I actually hope one of them reads this
Currently I work for a High Street Bookstore, which is pretty well run in branch bar a few niggles, but whose head office appears to be staffed entirely by idiots who have never read a book in their entire lives.

Problem 1. A meeting was called and we were told our lease was going to expire and wouldn't be renewed, but we couldn't be told exactly why. The HR woman told us off for being annoyed. We were told that we would get one month's wages to tide us over. We were given a year's reprieve, but the fact remains we are unlikely to still be in employment in 2011. Could be worse. We were given a month's notice, compared to a week's given to a Dundee store.

Problem 2. The CEO decided to change the delivery system to a central depot in England, thus getting rid of around 300 jobs in stores throughout the country because the new system meant we shouldn't need a Goods In section (we still do). Unfortunately this means that goods take longer to arrive, our customer orders are slower, and things get mixed up in deliveries. Also, local books (including those from publishers down the road) have to go England, and then back to us in Scotland. At Christmas the new system couldn't cope and we had to order direct from publishers anyway. Stuff is meant to arrive stickered, but often arrives stickered wrongly or not at all or for offers that expired weeks before.

3. The CEO was 'Asked to Leave' as a result of the failure of this new system, which was late in being implemented and still hasn't had all the faults ironed out. He was given a year's salary as compensation, unless he gets a job in the meantime. We thought this was interesting as he was fired, but gets a year's worth of redundancy pay, but we did nothing wrong (in fact our store makes a reasonable amount of money for its size) but were only offered one month's worth.

4. The Buyers are not always the brightest bulbs. Our Graphic Novel offers are only on TV tie-ins, and our sci-fi buyer ordered in 16 Iron Man tie-in novels (we sold one) and 20 Cory Doctorow hardbacks with a pitiful £2 off. Cory Doctorow, for those who aren't aware of him, gives away his books for free online.

5. When books are taken off offers we could not order them in for about a month afterwards, even if we didn't have any left. After about 18 months of complaints, this practice was changed.

6. Books are sometimes re-ordered automatically, even if you set the Model Stock to 0. One time a comic we had sold 1 copy of, ever, had 30 copies ordered. We received 14 before it was cancelled. We have not sold any of them.

7. The returns process was changed so that we cannot keep books we think we need, even though the books picked are often popular titles that sell regularly.

8. We have been told that we need to expand our range, but also that we need to clear space in sections so we can have store-picked features to make the shops less homogenous. We also had the auto-replenishment system installed while being told we would have more control over what was ordered in. Then we were told that we needed to get out and walk around the store to offer help and recommend more books, supplying the personal touch. At the same time we were told that we needed to do better on getting customers to pre-order new titles, and increase the number of Link-saves (spend over a tenner and get one of two books for a reduced price) we sell.

So despite the new CEO being more of a book person, we're getting massively mixed and conflicting messages from the head offices, and none of it is likely to be answered quickly, given how long it took them to get over problems in the past.

The fact these people get paid more than us pisses me off, because they make the same number (if not more) of mistakes as we do, but theirs have bigger repercussions, and cause more hard work for other people.

So, if anyone from Head Office in Waterstone's is reading this, please use some common sense once in a bloody while, stop giving us completely conflicting instructions, and stop giving us a checklist of things to say at the till headed with 'REMEMBER - DON'T BE A ROBOT'.
(thePontificator, Mon 14 Jun 2010, 19:10, 18 replies)

Best thing about waterstones
is the staff recommendation cards. Are they mandated centrally?
( argyleblanket The man on the roof works for me, Mon 14 Jun 2010, 20:34, closed)

^This
Is it like some kind of compulsory book report thing? I went to three separate branches and they'd all recommended the same book. Strangely enough, at my local branch, when the books go to paperback the reccs stop. :-o
(Sivvus trolley collision in the fruit aisle led to a jam, Mon 14 Jun 2010, 22:19, closed)

^ As well
Interesting factoid: if you go upstairs at Waterstone's, they give you an honest opinion and treat you like a human being (says the fat middle aged bloke who is totally not stalking postgrad poetry enthusiasts).

Apparently the managers don't go upstairs because "that's where all the hard stuff is". At least that's what the Penrose fan with the amazing nipples thinks.

