Upsetting Situation

yogalady

i just wanted to post about something that I saw yesterday and have witnessed many times before. I thought about it afterwards about what i could do so I decided posting here might do something. I often go into the spar shop across from where smiths toys use to be. Always liked their food and have nice seats outside. Going in there for years. However i was so upset yesterday by what happened I don't think I can go in there again. The boss/ owner don't know what he is constantly shouts at, critises and humilates his staff in front of customers. He was shouting and giving out about some timer yesterday and you could see that two of this staff where visibily upset. It didn't matter that there was customers in the store and that it was very humiliating for the staff. I haven't one complaint about anyone working there. they have always been very polite and friendly to me whenever I've shopped there. I was very upset yesterday when i left the store and thought about what I could do. It isn't my problem but it's just horrible situation to watch and do nothing about.

So if the guy the runs the place reads this or if you know him will you please tell him IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO SPEAK TO ANYONE IN THE MANNER IN WHICH HE DOES IN PRIVATE OR IN PUBLIC. NOT ONLY IS BAD FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES BUT IT'S BAD FOR BUSINESS BECAUSE CUSTOMERS ARE NOTICING AND DON'T LIKE GOING IN THERE BECAUSE OF IT.
DEVELOP SOME HUMANITY. GROW UP

Kess73

yogalady wrote: »

i just wanted to post about something that I saw yesterday and have witnessed many times before. I thought about it afterwards about what i could do so I decided posting here might do something. I often go into the spar shop across from where smiths toys use to be. Always liked their food and have nice seats outside. Going in there for years. However i was so upset yesterday by what happened I don't think I can go in there again. The boss/ owner don't know what he is constantly shouts at, critises and humilates his staff in front of customers. He was shouting and giving out about some timer yesterday and you could see that two of this staff where visibily upset. It didn't matter that there was customers in the store and that it was very humiliating for the staff. I haven't one complaint about anyone working there. they have always been very polite and friendly to me whenever I've shopped there. I was very upset yesterday when i left the store and thought about what I could do. It isn't my problem but it's just horrible situation to watch and do nothing about.

So if the guy the runs the place reads this or if you know him will you please tell him IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO SPEAK TO ANYONE IN THE MANNER IN WHICH HE DOES IN PRIVATE OR IN PUBLIC. NOT ONLY IS BAD FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES BUT IT'S BAD FOR BUSINESS BECAUSE CUSTOMERS ARE NOTICING AND DON'T LIKE GOING IN THERE BECAUSE OF IT.
DEVELOP SOME HUMANITY. GROW UP

You are not the first person to mention this on Boards over the last few years.

I have seen the same thing happen in that shop myself and as a result I will buy nothing there and have made sure to let people know about it.

The unfortunate thing is that some people are just pig ignorant and leave having a little bit of money go to their heads, letting them believe they can treat people like dirt and employees like possessions.

PeakOutput

You should speak up and tell him it is unacceptable and as a result he has lost a customer and you are going to complain to his boss about his behavior and then actually go and do it

burrentech

I would be wary of approaching the guy directly if the shouting was as bad as you say. Here's the link from the Spar website to make your experience known.

Spar is a franchise operation, so individual stores are privately owned, they use the buying power of the larger organisation to keep prices down and compete with the major stores.

The owner/manager of the store could lose his franchise if its found he's bringing the Spar brand into disrepute.

The_Dave

PeakOutput wrote: »

You should speak up and tell him it is unacceptable and as a result he has lost a customer and you are going to complain to his boss about his behavior and then actually go and do it

If it's who I believe it is, then he is the boss:(

PeakOutput

The_Dave wrote: »

If it's who I believe it is, then he is the boss:(

WOuld he be the owner of the franchise though? If you think he is then contacting head office as described above would be the best option.

I know its a pain in the ass but I guess you need to decide for youreslf (the op that is) how much it actually bothers you

Berty

Look people. I can tell you right now you are wasting your time with anything other than voicing your concerns to the owner himself.

