In what way can a MOT Examiner do a poor job?

missing things which should be a failure or failing items that should pass. That and poor handwriting.

missing things which should be a failure or failing items that should pass. That and poor handwriting.

Eh?? It's on computer nowadays Lee

Correcto mundo.  But then they are qualified and accepted as VOSA as being competent.

 

Many seem to think a bad job is when they do an actual good job and their cars are failed.

& a good job when they pass.

 

Big upping a MOT tester on doing a top job is lovely.

Edited 24 July, 201411 yr by goneoffSKi

I would... teach what her shellac's for...

 

 

Your point certainly wasn't lost Gary, I always thought it might be an age thing perhaps only on my part. Even the male equivelent is cropping up even more, especially the joey essex lookalikes,. its like a  fooking big brother freakshow down screwfix nowdays, and they seem to have less in stock than ever.

missing things which should be a failure or failing items that should pass. That and not shutting down their antiquated PC running Windows 95 properly or safely removing hardware.

 

Eh?? It's on computer nowadays Lee

Edited for you :p

Anyone used halfords for oil and filter change,£70 all in so thinking might give them a go,unless I hear a horror story.

Is this not something you'd consider doing yourself? Oil and filter is one of the simplest jobs you can do IMO. Plus you'll know OE parts and oil are used and there's a nice sense of satisfaction afterwards

Is this not something you'd consider doing yourself? Oil and filter is one of the simplest jobs you can do IMO. Plus you'll know OE parts and oil are used and there's a nice sense of satisfaction afterwards

Unless some muppet used sealant on your old drain plug grrrr

I would... teach what her shellac's for...

 

I did much to her obvious and apparent disgust.

I explained in great detail how and where and why it can be used...

Far more effective than bawling her out about her shortcomings.

Kept her stood there a good 5 minutes for some product familiarisation.  

I know she didn't give a toss, it was written right across her face. 

 

That made keeping her stood there for an in depth discussion about proper application,

the importance of keeping the work area well ventilated and the dangers of flammable

substances in the workplace, the pros and cons of using shellac rather than primer and a full

description of how quickly and well it dries all the more delicious. She'd have seen me walk out of the

door without any at all based on her product knowledge. I think a lecture quite literally

on drying paint will go some way to convey how bored I am going into various 'Trade'

establishments and being met by staff who neither know nor care about the products they

stock. At a TRADE counter you EXPECT a certain degree of specialist knowledge and

yet you rarely get anyone who knows the first thing. Exceptions to the rule are usually very

popular with the tradesmen and are usually the most put upon among the staff and the first

to go when they finally become sick of carrying everyone else. 

Unless you are an 'Old Fa*t', as I am. Then I lay down to undo the sump plug, forget what I am down for, then doze off. Wake up but cannot stand up again.

 At a TRADE counter you EXPECT a certain degree of specialist knowledge and

yet you rarely get anyone who knows the first thing. 

 

And herein lies the problem, expectations. I must say I admire you for actually wasting 5 mins of your time which you will never get back for no amount of money trying to teach that lovely piece of counter staff anything. I understand from your description that your lecture would have had a more profound effect if indeed delivered to a drying patch of wall lovingly covered with shellac.

I personally gave up trying to fix the world and to educate morons quite a while ago...

Edited 25 July, 201411 yr by Jabozuma

Wrong thread.. ERROR please delete

At a TRADE counter you EXPECT a certain degree of specialist knowledge and

yet you rarely get anyone who knows the first thing.

 

Unfortuantely you are unlikely to get that kind of information while the person is being paid minimum wage, or close to it.

It's all about costs.

 

Let's face it, they are doing the job because it's the only job they can get in many situations.

Not because they really want to work there.

Plenty of shoe shops and fast food joints hiring Mr Fox. 

It struck me she may already know a fair bit about chips and slingbacks. 

 

And herein lies the problem, expectations. I must say I admire you for actually wasting 5 mins of your time which you will never get back for no amount of money trying to teach that lovely piece of counter staff anything. I understand from your description that your lecture would have had a more profound effect if indeed delivered to a drying patch of wall lovingly covered with shellac.

I personally gave up trying to fix the world and to educate morons quite a while ago...

Wasn't a waste of time at all. Captive audience, and I could see how uncomfortable she was 

which made me go on all the more. Unfortunately for her she couldn't tell me to fkoff as she is

still in a customer facing role even if it isn't an ideal job for her.  I had time to kill anyway, I'm

only working in my house at the moment,

You can easily tell when someone is intelligent, it's behind their eyes....

But her... Lights on but nobody home. How an interviewer didn't see her lack of

sparkle I'll never know. I feel sorry for you Richard, I hope my business never grows to such

an extent that I need to hire people. My standards are quite hard to live up to.

You must have some stories about some of the folk who apply to work for you.  

 

And that's what it's come to in the UK, or apathy central as I like to think of it. 

You can't expect decent or even passable service anywhere. I prefer the US model.

I found even people with crap jobs over in the US were still very friendly, helpful

and keen to impress. Like the guy whos job it was to empty the bins on the subway and sweep

up. He spent a good 10 minutes of his day trying his utmost to help me and my Mrs

when we asked for some advice and directions. He didn't have to do that but he did anyway.

Probably realises how lucky he is to have any job at all and makes the best of it, he was whistling away

happily going about his work when my wife tapped him on the shoulder and asked for help.

We spoke to/dealt with several dozens of folk who took their job seriously over there, especially in the

retail/catering sector. Nothing was too much trouble and they haven't forgotten to smile either. 