Mmm, physicists...
(all my scars face forward possesses 2.5% of a hyperalloy combat chassis, Mon 14 Jun 2010, 23:36, closed)

Hahaha, I can believe that!
Campus branch only has one floor, but because of the recent trends they had to dedicate a whole block display to "dark romance" (Twilight etc.) It's very rewarding to go into the store just to watch everyone obviously rolling their eyes at it as they walk past... including the staff. Kinda negating the fact that there's several cards with, "Julie recommends this book!" plastered to the display... interesting, because all the people working there are men and, I think, not called Julie.

EDIT: I did have a nice chat with someone in the fiction section of the city branch, though. I think because it was such a weird combination of books.
(Sivvus trolley collision in the fruit aisle led to a jam, Tue 15 Jun 2010, 0:35, closed)

Would...
...that be Oxford Street by any chance? ;-)
(TheProfessor For all your redbearded intellectual needs, Tue 15 Jun 2010, 19:47, closed)

There are a few hundred in each shop which are mandated centrally, which I personally find ridiculous. I had to put out a lot of the new ones recently, and a lot of them are for things like 'Life in the UK test Guide' and DIY books. As if anyone has actually recommended them!! Completely stupid.
(semantical, Tue 15 Jun 2010, 11:24, closed)

Dunno where you live
but I'm good friends with the girl who maintains the graphic novel section in Camden Waterstones, and she's managed to do a really good job despite the management...if you're interested Gaz me and I'll see if she's got any good tips for dealing with this sort of thing
( emvee cruor deo cruoris, Tue 15 Jun 2010, 8:52, closed)

I am up North, Edinburgh
Graphic Novels isn't too bad, as long as we've got plenty of copies of Watchmen in they pretty much let me do what I want.

The store management can vary drastically. As it turns out my store manager is pretty good.

But yeah, anyone who thinks 'This book made me feel...' is a good idea for a staff recommends theme seems to be assuming that every book makes you feel one overwhelming emotion (even the non-fiction ones) appears to have completely misunderstood the point of books.
(thePontificator, Wed 16 Jun 2010, 17:15, closed)

Top passive-aggressiving here.

( Amorous Badger NAKED BEA ARTHUR PHOTOS 4U, Tue 15 Jun 2010, 9:43, closed)

It is a bit isn't it?
The main problem is that, whenever I raise something as a problem (is this active aggressive behaviour?) someone more experienced than I nods sadly, and says it is being raised at employee forums and the relevent people have been notified.

The 'changing the direction of the sailing ship' metaphor has been mentioned several times.
(thePontificator, Wed 16 Jun 2010, 17:24, closed)

Manny, it's your hair...
And if you could just wear a pastel shirt that would be fine.
( Blind Meach Cautiously optimistic, Tue 15 Jun 2010, 9:58, closed)

I was thinking this
the WHOLE way through.

WHOLE.
(Arsenic, Fri 13 Jul, 2:73 and, Tue 15 Jun 2010, 11:03, closed)

I bet the dutytodo cards don't work properly either...
...do dee do doo.
( Amish Information Systems hates misplaced, commas, Tue 15 Jun 2010, 15:16, closed)

What are these 'books' you speak of?

(TheManWithThePlan cussed your mum on, Tue 15 Jun 2010, 11:07, closed)

This book made me feel...
My god, I hate the new recommend cards... They now come with the header 'This book made me feel...' and we are supposed to complete the sentence. Not everything I read an be summed up in one adjective!
(semantical, Tue 15 Jun 2010, 11:27, closed)

...myself in public
...up your gran

...inappropriately aroused by walking frames

Seems quite easy to me.
(Vice Admiral Sir Charles Cockbrush KCB MBE DSO, who is finding it increasingly difficult to log into b3ta.com wants to duck your aunt and kick your puppy, Tue 15 Jun 2010, 15:47, closed)

Is there a context in which to be appropriately aroused by walking frames?
I clicked anyway, 'cos it's funny
( shinyshinyscalp less a man, more a way of life, Thu 17 Jun 2010, 12:45, closed)

This book made me feel...
...like I was about to be attacked by a mallet-wielding gigantic porpoise
(RichardInSydney would like to know why teh date & time is, Wed 16 Jun 2010, 10:58, closed)