BNC Text JN7

Air UK sales meeting. Sample containing about 6208 words speech recorded in business context


7 speakers recorded by respondent number C551

PS4BP X m (No name, age unknown, sales executive) unspecified
PS4BR X m (No name, age unknown, sales executive) unspecified
PS4BS X m (Stuart, age unknown, sales executive) unspecified
PS4BT X m (Mike, age unknown, sales executive) unspecified
PS4BU X m (Brett, age unknown, sales executive) unspecified
JN7PSUNK (respondent W0000) X u (Unknown speaker, age unknown) other
JN7PSUGP (respondent W000M) X u (Group of unknown speakers, age unknown) other

1 recordings

  1. Tape 110901 recorded on 1994-01-14. LocationHertfordshire: Stansted () Activity: business meeting

Undivided text

Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [1] Right, you w you want thirty seats on that flight?
Stuart (PS4BS) [2] No no no can't be done [...] haven't got a clue [laugh] oh dear.
[3] Anyway
(PS4BP) [4] Just thought I'd mention the Stansted leading forward
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
(PS4BP) [5] That's that's the same thing as says, it's reducing the catchment all the time
Stuart (PS4BS) [6] What was it before?
(PS4BP) [7] Seven 0 five
Stuart (PS4BS) [8] Yeah well the thing is that something's gotta shift because we've got [...] we've got all these bloody flights going out the same time
(PS4BP) [9] Well I know but
Stuart (PS4BS) [10] And they can't cope
(PS4BP) [11] Every time you lead it forward like that those early hours will just reduce
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
(PS4BP) [12] Well that's what I said, it's nearly half an hour later
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [13] Well actually it depends on the weather don't it?
[14] It depends on the
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [15] Alright well if you've got any little any little points like that then you ought to er say like, we won't actually be much longer.
[16] We'll be er five ten minutes or so
(PS4BR) [17] Oh, is that all?
Stuart (PS4BS) [18] Yeah.
[19] You can sit and wait if you want to
(PS4BR) [20] Erm, okay thanks, as long as I don't to er put you off or anything
Stuart (PS4BS) [21] Yeah, yeah you can sit and wait if you like oh no [...] go away and come back again.
[22] Erm when any little any little points like that then we ought to er flag up yeah?
[23] But I think w I think [...] corridor communications [...] something like that yeah?
(PS4BP) [24] Well he's not around for a while is he? [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [25] I don't know where he's gone actually
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [26] Where is he?
Stuart (PS4BS) [27] [...] he's gone on his holidays to the States ... Right then ... okay, so that's point twelve.
[28] That brings us to the end of the normal agenda.
[29] Any other business?
Mike (PS4BT) [30] Right well the office
Stuart (PS4BS) [31] Right we'll leave that a minute, okay?
Mike (PS4BT) [32] Can I just erm, no I've got one more regarding communications.
[33] Just on the shall we say off-chance I asked what the situation was regarding additional lines between Norwich and Crawley as between Stansted Norwich and Crawley to see if there was anything under way and what the approximate cost would be because erm well I know there's more D D I facilities now.
[34] The tie lines are so congested it isn't true, especially with [...] accounts being at Stansted and apparently there has been a proposal in since last March with all the costings and everything which is still waiting on an answer for improved lines which would actually take some of the computer lines and everything.
[35] Erm, I'm just surprised that that's taking that long
Stuart (PS4BS) [36] Well it isn't [...]
Mike (PS4BT) [37] Apparently the individual costs of the lines are staggering and they reckon that the cost of the calls does not outweigh it but what I think [...] is certainly outweighed is the cost of all our time trying to get through on these lines
Stuart (PS4BS) [38] Tie lines?
Mike (PS4BT) [39] Yeah
Stuart (PS4BS) [40] Oh well
Mike (PS4BT) [41] Something came up in respect of the tie lines which I'd just like to mention while we're here in respect of.
[42] There's been a little bit of shall we say erm not as good co-operation as there might have been, especially between and recently.
[43] Now are aware that are losing the agency stuff therefore services should improve generally but this is mostly and the business travel, you know duty travel, cruise positioning that sort of thing, to the extent that erm and two of the ops people paid a visit to last week for a liaison meeting and one thing that I thought was absolutely remarkable that came out was in respect of complaining that they could never get through to anybody in erm in , they couldn't get a reply from the extensions and they couldn't send messages or anything.
[44] They weren't aware that we have in the internal telephone directory all the direct dialling lines listed.
[45] They weren't aware the were on [...] that they could send them messages.