His name is Mike Gleeson(mods - freely available public information btw http://books.independent.ie/show-agents/limerick )

It is his store. It is not a franchise. It is part of a symbol group and he does not report on such issues to BWG.

The gripe of the OP is between Mike and the OP.

yogalady

Hi all

Thanks to everyone for their replies and advice. I was very upset with myself yesterday that I didn't say something. I suppose if I see it again then best thing to do is to mention it to him directly in a polite and firm manner.

Thanks everyone

phog

I was in there a few years ago, getting something for my lunch, he (Mike himself) was serving an elderly lady, she as was probably her wont was trying to engage in bit of chat, he had a queue building up but was trying to be nice but move her along, when it came to the guy next in the queue, Mike threw his eyes up top heaven and almost immediately, the lady turned and the guy in queue said "hi auntie Kathleen", Mike's face dropped with embarrassment, how I enjoyed it.

I've since stopped shopping there and in what was his father's shop as both seemed a bit agressive to their staff and customers.

yogalady

The amazing thing about it is all the staff in there are very nice to customers. I don't know how they manage it when they are being treated very disrespectfully by their boss

burrentech

Berty wrote: »

Look people. I can tell you right now you are wasting your time with anything other than voicing your concerns to the owner himself.

It is his store. It is not a franchise. It is part of a symbol group and he does not report on such issues to BWG.

The gripe of the OP is between Mike and the OP.

The store may be his, but if he's trading under the Spar name he has certain standards to adhere to. Spar would be very unhappy to know their name is being seen in a bad light in the area. By all means speak to the man himself, but if he has anger management issues....

I always found my staff put in more effort when treated with respect. I had happy staff, and customers noticed, and that in itself brought in more customers.

As they say, you catch more flies with honey than vinegar!

bazz26

yogalady wrote: »

The amazing thing about it is all the staff in there are very nice to customers. I don't know how they manage it when they are being treated very disrespectfully by their boss

Unfortunately the way the job market is currently those employees probably tolerate it out of necessity more than choice.

Kadongy

yogalady wrote: »

i just wanted to post about something that I saw yesterday and have witnessed many times before. I thought about it afterwards about what i could do so I decided posting here might do something. I often go into the spar shop across from where smiths toys use to be. Always liked their food and have nice seats outside. Going in there for years. However i was so upset yesterday by what happened I don't think I can go in there again. The boss/ owner don't know what he is constantly shouts at, critises and humilates his staff in front of customers. He was shouting and giving out about some timer yesterday and you could see that two of this staff where visibily upset. It didn't matter that there was customers in the store and that it was very humiliating for the staff. I haven't one complaint about anyone working there. they have always been very polite and friendly to me whenever I've shopped there. I was very upset yesterday when i left the store and thought about what I could do. It isn't my problem but it's just horrible situation to watch and do nothing about.

So if the guy the runs the place reads this or if you know him will you please tell him IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO SPEAK TO ANYONE IN THE MANNER IN WHICH HE DOES IN PRIVATE OR IN PUBLIC. NOT ONLY IS BAD FOR YOUR EMPLOYEES BUT IT'S BAD FOR BUSINESS BECAUSE CUSTOMERS ARE NOTICING AND DON'T LIKE GOING IN THERE BECAUSE OF IT.
DEVELOP SOME HUMANITY. GROW UP

Funny I misread this at first and thought you were talking about staff in a toyshop. The description still made that guy come to mind.

I used to go into that shop regularly, and I've seen what you're talking about a load of times. He is quite smarmy towards customers then. I was always short with him whenever I ended up being served by him. You are right though, people should say something to him.

Parchment

I have seen the owners of that Spar shop screaming across the shop at their staff and also being verbally abusive to them behind the counter.

I worked in an office in Mount Kennett and there were 10 of us in the office and everyone of us noted that we had seen such an incident in that shop at different times.

I now work in an office on O'Connell Street and the Spar shop in question came up in conversation and unprompted two colleagues mentioned that that had seen the owners being very rude to staff members.

