Tell Me Something............Anything!

[walpurgis]

You should try a NEBSS course. It's a 'how to think the way management want you to' course. My employer sent me (and others) on one. After the first session I told the guy running it that it was a load of bollocks.

[Macca]

This was compulsory. Been there almost 13 years never had a thing offered to me. It was just the idea of a DVD box set being considered as 'extravagant' that got me.

[Barry]

This was compulsory. Been there almost 13 years never had a thing offered to me. It was just the idea of a DVD box set being considered as 'extravagant' that got me.

Mine was compulsory. I just found ways of avoiding it.

[Macca]

I found ways too but I ran out of them.

[alphaGT]

Did a business ethics course at work this week. Quite confusing. You cannot accept any gift from a client that 'might be considered extravagant'


So there's a question 'A client offers you a box set of DVDs, can you accept it?' So I answer 'Yes'. I'm thinking an extravagant gift is like a Rolex or something. I mean a box set of DVDs, it's what? Twenty quid value tops. Who's buying DVDs nowadays ffs? But apparently that's wrong and you can't accept a DVD box set, it's an extravagant gift. A coffee mug with the client's name on it is okay though. Whoopee doo.

But later they ask 'Is it okay for a client to take you out to a show, buy you a meal at a restaurant and put you up in an hotel for the night?' - And the answer is yes, that is perfectly fine.

I'm really struggling with it tbh.

That certainly is confusing. I guess the difference is there is no lingering evidence of the show, hotel and hookers. While the box set remains as evidence of the exchange? Once a sales woman gave me a bottle of liquor for Christmas, that was about the limit of my benefits from outside. Although, they made a rule that no one was supposed to do telephone surveys. A woman called me and offered $50 to take a survey, seeing I did all the buying for the computer department, and I took it! In only two days I got the check in the mail. So, I guess I wasn’t the people your class was talking to?

Russell

[Barry]

My attitude was that I was not 'senior' enough to influence purchases. Despite being a 'Principle Research Scientist' (or sometime 'Research Associate'; they kept changing our titles ), I still had to get all purchase orders countersigned by the Departmental Manager.

So as I could not be 'bought', or in any way induced by 'backhanders', I regarded the ethic course as not being applicable to me, and avoided/boycotted it.

[Joe]

My attitude was that I was not 'senior' enough to influence purchases. Despite being a 'Principle Research Scientist

I'm sure you were principled, but presumably your job title was 'Principal Research Scientist'?

[Joe]

This was compulsory. Been there almost 13 years never had a thing offered to me. It was just the idea of a DVD box set being considered as 'extravagant' that got me.

I always signed up for courses. Better than working, and there were usually free biscuits.

[alphaGT]

My attitude was that I was not 'senior' enough to influence purchases. Despite being a 'Principle Research Scientist' (or sometime 'Research Associate'; they kept changing our titles ), I still had to get all purchase orders countersigned by the Departmental Manager.

So as I could not be 'bought', or in any way induced by 'backhanders', I regarded the ethic course as not being applicable to me, and avoided/boycotted it.

Once I was shopping to buy a $9K printer for the Art Department. The sales woman was very forward! Wearing miniskirts and low cut blouses, long blond hair, she was quite fetching. And she poured on the charm! Took me out to eat, she was so nice. She suggested we try a sample, and they delivered a $12.5K version of the printer, I pointed out that it was not the version I was shopping for, but was told not to worry. Well, it boiled down to her giving me an invoice for the $12.5K printer, and I refused it, told her to load it up and take it the heck outta there! She was no longer kind, and threw a fit! And I wound up getting the $12.5K printer for $9K! I guess it was a good thing I didn’t sleep with her?

Russell

[struth]

Even better you didn't give her one