[46] It's absolutely stagger it's such a basic thing that you know that you know
Stuart (PS4BS) [47] well well it's
Mike (PS4BT) [48] erm it seemed so disappointing to me that I mean we go to the bother of producing what a fifty odd page telephone directory and people don't even look at it
Stuart (PS4BS) [49] Yeah well that's
Mike (PS4BT) [50] Erm I'm g one thing I'm gonna do is ask if she'll flag major changes when she produces the new telephone directories.
[51] Maybe just a little front page you know wh look at the big revisions for the sales department or something like that instead of just, when you get a new telephone directory, putting it in your folder and binning the old one, make certain people realise there've been changes.
[52] I think it's worth identifying cos it might sort of alleviate this sort of problem
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [53] Mhm
Mike (PS4BT) [54] Okay, that's it
Stuart (PS4BS) [55] Alright
Mike (PS4BT) [56] Apart from the subject that you're coming back to
Stuart (PS4BS) [57] yes we'll come back to that in a minute.?
Brett (PS4BU) [58] Erm right just t message on secretaries clubs, going to put them on a back burner for a while then in terms of actually forming a club as such
Stuart (PS4BS) [59] Well we need t we need t we we need to establish ah I hope we do it.
Brett (PS4BU) [60] Right
Stuart (PS4BS) [61] In a set format that is circulated and where's the administrative back up?
[62] That's what you want isn't it?
Brett (PS4BU) [63] Mhm
Stuart (PS4BS) [64] But I mean I [whispering] fuck [] question the the er the t question of the validity of the secretaries club in the Ambassador Hotel when it's in bloody Receivership
Brett (PS4BU) [65] Yeah well that hotel but there are other ones
Stuart (PS4BS) [66] Yeah ... Well it's it's it's a it's a bit of a weighty subject that.
[67] I think we ought to er
Brett (PS4BU) [68] Yeah okay
Stuart (PS4BS) [69] Why don't you and I talk about it separately then
Brett (PS4BU) [70] Yeah alright
Stuart (PS4BS) [71] If you want
Brett (PS4BU) [72] Yeah okay
Stuart (PS4BS) [73] Yeah?
[74] Next time we're in the office
Brett (PS4BU) [75] Right
Stuart (PS4BS) [76] Secretaries clubs and and what's required and what's done.
[77] The worst thing you can do is set these things and then cock it up because secretaries is people that pride themselves on being administratively perfect
Mike (PS4BT) [78] But you know they do, they do pull people in
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Mike (PS4BT) [79] The one in Yorkshire that used to meet at erm hotel on the A one near Pontefract, used to get people over from Hull for that.
[80] What?
[81] Sixty miles they used to come over for a good evening at those and maybe two principles
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Mike (PS4BT) [82] presentations but certainly
Stuart (PS4BS) [83] You all reckon there's good [...] to that
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Brett (PS4BU) [84] The other thing I had this idea of erm you know customer relations erm in fact we give tickets away when people have had problems.
[85] We've had times when we've written to commercials and given them free tickets to dig ourselves out of a hole and things.
[86] I wondered if we could look at particularly customer relations producing some sort of voucher worth fifty pound or hundred pound or twenty five pound and er we have a stock of those printed up you know
Stuart (PS4BS) [87] [whispering] oh Christ it's the print money []
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Brett (PS4BU) [88] and if we have a chap who's erm had bad experience on the plane what we would do now is is give him two free tickets.
[89] For instance that chap you gave those tickets to to Munich
Stuart (PS4BS) [90] Yeah
Brett (PS4BU) [91] You know to encourage him t well why not just send them a voucher for seventy f seventy five pounds to go towards an ticket next time they book?
Stuart (PS4BS) [92] No no no [...] so
Brett (PS4BU) [93] Or twenty five pound
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [94] My my my
Brett (PS4BU) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [95] My
Brett (PS4BU) [96] just like they do the two for one
Stuart (PS4BS) [97] No my philosophy with customer relations has always been that you don't give somebody a refund, you give them some tickets to fly again so it's keeps them flying
Brett (PS4BU) [98] Yeah we don't give them a refund, I didn't say a refund, I said a voucher
Stuart (PS4BS) [99] Well a voucher's cash
Brett (PS4BU) [100] no a voucher to use
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [101] against a flight
Brett (PS4BU) [102] against an flight, all branded
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [103] How do they do that?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [104] accounting problems.
[105] What's your objective here?
[106] What're you trying to achieve?
[107] Just pl placate somebody?
Brett (PS4BU) [108] to stop giving away free seats when these people are prepared to pay
Mike (PS4BT) [109] Oh only give them partial you mean
Brett (PS4BU) [110] Yeah in other words yeah, we we you're gonna complain and to not send them a cheque you give them two free seats which we know the cost of that is is minimal.
