Working for British Gas these days

[bengasman]

That remains to be seen. BG have accurately concluded people are more desperate to hang onto their job than ever.
As this government has perfected the art massaging figures and statistics, it doesn't look as bad as it is, but in reality, we are experiencing the highest unemployment in history.
Due to some tricks, about 2 million unemployed are now not classified as unemployed, or jobless, but as "not economically active". That brings the total to more than five million.
Adding around 1.5 million artificial jobs, funded by tax-rises and massive borrowing, in the public sector was another trick to make them look good. Now that the taxes as well as the shortfalls and debts are at record highs, the policy (effectively nothing but a Ponzi scheme) falls apart, and large savings are needed.
The latest example is the (recommended) reduction of NHS staff by 136,000. I expect at least another half million civics will be sacked, bringing the total of people of working age without a job to around 7,000,000.
The ironic thing is, that even if Brown would publicly announce the truth tomorrow, the number is so immense that people would still not believe it.

 

[nickso]

government figures aside ive never experienced so much moaning and bad feeling amongst BG engs as im hearing now. im putting at least 3 of the engs in my patch as already decided to leave, when they do it is the mystery. i'd guess most will want to see it through to the new year and start looking then. some might not be that bright and may leave when the winter shift gets too much, its going to be a bad un.

time will tell and the new work measurement may prove me wrong, if it turns out to be a piece of **** to make money then it might be different, im not holding my breath.

 

[bengasman]

...time will tell and the new work measurement may prove me wrong, if it turns out to be a piece of p**s to make money then it might be different, im not holding my breath.

Sadly enough, it probably won't be an improvement for you guys. Even worse, even if it was, the accountants would be falling over each other in the rush to change it so it does save them money.
Unfortunately, the bottom line is paying less for more, as far as BG top are concerned.
They are also bound to loose customers as lots of people are trying to get more punch for their pound. Had a client friday who was paying a dd at £33 a month for a 3 star insurance Pointing out that the new boiler would safe over a grand on her insurance makes it an easy sell.

 

[nickso]

They are also bound to loose customers as lots of people are trying to get more punch for their pound. Had a client friday who was paying a dd at £33 a month for a 3 star insurance Pointing out that the new boiler would safe over a grand on her insurance makes it an easy sell.

thats another area BG have shot themselves in the foot. removing standby supposedly saves them £1million a year. have they thought what happens when they effectively lose 36 working hours as a result of that change to rostered working? thats potentially 36 less customers getting an appointment in a week. customers not getting appointments will result in customers going elsewhere. that loss could easily run over £1million.

as ive said before, your customer might not be getting value for money when it comes to their contract, a lot are. BG realise this though and thats why they have started the insurance based scheme.

 

[mickyg]

I've heard the lack of upgrades and installations is costing BG a hefty sum and they're looking to cut back. I've even heard a rumour that installations could be cut all together, either that or the installation and service sides would be joined as one, although to be honest this should have been done years ago. I think that the massive in-take of contractors is a stop gap to keep long term costs down before they do whatever it is they're going to do. But don't be surprised if there's some huge changes next year. All the cost cutting and penny pinching is classic company symptons of stearing towards a major change.

 

[nickso]

there has been talk of the installations side being given a time period to sort themselves out or they are gone. ive heard its more the sales side than the installation engineers though. it would be an odd market without BG installations though.

i cant say im all that bothered about potential changes. servicing make good money and are the crux of a lot of the cross selling that BG make their big money on. if changes are made i see it being on installation. either way the decision will not be mine so why worry at all? not only that but they have just announced the roll out of new laptops and software for this winter. i dont put it past BG being stupid enough to pay for all that and then bin it (p2 anyone?) but its unlikely.

 

[bengasman]

...as ive said before, your customer might not be getting value for money when it comes to their contract, a lot are.....

