Currys Fives.

[tt40049]

tt40049 - it's nice to see someone else with a positive view of the business

 

One thing I'm not sure you have quite right is your last statement. DSG have now started to realise that if you give great customer service the money will follow - not the other way round. Look at the fact that dividends to shareholders were foregone this year to use the money to invest in the transformation programme as a very clear example of that

 

It's a change that will not happen overnight. I'm guessing at 17 years old you are fairly new into the business but one thing that seems clear to me is that your colleagues within that store are already demonstrating the right attitudes for them to rub off on you

 

Regards

 

BSC

 

I have heard the "Great Customer Service = Money" idea that DSG are trying to implement.However like you said, it will not happen over night, and I still feel that the management team in our store still focus primarily on CPR and Fives as a "sidedish". Thing's are being constantly improved. Updates are trickling down to the store, and the good thing to bare in mind, is customer complaints and concern's, are really being acted on, and not just thrown into a pile.

 

I have only worked for Currys for about 7 month's now, but I think the job is brilliant. It's the first job to keep me active, reguarly change roles, socialise with new people and meet lots of customers.

 

One of my main concern's, is the regular complaints from PC World customers who then travel to Curry's for support instead. A local PC World reguarly scores higher on the CPR Report, but tends to have a lower turnover, and a low customer satisfaction.

 

If everyone uses fives to offer services, and certainly sale ones customers aren't sure on, without implementing pressure tactics, then Currys and PC World will strive forward, busy will become more brisk, and the money will follow.

[Guest janensteve]

i urgently need a legible copy of the PC performance Terms and conditions issued by Coverplan ref PCWREN1.

 

can anybody post up a copy ?

[tt40049]

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/store_doc/GE/mb/pcp/pcp-support-service.html

 

Is this any help?

[CurrysMgr]

Hi all,

 

I have not posted for a while I hope everyone is well.

Its great to see that tt40049 you have a great attitude around fives and that you have come to see how it should be used.

 

Not a script of the same questions, but to assertain the customers needs and to provide great solutions/ great experiences.

 

I totally agree with what you and BSC have said on here.

[callumsgran]

http://www.pcworld.co.uk/store_doc/GE/mb/pcp/pcp-support-service.html

 

Is this any help?

Lmao, about 3 months too late i would say

[l33th4ll]

Fairly interesting topic this

 

Been working for DSGI for just over two and a half years in both pc world and currys.

 

Firstly fives i can see the advantages but think a salesperson should be able to sell using his own methods. For new employees its a good tool but for more experienced staff our own methods would flow better.

 

Whatever Happens am i the only person who likes this product, for me being able to get a loan product and a replacement within 10 days is great. After breaking my laptop screen i will always protect my goods.

 

And inr eltaion to some of the customers who complain about our service just think how did you treat the salesperson most customers just shout at you and disregard advice you give them.

[fairyprincess5]

Retail is a hard industry to work in every company have their own methods on how to drive sales - I have only come across the odd one or two customers who shout or don't take my advice but most of them are happy with the way the situation has been dealt with.

 

However I have used the DSGI group for buying products and I must say I hate the fact that as soon as you go in there its financial plans being offered straight away with warrenties I even had a sales assistant (not a manager) say they wouldn't serve me as I didn't want an extended warrenty. I had a problem with a laptop but the company wouldn't send it off for repair till I paid the tech guys £50 to have a look and see if it was faulty even though it was 3 months old!

 

I can see what your saying from both parts however I do not go near DSGI group anymore as they are happy to sell you something as soon as you walk through the door and have a big f**k you when it goes wrong. And in this day and age it shouldn't be like that !

[disgruntled dsgi member]

currys treat staff very badly.Having worked for the company for over 3yrs i have been passed off for training when i asked for it.Only if you are in the managment kiss ass link do they recognise you,then you do little work whilst everyone has to work harder.People have 15 mins money docked if 2 mins late,regardless of if you have been ealier and not taken full lunch break allowance during previous times.They use every excuse as to why bonus should not be paid.I have never worked for such apoor company before who treat staff like dirt.They are quick to take and expect more for pittance.I have even been in meetings when contracts have been changed with very little notice and warned not to tell the press as quote"CURRYS HAVE A WAY OF FINDING THINGS OUT AND TO DEAL WITH MATTERS IN A NOT NICE WAY".The original cowboys trading on the high street.My advice to anyone is DONT BUY FROM DSGI

[battlecry]

There is something I've come to realise after studying NLP (Neuro linguistic programming) for the past few months.

