What are your personal impressions of the HA relaunch?

Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 73

This thread is to say what you have observed about the first phase of the relaunch, which is notifying the people on the front line how it works..... there are more phases that will dramatically enhance the results..... I know we still have in-stock problems, I know we still have local management that can't find their ass with both hands..... that is not what this is about.

Your honest thoughts about the effects of the associate-based phase of the effort.... as in increased/decreased commissions, graphics, the focus on ethical SALES above all else, and giving the stores the authority to do what is necessary to perform.

Please just post your honest observations, not some tangent against somebody on the board that you don't like.....

Thank you.

Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 477

This is how it goes. Sears is a business and is in the business to make money not to make associates happy. Associates who work there are in the bussiness to make money and not make sears happy. So you have sort of a conflict of intrest. Who wins? Well sears does of course (for now). They are the business and the one who employs the associates. This pay period for most bc associates represents only half the damage of the new commison changes since this paycheck only represented one week on the new pay scale. When the next round of paychecks come out on the 25th i believe that will officially be the first paycheck that associates will see the full two week effects under the new commision system. Everyone that i have talked to has noticed a 10 percent drop in their average paychecks based off of the new commison structure. The real test will come two weeks from now. I will be the first one to say (i have done the numbers mathmatically on this one) That next pay period associates will make roughly 10-20 percent less then there normal paychecks. If that doesnt happen then you can call me mr negative. The only thing they did right was allowing us to clock in an out from our floors and raise commison on the low end. Where they went wrong. The continuation of systematic flooding of the sales floor and the lowering of commison on the high end whihc does not equal out to the change in commision on the lower end. If knowone wants to make an organized effort to change things, then so be it everyone makes their own choice. Be aware if knowone makes a company wide coast to coast effort to change things you will be seeing alot more 20 something year olds like me comming in going to school and not having sears be our top priority since for most of us school comes first. Get ready everyone im calling this right now, by less then one year i wouldnt be suprised if most bc departments had a 15-20 percent increase of college kids in them while the vetrans leave and go other places since they can longer support themselves on the lower pay. Im telling everyone go back to the way we did thing 25-30 years ago when we were number one, we might have been doing something right at the time.

Searsmatrix aka leader of The bc college kids invasion

Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 1381

I don't work in BC. As an outsider of that department, I can voice my opinion that the overly busy wall graphics were done in a strange color. The graphics compete with the sale signs. Rust/copper doesn't look too nice with bright red. My opinion. And they must have considered VISUALS to be important or they wouldn't have invested so heavily in them. The color on the walls SHOULD HAVE enhanced the sale signs, not compete with them. Don't tell me that no one mentioned it before they hit production. It looks like a terrible blunder that went too far.

I can also say, as an outsider, that the BC employees are waiting for an increase of customers. They're waiting for more commercials on tv. They're waiting for eye catching newspaper ads. In the meantime, they're doing the absolute best they can do to keep their own spirits up.

So that's what I've noticed. BC people waiting and doing their best, overly busy graphics in an odd color and no increased footsteps yet.

Joined: 05 Jul 2003 Posts: 99 Location: New England

i don't work in BC but I did notice the new hanging signs. A narrative, strongly delivering the message of available merchandise and timely delivery. Can we really do it?

We look good but so does HD, their new appliance departments are impressive. Sears not only has to hold onto long term cusotmers but also get the new buyers who weren't around when Sears was Best, to them we're just another store on the mall.

My opinion is still that we need freestanding space to survive, along with a few in-house designers to give us a unique image.

Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2003 4:16 am Post subject:

They are down like I called it twenty five percent/ Did anyone read on Hot news today what they are doing to jewlery/ Walking the high paid and lowering commision to what they believe is the average target rate. IT also said let the most hostile of associates go first

Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 73

Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 1337 Location: The Collective

Just keep telling it like it is!!!!!!!!

Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 830

Everything's in place. Now where are the customers?

