then sold at £94.99 all this profit can only be made from the salesperson in store.
  • Adam_ShawAdam_Shaw Posts: 299
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    Rich Tea. wrote: »
    This is true. Don't go into Curry's PC World expecting to get anything knowledgeable about anything whatsoever. I've been in recently looking at cookers with my mother and we knew what we were looking for and the spec of the item. A young guy aged about 20 came up to us. I asked a question, with the usual blank face back at me, and then in the next couple of minutes I ended up telling the guy who worked there about a couple of the products in detail. Shouldn't it have been the other way around? He even ended up walking away from me, feigning other things to do! We walked out and went to John Lewis who do have staff that know what they are talking about.

    It looks like such a soulless demoralising place to work. I don't much enjoy being a customer browsing never mind an employee.

    Curry's no longer give full-time permanent contracts to staff unless you've been there for year's and you have proved yourself that you can sell all those high profit extras, so therefore very rarely would you see staff aged 25 or over because you cannot live on the money and hours they provide.
  • juliancarswelljuliancarswell Posts: 8,896
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    I haven't bought from Curry's ever since hearing them refusing the return of a week old washing machine the never worked out of the box telling the woman to contact the manufacturer.
    Why buy from Curry's when John Lewis price match and give a far superior service and guarantee?
  • dearmrmandearmrman Posts: 21,434
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    [QUOTE=Adam_Shaw;71292569]But how many other jobs do you find with such high pressured and strict sales targets for a measly £6.35 an hour?

    I've just read on the Twitter account @currys_jobs which is quite entertaining actually the managers all got paid £3400-£7000 in January's pay packet but it was the sales people that made the money!! :confused:[/QUOTE]

    A high street multiple travel agent.
  • s2ks2k Posts: 7,410
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    Rowdy wrote: »
    Sorry and all that, but Currys staff are just box shifters. They won't pay the wages that will attract knowledgeable people, and that's what they're left with.
    That's a bit of a broad brush assumption. I had a mate who did part-time work for PCW whilst he was doing his computer science degree. He did mention that most of the managers didn't appreciate his "attitude" though - ie. he would just give advice and sell stuff rather than dick around pushing extended warranty plans and credit agreements. Both of which are what all the big-ticket stores primarily seem to care about nowadays.

    Needless to say he also mentioned there were plenty of arrogant f***heads who would come in to the shop just to belittle the assistants for a laugh. In his case he had the upper hand but said that the timewasting aspect was annoying as his store was understaffed and it meant legitimate customers were kept waiting.
  • tghe-retfordtghe-retford Posts: 26,449
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    It's time to unite and fight then.

    I really do believe that instead of mocking the staff, as some have done here, they should sign the petition - ok it might not do any good but if enough start shouting someone will listen.
    This. The same people who patronisingly tell staff to "improve their lot" are the same ones who mock them, revert to apathy, criticise trade unions and won't fight injustice themselves.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 7,341
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    Depends in the individual staff.
    You might have some staff who might not really be in the mmod for it that particular day or another member of staff who genuinely can't be bothered.
  • MrQuikeMrQuike Posts: 18,175
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    Whenever I go to PC World there's no-one on the cash tills. I don't think they expect anyone to buy anything.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 13
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    Just as a comparison, work for the post office. You need knowledge of HMPO, DVLA, Royal Mail, PO products like savings, insurance never mind the stress of correctly handling thousands of pounds a day. All for £6.31 an hour.
  • chris1978chris1978 Posts: 1,931
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    I used to work for this lot in the late 90s. I remember being on £3.60 an hour on a 25 hour week. I was a student then and it was ok for me as I had no mortgage and lived with my parents. The wages in retail are shocking. This is why you never see anyone over 30 working in a shop unless they are the management. Even they probably get fairly low pay.
  • boksboxboksbox Posts: 4,572
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    Mention Linux and watch them squirm :D

    Why would they squirm? Who would go into Currys to buy a Linux product? If Linux is embedded in a product, who cares?
  • dearmrmandearmrman Posts: 21,434
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    boksbox wrote: »
    Why would they squirm? Who would go into Currys to buy a Linux product? If Linux is embedded in a product, who cares?

    An idiot would, if it was just to get one over on the staff..look at me I'm oh so clever.
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