For those of you who don't know the person who sold fives to DSGI is an NLP specialist.

NLP is used to influence people through building rapport. However NLP uses more than words to influence, it also looks at, tone of voice, body language on many different levels, anchoring, accessing cues, multi-threading and emotional connection or association, these are just a few I can list off the top of my head. Unfortunately most of fives doesn't even touch on these and if does its very loosely.

The person who sold fives to DSGI probably used these techniques to sell them the idea. It makes me laugh because DSGI have spent millions into an idea that works best when you have an idea of why it works. Even if a person knows why it works they will still have to use NLP techniques to make it work successfully, otherwise it is just words. Well its words to an extent. I say this as I know that since Fives has been brought in, sales have increased, so it does prove the fives work.

Fives is a good selling platform for someone who doesn't know how to sell, and even to those who do. Its good as it makes sure that the customer has everything they need when leaving the store. What I don’t like is that we are all told what to say from the beginning of the sale, all the way to the end, and it is frowned upon if we don't uses fives, even if you are using the language that fives is based on.

Fives needs to be adapted. All a test shopper will be looking for, are lines from each room 1-5, and as long as they say it, it doesn't matter if they are building any rapport with a customer. I’ll give you an example. I've seen a sale colleagues go from rooms 1 to 2 and onto 3 in less than 7 seconds, repeatedly in nearly all his sales. How does that build any rapport, he didn’t even allow the customer to respond, but yet he is using Fives.

Test shopping should be more than just listening to what words the colleague is saying, it should be concentrating more on if the sales colleague is building rapport whilst still offering everything in a sale the customer may need. This should be BASED around fives and not JUST fives. As far as I can see it, as long as the colleague is doing this and is getting the results this will make room for a great salesman and someone I would want to shop with.

The reason I go on, is that I myself have built up rapport with customers just by asking how there day has been? What they have been up to? Have they shopped with Currys before? Just these questions combined with NLP techniques and using fives loosely just to fill in gaps, have made customers open up to me instantly, they’ve then trusted me and then bought from me and not at any point have I pressured sold them into things they don't want. WEH is great example of this, because I take the time to chat with my customers (much to the annoyance of my managers)and ease in the WEH bit by bit of the benefits, I found they are more likely to take it from me without me needing to force them into a month free just for my figures to look good.

You may respond just like managers and say if you don’t like using fives then you need a new job. My answer to that is that it's not that I don't like using fives its just that DSGI's concept of measuring fives is wrong.

For me a person who says look for another job, sorry, I find this as a pathetic answer usually only from people who have no idea about NLP and are simply being brain washed or are scared of being fired, and in some case are actually fired. What happened to freedom of speech???

　

Edited March 21, 2010 by battlecry

[The Archer]

wow I work for Currys as well and I don't have a problem working there at all. All my colleagues are generally nice and I've never had a bad boss apart from one which was a stickler for being on time but fair enough they pay me to be on time.

 

It seems there's a lot of misconceptions of what FIVEs is, its not Jedi mind tricks like some of the guys are making out here, it's a guide to selling to customers so sales colleagues go through all the motions and remember to offer everything the customer may be interested in. Trust me when I say customers know their own mind and are not forced into anything.

 

For those of you who are being so hostile to retail staff I suggest you work under the same conditions. It's a different story when your on the other side of that counter I can tell you.

 

At the end of the day Currys is a business and I think it's fair they want to make a profit, if a customer is coming to us and relying on us completely to help them make an informed decision then there is the problem right there. I can only speak for myself but I don't set out to mislead anyone that speaks to me.

[Mr lex]

Simples'

 

If I want to buy a TV, thats what I want to buy.

 

I don't want any crappy insurance,(which I can get else were, cheaper) after sales stuff, accessories and the such like unless I ask for it. I DON'T want it sold as part of the deal.

 

As an employee you might think it's a good idea, as a customer, we know our own mind !!!

 

BTW, retail staff ARE rewarded for passing this on to their Customers !

 

Lex

[The Archer]

Simples'

 

If I want to buy a TV, thats what I want to buy.

 

I don't want any crappy insurance,(which I can get else were, cheaper) after sales stuff, accessories and the such like unless I ask for it. I DON'T want it sold as part of the deal.

