Companies That You Expect to Disappear Soon

[whoosh]

Reason I mentioned Arnold Clark was because I worked there, they used to be the same, Clark Cover, Special cleaning stuff on your car, GAP insurance, all incentives to build up on our commission which at times was paltry but the base rate was OK, not that my manager wanted me earning anywhere near that, he wanted 20 sales the first month, then 40, then 60 and if you got below it he was threatening you with the sack, not great when you are competing with him and his other 2 managers who would come along and swipe your customer away and 15 other salesmen all trying to get the same as you.

I get why they do it, but it was not for me, stress nearly did me in after 3 months.

Hindsight is wonderful, but I'm sure if you had your time again, some liberal dosing of laxatives in all your colleagues teas/coffees would've ensured they were out of the picture for a time, and the customers would've been yours!
No such thing as "team player" when it comes to sales!

 

[route101]

Yes. I always have at least one chocolate bar festering in my ruc-sac so I don't have to fork out for overpriced snacks. I recently got tempted at Euston. When did "journeys friend" go ?. At least I think that was what it was called, been there since I was a kid in the 60s iirc. Had to go to WH Smith (next door) but left as i decided I was not desperate enough to pay so much. Then I also remember John Menzies also on the concourse but away from the platforms became WH Smith years ago.

Point is changes have always been happening but I think the rate of change is increasing. It is also getting to the stage where even the monopoly (WH Smith) might be going under.

In Croydon we have lost Debenams and John Lewis. We are left with Marks and Spencer and House of Fraser. House of Fraser has most of its entrances closed. So much so that after trying the entrances on the two floors that lead to the outside of the shopping centre I wrote it off as closed !.

I always put cereal bars , crisps , nuts,water etc in my bag. Dont often make up sandwiches as i usually eat them too soon and quite often want something hot. May buy a cold drink.

 

[Swanny200]

Hindsight is wonderful, but I'm sure if you had your time again, some liberal dosing of laxatives in all your colleagues teas/coffees would've ensured they were out of the picture for a time, and the customers would've been yours!
No such thing as "team player" when it comes to sales!

That is the reason I no longer was a salesman after that, I even found in call centres even though you are in teams and it is pushed on you that you are a team player, as soon as sales are put into the mix in a call centre all the teamwork falls apart, I did a year soon after my time at Arnold Clark at a major bank's call centre, all was fine until the parent bank decided to get us to do sales on our inbound calls too, at that point some of my team were like lambs to the slaughter, usually the elder statesmen who had 5+ years experience and were just happy at their jobs, pushed out for failing to meet targets and replaced by young hungry kids with next to no life experience.

 

[whoosh]

That is the reason I no longer was a salesman after that, I even found in call centres even though you are in teams and it is pushed on you that you are a team player, as soon as sales are put into the mix in a call centre all the teamwork falls apart, I did a year soon after my time at Arnold Clark at a major bank's call centre, all was fine until the parent bank decided to get us to do sales on our inbound calls too, at that point some of my team were like lambs to the slaughter, usually the elder statesmen who had 5+ years experience and were just happy at their jobs, pushed out for failing to meet targets and replaced by young hungry kids with next to no life experience.

I don't blame you, it's never something I've ever wanted to do. All that desperate fakery and opportunity grabbing - no thanks!

My Brother in Law works in a bank and isn't happy at all the targets he keeps getting. His Manager keeps wanting him to prey on clueless old ladies as everyone else is getting more clued up going to comparison sites for the 'extras' he's supposed to be selling, like insurances etc.

 

[jfollows]

My Brother in Law works in a bank and isn't happy at all the targets he keeps getting. His Manager keeps wanting him to prey on clueless old ladies as everyone else is getting more clued up going to comparison sites for the 'extras' he's supposed to be selling, like insurances etc.

My sympathy.
I will go out of my way to avoid having to go to a bank in person, because every time (admittedly exceptionally infrequently) that I do I feel that the person I'm talking to isn't interested in what I'm there for but is trying to sell me something I don't want. I can't conduct a simple transaction such as paying in a cheque without having to endure a sales pitch. Fortunately I have little need to do this nowadays.

 

[xotGD]

Mike Ashley has announced that further House of Fraser store closures are anticipated. Numbers tbc.

 

[Swanny200]

My time at the call centre was just as they launched a new current account that you had to pay £9.99 a month for, it would give you stuff like discount car insurance, air miles etc... the first month was easy for the guys on my team but as the months rolled on and I think Which or watchdog did a piece on it being a con people were less reluctant to sign up or even worse for some of the team, were asking them to cancel it, which meant that if you had 22 sales for the month of which the teams targets were 25 per operator, you lost a sale even if you didn't sell the customer the product in the first place.