[111] Nevertheless if they were going to fly again they were gonna pay for a seat and they're only looking for some recompense towards a new new ticket what's wrong with sending them a voucher y'know, a properly produced voucher that we c that's controlled properly by and all they do is guarantee any travel at their normal travel agent, do the business, attach the voucher to the B S P
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [112] Well he'd have to process his [...] direct like the two for one voucher or something like that
Mike (PS4BT) [113] Why couldn't [...] do it? [...] doing it
Brett (PS4BU) [114] Well the trade would be benefiting because when we give away free tickets we're taking commission away from them.
[115] This way we're s we're not.
[116] We'll give them the full commission on the full ticket
Mike (PS4BT) [117] Yeah, but it is another procedure and
Stuart (PS4BS) [118] Well they complain doing two for ones I mean never mind this
Brett (PS4BU) [119] They'd get the full commission on the ticket
Stuart (PS4BS) [120] [whispering] oh God []
Brett (PS4BU) [121] And just clip the
Mike (PS4BT) [122] Perhaps the best [...] way of doing it would be to give th erm them an N C O
Brett (PS4BU) [123] Why not give them a duty free voucher next time they fly?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [124] [...] gonna be worth a lot of money, with some people you've got to give them a couple of free tickets
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [125] The duty free voucher though would go to the passenger whereas the th erm the company which most of these will be for
Brett (PS4BU) [126] We send it to whoever needs it, the company or the passenger
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [127] yeah but if it was a duty free voucher
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Brett (PS4BU) [128] give someone a twenty five duty free voucher some of these people are gonna want
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [129] Yeah but it's something personal
Brett (PS4BU) [130] Yeah that's what I mean
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [131] It's like air miles isn't it?
Brett (PS4BU) [132] Well it's low this is lower cost than what we're doing currently , we're giving away, we're getting nothing only a cost of of twenty five quid on the seat.
[133] I'm suggesting we send that man a voucher for fifty pound that his company or he puts towards the next time they buy a full fare or an Apex and then we actually get fifty quid or a hundred and fifty quid.
[134] You're actually giving away nothing.
[135] You've only got the cost of printing a voucher.
[136] I think I think we give away far too many free tickets
Stuart (PS4BS) [137] Well I m d done it myself I mean I mean
Brett (PS4BU) [138] Not us not us, every time I speak to somebody about something, you know marketing can do it, y'know everybody's d giving away free tickets as a way out of y'know compensate the people, re-dressing the situation.
[139] Why not just send them out with a n y'know a nice letter and the voucher.
[140] If we sent y'know what's w c y'know other companies do that.
[141] If you g if you have a problem with Burtons y they don't send you a free suit, do they?
[142] They send you a Burton's voucher to the value of whatever you're looking for, be it ten quid or f and you go in there and you buy a suit you know and everybody's happy.
[143] What's the difference?
[144] Why do we give away ... Not only are we incurring the cost of what we're giving away but we're losing revenue with people that would have flown with us anyway
Stuart (PS4BS) [145] Well I think you need to follow that one up actually.
[146] If you wanna follow that one up with customer [...] it needs [...] how it'll work
Brett (PS4BU) [147] [...] you bring it up at the update and get some feedback from that
Stuart (PS4BS) [148] Well maybe
Brett (PS4BU) [149] You've got the er people like ...
Stuart (PS4BS) [150] I'll bring it up voucher for er
Brett (PS4BU) [151] If y'know if it's possible t
Mike (PS4BT) [152] I would have thought M C A might be the easiest way of doing it but I'll think about it because the passenger could hand the M C A over to the agent, together with a little note that we have attached to it.
[153] Dear mister travel agent please accept this as part payment of so and so.
[154] You will receive full cash on the ticket
Brett (PS4BU) [155] Yeah, agent's happy, taken, we're making money.
[156] In fact I believe
Mike (PS4BT) [157] I'll check with how we'd go about it administrative accounting wise
Mike (PS4BT) [158] And then of course the agent
Stuart (PS4BS) [159] I'll just put down voucher for compensation case to be investigated
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [160] Next?
Brett (PS4BU) [161] No, that's it
Stuart (PS4BS) [162] That's it ?
[163] Nothing?
[164] No A O B. The only A O B I've got is trade mags and subscriptions.
[165] Right, I'm gonna get one of the girls in the office to send out a note and find out who gets what trade mag cos the supply of T T G's and Travel Weekly's has sort of dried up and I don't know who gets them.
[166] I don't know whether reps get them at home, do they?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [167] Some of them do yeah
Stuart (PS4BS) [168] Do they subscribe to them themselves?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [169] Yeah
Stuart (PS4BS) [170] What, and pay for it themselves?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [171] No no no no would pay on the credit card
Stuart (PS4BS) [172] What d'you mean credit card?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [173] Pay on the credit card, subscribe [...] visa card
Stuart (PS4BS) [174] What, their own visa card?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [175] No no
Stuart (PS4BS) [176] We phoned up T T G and Travel Weekly and they've only got five or six names on on each list
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [177] Well they're the ones who get it then
Stuart (PS4BS) [178] I wanna send a circular out.
