Should I tell my boss to go copulate himself?

[17daysolderthannes]

OK, as some of you may know, I currently do console repair at my local Play N Trade. I love fixing systems and I'm really good at it with a VERY high success rate. The problem is my boss and co-workers.

Of everyone there, I am the only remotely competent employee. At first I thought it would be cool to work for a 25 year old boss, for the love of god no one else make that mistake. He has no idea how to run a business, he's horribly disorganized, he can't grasp the concept "it takes money to make money," he's barely there at all, he never orders crap that he should (we have a wall full of new Wii games that NOBODY wants yet never have ANY controllers or cables that people ask for constantly), and worst of all he thinks the reason his profits aren't higher are because he is paying too much for labor (ha!). He is so cheap/clueless that over 9 months of being open his is still using price labels as tape instead of buying a tape dispenser for $5. Then, they find their way right TO THE MIDDLE OF THE PSP SCREENS when they come in for repairs. As it is, he usually only has 1 person in the store at any given time, AND ITS THE SECOND LARGEST PLAY N TRADE IN THE COUNTRY. Not only is it impossible to satisfy a busy crowd with that, but it makes it incredibly easy to shoplift, which happens ALL the time. So then, thanks to his horrible work ethic and poor communication of policies, etc. to employees he loses money constantly on people taking in stuff they shouldn't or for the wrong amount or stuff just plain gets stolen because they can't watch the store well enough.

So, that's where I come in: I do repairs so I get the sloppy seconds of everyone else's mistakes. I get repair tickets with wrong names and phone numbers and sometimes the wrong problem is written on it (i.e. 3 light RROD when its actually an unfixeable 1 light). Then, when I can't call the person because the phone number is copulate they come in all mad demanding to know why they haven't been called and/or their console isn't fixed. Somehow this gets put on me even though there is nothing I can do about it and didn't take the information incorrectly in the first place. Then, when I explain that I was not the one responsible, my boss gets mad at me for placing the blame on someone else. I didn't copulate up dude, I'm not taking the hit, period.

Now, to make things even worse, the other employees have recently got the idea in their head that they know how to fix consoles (and they DON'T...AT ALL), so they keep taking crap off of my desk and "fixing it" without me ever knowing about it. Usually this ends up with it coming back as broken again or they write it off as "unfixeable" when they were the one that made it that way. Of all the RROD fixes I do, maybe 1 out of 20 will come back again. Of the ones my co-worker has tried to fix, almost all have come back, and then were unfixeable.

In spite of this terrible track record, the owner insists that he is paying less for other employees to do repairs because they are hourly and that they'll "get it eventually" (). I have on several occasions explained that they have no engineering nor even any applicable technical backgrounds and warned that he is going to dig himself into a hole when all the systems come back (an incorrectly done RROD repair will usually work for about a week or two, then copulate up again), all of which have been ignored.

So a week ago, out of nowhere (been working there 9 months or so), he says he had 4 people complain that I was "abrasive" even though I know for a fact the opposite is true since 99% of the time they're super pissed from dealing with my know-nothing co-workers and I calm them down and lay everything out for them. Then, tonight, again, out of nowhere, he says he had another complaint and he "has to let me go." OK, first of all, all I have said to any customer regarding repairs this week was "hello, *name*, your *system* is repaired and you can pick it up from *hours*" "cool" "ok, thanks, bye." Allegedly someone complained that I said "copulate" while I was in the back room (ummm, how the copulate would they know who said it, hmmm?), most likely because every time I go in there all of my crap is moved around, my tools are not where they are supposed to be (the coworker that "fixes" 360s just takes them home and doesn't give me a heads up) and then one of the people that work there always brings like 5 friends over and they get in my way and then give ME attitudes when I ask them to move so I can grab a tool or use the computer to look something up, etc.

Here's the kicker: I have done more favors FOR FREE for this dude (the boss) than anyone else that works there, yet he is showing THEM favoritism because he's known them for a long time. He used to pay $50 for a 360 drive from his distributor, I found them on eBay for $35, including the Hitachi drive that his distributor had on backorder forever to the point there were 5 360s awaiting one for over a month (in other words, I saved his ass on that one). I'm the one that found the cheapest way to get XBOX 360 RROD kits, PSP thumbsticks, screens, you name it, I found a cheaper place to get it. I have saved him hundreds of dollars on parts, and this is how he repays me? trying to fire me for allegedly saying "copulate" in a BACK ROOM? crap, customers drop "F" bombs all the time, I'm not a cashier, I'm not supposed to deal with the public at all, and when I do, I usually make not only a sale but make a very happy customer as well, and I do that without getting paid a cent out of the kindness of my heart because I know how he's always struggling with money. And this is how he repays me? by making up a bogus story of customer complaints because he *thinks* he could get someone else to do my job for less money?