Delphi91

I came across a similar situation recently in a filing station just outside Charleville. It was relatively quiet on a Saturday morning and the female boss/owner was giving one of the workers quite a dressing down over his work ethic. It wasn't being done in a corner, she was walking around with him. Lets put it this way, she wasn't exactly sparing the 4-letter words either!

I have to say, it was a disgraceful way to treat a staff member, firstly to speak to them in that manner and secondly to do it publicly where others could hear.

She may have had a point in relation to his work ethic, I don't know, but to do it in the manner that she did was totally unacceptable.

I fully intended to say something, but she had vanished by the time I got to the counter.

The Snipe

Speaking to someone in that manner to a member of staff would be considered harrassment imo, and I would straight away report it, and advise the staff member themselves that they can report it to the higher ups, if you see it happening; take the staff members name and contact spar: http://www.spar.ie/contact.html

Mc Love

Might be something to do with the particular family - was in the Spar in Castletroy at lunch and what seemed like the manager (a lady) was cleaning up around the tables and all of sudden says "oh for **** sake"

Obviously not a good day for her

Rapidmike

:)hi guys
MIKE GLEESON is the name and reality is the game ,,,,,,
The first thing id like to say is I,M SORRY for any offence caused by any of my actions in my stores . I have always tried to give the best service possible to all my customers and to treat all my staff with respect ..we work in a very intense small environment where it can get heated from time to time much like a kitchen in a restaurant and in the ireland of today with staff levels at an all time low tempers can get frayed !!
If any of the persons who have been upset with my actions or words would like to call into the shop in the next week for a coffee or spend a bit of time with us behind the counter to get a feel for dealing with the public please call in and say hi !!!!!
ILL BE THE ONE WEARING MY BOARDS! CYCLING KIT
PS
Thank you very much for all the nice comments about my staff ,they are ranked the second highest for customer service in the country ,,,
If i improve we might get first???
yours
Mike gleeson

phill106

Well done for having the balls to come on and say sorry!
Did someone point out the thread to you or did you come across it randomly?

phog

phill106 wrote: »

Well done for having the balls to come on and say sorry!
Did someone point out the thread to you or did you come across it randomly?

Would 2nd that but would also say actions speak louder than words, lets wait and see if there is an improvement in how staff matters are dealt with by the manager/boss.

um7y1h83ge06nx

I thought this thread would just be a mindless rant, but several other posters have backed the OP up.

Last time I bought something in that shop was around February, don't think I'll be going back again.

Dumdum McCarthy

reality is the game ,,,,,,

The reality is you do not know what effect your abusive bullyish attiude to staff has.When they leave to go home, i am sure they have taken there problems with them from the day,and hate the thoughts of going in there again for their next shift.




in the ireland of today with staff levels at an all time low tempers can get frayed !!


Mate,in the Ireland of the Celtic tiger you were still the same,the staff could nt get the customers away from the deli counter or away from the tills quick enough.While both the staff and customers help line your pockets!

If i improve we might get first???

Hee hee you wont be getting that award, "A LEOPARD DOESNT CHANGE HIS SPOTS"

yours
Mike gleeson[/QUOTE]


Well done trying to explain yourself,but i dont think you would be able to cater for people with coffees or teas that you have pissed off,and if you do im sure the staff will feel the brunt of it.

jonski

Rapidmike wrote: »

:)hi guys

The first thing id like to say is I,M SORRY for any offence caused by any of my actions in my stores . I have always tried to give the best service possible to all my customers and to treat all my staff with respect ..
Mike gleeson

Like the rest , I say fair play for coming on and commenting on the situation .