[179] I want people to tick off what they get and what they don't get right?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [180] [...] round robin?
Stuart (PS4BS) [181] Yes well
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [182] Well that's no good
Brett (PS4BU) [183] I get the T T G delivered to my home cos I subscribe for it and I get the business one that you do when [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [184] yeah well I did that centrally you see.
Brett (PS4BU) [185] Yeah
Stuart (PS4BS) [186] Everybody gets one and I wanna s I don't wanna I wanna I wanna bring these in-house via the sales office and have them all centrally distributed cos it's no good well if you read the T T G and the Travel Weekly it's already taken two days.
[187] If you don't get it there and then it's not worth reading
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Mike (PS4BT) [188] Well there's no point in bringing them in-house then because the people need them at their homes
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [189] [...] administration of it in house
Mike (PS4BT) [190] Oh I beg your pardon right [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [191] the addresses will be home addresses yeah.
[192] So got that as a little project and on that subject let's talk about
Mike (PS4BT) [193] They won't send them to home addresses free?
Brett (PS4BU) [194] No
Mike (PS4BT) [195] T T G and Travel?
Stuart (PS4BS) [196] We don't get any free.
[197] Now cut all back all free copies
Mike (PS4BT) [198] Have they
Stuart (PS4BS) [199] Yes.
[200] You get four and that's about it.
[201] Everything else you pay for.
[202] I don't mind, I'll pay for it.
[203] I'm not bothered about paying for them
Mike (PS4BT) [204] Okay
Stuart (PS4BS) [205] I'll just make sure that er we get them.
[206] Alright sales office then.
[207] What're we gonna do about ?
Stuart (PS4BS) [208] I've spoken to right er and owes me a few favours and I've said er would you consider her completing her [...] training until the end of May middle of May which she does at the and then if she's any good, take her on, providing she gets a driving licence.
[209] Old mate, old pal.
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [210] [whispering] what did he say []
Stuart (PS4BS) [211] He said yes
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [212] [laugh] I said I said cos you don't know but she's a n she's a nice girl, she looks alright in uniform, she's not very bright but she's brighter than some of the ones you've got er give her a meet and greet job where she just has to smile and point people in the general direction of the bogs and things like that, er, I said and she'll be alright
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [213] She looks bloody smart in uniform
Stuart (PS4BS) [214] He said but she'd be considered along with all the others but she ain't gonna get a job with terminal full time when her contract runs out on May the eighteenth if she doesn't get her finger out and get dr driving test passed and buy herself a car.
[215] Of course, this is a catch twenty two situation because she hasn't got the money to buy a to have the driving lessons or the money to buy the car cos she gets crap wages
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [216] [...] get er terminal [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [217] Yeah shifts shifts.
[218] No public transport from mate at five o'clock in the morning if not earlier.
[219] I can't say, can't do more than that.
[220] He's prepared to consider her application extremely favourably.
[221] on site [...] time- keeping and sickness is low but at the end of the day when it comes to the middle of May then she ain't gonna get a sh she ain't gonna be employed anyway to be quite honest, unless she pulls her finger out.
[222] But sh you know what she's like.
[223] spoken to her, spoken to her, spoken to her, she doesn't get the message.
[224] And she's now getting extremely bored with that job.
[225] It's fairly obviously and her heart's not in it.
[226] She's not really enthusiastic about it and of course no doubt we're getting problems again, stuff going missing, stuff like that, whatever
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [227] Yeah
Stuart (PS4BS) [228] I think all I can say about that is I think the introduction of the new part timer the new , two or whatever you wanna call her.
[229] I mean she's shit hot she does I mean she's pretty efficient isn't she?
[230] And pretty good anyway so we've got two good part-timers in there
Mike (PS4BT) [231] That was the best thing we ever did, taking on two part-timers
Stuart (PS4BS) [232] Yeah yeah justifying their own sufficiency
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [233] Despite getting [...]
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [234] I don't think that was a good idea
Stuart (PS4BS) [235] And I I can't understand it and I still haven't got to the bottom of the reason why is doing, seems to me to be doing a lot of work herself
Brett (PS4BU) [236] Yeah well she's never been shown how to delegate
Stuart (PS4BS) [237] to delegate yeah well I mean that's this is why I think I should bring forward a supervisors course for , for , for , for
Brett (PS4BU) [238] Yeah
Stuart (PS4BS) [239] And get it done as soon as possible
Brett (PS4BU) [240] Yep
Stuart (PS4BS) [241] right a and get them some of the skills that're required and hopefully that'll help out
Mike (PS4BT) [242] We'll have to watch one's sickness the week away
Brett (PS4BU) [243] Yeah she's started to go off sick a lot but she seemed a lot better when she came back after Christmas
Mike (PS4BT) [244] Yeah
Brett (PS4BU) [245] A lot more enthusiastic.