The next place I went to that had a similar structure (Teams, targets etc...) was years later working for Sky, I trained for their retentions team (basically begging customers who want to leave, to stay by giving them discounts from their package amongst other things), I dodged a bullet as they terminated my contract on my last day of training because of a dodgy boss from a previous employment.

 

[thejuggler]

I have only ever been into and Aldi and a Lidl once and came out of both of them scratching my head as to what the appeal was.

When you are buying food for a family saving £50+ a week is quite a good reason to shop there.

 

[richw]

When you are buying food for a family saving £50+ a week is quite a good reason to shop there.

It isn’t that much cheaper and the quality is poor, at Aldi. Lidl is ok.

 

[37424]

It isn’t that much cheaper and the quality is poor, at Aldi. Lidl is ok.

For the stuff I buy that was my view of both of them price wise, added to a much smaller range compared to the larger nearby stores of Tesco, Morrisons etc. but I had to go see why these stores are popular and came away bemused and massively underwhelmed.

 

[SuspectUsual]

I have only ever been into and Aldi and a Lidl once and came out of both of them scratching my head as to what the appeal was.

You mean you can’t see the appeal of popping into Lidl for a loaf and some ham and leaving with an angle grinder, some flip flops and a rug?

 

[Swanny200]

I must admit, Aldi's tech stuff (the stuff that is locked away in the glass cabinets) is pretty decent and it isn't the first time I have come away with one of every object in said cabinet when I have popped in for something benign such as some apples or cereal

 

[Domh245]

It isn’t that much cheaper and the quality is poor, at Aldi. Lidl is ok.

I find it the other way around. Lidl's quality is atrocious - 'fresh' fruit & veg that barely makes it home before going off, short date lives, bakery items that go rock hard within a couple of days. Admittedly not been to Aldi all too much, but from what I have had the quality of the produce is better

 

[cactustwirly]

For the stuff I buy that was my view of both of them price wise, added to a much smaller range compared to the larger nearby stores of Tesco, Morrisons etc. but I had to go see why these stores are popular and came away bemused and massively underwhelmed.

You go there because you don't need the huge product range, and the smaller shops mean less time shopping.
The quality is good at both, definitely better than ASDA and Morrisons, but not quite as good as Tesco and Sainsburys, and they are £30-50 cheaper than the big supermarkets for a big shop.

 

[richw]

I find it the other way around. Lidl's quality is atrocious - 'fresh' fruit & veg that barely makes it home before going off, short date lives, bakery items that go rock hard within a couple of days. Admittedly not been to Aldi all too much, but from what I have had the quality of the produce is better

I’ve had your Lidl issues with Aldi but not Lidl. Maybe down to individual stores storage procedures then

 

[Swanny200]

You go there because you don't need the huge product range, and the smaller shops mean less time shopping.
The quality is good at both, definitely better than ASDA and Morrisons, but not quite as good as Tesco and Sainsburys, and they are £30-50 cheaper than the big supermarkets for a big shop.

It also comes back to a set of stores talked about previously in this thread and Jack's, the Tesco version of Lidl/Aldi, I still cannot fathom why Tesco didn't just launch Jack's in their own stores.

Another store that I can foresee going very shortly is Jessops, been in trouble for years, constantly in and out of trouble too, when I can look at reviews for my lenses or Cameras from the likes of Ken Rockwell and other camera reviewers and then get what I want from Amazon cheaper is better and easier than walking into a store and having someone who knows maybe 30% about photography try and tell me that the lens I am after is not as good as the £1300 Zeiss lens that he wants me to buy that is well out of my price range and not suitable for what I want it for.

 

[Typhoon]

Another store that I can foresee going very shortly is Jessops, been in trouble for years, constantly in and out of trouble too, when I can look at reviews for my lenses or Cameras from the likes of Ken Rockwell and other camera reviewers and then get what I want from Amazon cheaper is better and easier than walking into a store and having someone who knows maybe 30% about photography try and tell me that the lens I am after is not as good as the £1300 Zeiss lens that he wants me to buy that is well out of my price range and not suitable for what I want it for.