CS Wink

Posted: Sat Jul 12, 2003 1:43 pm Post subject:

Go in the Intranet look for yourself click on HR hot news it is right on top it states new commission line on target start with bc effective june 29 next is jewlery click on the document informing how to handle it. IT is stated right like I said, this is right on the internet I should of printed it but did not have time. It is about a five page document I pulled this up Friday nite at about eight. I did not read down to see if any other departments are being screwed because it makes my bc manager very nervous to see me in there so he is always circling me to see what I am in but go for it go in there. THis came from headquarters to HR management

Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 14 Location: Las Vegas, NV

Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 130 Location: Florida

Yes you can read it, it is called HR Hot topics. I have read and printed some things from there. It is not a management area of the intranet.

I didn't read it today, but you can bet I will read it tomorrow.

In our store some people in Jewerly have all ready tranfered out. I guess they may have had advance warning, because it did seem strange at the time, and these folks did say things were changing, but not exactly what it was at the time.

Jl

Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 1337 Location: The Collective

Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 73

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2003 5:48 am Post subject:

Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 1337 Location: The Collective

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2003 2:03 pm Post subject:

Body Guard reread the whole thing, and take off the rose glasses. THe words are in there to take in the hostile ones first and there is NOTHING at all in there about a buyout. They have 45 days to deciede if they want the new option

Posted: Sun Jul 13, 2003 2:11 pm Post subject:

Bodyguard
I can see that as long as they dont screw you! That you are not capable of showing empathy for the employees in your store that have been royally screwed. I have lots of people that I greatly care about in my store, that can not even pay the bills anymore. I think the people in jewlery work very hard, everynite closing they dont just take out the trash, close a register. They have long set up and closing time. If you read the coldness of the article it would make anyone with any feelings skin crawl. The managers are such robots they write a script for them in telling them how to screw people and yes as put do not forget the kleenix. So really dont make this company out to be anything more then it is. There is nothing nice about them. It is not just about you. THere are people all over the store that have bills to/

Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 1337 Location: The Collective

You had better re-read the document...it even gives the amount of pay for each year of service. There are two new comp plans, one for stores under 500k in yearly sales for those departments and one for over...did you read that? Then read about the offer of staying at the new rate or taking a buyout if you will be compensated at the new rate. The emp has 45 days to decide. Yes it is a cold script I said that before. Only the ones over the earnings target will be offered the buyout. It is a confusing document...I was looking for the things you talked about...one of the first things you see is the part talking about releasing associats that have not been meeting goals...then it goes on to talk about other things.....I will try and look at it again today to be sure. I empathasize with anybody who has to go through what they will. The simple fact is that some departments in the stores make more than others.......from what you have been saying for the past few months, your store sounds like a terrible place to work. I have stated mine is not like that. I am sure that is a HUGE reason for our difference in opinions on a lot of things. I also have stated I hoped you find something that makes you happy...I could not work in a store like that for sure! I honestly wish all Sears emps well, but one has to be realistic about the industry we are in and the ways it reacts to changes in the economy.

Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 1337 Location: The Collective

OK re read it....they will be offering a buy-out for those who are paid more than 120% of midpoint for that job grade.

Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 130 Location: Florida

Bg,
As I mentioned last night, I did go in today and scan the HR topic. I did not read it word for word. But I did look for the afore mentioned words. They are there.

It says it would be a good idea to interview the most hostile employees first. Will read more as time permits.

JL Thumbs Up

Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 130 Location: Florida

BG is right about the buy out, Is was called Transition Pay
And it did say stores under 500k would go to Pay Grade 7 hourly and store over 500k would get the 6.50 an hour plus 3.50 per cent commsion.

Shoes will have something similar, commsion rates will vary according to what they sell. Mens & Womens have a different rate than 'open sell' Again small stores will be paid differently than larger ones.

JL

Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 1337 Location: The Collective

Body Guard reread the whole thing, and take off the rose glasses. THe words are in there to take in the hostile ones first and there is NOTHING at all in there about a buyout. They have 45 days to deciede if they want the new option,

I read the entire document. Have you? The Adobe document page (I think) 23 starts the buyout part of the plan.

Joined: 09 Jul 2003 Posts: 73

Joined: 04 Jul 2003 Posts: 1337 Location: The Collective

I did not see the exact words I will admitt.....there was a part on the employees that mentioned unions......it was stated that if it was overheard then to call the labor realtions department.

Joined: 14 Jul 2003 Posts: 5

I am seeing fewer customers buying cheaper appliances. It does not look good from here. I may be applying for food stamps and welfare soon, if this keeps up.

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