[246] Did you get that impression?
Stuart (PS4BS) [247] yeah yeah well I know she was getting that way towards Christmas.
[248] She was sort of c getting over the getting over the disappointment and she was getting a little bit more user- friendly and she
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [249] No no but er they they are seems to be a bit better er about it.
[250] I think it's because she's got a little pal now with the other
Brett (PS4BU) [251] Surely it's just
Stuart (PS4BS) [252] cos they smoking together in the afternoons y'know
Brett (PS4BU) [253] Surely the the erm y'know harmony in the work place and all that.
[254] It must there must be it must be possible to speak to her about the fact that she's not communicating.
[255] I mean that can't be right.
[256] Surely it
Stuart (PS4BS) [257] We've had this before
Brett (PS4BU) [258] Surely we shouldn't allow that c to continue and surely that's er that's er can be made into quite a semi-formal type of that's not on is it?
Stuart (PS4BS) [259] What?
Stuart (PS4BS) [260] Well it's not disrupting work.
[261] I mean how can you justify talking to her about that when the efficiency is improved since she hasn't been talking to people?
Brett (PS4BU) [262] Well that's only because it was terrible before though
Stuart (PS4BS) [263] Yeah but it's still improved
Brett (PS4BU) [264] Yeah
Stuart (PS4BS) [265] She's gonna turn round and say you can't [...] complain about my work rate and we're not complaining about her work rate.
[266] Her work rate's improved.
[267] Yeah but what stand are you gonna measure against ?
Brett (PS4BU) [268] No but [sigh] well erm I'm not sure I follow the logic of that.
[269] I mean if you're saying that by not communicating everybody's performance gets better, let's tell them all not to talk to each-other
Stuart (PS4BS) [270] Well in theory that's the way most typing pools works
Brett (PS4BU) [271] Yeah but it's not a typing pool, is it? [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [272] Well it is to a certain extent it's a bit of a typing pool as well as a sales office but in
Brett (PS4BU) [273] Well okay
Stuart (PS4BS) [274] in theory they should not be able to talk to each-other because they're either answering the phone and talking to somebody else bloody getting on looking at the screen and typing
Brett (PS4BU) [275] Yeah but you know what I mean don't you?
Stuart (PS4BS) [276] Yeah I know what you mean but it's not it doesn't necessarily work out that way cos
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [277] Is still intent on looking for another job do you know?
Stuart (PS4BS) [278] No she she's been looking but I don't know if she's still looking, I don't know.
[279] She's probably looked and found she couldn't get anything better.
[280] That's probably nearer the truth
Brett (PS4BU) [281] Well I think, I've gotta say that I think it might be ha it might be working better now with there but when not there and we go to and say can you tell me where X Y Z is, the response you're gonna get is I'm sorry I don't know and the reason she won't know is that she's never bothered to ask because she's not talking so it's okay while there but it won't be when she's not because I've had that, sorry I don't know.
[282] I don't do that you know
Stuart (PS4BS) [283] Well she's not gonna be co-operative because she's not being paid to be the supervisor
Brett (PS4BU) [284] Well surely this is something we've got t it's got to come out and come out come out and say
Stuart (PS4BS) [285] I don't I'm not at the moment I'm quite happy.
[286] I'm as happy as I can be.
[287] If we can if we can shift aside erm and get rid of that problem then I think that's the s probably the priority rather than the situation.
[288] It hasn't affected your area has it?
Mike (PS4BT) [289] It's not ideal because erm there's been a number of minor instances where when they don't speak to each-other, you speak to one or the other and
Stuart (PS4BS) [290] Well you see the thing is
Mike (PS4BT) [291] [...] across
Stuart (PS4BS) [292] If I sit down and talk to I've said this and I'll say it I've said it ad nauseam.
[293] It's job now, getting paid to be the supervisor gotta supervise the office right?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [294] Yep
Stuart (PS4BS) [295] and I can't do it, that's the whole point of having a supervisor
Mike (PS4BT) [296] Yep
Stuart (PS4BS) [297] therefore if I talk to then it's no good
Mike (PS4BT) [298] Put it this way if I was having a problem with a member of my staff, or was, and we felt we wanted your help then you would come in and talk to them
Stuart (PS4BS) [299] Well what you're saying is that me and ought to talk to her
Mike (PS4BT) [300] Yeah [...] in the first place.
