Do they want work or don't they?

[oldbluefox]

I read and hear about our GDP being down and I see various businesses complaining about how hard times are. But somewhere along the line it does not fit in with the reality of the situation.
Example 1: My wife's hairdresser takes on young girls who eventually want to become hairdressers. They tidy up, wash hair, take appointments, answer the phone etc. She is now on her third girl, the others having quit after a week or so because 'working five days a week was affecting their mental health!!'

Example 2: I need a new front door so I have been looking up double glazing companies who supply and fit doors. The experience has been fascinating and at the same time frustrating. One showroom was very good. The salesman explained what he had, the advantages of his doors, the options, rough costs etc etc. We were left to have a look around, he gave us a brochure and he would answer any questions we had.
We visited other companies who frankly couldn't be a***d! "We don't have any brochures and this is what we've got and they cost ridiculous price range including fitting. No chance Jose. Others didn't even bother to reply or just gave us a silly price.
I decided to go online to get prices, filled in all the details of what I wanted and submitted them to local suppliers. One did reply almost by return. I heard nothing from the second firm so I rang them. "Ah well we might not have got your email enquiry (I couldn't be bothered to look) so how can I help you"
"I am just looking for a rough idea how much your doors would cost. This is what I am looking for"
I'll have to make an appointment for the salesman to come out."
"I don't want a salesman to come out. I just want a rough idea because if you are too expensive it will be a waste of his time and mine."
"You can't do it like that because we wouldn't know."
"OK thank you. I think we'll just forget it because I have other firms who may be able to help."
"Well, would you like a telephone appointment with the salesman. Give me your name and number and I'll get him to ring you back."
"That's fine. My name is Foxylox and my number is 12345678."
"He's out at the moment but I'll get him to call you."
Needless to say that is the last I have heard from them. I'll give them a couple more days and after that they can ****** off!!!

My feelings are that nowadays nobody wants the work, too many are looking to make a quick buck by doing the least they can get away with and are just lazy and inefficient then they'll moan that trade is bad. And don't get me started on Royal Mail after the experience I have had with them otherwise we'll be here all day!!!
I know it's not everybody but there are too many instances such as those I have mentioned and it's nothing more than sheer inefficiency and some of these firms need a good kick up their derrières.
Rant over.

[barney]

I went into my bank last week to transfer an existing ISA into a new one before the financial year end.
Spoke with a charming lady who told me that I had to make an appointment.
Made the appointment for three days later, no problem.
Then I asked who my appointment would be with.
Me, she replied.
So, why can’t we just do it now then ? I asked.
Because you have to have an appointment came the reply.
But, you’re here, I’m here and it will take five minutes I said.
No can do !
Got to make an appointment!
So, I made my appointment.
Went back in and it was sorted in five minutes.
While I was there she told me that they are now forbidden to open any new accounts face to face.
It MUST be done online
The world has actually gone bonkers.

[oldbluefox]

Have you ever tried getting a telephone number for these firms? Go to Contact Us and you're given an enquiry form which you fill in and somebody will contact you....except nobody does.

[Meg 50]

try being treasurer for a charity and having to deal with Barclays Business.

They have outsourced their call centre and the operatives have to work to a script.

"You need to prove who you are - send a letter heading. Did that but it didn't match the title of the account, so redid it - but still not good enough cos the charity number didn't match our bank details ( lecture on how charities work).
So they moved the goalposts:
in that case send one of the following:

A current lease/licence/rental agreement (we're nomadic)
A utility bill, bank statement (excluding Barclays) or credit card statement (excluding store card statements and Barclaycard). These must be dated within the last three months ( see above)
A current insurance contract (our insurance comes from wherever we hold our meetings see above!)
Documentation from a professional body ( we're a charity - HQ doesn't count apparently)
Correspondence from regulatory bodies dated within the last 3 months. e.g., FCA, law society, Ofsted, professional sports body etc. ( charity ( see above)
Correspondence from HMRC dated within the current financial year ( don't pay tax)
A letter from an accountant or solicitor confirming the Existence of the organization on headed notepaper (this must be signed and dated by the accountant or solicitor)

i could provide none of them - as a charity we don't have them - the umpteenth lecture on how charities work....
The signed letter from an accountant etc: MY OH is an accountant - but that would hardly be legal ( plus he's no longer on the letter head).
I pointed out that it would cost me more than we have in the account to get that, so refused

"I'll update your account", then she blethered on a bit and then said "but you will still have to send one of the above".
I offered to send blood instead.

Luckily we don't really need an account - each of the branches we visit for our meetings can be responsible for the monies collected and launder them through their own accounts, but I feel for other parts of the charity who are still fighting.

[Stephen]

I feel your pain Foxy.

The current generation don’t know what long hours and hard graft is.


By the way I can do you a door for £xxxxx. Do you mind if it opens half way down and has a horse attached.

[oldbluefox]

If that's the one you nicked from Keefy's gaff no I don't.

[david63]

What annoys me is when to ask someone for a quote for a job and they say they will come on Thursday and they don't. Or even more annoying is that they come but the quote never does.

[Mervyn and Trish]

This attitude is also reflected in comments on public services on social media. Lots of posts complaining and blaming the government or the council for not providing enough money for decent services, without making the connection that neither the government nor the council actually have any money, it's ours they spend. Of course most of these layabouts don't pay taxes so they really think the money grows on trees.

They'll all be deeply shocked when they vote Labour at the next election and find that things actually don't improve. In fact a well respected pollster has predicted the Labour government (that bit is a 100% certainty - even Keefie couldn't get decent odds for a bet on it) will be in trouble within 18 months because they too will have realised the economic problems have nothing to do with a Tory government, and everything to do with world conditions and a workshy UK labour force (mostly their supporters of course).

Those who blame Brexit are actually right in a way because previously we could paper over the cracks in our lazy, badly trained workforce, by bringing in cheap labour from the EU. Now we can't. But I don't blame the Leave voters for that, I blame the companies who took the easy option and let apprenticeships and the like wither, alongside the "workers" who were happy to let that happen while they dossed on the sofa with a beer and a fag watching daytime telly.

[Ray B]

Maybe the don't work/won't work brigade have adjusted their lives to live on the hand outs giving to them, more time in the pub and ciggies.
Now I do not mean those people who for genuine reasons who unfortunately cannot work and maybe struggling to make ends meet week on week.
I have vivid memories from my time maintaining council houses, and the times I've had to let myself in from a shout inviting me in, only to be met by a slob laying on a settee, fag in mouth, bottle of beer and Ash tray(surrounded by Ash where he's missed) on the floor watching TV and pointing to the direction where the problem is. A job sometimes to know if it was a carpet or lino but need to wipe your shoes after leaving.
You may find that hard to believe, but there are those people that exist and get away with it still.