I Took a DirecT(V) Hit Today!

[Anole]

I have a buddy who's a Radio Shack manager, so I shouldn't trash 'em, but ...
I met him 20 years ago, when he was a new manager.
Back then, my ears perked up when he actually gave a customer good advice!

Anyway, one of his sales people sold five iPhones yesterday, or this week, or some recent time frame.
She didn't manage to sell any Apple Care, the only kind of extended warranty you can get on those.
His boss, the District Manager, threatened to fire her for her poor performance.
They don't make diddly on cell phone sales, and need accessory and warranty sales to make a buck.

Sounds like a bad business plan to me!
Maybe they should go back to selling blank CDs, DVDs, and those 5w pots!

 

[KE4EST]

I worked for Radio Shack a few years ago and, yep if you don't push the crap warranties down peoples throats you will be let go.

 

[AcWxRadar]

Here's a "funny" for you all. I don't know if this happened at my place of employment during an actual interview or if one of the interviewers were just relaying the story. But anyway, this is how the story goes...

INTERVIEWER: A 3-phase motor operating a conveyor from point A to point B has failed. You look up the data plate for the motor and find a direct replacement for it. After you have completed the installation of the new motor, you find that the conveyor is running in the reverse direction. What do you do to correct this.

APPLICANT: (pausing to contemplate)...... "I'd turn the conveyor around the other way".


LOL!!!! Thought you'd like that one.

Gordy

 

[AcWxRadar]

At Staples today the clerk tells a customer that they have to buy an extended warranty because the item was made in China.

Well, of course, Bob! We have to pay off the debt that our politicians bought from China somehow. They cannot seem to do it on their own, so we have to individually pay our creditors for our government's debt obligations. If anyone thinks I am joking, just wait around a little while and watch what happens. I am a very positive and optimistic person, so I must tell you... We are screwed, we are bankrupt, we are broke, we are going down the drain. And that is the positive side of the situation. The pessimistic side of me says that this is not the worst yet. The worst yet is that we will be taking everyone else down the same drain in tow. We shot a torpedo in the water (our politicians did anyway) and that torpedo was aimed right at us. They have sunk our own ship. Sorry for being so positive, but the negative side is so much worse.

Gordy

 

[Magic Static]

And when the ship goes down we will find out a forgotten skill. We are all capable of swimming.

 

[AcWxRadar]

And when the ship goes down we will find out a forgotten skill. We are all capable of swimming.

He he he! To quote Bill Cosby's "Noah"... "How long can you tread water?"

Magic, you hit on a very valid point... We must revisit past skills and become self sufficient once again, seriously.

RADAR

 

[Tron]

Radio Shack guys are told to sell cell phones...and thats about it. Sadly they have changed from what they were when I worked there (mid 90's). But thats for a whole different story

I went into a Radio Shack yesterday, since I was already in the mall trying to get some last minute shopping done, and the store was right there.

It is sad to see that nearly a third of the store is now devoted to cell phones and accessories for cell phones.

 

[Mr Tony]

yep our local Rat Shack moved a couple months ago from the "mall" (which sadly is now a shell of what it was 10-15 years ago) to a strip mall. I went in the other day to get a part and in the old spot the cell phone stuff was off to the side when you walked in. Now you have to go through it when you walk in

 

[the_man_one]

switch any 2 wires on a 3 phase motor to reverse rotation.... on a single phase exchange the start windings usually numbered 5 & 8... if no numbers then the motor shop will insruct u on which are the start windings... in my case i use red, black for run windings

 

[highskies]

The one who I talked with kept telling me that DirecTV was better than Blu-Ray in terms of picture quality, and needless to say, I had to keep biting my lip.

LOL! Did any of that require stitches? I'm assuming you had to bite down quite hard in order not to keep from ROFL. I couldn't have contained the laughter myself. I don't know how you kept a straight face thru that. If it had been me, i guarantee you that everyone in Sam's club would know I was in the house that day, since I would likely be laughing hysterically, Maybe even literally ROFL, tho I've never actually done that in public. But of course, no one has ever said anything to me in public as funny as that before.

 

[Tron]

I must admit a smirk did form across my face, but I kept thinking about serious things, and after awhile he was just a muttering talking head.

 

[AcWxRadar]

switch any 2 wires on a 3 phase motor to reverse rotation.... on a single phase exchange the start windings usually numbered 5 & 8... if no numbers then the motor shop will insruct u on which are the start windings... in my case i use red, black for run windings

That was the correct answer... "Swap any two of the three phases". But, the comedic part was the job applicant's answer to turn the conveyor around. Yeah, we want to hire this guy!

Today, try going into Rat Shack and when they ask you if you need help, tell them you are looking for a power trench MOSFET. I think it would be amusing to record the responses we get from the RS clerks here for such a simple request. Anyone game to play along? Next time you have a few minutes to spare and passing close to RS, just drop in and ask them to see their stock of MOSFETs and post their exact words of reply here. I think it might be a fun exercise.

RADAR

 

[RT-Cat]

That was the correct answer... "Swap any two of the three phases". But, the comedic part was the job applicant's answer to turn the conveyor around. Yeah, we want to hire this guy! RADAR

Yup! And put him in a bootleg FTA radio factory in China!

RT.

 

[Tyralak]

At Staples today the clerk tells a customer that they have to buy an extended warranty because the item was made in China.

Not sure if I entirely disagree lol!

 

[Tyralak]

I have a buddy who's a Radio Shack manager, so I shouldn't trash 'em, but ...
I met him 20 years ago, when he was a new manager.
Back then, my ears perked up when he actually gave a customer good advice!

Anyway, one of his sales people sold five iPhones yesterday, or this week, or some recent time frame.
She didn't manage to sell any Apple Care, the only kind of extended warranty you can get on those.
His boss, the District Manager, threatened to fire her for her poor performance.
They don't make diddly on cell phone sales, and need accessory and warranty sales to make a buck.

Sounds like a bad business plan to me!
Maybe they should go back to selling blank CDs, DVDs, and those 5w pots!

Oh man, do I remember that. I worked there in the late 90s, and it was all about Sprint! Their land line long distance that is. Helping the customer find what they came in for was secondary to schlepping Sprint long distance. It was great if you sold a computer, but they didn't make any money off the computer sale. The extended warranty (which really didn't cover anything) and the overpriced accessories were the things they insisted we push. I hated that place. I also hated how they told us over and over that we "were not clerks, we were salesmen" Except, we weren't given the tolls that salesmen in competing stores were given, namely the ability to negotiate prices.

 

[Tyralak]

That was the correct answer... "Swap any two of the three phases". But, the comedic part was the job applicant's answer to turn the conveyor around. Yeah, we want to hire this guy!

Today, try going into Rat Shack and when they ask you if you need help, tell them you are looking for a power trench MOSFET. I think it would be amusing to record the responses we get from the RS clerks here for such a simple request. Anyone game to play along? Next time you have a few minutes to spare and passing close to RS, just drop in and ask them to see their stock of MOSFETs and post their exact words of reply here. I think it might be a fun exercise.

RADAR

Sorry for the multiple posts.