My boss's wife pushed for several trademarked items to be listed on a certain online site where we were selling some merchandise. I ignored her as long as I dared, but she insisted more adamantly. And when I thought that my job was in jeopardy, I did as I was told. Immediately, I received warnings from the site administration and the content was removed. Her response was rather flippant, and she insisted that we push the issue and relist the items. As a result, our storefront was shut down indefinitely. This set back my department one whole year and set our online sales back to zero.
She had always thought another venue would be more profitable, though admittedly more expensive. So, I began to build a second storefront on the new site. Well, the cost was overwhelming, the results underwhelming (as I had predicted). But I had started a third and forth store on some lesser known sites that began to see steady results, so I felt that my job was secure.
She commissioned a new employee to build a stand alone website, and work on that began. I thought once of feeling threatened by this, but since the task was rather outside and above his skill level, it would take time. Lots of time. And they had ignored my warning that the site could not draw much traffic with the planned approach. It has been several months now, but the stand alone website is scheduled to launch next Friday.
I don't know what this will mean for my future with the company. I have only been consulted on the new project occasionally, which is odd since I am the Online Sales & Marketing member of the team.
Also, this week, all of my assigned tasks have been very menial. For instance, a phone was placed at my work station. I was told that the morning shift will share the responsibility of reception as always, but when my shift begins, that task will fall exclusively to me. Hmmm. Okay. Also, from now on, it is my job to take out the trash and clean the warehouse every Friday. This used to be a shared responsibility that was rotated. I suppose, that since my department is struggling financially through no fault of my own, these tasks justify keeping me on to free up other members whose endeavors are currently bringing in more money.
The day after being informed of these changes, I was busy with a customer and was carrying a heavy load from the rear of the warehouse where there are no phones. The phone began to ring. And ring. And ring. I looked around to find that all the eyes of the entire staff were fixed on me. I made a dash to the phone, knowing full well that it was a test. I was nearly to the phone when the new guy reluctantly picked it up. I swiped it from him hastily, threw a look of displeasure to everyone, and said, "no, that is MY JOB!"
A few minutes later, my brother noticed that I had started to cry, but he dared not interfere.
She had always thought another venue would be more profitable, though admittedly more expensive. So, I began to build a second storefront on the new site. Well, the cost was overwhelming, the results underwhelming (as I had predicted). But I had started a third and forth store on some lesser known sites that began to see steady results, so I felt that my job was secure.
She commissioned a new employee to build a stand alone website, and work on that began. I thought once of feeling threatened by this, but since the task was rather outside and above his skill level, it would take time. Lots of time. And they had ignored my warning that the site could not draw much traffic with the planned approach. It has been several months now, but the stand alone website is scheduled to launch next Friday.
I don't know what this will mean for my future with the company. I have only been consulted on the new project occasionally, which is odd since I am the Online Sales & Marketing member of the team.
Also, this week, all of my assigned tasks have been very menial. For instance, a phone was placed at my work station. I was told that the morning shift will share the responsibility of reception as always, but when my shift begins, that task will fall exclusively to me. Hmmm. Okay. Also, from now on, it is my job to take out the trash and clean the warehouse every Friday. This used to be a shared responsibility that was rotated. I suppose, that since my department is struggling financially through no fault of my own, these tasks justify keeping me on to free up other members whose endeavors are currently bringing in more money.
The day after being informed of these changes, I was busy with a customer and was carrying a heavy load from the rear of the warehouse where there are no phones. The phone began to ring. And ring. And ring. I looked around to find that all the eyes of the entire staff were fixed on me. I made a dash to the phone, knowing full well that it was a test. I was nearly to the phone when the new guy reluctantly picked it up. I swiped it from him hastily, threw a look of displeasure to everyone, and said, "no, that is MY JOB!"
A few minutes later, my brother noticed that I had started to cry, but he dared not interfere.
Posts
such was the world work, I think :)
ReplyDelete