New boiler = 5 years warrantee = no need for 3star for 5 years. Even if she gets an insurance for pipes and rads only (available for £90 p.a.), she will save 50 X £29 . Hard to beat that one.
Ironically, I only added this to my sales pitch after reading a quote from BG shown to me by a punter. "Normally £4321 (or whatever it was), savings possible this week : £699!!!
Special summer/winter/spring discount £200
Trade in of old boiler £100 (I have offered mine for free, but nobody wants her)
Free insurance for 2 years: £399

 

[mickyg]

I've never understood some of the spending on technology. I sometimes wonder if the people at the top really are that stupid, that someone comes along with a new system, tells them it will save them millions and they believe it. When I was a TSM and we had a preview of the Taskforce system I could see all sorts of flaws in it. I had to just tell myself that there's obviously people who know better and they wouldn't spend all that money on something that doesn't work.
Turns out I was mostly right shocking really. I can only think they bought it before really making sure it would work, got lumbered, then tried to convince themselves and everyone else it would work.

 

[ollski]

I'm not saying I'll make money from qdos Nickso, what I'm saying is that I dont and never have given a toss about performance. It just so happens the new work measurement suits my style. The previous threat over us was that low performance was a route to dismissal, all I'm saying now is that route is going to depend on safety checks, procedure and quality so if you are being tracked 8.5 hours a day you may as well just take it steady and do everything 100% to procedure and take a bunch of satisfaction payments every month.
I don't think huge changes are coming, they have transferred loads of work to lower paid plumbers and are aware natural wastage and general unhappy emplyees leaving will cut the numbers down to closer to what they need.....either that or they are massaging the figures for a sale

 

[Boilerman2]

My God! you poor old BG Guys live in a diffrent world to me!

I'm so glad i'm working for a small independant company, 5 Engineers, we are on first name tems with all our customers no acronyms or jargon, if the custs boiler is shot we go back and fit a new 'n

Oh yeh and the new BG Idea "Lets get the Engineer to call the customer to let them know when we will be there"? Guess What!!! seems we've been doing just that FOR YEARS

 

[ollski]

Oh yeh and the new BG Idea "Lets get the Engineer to call the customer to let them know when we will be there"? Guess What!!! seems we've been doing just that FOR YEARS

I love that, the idiots give you 2 jobs at a time so you complete your second one and the next two drop down 1 minute round the corner.
"Mrs Jones we'll be with you in 30 seconds just got time to wipe your @rse"....

 

[bengasman]

After the accountants have bled the company dry by paying themselves, the shareholers and the other top-dogs huge amounts by cutting costs on purchasing and staff, the next step is usually one of 2:
Branching out.
Asset stripping and selling off.

There is not a whole lot that can be gained further by lowering purchase and staff pay, so a "big change" next year is quite possible.
Could be they chuck in the installation side. Could be they decide to branch out the motoring section and start selling cars to their clientbase that already have breakdown cover.

 

[nickso]

...as ive said before, your customer might not be getting value for money when it comes to their contract, a lot are.....

New boiler = 5 years warrantee = no need for 3star for 5 years. Even if she gets an insurance for pipes and rads only (available for £90 p.a.), she will save 50 X £29 . Hard to beat that one.
Ironically, I only added this to my sales pitch after reading a quote from BG shown to me by a punter. "Normally £4321 (or whatever it was), savings possible this week : £699!!!
Special summer/winter/spring discount £200
Trade in of old boiler £100 (I have offered mine for free, but nobody wants her)
Free insurance for 2 years: £399

again, that works for your customer, not all of them.

 

[nickso]

Oh yeh and the new BG Idea "Lets get the Engineer to call the customer to let them know when we will be there"? Guess What!!! seems we've been doing just that FOR YEARS

I love that, the idiots give you 2 jobs at a time so you complete your second one and the next two drop down 1 minute round the corner.
"Mrs Jones we'll be with you in 30 seconds just got time to wipe your @rse"....

you phone ahead? i dont unless its going to be a waste of my time not to.


boilerman2, one of the first things i was told to do on my first week was phone ahead. its nothing new, its just their "customer focus" for this week.

 

[nickso]

I've never understood some of the spending on technology. I sometimes wonder if the people at the top really are that stupid, that someone comes along with a new system, tells them it will save them millions and they believe it.

i think its more to do with the outdated software....the FAPP is probably 15 years old, and the laptops which are slooooooow.