So what should I do? I would've told him to go copulate himself but at the same time if I play my cards right I stand to keep a couple of benefits (like pull parts off of broken consoles if they aren't anything valuable or look up prices in the store computer to compare to online, I could still do it if I didn't work there, but it would be a lot more work). I don't want to be alienated from the store as its the only good retro store and has good deals on everything else, but at the same time I kind of want to set him straight on who sucks.

Oh, I should also mention I have another job lined up at an engineering company that pays more, has nothing but competent employees, a boss that has his crap together, and everyone listens to my input. I was originally going to work there 4 days a week, but it looks like it might be 5 now.

[bicostp]

If it's a franchise, complain to the district manager. Sounds like you kno whow to run the show better than that idiot.

Don't just say "screw you" to his face.

1. It's REALLY HARD to find a decent job now, and will get harder once all the high school kids come out for the summer.
2. Burning bridges.

[wallydawg]

tl;dr but yeah don't quit your job economy sucks right now, or whatever

hey, bright side is at least you don't work at gamestop

edit: try and keep both jobs for a bit if you get the engineering job just in case things don't work out

[17daysolderthannes]

its a franchise, but each is run by the owner. Its more like he pays a ridiculous fee for crap inaccurate price updates and a logo.

No, the engineering job is definite sure thing. I am connected to the owner through 3 different ways and he copulate loves me. I would have to really do something serious to screw that up. The only reason I haven't been working there all along was because I didn't have time during school since its a 9-5 type job. I did, however, work there over winter break.

copulate the economy, even if the engineering job didn't work out (which it totally will), there's a used computer/computer repair place that doesn't handle consoles because they don't make enough off of the repair, so I bet they would let me handle it in exchange for a little off the top (probably way more than I make now) and I'm on really good terms with them too (super mom n pop type place).

[eagle5953]

That has got to be the longest (non-spam) post I have ever read.

I agree with the earlier comment - don't be burning bridges. This is especially true if it is, as you say, the only good retro games place in town.

As far as getting another job, that's a decision you'll have to make.

[eurddrue]

That has got to be the longest (non-spam) post I have ever read.

I don't know, palmer had a pretty long one about project laser (BENHECK video game)


About your problem, uh, I have no clue what to say. You seem to be in a lose-lose situation wherever you go

[17daysolderthannes]

About your problem, uh, I have no clue what to say. You seem to be in a lose-lose situation wherever you go

I don't see how its lose-lose...

I'm leaving a job where I am grossly under appreciated and basically asked to work for nothing for a job where everyone takes my word as law and reveres the copulate out of me...and pays better.

I don't even know if I care about losing it as a retro store at this point, one of the employees scoops up anything worth having anyway before I can even get to it. Also, the prices have been going up a lot lately and its starting to be cheaper online for a lot of the stuff I want, not to mention when I buy something online it comes in mint condition whereas most of his stock is former rentals with stickers all over it.

[weaponepsilon]

My friend, take a good long hard look at the situation and make a decision. Are you REALLY going to go back and work? Even if they called you? If you are done with that place, Thank your boss for the job opportunity. Tell him that he has SOOO many repair trained personnel and that it wont be a problem for him. Sit back what the house of cards fall down. Go work for a completing chain. Thats what I did.

I worked for the same kind of operations. What you said was exactly how it was except the owner delegated work to people more incompetent than him. They even made me sign a contract saying I was working there for a year. Then fired me in clear violation of said contract. I told my friend that was still working there, that crap house wasn't going to last. Sure enough, they were bought out by a little company known as EB GAMES. They promptly terminated everyone, except for my friend who was also a manager, although he had to reapply for his job while he was working. Inevitably, EB was bought by Gamestop, which is ironic since I had left Software ETC/Gamestop to work this crap pile.

I eventually picked up a job working for another local chain with a much more competent owner. Funny thing is, at first I was all secretive over the repairs that I did. Then I told the manager if he wanted to learn, he could look over my shoulder. NO one in the store wants to do my job because it is too complex for them. I don't touch 7th gens because the warranties are usually still good.

Good luck man, let me know if you ever make it into Minnesota, I know a couple of places that need repair guys...

[17daysolderthannes]

NO one in the store wants to do my job because it is too complex for them.

