How much does a sale cost

[The BFO]

You are of course correct, initial ‘Income’ credited to the Branch is only part of the story. However, it is only this part of the story we hear when ‘Staff Cost to Income Ratios’ and Crown Office profitability are discussed.

You clearly have a sound grasp of the economics, but as I am sure you will agree, you are very much in the minority. I suppose my gripe is founded upon the amount of nonsense I have to listen to from all sorts of directions – yourself excluded!

[FinancialSpecialist]

I completely agree that each office should receive a "fairer" reflection of the income they generate, but I can't think of a way this can be done. Also, certain products seem to actively compete with other areas of the business.

For example, we are constantly advising customers that they shouldn't bring all of their holiday money in cash and offer our credit card as an alternative. Therefore, with increased takeup of the credit card as a long term option for travellers, we are surely losing out on bureau cash sales? The new TMC sounds like a good counterbalance for this as supposedly all internet and telephone additions to the card will credit to the opening office.

[Blue8]

FSS your not going to last long your talking to much sense!!!

[The BFO]

The new TMC sounds like a good counterbalance for this as supposedly all internet and telephone additions to the card will credit to the opening office.

But what will arrive first, Travel Money Card, Workwear, Phonecards, or Christmas?

[counter man]

TMC.....tomorrow in my office!

[Mr Love Pants]

TMC.....tomorrow in my office!

Not in our office - why is your office so special

[PostalOfficer]

Nice to have a fresh viewpoint well put, financialSpecialist. Backed up by something that our manager was saying, that when you get to a threshold level of business 'on the book' it somehow becomes an asset that increases the value of the business or presumably allows you to borrow money. Probably crudely put and I would be interested to hear a proper explanation. Perhaps a decent explanation of all this would make a useful training session rather than the 'We are the Post Office' rubbish. I think that most clerks are intelligent enough to appreciate some informed background.

Sadly it remains rather above my level of understanding, leaving me in the same position of most other clerks, trying to flog stuff to meet a target which seems to be nothing more than a figure plucked out of thin air. And from long experience, as soon as you achieve the target it just increases, seemingly rendering your efforts worthless.

[simjan]

never mind the monies cost, how about the actual cost to staff. finding having to have conversations with every customer more and more stressful. Work in a place where there is no gap between the customer being served and the queue behind, you can see and feel the tension in the queue. Even when talking to every third customer is hard at least serving on the counter even if a queue there is a distance between queue and customer, How would you do it? Needed that little rant

[goggins69]

Today we had the allowed two on holiday, one full timer off sick, BM took a day off. We have lost one FSS and a part timer this year who are not being replaced. The queue was out the door and I was taken off for life training with the FS. When I went for tea 10 minutes late as told to do by the ABM a pensioner queuing at the disabled position loudly accused me of talking about her. I was amazed because I wasn't. Both the FS and my colleague assured her I wasn't. She insisted on seeing the manager to complain about me although left the office before she could be seen. She says she'll see the manager next week. The queue loved it. Why should we have to put up with this s**t. Rant over.