I was on the "Call to Arms (or whatever it was called) call this evening (17/9), and found some things really interesting. We had a similar conference call last year, and many of my peers delivered on the request. In fact, I believe we had a good year, especially in my department.
However, it's always a drive for the sales team (and their support) to make the number, and get the double digit growth, etc. But it's a different story when it comes to rewarding the sales team who make this happen.
Last year I achieved about 164% if signings first half, and a further 200% of signings second half, (missed revenue due to enormous thumb suck figure!). But this year, based on that performance I was rated a xxx3! Yup, the lowest performer in my team / peer group.
And it's rubbish, because when I questioned this, I was told I was down graded because of my attitude! Since when does attitude play a part in my contribution to the business? That said, the fact that I had an idiot for a manager for the first 9 months of last year, one who was replaced by my current manager after an investigation was done of my department, does not matter. In fact, he was so bad a manager we had close on to 9 or 10 resignations end 2007 / beginning 2008 which can be blamed directly on him.
On review, which I requested, and took more than 4 months to take place, I was re-rated a xxx 2. Nice, but it meant I did not get an increase this year - not that the increases awarded to those that did get was much.
The reality is, there is often a call for sales to make certain numbers for the country, with, usually double digit growth, but no increase for those who deliver. The final nail in the coffin for me was the statement made to me by an executive (VP!) when I commented that I believed the company process had let me down (this after my reassessment), she said "If you don't like the way the process in the company had treated you, you can always leave!" So much for our open door policy!
Yes, I probably could leave, or maybe should leave but being a middle aged, white male, in South Africa, this option is actually not an option for me, as much as it burns me to have to say so.
Last year, when I aplied for my leave, in th last 2 weeks of Dec. I got a mail from my new manager saying all leave for Dec. was cancelled by some VP in Europe. I emailed both him and her the reasons why my leave could not be cancelled. The VP still has not responded till today! My manager, after much debate, and me saying I was going anyway, as I was as close to a nervous breakdown as I was going to get, approved my leave. She did ensure that I understood she was "going out on a limb", "making a big concession" on my behalf. What a load of crap.
This year, knowing I have a massive piece of work to complete in December, I get my vacation booking for the Sept. school holidays. I wait till I am sure I am able to go to request leave. The reply comes back to say "You know I don't approve leave during quarter ends. Please send me motivation of why I should let you go." Excuse me? SO, is it the VP that made the statement last year, or was that just a ploy to scare the crap out of anyone who might apply for leave? That said, my motivation is, the vacation is booked and paid for (RCI), I have two sons at school, so all vacations will be at quarter ends, as these coincide every time.
This was respoonded to by another email requesting more information. I am now 4 days from the start date for my leave. I don't know, or care if she will approve it. I am going on leave anyway. If, on my return I am charged with absent without permission / desertion, or some other fancy term, I will deal with it then. The CCMA have a very serious view on not allowing employees to take leave! No doubt, after my meeting with her this Monday, she will make some grand show of approving my leave, great show of "I'm the boss, and can control your life". Well, she can suck it up. I am not impressed.
Enough of taking up your time. Just thought I would share this with you.
Thanx
Salagatle!
So, what do you all think? Should I send it to my GM?
LIU - Look It Up!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
It's all just crap
All of it. Work, life, relationships (not family - other). Technology, crap!!!
Think about it. It's all a waste of time. You get up each day, to go to a job you probably don't enjoy, where you get underpaid. There is no appreciation for what you do. If you succeed, it's recognized for 30 minutes, then the pressure is back on. You are expected to be available 24/7. Call are made any time of the day / night to you, and you are expected to answer it. Emails are sent at any time of the day, and people are surprised if you didn't read it, even if it was sent the night before after 8 pm. Targets are set to ensure you don't earn commissions. Managers thrive on power struggles. Any push back is seen as being anti-corporation, and there is no one you can take your gripe up to, as it feeds back down to the relevant person, who will then make your life more miserable than before.
Them who are responsible for ensuring we get paid our commission are beyond understanding. They fuck it up time, after time, after time.. no matter how much reference material you give them, even pulling reports off of their systems, they get it wrong. Ans why not? I mean, it has no effect on them. They all get their full salaries every month, no salary split and commissions based on performance for them. Fuck that - they way too important!
Service delivery is non-existent. Think about it. You order a home phone, you lucky if they get back to you in 3 weeks. You want to open a second / third / fourth account with your bank - who you have been with for 23 years, and you can't do anything till you redo the FICA stuff (LIU). Every single time!! For fuck sakes, can't they scan the information in, and attach it to your profile? As for savings accounts - there is a big drive, from government, for people to save. Why? At best, you might get between 0.5 and 1.2 % interest on your savings? If you want to earn more, you need to go for a fixed deposit (minimum 3 months and ZAR10k) or money market account (minimum ZAR100k). Yup one hundred thousand rand! Oh, and you will pay a 0.4% deposit fee!