[301] I think this is what you're saying is that
Stuart (PS4BS) [302] Huh?
Brett (PS4BU) [303] erm is not talking to in the first place
Stuart (PS4BS) [304] No surely
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Mike (PS4BT) [305] not ideal so we say to you it's not ideal so the supervisor, so you have to say to , this has gotta be sorted, this is not ideal, this isn't gonna work when you're not here.
[306] If she then requires your help or whatever then that it has to go from there.
[307] I'm not suggesting that you, you're right, I don't think you should speak to but I can't see that that's well maybe they're more efficient now they bloody well ought to be, there's twice as many people in there.
[308] I think the way it should be tackled is speak to about it, say that we still believe that y'know it can't go on forever obviously it can't go on forever because I think the longer it goes on the worse it'll become in all honesty
Stuart (PS4BS) [309] Yeah I mean it's gone on long enough I mean I don't mind giving her a couple of weeks or something
Mike (PS4BT) [310] Do you do you not think it would be better for us both to speak to ? [...] speak to her and say obviously you were upset about not getting the job but this non- communication thing is not really erm going to you know be good for the sales office in the long term.
[311] Is there something you want to say?
[312] Or, you know, how are we gonna solve this problem?
Stuart (PS4BS) [313] I think we've gotta tackle it like that cos it won't go away will it?
Mike (PS4BT) [314] If anything it'll get worse because it'll be more of an effort to re re-communicate
Brett (PS4BU) [315] It's the new year now
Mike (PS4BT) [316] oh well, what d'you think?
[317] D'you think there's anything further in me considering my ideas of them having half an hour not working session a week?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Brett (PS4BU) [318] [...] if they're not speaking to each-other
Mike (PS4BT) [319] No but they'll have to then won't they?
[320] They can't just sit there and saying nothing.
[321] They'd have to talk about things.
Brett (PS4BU) [322] Oh well that's another thing for to get under her wing isn't it, how she's going to integrate her department? [...] frankly won't know anything about motivating people
Stuart (PS4BS) [323] Well you see I sit down on a I sit down on a fairly regular basis with now and try to give her direction and er point out, and I do make the point, about every time and , right?
[324] Er and complained about her pay, right, so I've got her upgraded.
[325] Erm hopefully upgraded.
[326] We'll get the fax in the office in the next couple of weeks hopefully er you know it's all it's all winning by inches
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [327] there's no grand great play [...] that's gonna work with that.
[328] It's gonna be erm bit by bit isn't it?
Mike (PS4BT) [329] It's going to put the erm actual availability up quite a bit of people having that fax there
Stuart (PS4BS) [330] Yeah that's right
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [331] Yeah well it is it is and also we might get to a situation where by er you know people are slitting each-other in the throat at this rate
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [332] [whispering] no way []
Stuart (PS4BS) [laugh]
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [333] [whispering] no way []
Stuart (PS4BS) [334] but y I can't I have to say and I know right can't give her what she wants is somebody to sit down somebody to sit her down and talk to her and you can't give her the benefit of that because it's a little battle right between the two silly little girls if you like and if that j if that happens had won right and that's the way will feel it
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [335] No
Stuart (PS4BS) [336] Oh yes oh yes
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [337] I don't follow what you mean, how d'you mean?
Stuart (PS4BS) [338] well playing the game playing the game and th and she's prepared to sit it out and play it as long as she can.
[339] If she's hauled in the office with me and there she's she's as far as she's concerned she's won.
[340] The situation would deteriorate after that.
[341] I don't think it would get any better.
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [342] Well okay
Stuart (PS4BS) [343] cos she'll say ha ha ha they've cracked they've cracked
Brett (PS4BU) [344] It's not acceptable as it is, is it?
[345] I don't think it's acceptable as it is.
[346] If she wants to go down the road making life more unpleasant then then we got down that road as well and she'll be the loser
Stuart (PS4BS) [347] Well the thing at the end of
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [348] and we don't we needed her before because we had one typist, we don't need that now, we c we can cover [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [349] the thing is that
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [350] yeah but she's one of the best typists I have to say.
[351] I can trust more than I can some of the others, some of the mistakes you get
Stuart (PS4BS) [352] Well okay but I mean that doesn't that [...]
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [353] well I don't know I mean I think pretty good, the new is pretty good, not a problem
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [354] I've had problems with
Brett (PS4BU) [355] She's not as good as the new two
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Mike (PS4BT) [356] fax numbers and things put on but that alright let's give [...] she came back to me the other day and said I cannot get this fax through and had actually typed down the wrong fax number
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Mike (PS4BT) [357] two or three mistakes recently and not dictated mistakes, copy mistakes.