One question , would you agree that you should not be reprimanding staff in front of costumers or even in front of other staff ?

xxlauraxxox

Rapidmike wrote: »

:)hi guys
MIKE GLEESON is the name and reality is the game ,,,,,,
The first thing id like to say is I,M SORRY for any offence caused by any of my actions in my stores . I have always tried to give the best service possible to all my customers and to treat all my staff with respect ..we work in a very intense small environment where it can get heated from time to time much like a kitchen in a restaurant and in the ireland of today with staff levels at an all time low tempers can get frayed !!
If any of the persons who have been upset with my actions or words would like to call into the shop in the next week for a coffee or spend a bit of time with us behind the counter to get a feel for dealing with the public please call in and say hi !!!!!
ILL BE THE ONE WEARING MY BOARDS! CYCLING KIT
PS
Thank you very much for all the nice comments about my staff ,they are ranked the second highest for customer service in the country ,,,
If i improve we might get first???
yours
Mike gleeson

surely this has to be someone taking the p*ss take haha

big fellow

The shop has the best deli in Limerick, you get in and out fast. Thats what I want! Always found the staff friendly including the owners. Thats Mon-Fri over the last 6 years. Anyone can have a bad day (let he who is without sin cast the first stone) If he is so bad - why are all the same staff there for the last 6 years through the celtic Tiger? Hope Renata stays there another 6 years and keeps making my sandwich!

Uncle Mclovin

I've been studying at BPP on O' Connell street and this Spar is the closest shop to us so I regularly go there for a sandwich on the weekends.

I've also witnessed the staff being treated pretty badly a few times.

Seriously its not cool to act like this in front of the customers. It must be totally degrading for the staff. I'm surprised they've stayed there so long. They all seem to be pretty sound aswel.


Also the prices are ridiculous to say the least.

big fellow

Look at specials posters, always good offers. Got a good heavy roll & soup today for under a fiver.

Asked my sandwich maker today about owner, he had a brain injury that nearly killed him over a year ago and is just getting back to work full time, maybe give the guy a break instead of kicking him when he is down?

Grumpypants

The part of me that was a staff member is thinking ah don't shout at staff ever never mind in front of customers.

The part of me that was a manager is thinking i don't know what he was shouting at the staff for, maybe it was justified.

The part of me that's a customer says great rolls mmmm but be nicer to people ffs

The Joe Duffy part of my brain is all the time screaming this is a disgrace rabble rabble rabble.

Roadend

big fellow wrote: »

Look at specials posters, always good offers. Got a good heavy roll & soup today for under a fiver.

Asked my sandwich maker today about owner, he had a brain injury that nearly killed him over a year ago and is just getting back to work full time, maybe give the guy a break instead of kicking him when he is down?

Hi Mike........

Insect Overlord

Roadend wrote: »

Hi Mike........

Mike already posted on this thread, from his own account.

Report posts if you think they're dodgy, rather than quoting/replying and giving them extra attention.

Berty

I don't know Mike. Put back in the Insomnia Coffee and all will be forgiven.

zuroph

big fellow wrote: »

The shop has the best deli in Limerick, you get in and out fast. Thats what I want! Always found the staff friendly including the owners. Thats Mon-Fri over the last 6 years. Anyone can have a bad day (let he who is without sin cast the first stone) If he is so bad - why are all the same staff there for the last 6 years through the celtic Tiger? Hope Renata stays there another 6 years and keeps making my sandwich!

Good question, I know of plenty of staff who quit because of his temper.

big fellow

Agree with previous writer, can we start a campaign to get back insomnia, tim hortons is just too mild, having to go down street to arabica to get a coffee on mornings after night before.

bigpink

Great deli to i try to avoid this shop over prices.Yes they do deals meal combos etc but when i was charged 4.20 for a basic roll i just stopped going there,i just go to Dunnes now for my roll

aN.Droid

Rapidmike wrote: »

:)hi guys
MIKE GLEESON is the name and reality is the game ,,,,,,
The first thing id like to say is I,M SORRY for any offence caused by any of my actions in my stores . I have always tried to give the best service possible to all my customers and to treat all my staff with respect ..we work in a very intense small environment where it can get heated from time to time much like a kitchen in a restaurant and in the ireland of today with staff levels at an all time low tempers can get frayed !!
If any of the persons who have been upset with my actions or words would like to call into the shop in the next week for a coffee or spend a bit of time with us behind the counter to get a feel for dealing with the public please call in and say hi !!!!!
ILL BE THE ONE WEARING MY BOARDS! CYCLING KIT
PS
Thank you very much for all the nice comments about my staff ,they are ranked the second highest for customer service in the country ,,,
If i improve we might get first???
yours
Mike gleeson

Mike,

Well done for coming in here and posting, that's more then most places would give.