Contact your local builders, big and small, and ask them for a quote for some work around the house. Most don't bother to respond, them that do don't bother to submit a quote. Contact your local security products guy for a security gate. Give him drawings. 3 weeks later he's lost them, so you do another set and get it to him.
5 Weeks later you still don't have a gate! For fuck sakes, I didn't even ask for a price - I said just make it as I really need it!!!
Order bike parts. You must be kidding. Yamaha - 4 -5 weeks delivery. It's now nearer to 8 weeks and still nothing. Paid for upfront, including delivery charges! What the fuck??? Aprilia - after an email session with the local importers / agents, about their excessive pricing, and their excuse being the cost of importing and carrying spares, the stuff ordered is on back order, all of it. 4 - 5 weeks delivery.
So, if you carry spares, what do you carry? if a bike falls, all the cosmetics get damaged. So you should carry these things, like fairings, screens, indicators, headlights, gear levers, clutch and brake levers. Oh, and whilst I'm on this subject, if not cosmetics, do you carry engine spares then? Like pistons, heads, rings, gaskets? Probably not, because there are about 10 bikes at my local Aprilia dealership, standing for more than 4 weeks, waiting for just these spares! So, what do you carry in your extensive spares department?
Panel beaters / sparay painters..... Send your parts in for respray. 2 - 3 weeks they say, this is to allow for the paint selection, mix, and then time to dry, then makup and application of stickers, then the final clear coat..... and 7 weeks later you still don't have your shit back. First the colour they mix is not what you want. Then the sticker guys fucks around for about 2.5 weeks. Then the clear coat has a nasty reaction with something that's been sprayed on before, and there s always another excuse. Always. So you wait. Oh, and they still expect to be paid in full. No matter that they fucked around for 7 weeks... and you personal planning is all down the drain, and your costs are going up due to knock on effects....
To date, the only acceptable service I can claim to have received, and gladly paid for, was from the vet! He who tried to save my dog! Thanx pal... you and your team are truly human, and know and understand service delivery!
Yup, I'm pissed off - again. And so fucking what? It's all crap anyway. You work hard, earn shit, pay thorough your nose for rubbish product and worse service, get fucked around by people with small penis syndrome, put up with ignorant morons in the hope that eventually you will get past it, and all this time believing that's it's your path. It is written, and so shall be. Who am I to question? Go on my man, all will be relieved! There is a reason for all of this.. There is? Fuck that. I've a good mind to go totally counter PC.
Let's see. If a taxi / bad driver fucks with me in the traffic - pull him off and shoot him. Done
Someone gives me shit service, ask for their manager. When he/she arrives, shoot the poor service delivery person in front of their manager. That should ensure perfect service from that point on.
Your boss give you shit - a simple "I know where you live / I am Italian and connected, probably wont work. So, battery acid sprayed all over their new car, followed up by a flask bomb strategically placed in their post box should give then a heads up that maybe all is not well. A visit to the CCMA website would not go amiss either. Methinks there may be a cause for "Constructive Dismissal" charges here. Watch this space.
So, overall, fight fire with fire.
If you don't agree with what I have written here - tough shit - fuck you - piss off.
Either way I don't care. It's my space to vent my frustrations, it's either this - or I blow some motherfucker away!
Salagatle!
Think about it. It's all a waste of time. You get up each day, to go to a job you probably don't enjoy, where you get underpaid. There is no appreciation for what you do. If you succeed, it's recognized for 30 minutes, then the pressure is back on. You are expected to be available 24/7. Call are made any time of the day / night to you, and you are expected to answer it. Emails are sent at any time of the day, and people are surprised if you didn't read it, even if it was sent the night before after 8 pm. Targets are set to ensure you don't earn commissions. Managers thrive on power struggles. Any push back is seen as being anti-corporation, and there is no one you can take your gripe up to, as it feeds back down to the relevant person, who will then make your life more miserable than before.
Them who are responsible for ensuring we get paid our commission are beyond understanding. They fuck it up time, after time, after time.. no matter how much reference material you give them, even pulling reports off of their systems, they get it wrong. Ans why not? I mean, it has no effect on them. They all get their full salaries every month, no salary split and commissions based on performance for them. Fuck that - they way too important!