 

As an employee you might think it's a good idea, as a customer, we know our own mind !!!

 

BTW, retail staff ARE rewarded for passing this on to their Customers !

 

Lex

 

Yes but say you came into store Lex and you bought your TV, you get your TV and you're fine with it and you speak to your mate who got the same TV but on the side he got a Blu Ray player at a big discount when he bought it with the TV, maybe you wanted a Blu Ray player, regardless you missed out because you didn't know, colleagues are there to inform the customers of what Currys has on offer.

 

If you don't want product cover, fair enough nobody is going to make you take it but we offer it anyway because some people do want that cover and on items like Cameras where it's like £10 for 3 years instant replacement cover and protection against accidental damage it pretty much pays for itself.

 

By the way were not rewarded as much as you think, so many people are under the mistaken impression we earn some sort of commission and we don't.

 

As an employee I am also a customer Lex and it seems to me, correct me if I'm wrong, like you have no experience working in retail. So many people treat sales colleagues as the enemy all we do is our jobs and what we are told to do, we have no influence over these sales techniques they bring in.

[Mr lex]

Hi Archer,

 

I do work in retail, in a way. My side is more outdoors, adventure, corporate entertainment. The only add-on I sell is bad weather cancellation insurance. I always wait until the customer asks 'what if' before bringing it up in conversation. I don't regard any store staff as an 'Enemy' I just don't agree with the policy of forcing staff to sell unwanted extras.

 

I live in Devon BTW, whats 'Blu-ray' and is it better than my 8 track or Beta-max player .

 

Lex

[labrat]

blue rays a bigger type of mug coaster, it must be larger as they're always talking about how much it holds

 

 

and as far as im aware the current staff bonus is based off customer satisfaction not sales

[Renzokuken]

blue rays a bigger type of mug coaster, it must be larger as they're always talking about how much it holds

 

 

and as far as im aware the current staff bonus is based off customer satisfaction not sales

 

Nope, the current staff bonus is based purely on margin (profit) generated per hour. And guess what products generate the most margin.

 

We still have KPI's we're still targeted on them, and we still risk losing our jobs for not selling them. Luckly since posting I've moved on to customer services, so I don't really have to sell this junk anymore.

[Mr lex]

blue rays a bigger type of mug coaster, it must be larger as they're always talking about how much it holds

 

LOL Lab.

 

Luckly since posting I've moved on to customer services, so I don't really have to sell this junk anymore.

 

Nice one Ren, well done !!

 

Lex

[hello11]

I just read this thread and have to reply! I worked in currys for 6 months. At first I quite enjoyed it and I was quite good at my job, there was not too much pressure but that all changed. I thought the fives were pathetic and I felt stupid going through it with the customers. I conned customers just to get a sale or a whatever happens, you do make up little white lies just to get that sale. In my work place they wanted you to get 50% of all sales on whatever happens insurance! that was impossible as well as with the attachments. If you did not then you had to talk to the manager. Once every two weeks you had to have a talk with an manager about your performance and there was a weekly leader board of who sold best that week. It was so much pressure to sell, I hated selling products to customers they did not needed, I knew I was just ****ing them over!

 

Finally it got so much pressure I was afraid to approach customers and sell, I knew if I did not get a whatever happens or attachment I would be in trouble. It was terrible. I am so glad I left but also sad because I did enjoy the job at first. There is just too much pressure. I now hate sales people, I know what are going through their mind and they will say anything to get the sale

[rafique_187]

hi i have a plasma tv and i dropped it when i was taking it off the tv wall bracket. moving house. am i covered? it fell on my tools, hammer and drill. its cracked and im not sure whether im covered under the insurance as it says misuse, neglect and im thinking is that neglect, should their have been two of us to pick it up?

 

help plz

[callumsgran]

If you did it while moving unless you had a professional moving company you wouldn't be covered

under any house insurance policy i'm afraid but if you have Currys insurance you may do, check your policy

[pcword-employee]

Interesting thread.

 

Let me introduce myself. I work for a PC World / Curry's 2 in 1 store in the business section.

 

Firstly let me say something in the company's defence. The reason why the company try and sell you over-priced cables and WhateverHappens is simply because the margin's on laptops and other electrical goods is so LOW!

 

People want stuff cheaper and cheaper and unfortunately that just makes the problem bigger.