[358] On the whole she's very good and she's very very quick
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [359] I mean I get the impression that likes working for and myself and she likes her own sphere of influence right which is fair enough as far as it goes
Stuart (PS4BS) [360] yeah
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [361] but when she's not there then I have real problems.
[362] When she was away for those ten days I mean certain things just couldn't be done because no-one knew [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [363] well no because hasn't hasn't
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [364] I can recollect the brief you gave to and we all agreed it is that everybody would be able to do [...]
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [365] yeah
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [366] she spoke to and said we've discussed it cos I asked whether she'd done that, she said she'd spoken to and said we've discussed that we should share the work more equally and said no I'm happy with the way things were and left it that way
Stuart (PS4BS) [367] it's like when she asked her whether she would change her hours from half past nine to six to cover the office and said no I'm quite happy doing what I'm doing and couldn't have coped with the confrontation you see.
[368] This is where is lacking in a little bit of er you know authority or she's not quite sure right.
[369] Changing somebody's hours is a little bit different but [...]
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [370] one of the things I'm thinking of in the longer term and I I bounced this of er was that if groups moved to Stansted could not be moved across to groups to sort this problem out because I think she's getting bored in what she's doing
Stuart (PS4BS) [371] Groups to do what?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [372] one of the groups people
Stuart (PS4BS) [373] what, pick up the phone and sell on the phone?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [374] well it's not selling is it?
[375] I mean it's t a lot of it's order taking and quoting
Stuart (PS4BS) [376] I thought you wanted her to be more pro-active?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [377] yeah but you'll have one or two people more pro-active because the bulk of the job the three other people who will be there will be order-takers dealing with allocations and this sort of thing and you'll need somebody to erm
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [378] no it's not addressing the issue but I said in the longer term that could be one of the options
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [379] I don't [...]
Brett (PS4BU) [380] yeah I couldn't have somebody in my team who wasn't bloody talking to somebody else and that's what
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Brett (PS4BU) [381] I think whatever you do I think it's gotta be done and if she can if she thinks she's won and all the rest of it
Mike (PS4BT) [382] it's pride now actually cos what's
Stuart (PS4BS) [383] of course it's pride, it's been pride since the start.
[384] It's been pride since the start and it's pathetic silly little girls isn't it?
[385] I mean that's all it is being very very er childish
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [386] girls have a tendency to do that sort of thing don't they?
[387] They don't they bear grudges don't they and they don't go away but
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [388] yeah but that's that's fair enough but that doesn't mean we have to er
Stuart (PS4BS) [389] alright well I'll have a I'll have another chat with when I get the flipping chance and then
Brett (PS4BU) [390] because I don't speak to at all now and that can't be right and the reason I don't is because I know the response I'm gonna get, blank look
Stuart (PS4BS) [391] Well I mean you never actually got much of a response before to be quite honest with you
Brett (PS4BU) [392] well no I didn't but that only was because she was focusing her attention on and work so I never had need to
Mike (PS4BT) [393] I'm quite happy with the service giving
Stuart (PS4BS) [394] well maybe maybe that's the answer
Brett (PS4BU) [395] are you ?
Mike (PS4BT) [396] well I think she's been fully occupied with your stuff since she came back, she hasn't touched any of mine up to last night
Brett (PS4BU) [397] really?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [398] well to be quite honest I mean th that sounds like good er justification as far as I'm concerned for moving a moving her work to somebody else or moving her on to somebody else
Mike (PS4BT) [399] you see up to now she hasn't had a chance to okay maybe it's erm
Brett (PS4BU) [400] what d'you mean by that?
Mike (PS4BT) [401] irrelevant now
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [402] can do your work can do your work or can do your work, whatever, maybe that'll maybe that'll mix it up a bit
Brett (PS4BU) [403] well something we've gotta do something I think do something
Stuart (PS4BS) [404] well to be quite honest I'll I'll state my point of view at the moment.
[405] I don't give a damn.
[406] I mean I think it's wor as far as I'm concerned I'm g w I think we're all getting out of it what we want
Mike (PS4BT) [407] I would agree with that
Stuart (PS4BS) [408] Yeah we're getting out of it what we want.
[409] The fact that there's like a sort of stand off position between two individuals in the office, the stupid thing about it is she's blaming for what's happened to her and had nothing to do with it
Brett (PS4BU) [410] no I know [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [411] I mean that's
Brett (PS4BU) [412] the thing is tha the stand up position has been created by us
Stuart (PS4BS) [413] yeah but talks to me.
[414] Still
Brett (PS4BU) [415] I know we crea we've created the stand up between them in so much as s she blames for what's happened t to her.