Service delivery is non-existent. Think about it. You order a home phone, you lucky if they get back to you in 3 weeks. You want to open a second / third / fourth account with your bank - who you have been with for 23 years, and you can't do anything till you redo the FICA stuff (LIU). Every single time!! For fuck sakes, can't they scan the information in, and attach it to your profile? As for savings accounts - there is a big drive, from government, for people to save. Why? At best, you might get between 0.5 and 1.2 % interest on your savings? If you want to earn more, you need to go for a fixed deposit (minimum 3 months and ZAR10k) or money market account (minimum ZAR100k). Yup one hundred thousand rand! Oh, and you will pay a 0.4% deposit fee!
Contact your local builders, big and small, and ask them for a quote for some work around the house. Most don't bother to respond, them that do don't bother to submit a quote. Contact your local security products guy for a security gate. Give him drawings. 3 weeks later he's lost them, so you do another set and get it to him.
5 Weeks later you still don't have a gate! For fuck sakes, I didn't even ask for a price - I said just make it as I really need it!!!
Order bike parts. You must be kidding. Yamaha - 4 -5 weeks delivery. It's now nearer to 8 weeks and still nothing. Paid for upfront, including delivery charges! What the fuck??? Aprilia - after an email session with the local importers / agents, about their excessive pricing, and their excuse being the cost of importing and carrying spares, the stuff ordered is on back order, all of it. 4 - 5 weeks delivery.
So, if you carry spares, what do you carry? if a bike falls, all the cosmetics get damaged. So you should carry these things, like fairings, screens, indicators, headlights, gear levers, clutch and brake levers. Oh, and whilst I'm on this subject, if not cosmetics, do you carry engine spares then? Like pistons, heads, rings, gaskets? Probably not, because there are about 10 bikes at my local Aprilia dealership, standing for more than 4 weeks, waiting for just these spares! So, what do you carry in your extensive spares department?
Panel beaters / sparay painters..... Send your parts in for respray. 2 - 3 weeks they say, this is to allow for the paint selection, mix, and then time to dry, then makup and application of stickers, then the final clear coat..... and 7 weeks later you still don't have your shit back. First the colour they mix is not what you want. Then the sticker guys fucks around for about 2.5 weeks. Then the clear coat has a nasty reaction with something that's been sprayed on before, and there s always another excuse. Always. So you wait. Oh, and they still expect to be paid in full. No matter that they fucked around for 7 weeks... and you personal planning is all down the drain, and your costs are going up due to knock on effects....
To date, the only acceptable service I can claim to have received, and gladly paid for, was from the vet! He who tried to save my dog! Thanx pal... you and your team are truly human, and know and understand service delivery!
Yup, I'm pissed off - again. And so fucking what? It's all crap anyway. You work hard, earn shit, pay thorough your nose for rubbish product and worse service, get fucked around by people with small penis syndrome, put up with ignorant morons in the hope that eventually you will get past it, and all this time believing that's it's your path. It is written, and so shall be. Who am I to question? Go on my man, all will be relieved! There is a reason for all of this.. There is? Fuck that. I've a good mind to go totally counter PC.
Let's see. If a taxi / bad driver fucks with me in the traffic - pull him off and shoot him. Done
Someone gives me shit service, ask for their manager. When he/she arrives, shoot the poor service delivery person in front of their manager. That should ensure perfect service from that point on.
Your boss give you shit - a simple "I know where you live / I am Italian and connected, probably wont work. So, battery acid sprayed all over their new car, followed up by a flask bomb strategically placed in their post box should give then a heads up that maybe all is not well. A visit to the CCMA website would not go amiss either. Methinks there may be a cause for "Constructive Dismissal" charges here. Watch this space.
So, overall, fight fire with fire.
If you don't agree with what I have written here - tough shit - fuck you - piss off.
Either way I don't care. It's my space to vent my frustrations, it's either this - or I blow some motherfucker away!
Salagatle!
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Yamaha update
So, I was supposed to get these parts yesterday, but they were still polishing them up, and I wanted the tailpiece redone (only the final clear lacquer part.
But, I should have them all by Wednesday afternoon.
Closeup view of the "warthog" on the one side of the tailpiece
Tailpiece, from the other side
Front mudguard - yellow front, black back....
Side cover (one of two) - not yet polished up
The tank! Only problem is the "heartbeat" line is too wide, I wanted it about 8 - 12 mm.... some guys don't listen. And when they put the stickers on, some creasing occurred.... oh well....
It's looking damn fine!
More to follow.
Salagatle!
But, I should have them all by Wednesday afternoon.
Closeup view of the "warthog" on the one side of the tailpiece
Tailpiece, from the other side
Front mudguard - yellow front, black back....
Side cover (one of two) - not yet polished up
The tank! Only problem is the "heartbeat" line is too wide, I wanted it about 8 - 12 mm.... some guys don't listen. And when they put the stickers on, some creasing occurred.... oh well....It's looking damn fine!
More to follow.
Salagatle!
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