 

FACT: The average margin on a laptop is 10%. So on a £399 laptop... they will make a measly £39 margin. Take into account delivery... it is almost making a loss for the company.

 

Now add on Norton + Office for £99.99.... the margin on that is approx £40-50.

 

So... by adding £100 onto a £399 sale... they have DOUBLED what they earn in pure profit. If the store just sells laptops/washers etc without attachments... I would not be in a job.

 

It's a big problem... customer's want lower prices, more competition, the main products have to be lowered in price. They have to make some money by adding attachments.

 

The store I am in on AVERAGE finishes off a day's trading with Appox 18% product margin. So if they do £20,000.... they have made £3600 margin. Now if they have a bad day... and margin's go down to 14%, they have made a measly £2800.

 

Now onto some criticism... (and I have a lot).

 

Managers: Most of them are appalling and fail to see the big picture. All they see is there reporting system telling them they have to hit x % and x % and x amount of ££££. If they don't they will receive a phonecall or email from the regional manager asking them to explain why.

 

The sales colleagues have a HUGE amount of pressure on them to sell attachments. No matter how good the service is they give to the customer... if they sell a "flat" laptop (one with no attachments) they will be crucified. The reason why Sales people push so hard is that if they don't they will be pushed by there manager. Who will be in turn pushed by the regional manager.

 

Basically it's an awful place to work but so is retail in general. Unfortunately the company doesn't have a future. Margin's will keep getting lower, there will be more competition (especially from online), and the company I doubt will exist in 20 years.

 

Also... the colleagues can never do anything right. I recently smashed my sales target... only to be told my target was to easy...... so they put it up..... I then fail to hit that target.... I get a complete b*llocking.

 

You simply cannot win and it is a horrific place to work.

 

I hope this shed's some more lights on how Dixons works.... however I would say most of the Sales Colleagues do not WANT to be giving you hard sell.. but believe me, if you think they are pressuring you... you do NOT want to see what emotional stress they get from there managers.

[NewDude]

I had been with the company a long time and have seen quite a lot of changes. They seem to have gotten so much more obsessed with KPI's that you almost cannot avoid selling an attachment with something. I see KPI's help with creating healthy margin from a sale but managers I have worked with are more crazed about their percentages than the money you make. I remember being between 3-5% off target on 3 of my KPI's which was VERY unusual for me but still managed to bash in £75,000 for that period and the grilling I got from the "passionate GM" was intense. I think the company should care more about the value of a sale rather having every KPI known to man on a sale. I can have a sale and create the same margin through other software without the need of Norton & Office etc. but I didn't because those KPI's are more important.

 

If you gave an excuse as to why you didn't get cover on your sale it would never be good enough, they would drill you and say "did you ask this?" "Did you ask that?". Then you get blamed for not using FIVES correctly. Let me just say that FIVES is NOT the ultimate selling tool. Yes it helps but it isn't a sure fire way of securing a great sale.

 

The other thing Dixons needs are better incentives to do well. You stopped getting a pat on the back then bonus changed. Bonuswas every 3 months as long as your margin target is hit, store target is hit and customer exit survey target is met for 3 months straight. All you need is a dodgy month and you get no bonus. The next time you get pushed in to buying things it isn't because that person is on commission it's because of the spot-light grilling the person gets for not attaching things so if you get annoyed take it out the manager not the advisor.

 

To go places in Dixons you need to kiss serious butt, I was promised the world and done everything asked and became known in my region for a series of things but I was never put on SIM. I asked why I was never put on SIM and my GM told me because I was "too valuable to lose". Basically I was a mug and lapped up all the pearly words they fed me and ran around like a headless chicken doing a managers job and sorting out everyone elses rubbish without the pay or title. Then when the 22 year old kid was put on SIM in 18 months that was the last straw. Got fed up and lost interest, my performance fell and was on performance review for 3 months then I was told to leave.

 

I already had another job lined up for when I left so it wasn't a big deal. I miss the people but not the company or management.

[ast101]

In the interests of disclosure I work for Currys and have worked as an insurance claims handler, both are relevant to what I am about to say.

Currys provides exceptional customer service.

The most important thing for every employee is to ensure there is a solution that is in the customers interests as well as the companies.

 

Currys is not a charity

Of course Currys seeks to make a profit, and for the staff that are complaining about it, they need to get real in the world of business. I don't believe any customer believes we are not there to make money as well.