They certainly know what service means and we could learn very much from them in this regard.   

"(...)and I could see how uncomfortable she was 

which made me go on all the more. (...)"

 

I am not entirely sure how to read into this one!  

I like the attitude of non British Tradesmen / Women and workers in general, they moan less about other workers & Trades.

 

British Builders seem to be always on about other workers, moan , gripe etc,   saying how hard done they are, and it is every one else that is hopeless,

they should maybe just get on an work as hard as other Nationalities.

 

george

I'm of the ilk that if you are in a job then take some pride, do it properly and maybe go the extra mile when you can. Those that do a job because thats all they can get you know the sort,..the world owes them a living,..deserve to fail. If you are at work you would have a more enjoyable time being informative and engaging rather than just grunting at customers who then get irritated and complain.

 

I'm a great believer in creating your own luck, a positive attitude no matter how meanial the task, goes a long way.

 

 

I'm a great believer in creating your own luck, a positive attitude no matter how meanial the task, goes a long way.

 

I agree, however if you are in a situation where you are doing your darnedest, put your heart into your job despite being paid minimum wage and then comes a good chum of a MD, a glorified "junior manager" and starts riding you like an old horse... not much incentive to sweat your behind any more, is there? 

I agree, however if you are in a situation where you are doing your darnedest, put your heart into your job despite being paid minimum wage and then comes a good chum of a MD, a glorified "junior manager" and starts riding you like an old horse... not much incentive to sweat your behind any more, is there? 

 

No, but its no excuse to sit back on your laurels, create some more luck... do something about it or move on.

I'm of the ilk that if you are in a job then take some pride, do it properly and maybe go the extra mile when you can. Those that do a job because thats all they can get you know the sort,..the world owes them a living,..deserve to fail. If you are at work you would have a more enjoyable time being informative and engaging rather than just grunting at customers who then get irritated and complain.

 

I'm a great believer in creating your own luck, a positive attitude no matter how meanial the task, goes a long way.

YES! THIS 1,000,000% Me too Mike, me too. 

 

On paper I am stupid, but in life I do pretty well because I have the same attitude regarding 

doing my work with some pride and providing excellent customer service, sometimes I

don't even charge people. I've been the same in pretty much every job I have ever had 

and have learned that poorly educated folk like me have to work their way up from the bottom.

Now I've put enough years in at the grindstone to be in a situation where I have plenty of 

disposable income (That'll be my no kids/pets decision then...) and I march to the beat of my

own drum (self employed). I only drop everything if my tenants have an issue and make it 100% my

business to make them (My customers) happy again.

 

My response time if my tenants have a problem is measured in hours not days.

I charge fair rent and offer very decent accommodation. I don't have to, but I do. 

I could make more money if I did the bare minimum and charged more but it's not about 

that. It's the bigger picture. Happy tenants stay. And keep paying. That's a good business

model, keep the tenants happy and the rest takes care of itself. 

I use cafe's a bit. You go in, sit in front of a table full of someone else's detritus. The server comes out with a tray for somebody. Goes back in, not clearing any tables and not taking any orders. ... and variations happen all the time, according to company policy. Actually I often go elsewhere, like home.

All so predictable as per Gary's description. Not just common, but the norm. We have become so accepting of rubbish service. Anyone can be rude and wallow in their ignorance and get suitably recompensed for their efforts doing it. Lots that fit the job description.

I use small town cafe's in France a lot. Usually only two people working, despite half the town in there. One fills the orders, the other serves and clears. Rarely messy tables, usually served pretty quickly - although you are often expected to know whether you should order at the bar or wait until spoken to (we have always done it this way!). Anyway much greater efficiency, much nicer presentation, much greater customer satisfaction. Being a server in France is a proper job, well respected, as it should be. But earned.

Sure, Paris and other tourist traps has dumps. And grumpy servers, but they are usually up for some banter, its just most of us don't know how to, in foreign.

Have you noticed that the quality of coffee has improved over the last couple of years? Even more expensive coffee like Illy is a tiny % cost when you are charging £2+++ a cup. Service too often dismal though.

2 years ago in Italy, an Illy coffee cost €0.80. That included a crostini. Service 1st class, I even got a smile from the young Baristina.

Coffee in Frankfurt is now usually €3+++. Beer is cheaper. Service efficient.

Mentioning smiles, I often get one when abroad, and they mostly seem genuine. Here, the only smile seems to be as part of a private joke between the staff, otherwise glumness and grunts.

I think it also goes with what George wrote, different attotitude of forigners working here in UK - when I am being served by a person "with an accent" I lways get a smile, eagerness to please and good service. For Englishmen and Englishwomen jobs like that are beneath them, assault on their dignity and only done because they have no choice at that given moment and will be out of there as soon as possible - most choose benefits instead anyway...

No, but its no excuse to sit back on your laurels, create some more luck... do something about it or move on.

 

No, not at all, agreed. It is however pointless to keep hitting your head against a brick wall of frustrated junior/middle management malice so yes, move on sadly.

Problem is where to move on to as it seems to be a systemic problem...

I unfortunately worked in a halfords after getting paid off out of engineering. Luckily for me I am very comfortable around cars but most of the other younger staff that where university students where givin very little or no training. Just told to pick it up as they go. Witch lead to a lot of broken headlights and fried fuse boxes. Also in one case a Vauxhall tigra electric roof being broke while having a radio fitted. Very nice. Scary place. Good for buying polish in tho when doing 3 for 2 offers lol.