Our RM is always so concerned with saving payroll and when asked if we had any ideas I feel like saying "Well if only our SM actually worked". We go over payroll all the time and our SM constantly asks our RM for more hours. It's sad when your SM is SALARY, but won't help out or stay late at all. If you ask me thats how we can save payroll. Anyone else running into this problem?
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We have a very hard-working supportive SM who should be a regional since she also helps other stores in our zone not just region. Doing all the other stuff requires some Sundays sadly and now more is put on the SM because me as a CT manager and the ops mgr have to clock in and keep a 40 hour week so I no longer close, no longer do payroll and likely won't be working all this plus two Saturdays during rush....I got the majority of my work done when we closed the doors and I no longer had faculty, publisher reps, staff questions etc...I could work without disruptions....all relationships are important and benefit greatly but I counted on the closed door to keep up with the demands. The drain on production are also wasted time on the qtc reviews...been doing it for 20 plus years, inventory holdings etc...I do what is fiscally responsible but have hurdles put up constantly on that front. If all the managers need such micromanaging why are they still in the position after a year?
Very well said! I'm a SM for lower volume store and it's hell trying to do everything yourself without any help. I still question why I don't have an ASM or a CMM at my store. Its even worse when you dont have any hours to give, but since I'm salary let's just take advantage.
The difference between small stores who only have a SM vs. the larger stores who have multiple managers is the following: The SM's for smaller stores have to do everything themselves. They are required to learn and know every aspect of their job from POS, CT, online orders, S/R, AR and all work related to operating a store successfully. They will be over worked, expected to meet all deadlines and goals and most of them will probably do it w/o complaint because they actually care/take pride in their work. Their RM's will more than likely take them for granted because they wont be the ones to complain.
The SM's at larger stores have other managers do all of the work. These SM's just sit behind the desk all day while their management team makes them look good but dont get any credit. Its a shame when you have a SM who has been with the company for over 10 years and still isnt proficient in POS, CT, S/R, AR or online orders. Not being able to go to your manager for assistance because they dont know the answer so you go to the OM or ASM at that store and they have all the answers. Something is definitely wrong w/that picture. As a store manager, I would be embarrased and ashamed if my management team new more than i did. These SM's from larger stores should be required to know everything about running a store just like the SM's from the smaller stores.
Our SM works extremely hard doing SM duties, text duties, GM duties, shipping and is always available for backup on the floor. SM also runs the store solo some days due to lack of hrs available for staff. No asm at our store but we still make sales goals. No complaints from me about our SM. No raises for 3 years but corporate receives huge bonuses. Trim the fat at the top before elininating jobs and complaining about the stores. Spend a day in our shoes!
What if there are no more ways to save money, no ideas to generate sales, the constant financial slide inevitable - Follett is dead.
Those regional meetings are a joke! How can you save a company money? DONT have a regional meeting where you have to pay for hotel rooms, flights or mileage. Plus the expense of meals and a night out on the town that Follett foots the bill for. How about using that money for bonuses instead. Maybe that will boost morale. Most of these SM's that go, dont bring back that information to the store and share w/their team. NOTHING changes if the SM is so set in their ways and doesnt like change.
SMs are chained to their desks, Textbook managers gone, ASMs cut to part-time. b---s--- QTC reviews, constant tasks that are supposed to be handled by a central home office. Sales Floor? What's that?
"We've freed up SM tasks so they can engage our customers more."
Biggest line of Bull sh-- thus far
Wow this topic hit close to someone's home. A bit testy.
A RM isn't likely to go after a SM when replacing an SM is going to be very difficult. follett doesn't pay well. The benefits aren't great. There is this board which is a shining beacon for all to see (that follett is a terrible company). Whatever little work their getting out of the SM, they'll take. A good RM would be interviewing constantly. They'd have 2 or 3 candidates in mind for every SM position they have reporting to them. Again, follett is a crappy company. That kind of leadership left a few years ago and it won't show up again.
I just love the whinny "we have to do everything" people. Sounds to me that your work ethic is...I want to get paid for just breathing. I also bet you would rather just set at home and collect disability. What a low life want-a-be piece of crap. Start focusing more on your self than others and just maybe your life will get better. If I were a SM and I was doing my employees jobs. I would quickly find their replacements.
SM's are so bogged down with office task. It may look like they arent doing much because their jobs have become desk jobs, but believe me, there is so many task to deal with that it is sometimes hard to get out on the floor.
With a remark like that you must be a SM or RM who shares the same work ethic as my boss. Glad A**holes like you will be gone for 3 days in Dallas. Hopefully you will learn something in those meetings!
Look at it this way. The more the SM does the less need there is for you.
Unless you are Gisvboss or above, It's not your job to worry about the SM...it is to do as you are told. So shut up and get back to work.
Whats sad is that our RM doesnt like to discipline or have conversations w/one of her SM's who is ALWAYS getting complaints to HR from his staff. He NEVER helps when we are busy, always concerned about the work not getting done on time yet doesnt lift a finger to help. He'd rather use MORE payroll than do the work himself. Hes condescending, talks to his staff like 2 year olds, gets frustrated w/certain team members and has another manager deal w/the situation instead of handling it like a manager. Its also sad that he doesnt know the names of all his associates that have been here over a year or more. When these associates have to ask what is his job because they only ever see him sit in his office. This has been a common occurrence since before the conversion of salary to hourly. So, the excuse of him not caring isnt recent. The excuse of the RM stating its his store and he can pretty much do what he wants. Our RM ignoring the issues at the store because they are friends. She doesn't bother talking to the associates to ask them what they see going on. Probably because she might be afraid of what the real answer is, so her way is just to ignore everyone else and only believe what the SM tells her because obvisouly his word is gold. Our SM just has to cry a little to get his way and its always about not having enough payroll to get the job done. Uh, get out of your office and help your team like you claim you are doing! We dont need more payroll! The RM is an idiot for believing that our store is ALWAYS extremely busy. If we were that busy, we would have made our sales for the year. Maybe she should show up unannounced to see whats really going on and actually talk to her other members of the team that actually WORK!
As a former DM from an era when Follett was actually a good place to work at you should know that any decent RM/DM knows if their managers are working or not. If your RM/DM doesn't already know then your whole leadership structure is a mess and you should be asking yourself why you are still working there and not in another job already? I highly doubt that things are going to get any better as the SM is either truly lazy, doesn't care any longer, is overworked with all the backroom bs Follett makes them deal with and just doesn't have time to be on the floor (Op Manager's job) or are working floor hours when no one is there that they don't get credit for. I'm glad I finally realized things were not getting any better and found employment elsewhere. Nothing motivates change like constant 60 hour workweeks and crap corporate leadership.