 

FIVES, Knowhow and WEH are about building a relationship with customers for life

We are aiming to tailor a solution for each customer where they are happy with the product and service they have received and want to come back to us.

 

Staff are happy and believe in the products and company

This is my personal experience. The squeaky wheel gets the grease, it is easy to moan, yet people do not naturally sing praises. Almost everyone I work with enjoys their job, of course there are targets and of course there are a few people that do not enjoy their job. They should leave, put bluntly. They are not suited to a sales/customer service job, and they only have one life so they should find a job they believe in and are happy in.

 

I believe in WEH

Firstly, there are two options - Premier or Club. Neither are warranties, they include parts and labour but are much more. Premier is the best value on almost all products, it is about 20% more expensive but is well worth it for many customers. I personally would take Premier, for example, when buying an oven as once a year the oven is professionally degreased and cleaned - this takes me hours, I am no professional. If I pay someone to do it it costs more than the cover, and I am also guaranteeing a completely free 7 day repair should anything go wrong. The service it provides is worth more than me than the warranty, that is a bonus.

 

'My Insurance will cover me' is unfortunately wrong.

Let me tell you a little about insurance claims - one clause is very important - it is your responsibility to prove the damage and the 'specified risk' that caused it. A specified risk is for example 'storm' damage (this doesn't cover lightning, like you'd expect, it's specifically wind damage).

 

So lets say a component on your TV blows, are you covered on insurance - only is a specified risk happened. (NO). So what about accidents - have you paid extra for Accidental Damage cover? Yes? You're still not covered.

 

So let's assume you put a claim in for you 42" Panasonic 3D TV you bought a little while ago - but didn't take out any protection for, and the damage has been covered by a specified risk. Sorry, the value is over £500. We are nice in insurance so we're going to not make you prove it this specific time, but please pay the excess of £50/100/150, thank you, that will cover our costs over the next few months. We're then going to go straight to putting a note in your file saying 'Refer to ConMan'.... See, there is £1Bn every year in insurance fraud.

 

ConMan is short for Conversation Management, we then go through a process of calling you up and contacting you at random times, often trying to catch you in bed etc. to try to catch you out if you're not telling the truth. This is going to take a few weeks.

 

Oh, KPI's... biggest one for insurance claims handler - IRS (Instant Repudiation and Settlement)... Repudiation comes before settlement, says a lot.

 

So we go through that whole process trying to catch you out and we can't, so it comes time to settle. But wait, you bought it how long ago? Well, you see, Insurance covers the value when the damage occurred, not when it was new. So now you're left with a couple of hundred pounds.

 

But, we're bankers after all, you trust us no matter what - so we're going to get it back off you. Goodbye any no-claims discount, hello CUE - the Claims Underwriting Exchange. We pass on details of your claims to every insurance company, and you're losing your discount and your premiums going up. You can't look elsewhere cos they've all put the price up for you now - we're getting the money back.

 

You're screwed, one way or another. So what about outside of the house, my laptop was dropped and got damaged? Did you specify it, pay additional cover through the insurance and send serial numbers beforehand? No? NO COVER. YES, we claw the money back. Sorry - the faults mechanical, thanks now go away. Sorry, it was a gradually occurring event, go away.

 

Do I use my experience in insurance to try to change customers minds? No. Why not? Because the customer is not interested. Would I take WEH myself - yes. Why? It is worth it... is it because of the warranty? Is it hell, it's because it removes anger, stress and frustration and I know I will be able to get on with my life as quick as is possible.

 

Is it right for everyone? Probably, I believe it is, but every person can make their own minds up... but it would be wrong not to try to offer the customer a great service that is significantly greater in many ways than insurance.

[brinjals]

Customers always complain about pushy or manipulative sales people but ultimately they need to take responsibility for their choices. You can't force someone to hand over their money for something they don't want - it's ultimately your choice, stop complaining and take charge of the situation. Ask the questions you want to ask and you will get the right advice.

 

Currys are running a business and it's naive to say they don't have the customers' needs at the forefront of every decision they make because they wouldn't have survived and outdone all their major competitors if they didn't care about customers - not in this day and age. Their training is based on psychology and insights - what customers tell them they want.

 

And if you don't buy into their vision then stop making excuses about the 'economic climate' and find yourself a new job and stop being so naive.