I thought they had gone. The only one that was anywhere near me closed earlier in the year (the staff were handed redundancy notices during the day and sent home). Similar experience but different end of the scale, I took a camera in to see if it could be mended, didn't really bother checking, just I needed a new one with this, that and the other facilities (and cost more than double the camera it was replacing) when I said I just wanted one that was simple, robust and fairly light. I also check reviews before buying, found one that fitted the bill but didn't go back to Jessops as I didn't want the hard sell. The 'old' Jessops had a store in Birmingham which I used to visit, they appeared to know their stuff and seemed to care.

 

[37424]

I thought they had gone. The only one that was anywhere near me closed earlier in the year (the staff were handed redundancy notices during the day and sent home). Similar experience but different end of the scale, I took a camera in to see if it could be mended, didn't really bother checking, just I needed a new one with this, that and the other facilities (and cost more than double the camera it was replacing) when I said I just wanted one that was simple, robust and fairly light. I also check reviews before buying, found one that fitted the bill but didn't go back to Jessops as I didn't want the hard sell. The 'old' Jessops had a store in Birmingham which I used to visit, they appeared to know their stuff and seemed to care.

They appear to be hanging on I used to love going to their main Leicester store in the late 70's/80's good price for Camera equipment addmitidly some of it maybe grey imports,but these days they seem to be the photographic version of Dixons, and of course they have been really stuffed by the average snapper using their phone instead. I'm surprised Peter Jones tuck it on really but then again hes a multimillionaire and i'm not.

 

[GusB]

I must admit, Aldi's tech stuff (the stuff that is locked away in the glass cabinets) is pretty decent and it isn't the first time I have come away with one of every object in said cabinet when I have popped in for something benign such as some apples or cereal

Glass cabinets? In my neck of the woods, nothing in Aldi is locked away in cabinets.

 

[DelayRepay]

There are a few things I buy at M&S because I think they are better than what is offered else where but not as much as I used to because I think some of the pricing has become excessive, and some of the items are now as good offered in other supermarkets for a cheaper price.

In my old house the nearest shop, other than a very small newsagents, was an M&S food hall. I would occasionally go in for a loaf of bread or something, but if I wanted more than a few items it was cheaper to jump in the car and go to Morrisons or Sainsburys.

My old aunt used to love M&S food, and going to hers for tea was a real treat for me. Not sure if that was because she shopped at M&S or just because she was my lovely auntie .

I did use the M&S foodhall a few times during the crisis, because it was the only place locally that didn't have queues to get in. There were only a couple of products that I thought were better quality than my usual store, but the price of the shop was significantly higher. (Although even they sold out of loo roll!!)

Their clothing is a disaster - I am not particularly young (40 this year!) but when I look around their offer, a lot of it seems old fashioned, and the quality isn't really great.

M&S seems to be one of those companies that has been struggling to find its way for years, so I expect they will survive in some form or another.

 

[Swanny200]

They appear to be hanging on I used to love going to their main Leicester store in the late 70's/80's good price for Camera equipment addmitidly some of it maybe grey imports,but these days they seem to be the photographic version of Dixons, and of course they have been really stuffed by the average snapper using their phone instead. I'm surprised Peter Jones tuck it on really but then again hes a multimillionaire and i'm not.

He must have thought it was worth saving, but when you have the likes of amazon, WEX, or even London Camera Exchange who are very knowledgeable and in some cases give second hand stuff a basic refurb before sale, Jessops are as you say Dixons for photographers and stargazers who like a hard sell

 

[Typhoon]

Their clothing is a disaster - I am not particularly young (40 this year!) but when I look around their offer, a lot of it seems old fashioned, and the quality isn't really great.

You are right, they have survived for years on their reputation for quality but when you look at it, its no better than other retailers. I last bought a jacket for a tenner in their sale, probably once part of a suit, and is trying, none-too-convincingly, to look like a quality item that the original price tag justified. It fits, its not garish (except the lining is a bit) and has pockets so does for shopping. From the advertising junk they send me, that is not their target.

And I can't work out what their Sparks card is about nowadays. 'Loyalty' cards are only any use if you are going in the shop in any case but I can't get my head around what I am being offered now. I want something simple!

 

[SuspectUsual]

M&S had massive issues when the offshored their manufacturing, particularly with the sizing of women’s clothes and ensuring consistency when different factories on different countries shared the production of an item. That was ages ago, no idea if it’s any better now

 

[Bletchleyite]

It isn’t that much cheaper and the quality is poor, at Aldi. Lidl is ok.

I can see us moving back towards the old model - supermarket for non-perishables, greengrocer for veg, butcher for meat, baker for bread. With more working from home, popping into town for lunch and doing all three becomes more feasible. Or walking in at 7am for fresh baked morning bread.

