Hmmmm... off with her head?

[catnapper]

Ok, I won't tell you who am I in this situation because I want honest answers.

This is the new situation at work.... there are two dog trainers. We work alternate days, 3 days each. Sunday was always left open because there was no interest in Sunday classes. One of us decided to start classes on Sunday and see what type of reaction might come. Today was supposed to be the first class..... neither of us showed up to teach the class of people waiting for the trainer. The VERY MAD group of people all demanded full refunds and refused to even hear of moving to another class later this week or to even postpone the class to start next Sunday.

I got a phone call from a very confused manager trying to figure out what happened. Luckily, it was the nicest of the store's managers, but customers were still majorly P-Oed... neither the other trainer nor I could get to the store quick enough to teach the class and make customers happy.

Now..... how bad is it to mess up like that? A minor "oops" and blame it on a calendar goof, or something major that renders being written up, and maybe probation? Dare I ask if this is a fireable offense, like my mom thinks?

Remember: no classes are typically taught on Sunday, so neither of us have worked Sundays til today's fiasco... this is the first day of the class that was on the calendar..... these people showed up for class and there was no trainer!

Note that it WAS scheduled to start today - I verified it on the master schdule that lists both our classes. Be aware that it was listed in the book as a specific person being the teacher, so its not like whoever shows up teaches the class. For instance, I teach friday nights. All classes on fridays are mine by default. The other teacher does monday nights... the same goes for her that all monday classes are hers by default. This was supposed to go to the trainer who decided to add an additional day to her schedule -- all sunday classes from now on will be her classes. I won't tell you if Sunday is my new day or the other trainer's new day.

Now...... just how bad was today's goof?

[Karen]

Very bad. If someone was assigned to teach the class, and didn't show, that's a major gaffe. That's however many customers, plus everyone they know, who will likely not patronize the classes, and maybe not the store, again. A reprimand in the person's file is in order, and the person should personally send letters of apology to all the clients.

[Craftlady]

The class was scheduled for Sunday, but neither person knew they were suppose to be there to teach? If so that's the fault of store. However, if someone knew they were suppose to teach and didnt show up thats a major problem. Customers showed up with their dogs waiting to attend a class, it looks pretty bad on the trainer plus the store when no one shows. If there was an emergancy that kept the person from coming in then a phone call to the store would of been in order. It appears there were no emergency that kept the trainer from coming.
The person who didnt show up should be put on notice by managment. They just cost the store money, plus a bunch of angry customers. I would be offering a free or reduced training session to those customers that were there waiting with their animals. Major kissing butt inorder.

[Laura's Babies]

I agree... That was a MAJOR blunder, provided the person that was scheduled to work and knew it. Major butt kissing is in order.

[catnapper]

Thanks for the honest answers so far.

To clarify: we set our own schedules. Its my favorite part - the freedom to plan around events in your life, for instance, I will be having exploratory surgery sometime soon (I find out tomorrow which friday the surgery will be) so I have not scheduled any friday night classes til October.

Any class that is on the schdeule is put there by the other trainer or me.. we do not schedule classes for the other trainer. We only do our own. The managers do not get involved in class schedules unless they happen to look at the schedule and see obvious goofs like no puppy classes starting for 4 weeks in a row, but then they'd ask me to put up a puppy class on the calendar. Then I'd decide when I can squeeze in a puppy class. We both knew today was the first day of this class. One of us seriously screwed up and forgot to show up.

My son has some back to school shopping tomorrow so I'l drop him off at Walmart and run into work to do some paperwork and find out how bad this is. It should be an interesting meeting.

[Daisy and Delilah]

From a personal standpoint; I am scheduled to work every Sunday. If I didn't show up to work, I would leave a gap in on duty staff. It's my responsibility to know when I work, get ready for work, and be there on time.

I see a major problem if a trainer left a group of angry people waiting. I don't think the person should be fired, just for this incident, but a strong reprimand/punishment is in order.

This type of business practice is bad for everyone concerned. It sheds a bad light on the store in many ways. I would be hard pressed to go back for a re-schedule if I had stood there with my dog, waiting for training that never took place. Furthermore, my disdain may keep me from shopping there in the future

[Cincy'sMom]

If this is the trainer's first offense, and has an otherwise good employment record, I do not believe they should be fired, as long as they handle the situation properly.