But still I refuse to shop in a place that treats it's staff the way your shop does. I used to live near your shop and went in a few times and every time it was so tense that it made me sorry I went in. I decided to go to other places to get the few bits and pieces even though your shop was the closest.

You have a long way to go when it comes to human decency I think and until then you won't be seeing any of my money and that of many of my friend's who I have warned off.

You say your working area gets heated like a restaurant kitchen and that's why you yell? That's not an excuse. Restaurant kitchens are almost always out of view of the customer. You are demeaning you staff in front of at least a dozen people daily.

My 2 cents

xsiborg

big fellow wrote: »

The shop has the best deli in Limerick, you get in and out fast. Thats what I want! Always found the staff friendly including the owners. Thats Mon-Fri over the last 6 years. Anyone can have a bad day (let he who is without sin cast the first stone) If he is so bad - why are all the same staff there for the last 6 years through the celtic Tiger? Hope Renata stays there another 6 years and keeps making my sandwich!

i live quite close to this shop, in there on an almost daily basis simply because i always pass it on my way out to work in the morning or on my way home, i'll pop in for a paper, coffee, and smokes, and the same staff have NOT always been there the last six years! it's only in the last two years that staff turnover has settled down a bit, although every couple of weeks still there's still a new face or a familiar face has disappeared!

honestly overall i wouldn't have anything bad to say about the shop (the staff are ABSOLUTELY a credit to it!) except the new layout is horrible, i preferred when the deli didnt take up so much of the shop and the actual grocery part wasn't crammed down the back like an afterthought!

Berty

xsiborg wrote: »

except the new layout is horrible, i preferred when the deli didnt take up so much of the shop and the actual grocery part wasn't crammed down the back like an afterthought!

We cannot blame the Gleeons for that. BWG/Spar thought up that bright idea. You wouldn't believe how much trouble painting the ceiling and everything on it black was. Look up the next time, pain the rear. Actually if I remember correctly some of the equipment in the "new shop" in the Deli is actually from the old shop. It's just the fascia of the deli which changed.

amiable

Did he have a shop on the corner on Glentworth street a few years back?

big fellow

Got a massive Chicken + Coleslaw sandwich today, got through a big queue in about 2 minutes at 1.05pm cost me €2.70 plus two cans of coke for €1.:D

Went thru tills at some speed, owner was using 2 tills, didnt have time to look at me. Fine by me, i just wanted to get in and out as fast as possible and go back to office to read the paper, can see how it might upset some older people:cool:

zuroph

big fellow wrote: »

Got a massive Chicken + Coleslaw sandwich today, got through a big queue in about 2 minutes at 1.05pm cost me €2.70 plus two cans of coke for €1.:D

Went thru tills at some speed, owner was using 2 tills, didnt have time to look at me. Fine by me, i just wanted to get in and out as fast as possible and go back to office to read the paper, can see how it might upset some older people:cool:

no wonder you're a big fellow

grenache

amiable wrote: »

Did he have a shop on the corner on Glentworth street a few years back?

He still does. Its another Spar. I shop there now and again and cant say i have ever seen him mouthing off at staff (granted he's not in there much as he probably spends more time in the Henry St shop). But if he is giving his staff a hard time, then its neither professional nor acceptable. You should never ever roar at employees, and certainly never in front of other customers, heated or not. Take them out the back, away from customers, and explain to them in a normal tone that you're not happy with their work.

I'm quite happy to work for my boss, because he treats me with respect. If you mistreat your employees, then you can hardly expect them to reach their optimum level of performance.

