Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

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Dec 13th, '10, 22:16
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by iannon » Dec 13th, '10, 22:16

Chip wrote:
iannon wrote:Bad Managers dont like to learn somethig from an employee..and poor Managers like scapegoats. Good Managers surround themselves with the best (aka: Building the best Team) and people who CAN teach them something. Good Managers always shoulder the responsibility for the team.
just sayin...
yea..I'm a Manager :lol:
Of course there are GOOD managers as well. But it seems Teavana has their share of bad ones. :mrgreen:
ok fine I'll buy that! :D

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Dec 14th, '10, 05:56
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by skilfautdire » Dec 14th, '10, 05:56

iannon wrote:Bad Managers dont like to learn somethig from an employee..and poor Managers like scapegoats. Good Managers surround themselves with the best (aka: Building the best Team) and people who CAN teach them something. Good Managers always shoulder the responsibility for the team.
Absolutely. Forgot to add that nuance to my diatribe. Then again if one hears that managers are like this and that (sans nuances) and finds a good one, then its refreshing, ... searches for a metaphor... like a nice iced tea on a summer day.

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Dec 14th, '10, 05:58
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by skilfautdire » Dec 14th, '10, 05:58

Chip wrote:Of course there are GOOD managers as well. But it seems Teavana has their share of bad ones. :mrgreen:
Could be a company culture thing.

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Dec 14th, '10, 07:38
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by JRS22 » Dec 14th, '10, 07:38

I may have read into your story incorrectly, but it sounds as though you were a good salesman who didn't grasp the electronics immediately. If I'm right about that, they probably were more concerned with the electronics for a temporary employee. Maybe their experience is that during those last few weeks before Christmas the goods fly off the shelf and they need technicians rather than salesmen. Of course if they took the long view they would know that a good salesman would be a major asset after Christmas.....

As for where to spend that last paycheck - be forewarned - being a regular participant on this board can be expensive. You might want to save it your little nest egg for the occasional teaware SO, the shincha mania and other seasonal spending sprees.

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Dec 14th, '10, 10:18
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by tortoise » Dec 14th, '10, 10:18

Hi bud. Sorry about your experience. There is a blend of things going on here, like you said, that implicate both parties.

People all over the world are being trained by corporate managers to use "open body language," "top-down selling" and "add a little personality" to this here script. The biggest challenge, and what is slightly anti-intuitive, is that when you are doing it self-consciously it is difficult to be genuine. For some of us, it feels like we are manipulating people and this can result in feeling downright sick sometimes. Unfortunately, in the society we have built, this kind of manipulation is great for selling. Selling is great for the economy and prosperity of the institution and your own pay. It's weird, but it's the case. Likely, you were a little too easy to concede to a customer's objections (they hate that) or, you spent more time selling teas that YOU like -- which should make them happy, but it won't if those teas don't have high margins.

Now I may have misunderstood, but I believe you mentioned that you missed a couple shifts. Am I right about that? If that is the case, they have a very good point. Though I don't work in retail anymore, I did for 5 years. Any place I ever worked a "no call, no show" was grounds for immediate dismissal. Only once. If this did happen to you, my best advice is to acknowledge to yourself that you made a mistake, internalize the lesson and move on. Growing is painful, especially when we don't like the source of the lesson -- in this case, Teavana.

I definitely sympathize with your disdain for the managers. I hate that silly "high-five" BS that demands your enthusiasm. Make me puke. Likely, she learned that at some managers team-building thing.

Regarding your check, just walk straight back in there, don't be rude or hurt, and ask for it.

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Dec 14th, '10, 10:23
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by tortoise » Dec 14th, '10, 10:23

Never mind about the shift thing. I get it now. You forgot to put them on your timecard, not that you didn't show up. Sorry.

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Dec 15th, '10, 00:20
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by SlientSipper » Dec 15th, '10, 00:20

To Clarify. I never missed a shift.
I never was late.
I had 2 lunch breaks out of my 8 days of working there.
They denied me lunch because we were busy.

She did tell me that she was going to pay me for my missed lunch breaks.
I'm seriously considering calling the board of labor and telling them about how I am being treated and denied my pay.

No I don't have the grounds for epic law suit or anything like that but, I do have just enough to bring the officials involved in this malpractice.

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Dec 15th, '10, 00:36
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by SlientSipper » Dec 15th, '10, 00:36

I was never officially on the computer even when I asked to be put on it.
Therefore, they have to put it on computer, print it. blah blah blah
I am supposed to get paid. I called yesterday to ask about it and the lady who is responsible for it, is gone until the 19th.

So in a nutshell you could say

They were slow to hire me.
Slow to collect my info.
Super Fast to train me.
Light speed Fast to fire me and
FINALLY
they are going at a snails pace to give me my money.

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Dec 15th, '10, 05:59
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by skilfautdire » Dec 15th, '10, 05:59

By all means, if there's a labour law dispute, and ground to raise concern, by all means go official. Too many people let go of little claims.

I still think that there are more chances to find a nice iced tea on a summer day than a good manager ! :)

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Dec 19th, '10, 23:11
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by SlientSipper » Dec 19th, '10, 23:11

If anyone is still interested. I have one last little update for you.

They still have not paid me. They have officially violated a labor law AFTER being warned to give my due pay... I'm going to have to get the labor board involved in this matter.
Fortune 500 worthy indeed.

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Dec 21st, '10, 01:02
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by bearsbearsbears » Dec 21st, '10, 01:02

SlientSipper wrote:If anyone is still interested. I have one last little update for you.

They still have not paid me. They have officially violated a labor law AFTER being warned to give my due pay... I'm going to have to get the labor board involved in this matter.
Fortune 500 worthy indeed.
What are your state's penalties? This could be costly for them.

I'm sad to say I received a teavana gift card as an xmas gift from a coworker. I'll likely be using it to buy someone else tea; I have a pregnant friend in need of rooibos or honeybush. *sigh*

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Dec 21st, '10, 01:04
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by Chip » Dec 21st, '10, 01:04

Bears, they have a nice selection of washi canisters from Japan ... :mrgreen:

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Dec 23rd, '10, 00:53
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by bearsbearsbears » Dec 23rd, '10, 00:53

Chip wrote:Bears, they have a nice selection of washi canisters from Japan ... :mrgreen:
Thanks for the tip!

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Dec 23rd, '10, 21:51
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by SlientSipper » Dec 23rd, '10, 21:51

As a side note to the Horror of Teavana.
I frequent my local China town. They have two tea stores that sell some of the traditional teas at a much much much lower price. Those Jasmine Pearls for instance. In China town its $5 for a pound. At teavana its $6.50 for 2 ounces.

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Dec 26th, '10, 21:36
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Re: Teavana's Traumatizing & Treachous Tactics

by SlientSipper » Dec 26th, '10, 21:36

Finally I got my paycheck. Its not much but, I plan to spend around $60 worth of tea here.
My final pay after taxes is $167.00
the labor board knew my complaint. I filled out their paperwork and they didn't do anything. I was supposed to hear back from them and what not. I'm surprised I got the money finally.

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