[416] It's us that promoted and surely if we created the situation it might work in our favour but it I mean it can't be very pleasant for other people
Mike (PS4BT) [417] yeah but the scenario is it's like er gets the national accounts job without interviewing everyone else and someone
Brett (PS4BU) [418] yeah but I deal with that don't I?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Mike (PS4BT) [419] that's what I mean, that's what the scenario is
Brett (PS4BU) [420] yeah I'd deal with it
Mike (PS4BT) [421] you wouldn't allow somebody else who'd got the sulks on because they weren't interviewed
Brett (PS4BU) [422] no exactly and this is not what we're doing in this case
Stuart (PS4BS) [423] yeah because the person er who's job it is to deal with the sulks for want of a better phrase there is not is preferring not to tackle the issue because as far as she's concerned it's not affecting the efficiency of the office, that's what I'm trying to say and it's not, in fact it's added to the efficiency of the office if anything.
[424] I know what you mean I mean
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [425] alright well we'll ask this question again then after gone on holiday to the States and see whether
Brett (PS4BU) [426] how long's she away for?
Stuart (PS4BS) [427] ten days
Brett (PS4BU) [428] is acting supervisor then?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [429] if it doesn't [...]
Brett (PS4BU) [430] is acting supervisor then?
Stuart (PS4BS) [431] Oh well that's er that's a classic isn't it?
Brett (PS4BU) [432] Exactly.
[433] Who's gonna run the office then when is not there then?
Mike (PS4BT) [434] That means gotta brief of what there is outstanding
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Brett (PS4BU) [435] cos that's when you find out the efficiency of a department isn't it?
[436] That's like when you find out how good my department is or , when we're not here
Stuart (PS4BS) [437] yeah
Brett (PS4BU) [438] run on or does it come to a grinding fucking cock up? and that's what I think will happen when is not there
Stuart (PS4BS) [439] well that's always what's happened in the past
Brett (PS4BU) [440] exactly
Stuart (PS4BS) [441] that's why we made her the supervisor
Brett (PS4BU) [442] exactly, so if it still happens in the future we haven't moved full forward have we?
[443] We've promoted and nothing's changed.
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [444] I agree with that statement you've just made that's indefatigable logic
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [445] [whispering] big word []
Stuart (PS4BS) [laugh]
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [446] when are you hoping to get the supervisory courses?
Stuart (PS4BS) [447] A S A P well at the end of the month
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [448] oh I see it end of this month?
Stuart (PS4BS) [449] well end of Feb more like it
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [450] is it gonna be before or after that was all.
[451] I mean why [...] a position to do the work prior to her going away
Mike (PS4BT) [452] As it stands at the moment all we've done is thrown numbers at the typing
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [453] yeah
Stuart (PS4BS) [454] yeah so we create a supervisor, we've thrown numbers at the er the typing, swopped around a few hours, changed a bit here, changed a bit there, it's all cosmetic stuff around the edges
Brett (PS4BU) [455] phase one to use your words in res
Stuart (PS4BS) [laugh]
Brett (PS4BU) [456] now we need phase two I think
Stuart (PS4BS) [457] alright then, fair enough I I I yeah I agree I can't I have to buy that one
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [458] good
Stuart (PS4BS) [459] but I think needs probably some training before we attack phase two
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [460] and ?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [461] well yeah
Stuart (PS4BS) [462] okay well I'll get that supervisors course I'll give N H A a ring and see how fast they can do it yeah cos really needs it as well doesn't she?
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [463] yeah
Stuart (PS4BS) [464] yeah?
[465] Alright then okay erm it's five o'clock now.
[466] Erm
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [467] It's the most productive meeting we've ever had I'm sure
Stuart (PS4BS) [468] well
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [469] for a long time
Stuart (PS4BS) [470] numbers dictate these sort of things but anyway now I'll be absolutely crushed hour [...] now, five o'clock on a Friday.
[471] [...] six hours.
[472] Yeah er
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [473] Okay then I've as far as I'm concerned draw the meeting to a close now.
[474] The next meeting erm
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [475] Thursday?
Stuart (PS4BS) [476] which is Feb tenth.
[477] I think we'll have it in Norwich actually cos I wanna w want a few words with the day after so while I'm in Norwich Norwich and can hobble to the meeting [...] Okay, you've got all your dates for your appraisals.
[478] We shall stick to those and er I'll sort of see you all er anon.
[479] Right?
[480] Okay?
[481] Right, thanks a lot for your attention and I shall see you when I see you.
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
Stuart (PS4BS) [482] That's it my man you can switch it off now
(PS4BR) [483] Great, thanks very much for your help
Stuart (PS4BS) [484] That's alright
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
(PS4BR) [485] see the result
Unknown speaker (JN7PSUNK) [...]
(PS4BR) [486] free flight to New York or something