 

[DelayRepay]

I can see us moving back towards the old model - supermarket for non-perishables, greengrocer for veg, butcher for meat, baker for bread. With more working from home, popping into town for lunch and doing all three becomes more feasible. Or walking in at 7am for fresh baked morning bread.

Yes, perhaps helped by the increase in local delivery services. I've had my veg dropped off by a local green grocer a few times, and I could get meat delivered from the local butcher (but don't bother because his shop is only a short walk). Both of these started deliveries during lockdown, but they've both continued to offer it and said while ever people want to order goods, they are happy to deliver. If you're at home anyway, it makes no difference whether you have one big Tesco order, or a smaller Tesco order plus a few extras from other suppliers.

All I am missing is a baker now. And a candlestick maker, I suppose.

 

[Trackman]

M&S had massive issues when the offshored their manufacturing, particularly with the sizing of women’s clothes and ensuring consistency when different factories on different countries shared the production of an item. That was ages ago, no idea if it’s any better now

I bought some jeans online using my cousin's M&S discount.
I wasn't happy with the quality and was advised to take them to a M&S store.
They were having none of it, and in fact blamed it on me! The supervisor was right snooty too.
Also accidentally bought some out of date cakes for a relative, refund? No.. it's not out of date until the day after at 15:00. (I've posted about this before)
No more M&S for me

I can see us moving back towards the old model - supermarket for non-perishables, greengrocer for veg, butcher for meat, baker for bread. With more working from home, popping into town for lunch and doing all three becomes more feasible. Or walking in at 7am for fresh baked morning bread.

I sincerely hope so.

 

[Journeyman]

I was quite shocked by the extremely low level of product knowledge last time I went to Jessops. I still shoot quite a lot of film, and they have a reasonable selection in stock, but the salesperson I dealt with had no idea what the difference between print and slide film is.

 

[pdq]

I was quite shocked by the extremely low level of product knowledge last time I went to Jessops. I still shoot quite a lot of film, and they have a reasonable selection in stock, but the salesperson I dealt with had no idea what the difference between print and slide film is.

That seems surprising - it always struck me as a shop for enthusiasts staffed by enthusiasts, not necessarily mass market point and shoot cameras.
I've only used the Manchester store, but I always find their photo printing very good - with a choice of papers and sizes that you don't get in Max Spielman, and better quality machines as well. I get the feeling that they would happily re-print there and then if I wasn't happy. On the odd occasion I print photos these days I use Photobox for bulk, but for printing something special, like a portrait, Jessops always comes up trumps.

 

[Swanny200]

That seems surprising - it always struck me as a shop for enthusiasts staffed by enthusiasts, not necessarily mass market point and shoot cameras.
I've only used the Manchester store, but I always find their photo printing very good - with a choice of papers and sizes that you don't get in Max Spielman, and better quality machines as well. I get the feeling that they would happily re-print there and then if I wasn't happy. On the odd occasion I print photos these days I use Photobox for bulk, but for printing something special, like a portrait, Jessops always comes up trumps.

Jessops use CEWE for their off site printing like photobooks, I have used them for years when covering weddings and never had an issue with them, their on site photo printing is top notch too it is just their product knowledge, they will take anyone looking for a job now with less training, it reminds me of another company to do with photography called Tempest, you know the ones that do all the school prints, well the reason that Tempest are losing schools hand over fist is because they use less photographers now and more salesmen that can point and shoot with bridge cameras, hence why when I went for a job years ago I was told I was over qualified.

 

[Typhoon]

I bought some jeans online using my cousin's M&S discount.
I wasn't happy with the quality and was advised to take them to a M&S store.
They were having none of it, and in fact blamed it on me! The supervisor was right snooty too.
Also accidentally bought some out of date cakes for a relative, refund? No.. it's not out of date until the day after at 15:00. (I've posted about this before)

I do find that some staff have a superiority complex towards those who they deem not to be 'typical M&S customers'. Others are really helpful.

I find the account of the cakes odd; round my way (East Kent) M&S start yellow labelling the goods at about 15:00 on the sell-by date (that is 2 Foods and 1 department store selling food). I rather got the impression that they were scrupulous in clearing out of date (and sometimes damaged, in-date) food. If they were cream cakes, they would not be in the best of condition next day (before or after 15:00). I could suggest you've got some pretty rogue management in Lewisham (I found an on-line review - that was rubbish too so you are not alone)!
I once picked up a reduce price (slab) cake in the Co-op but they wouldn't sell it to me as the sell-by date was the previous day (I hadn't noticed).