First, take responsibility for the screw-up. Don't make excuses for why it happened, accept that it did and do whatever can be done to fix it.
Second, go out of your way to make up for it. For example, if the store says you need to write an apology to each person in the class, take it further. Call each person individually, apoloigize and try to offer what you can to make it up to them. Then follow up witha note...a hand written note, not a form letter.

It is a big screw-up, but we are all human and mistakes happen. I think it is more important how we handle our mistakes and what we do to fix them.

[caseysmom]

I guess I differ from the crowd. If it was a true mistake so what, people make mistakes. As a customer as long as I am given proper apologies I don't think I would get all that mad, life is too short.

[moosmom]

One of us decided to start classes on Sunday and see what type of reaction might come.

My first thought was, "WHO decided to start the Sunday classes?" I always try to give people the benefit of the doubt. I can't wait to see what the reason behind the other trainer not showing was. I would think regardless of what kind of problem she had, she would've called. Now, if it were a problem getting to a phone, fine. But to not call or show up sucks.

I work in retail and we are constantly having the younger, irresponsible employees not show up or call. That puts a huge strain on the rest of us who have to carry the load.

Please keep us posted as to what happened.

[zippy-kat]

I can't understand how someone (especially someone who created the class) would "just forget" about a shift or schedule change.

Now, if there was an emergency or illness that'd be another story but it seems that the person just plain forgot.

Word of mouth spreads quickly and you can bet that these customers won't have very good things to say (which, unfortunately, will also reflect upon the company and the other trainer's abilities). I think damage control (personal apologies from the trainer AND store manager) is in order and it also might be nice if the company would throw in a coupon for ______ (x-amount off a purchase, free grooming session, whatever).

As for disciplinary action... I'm undecided. My first instinct is that, no matter how likeable, the person is dispensible; they've cost the company money and there's another to take over the classes until someone else can be hired/trained. But, past track record needs to be taken into account. So perhaps a demotion is in order. (Once word is out, will others sign up to take classes from this person?)

It's a yucky situation for all involved.

[catnapper]

Thanks so much guys!

Ok, I am NOT the bad trainer. I was out with my mom when I got a call on my cell phone by a very confused manager wondering why there were dogs and no trainer. He had no clue who was supposed to be there, and called me first since I'm lead trainer (I turned out to be a natural! Miss Nicki trained me well )

Donna knew part of the situation - I've spoken to her about this other trainer a few times... so she knew I wasn't the one who didn't show up.

Here goes: New trainer transfered from another state 3 weeks ago. I don't like her. At all. I have been stabbed in the back by her a few times already... right after she sweetly told me one thing, she did another which cost me nearly $100 in comissions (money I DO NOT have to lose right now! ). I won't really go into much about what she's done to me and the other employees, except that I don't trust her. She kisses manager butt and puts on a good old southern girl act real good for the managers, while she treats all the sales associates like idiots.

This not only was to be her first sunday afternoon class, but her first EVER class in this store. NOT GOOD! And all along she's been running around my store telling everyone THEY were doing things wrong, they didn't have a teamwork philosophy, they weren't approaching customers properly, etc. And SHE went and did this today. Oopsie?

I can't imagine not showing up for the first class, let alone my first ever class in a new store! I just wanted everyone's take on it before I went to work tomorrow to find out the manager's opinions. I am not sure how I'll talk about it tomorrow but I HAVE to. I told my manager two weeks ago that she royally screwed up the schedule and that something bad would happen.... I never expected this to be what happened! I thought she just OVER scheduled too many classes, I never ever dreamed that she scheduled in a manner that left her clueless as to what she scheduled.

PS: This is really the first sunday class in months. I took over some of the midweek classes when the other trainer left but refused to do sundays -- gotta have SOME time to myself and my family.

[Daisy and Delilah]

Kim, not for one minute did I think it was you that did this. You're too responsible to let this happen. At my job, we have someone just like this. It will be interesting to see how she squirms out of this one. I really doubt that she will, however. Most likely, she'll try to bring others down with her. With all the problems she's already caused, she probably won't be there much longer. It always seems to work out that way. Keep us posted and I hope she's out of your life soon.