Berty

Glentworth street is managed/operated by his brother. They also have the prosperous Spar in the Castletroy Centre(whatever its called) by the Carlton Castletroy Hotel.

If people think the Gleesons brothers can be tough on staff stand around ANY Dunnes store in Ireland and see how they berate their staff and sales reps without a care for any customer.

Melion

Berty wrote: »

If people think the Gleesons brothers can be tough on staff stand around ANY Dunnes store in Ireland and see how they berate their staff and sales reps without a care for any customer.

Have to agree with that. I cant remember ever going into Dunnes and NOT seeing a manager disrespecting some member of staff. They all seem to be horrible, horrible individuals.

big fellow

zuroph wrote: »

no wonder you're a big fellow

Ya i know

My kids call me Chief Wigam

Buglim

Sorry, just to get back to the OP original point.....I've seen Mr Mike Glesson treat his staff badly for years and I specifically stay out of his shops because of this. <snip>

crazygeryy

Rapidmike wrote: »

:)hi guys
MIKE GLEESON is the name and reality is the game ,,,,,,
The first thing id like to say is I,M SORRY for any offence caused by any of my actions in my stores . I have always tried to give the best service possible to all my customers and to treat all my staff with respect ..we work in a very intense small environment where it can get heated from time to time much like a kitchen in a restaurant and in the ireland of today with staff levels at an all time low tempers can get frayed !!
If any of the persons who have been upset with my actions or words would like to call into the shop in the next week for a coffee or spend a bit of time with us behind the counter to get a feel for dealing with the public please call in and say hi !!!!!
ILL BE THE ONE WEARING MY BOARDS! CYCLING KIT
PS
Thank you very much for all the nice comments about my staff ,they are ranked the second highest for customer service in the country ,,,
If i improve we might get first???
yours
Mike gleeson

i dont know you from adam mike but ive been going into your shop for years and youve always been the same.i find it hard to believe that you will change at all to be quiet honest.
i suppose you deserve some credit for posting here like you did but what good is it if your not gonna change your attitude.and thats what it is, an attitude.if you were my boss id tell you where to go.
as the saying goes people work better when they are led not pushed.
but lets wait and see eh.

amiable

grenache wrote: »

He still does. Its another Spar. I shop there now and again and cant say i have ever seen him mouthing off at staff (granted he's not in there much as he probably spends more time in the Henry St shop). But if he is giving his staff a hard time, then its neither professional nor acceptable. You should never ever roar at employees, and certainly never in front of other customers, heated or not. Take them out the back, away from customers, and explain to them in a normal tone that you're not happy with their work.

I'm quite happy to work for my boss, because he treats me with respect. If you mistreat your employees, then you can hardly expect them to reach their optimum level of performance.

I thought it was him alright. I used to go into that shop on Glentworth street nearly 10 years ago and heard him on several occasions shouting at his staff.

I personally couldn't work under those conitions but needs must at the moment for some people

big fellow

Met Bartek tonight, 1st guy i remember working for shop, told him about discussion (used to play indoor soccer with him before i got too big).

Told me that Owner & his father were the bosses that he felt closest to.

Sure he gave out, then he praised, went guarantee & depositer on his 1st apartment (which he couldnt get on his own) and borrowed him his van for weekends with his girlfriend.

Also got him his 2nd job in Ireland with Cadburys.

Also told me that mike sponsered the Polish Soccer team in Limerick for its 1st three years because half the team worked in the shop. No problem getting time off for training or matches.


Perception V Reality?

Dumdum McCarthy

big fellow wrote: »

Also told me that mike sponsered the Polish Soccer team in Limerick for its 1st three years because half the team worked in the shop. No problem getting time off for training or matches.


I suppose he gave out to lads if they did not score aswell,did he?

Insect Overlord

This thread has run its course. People are just repeating the same points, with one individual fighting against the tide. I don't see any value in keeping it open, not when it seems to be turning into a witch-hunt.