I wish my co-workers were like that. They, on the other hand, say "oh yeah, I could do that, you just *wrong wrong wrong wrong* and thats it." They have no conceptual idea of what to do, at all. I like how the owner equates former welding experience and carpentry to console repair, lol! These guys don't have a clue, and the owner is going to learn that real quick, and I'm not saving his ass for peanuts pay anymore. I just can't get over how ungrateful he is, he thinks HE'S the one suffering because he pays me "too much." He'll learn real quick you get what you pay for and its worth paying more for labor if more money=competence. I really almost want to just slug him in the face.

[weaponepsilon]

Believe me I know. I was the manager of my store when they moved it 30 mile and didn't compensate me. I never had a day off and the one day I did, they called me in a fury tellling me how much I had to he at the store. I was all "F***! I never get a day off, I have a wife and she thinks I'm neglecting her. You guys are closer to the store by 20 miles, you go figure out how to turn the key to open the damn store...."

The person in charge of finance incorrectly used jargon and flaunted her Certificate in Small business. "I know we are doing bad, so bad in fact we are in the black..." "You mean red?" "NO black..."

The Owner was a real ass and had no clue about video games. The store when I first got into it was literally a dungeon. 10 % of the lights worked, the rest were burned out. Everything was everywhere and the guy I was replacing was reading a book behind the counter and didn't even look up at me. He was leaving to be a manager at Toys R Us. It was dark, quiet, and very unappealing. IN fact I wasn't even sure it was a store because there was nothing to identify the mall store front. I was told to "do what I can" to the place. I went home after I landed the job and secured a stereo, all my game posters from Gamestop. I hung them all up and straightened out the stock and organized it. I also put posters in the window and a conveniently misplaced store sign as well as a "manager special" in the window. I also found a big box of lightbulbs and extra lights to hang up. Now the place was pumping with music, it had an attractive window display, was bright, and you could tell we sold games.

The management came in and liked the change. So much in fact that a fellow store received similar treatment. I was given the go ahead to receive broken merch and begin stock repairs. Since I had suggested retro games, I was given that as well and began purchasing tons of retro games. Everything was going great until management took exception to one of my personal policies. We were right next to a TCBY, and everyone came in and dumped ice cream all over my floor. Wrappers were all over and empty cups were spilled. I did not have a mop, nor did they supply me with one. I kindly posted a no food or beverage sign and asked people to finish outside. There were no problems. The manager came in and angrily tore down my sign saying that I was excluding customers. I explained the problem and he was all "I'll buy you paper towels. Just use the sink in back." The water heater was bad and it spewed out foul smelling brown water.

Then as quick as they were to be happy to all of my improvements to the store, the 180'd and were upset that I order too many lighbulbs, said the music was distracting, and were "surprised" that I did repair work in the store. They looked over all the transactions, they knew it was happening, they even cleared me to begin with. Now they were pissed. "Whats this? Old games? We sell new stuff, why are you buying these?" "Because you said it was okay to buy retro games, so I bought a bunch of Neo Geos." "Thats coming out of your paycheck! Get them OUT!" They actually had the audacity to tell me that the store did better before I had taken over.

Yep, they moved my store 30 miles after that and changed the decor to a brilliant blue space planets theme saying it was what customers want. My decor was "trashy" and wholly unsuitable for gamers, since as a Gamer myself, I obviously don't know what I am talking about. It was depressing driving 45 minutes to work to a store that no one knew existed because the owner thought that advertising was a scam. In fact, I barely made $150 in sales a day. His brilliant advertising method: Laminate signs with wooden stakes placed all over the city. I told him it was illegal, he said he had a permit. "See its right there in the window!" That wasn't an advertising permit. I said someone is going to be pissed and it wouldn't be me. He laughed and said I obviously knew nothing. The next day a city administrator called me and chewed me out for the fiasco caused by random signage. I feigned ignorance saying I was just a kid behind a counter and the owner was in charge. I even gave them his cell number.

LOL

[DopestKidEva]

That has got to be the longest (non-spam) post I have ever read.

I was going to say the same thing.
But I cant make this less spammy so sorry.

[ShockSlayer]

Consider all options before selecting any.

If you have a guaranteed opportunity, then take it.

[Taiben]

If you think you have a good chance elsewhere go for it. Dont tell him anything unpolite though. If your nice about it he could be a good source for a reference. If your an ass about it he may take it personaly enough to spread rumors or some crap like that.

[Metallica Man X]

I'd wait until you have a guarnteed job elsewere. Once you're settled in, THEN tell him were to stick it...Or better yet, set fire to him!