Undercover Boss
Discussion
I've been watching it and enjoying it.
Highlights for me have been the Best Western odd job man moving stuff about and changing room numbers to hoodwink the inspector (didn't Lancia do something similar to get round homologation rules with the Stratos?)
And last nights "Clarke Kent/Superman" removal of the glasses by the Tower Hamlet boss.
I was shocked that the head cleaning lady sorry housekeeping at one of the hotels in the first show was only earning just over minimum wage! And the cook doing 80hr weeks but only getting paid for 40hrs.
BBC did a similar thing called "Bank to the Floor" a few years back but without the secrecy and I remember the boss of a cruise line went to work as a cleaner on one of his ships where the cleaners were paid $1 a day on the basis that they would get tips to boost their take home. The one lady he worked with declared $40k the previous year and employed another crew member to help help as she didn't have time to do all the rooms in the time allocated!
Highlights for me have been the Best Western odd job man moving stuff about and changing room numbers to hoodwink the inspector (didn't Lancia do something similar to get round homologation rules with the Stratos?)
And last nights "Clarke Kent/Superman" removal of the glasses by the Tower Hamlet boss.
I was shocked that the head cleaning lady sorry housekeeping at one of the hotels in the first show was only earning just over minimum wage! And the cook doing 80hr weeks but only getting paid for 40hrs.
BBC did a similar thing called "Bank to the Floor" a few years back but without the secrecy and I remember the boss of a cruise line went to work as a cleaner on one of his ships where the cleaners were paid $1 a day on the basis that they would get tips to boost their take home. The one lady he worked with declared $40k the previous year and employed another crew member to help help as she didn't have time to do all the rooms in the time allocated!
Mojooo said:
I am awaiting for an episode where the undercover person is really annoyed with a staff member, it looks like that could be next week based on the highlights!
That happened in the first episode with the maintenance guy taking the mick with the room numbers at the hotel, he wouldn't appear at the end though. doubt you'd have anyhting like 40K in tips on a cruise ships as they operate non cashed based card and sign systems.
Edited by andrewh on Saturday 24th July 11:13
I notice how the bosses all seem to be just looking to help those staff who are lying cheating gits........ I mean, the Camden bloke looked highly scornful of the two plastics who issued a fine to a bloke who dropped a fag end down a drain but let an illegal trader off with a warning, but he didn't ask what kind of f**wits they are but instead just "wants" them to help in a committee.
Jasandjules said:
I notice how the bosses all seem to be just looking to help those staff who are lying cheating gits........ I mean, the Camden bloke looked highly scornful of the two plastics who issued a fine to a bloke who dropped a fag end down a drain but let an illegal trader off with a warning, but he didn't ask what kind of f**wits they are but instead just "wants" them to help in a committee.
Painfully public sector. Too bloody scared to admit what he really thought.Mojooo said:
I dont necessarily think he was that angy, he wanted consistency but accepted each officer has to use their discretion and make their own decision - as the guy said, they could probably stay in one spot all night enforcing the rules.
Well, I think he was put out that they let the person who is avoiding paying for a license off with a warning, but fine the fag dropper. After all, if you fine the person trading illegally then it's not worth their while trading without a license so they might get one..... His face said he thought they were muppets for those two decisions, and what I think he was hinting at with the committee bit was more that they would have certain things were they would apply the rules properly i.e. fag droppers get a warning first time round whilst illegal traders get the fine...
But as above, I do agree he was a bit of a public servant BUT then I am hoping that once the cameras went away he was a bit more honest.....
I am guessing when the service was set up they had an idea of what they were going to enforce - it probably went along the lines of do it how you see best.
Personally in those curcimstances I think they did the right thing. Most people probably dont know you need a licence to sell things on the street whereas everyone knows its wrong to litter. If they want to use it as a revenue raising exercise then they would be better of going after little droppers!
Personally in those curcimstances I think they did the right thing. Most people probably dont know you need a licence to sell things on the street whereas everyone knows its wrong to litter. If they want to use it as a revenue raising exercise then they would be better of going after little droppers!
Mojooo said:
Personally in those curcimstances I think they did the right thing. Most people probably dont know you need a licence to sell things on the street whereas everyone knows its wrong to litter. If they want to use it as a revenue raising exercise then they would be better of going after little droppers!
But that's the thing, the fellow put it down the drain... It's not like he flicked a lit fag at the plastic plod and melted him....... I thought most people knew you needed a license to trade on the street - after all, we've all seen Only Fools and Horses
Frankly, I think its a load of codswallop. These chappies go in, find what they find and then do not a lot in my opinion...
The first chap, he figured out that if inspections are planned, people can prepare for it and they were doing just that... And his board member colleague who was in charge of all this was shocked that things like these took place, WAKE UP!
He then figured out that the people on the ground do not know the brand. Common! these poor guys work for minimum wage and have been doing so for yonks at a hotel that they know only as franks tavern for instance and have known it as franks tavern since they started working there tens of years ago! They do not know (or care in my opinion) that they are a part of a franchise and they should promote other franchises..
The second chap was not impressed with the fag drop fine and freely admitted that the idea that the market inspector chap had would most likely not be financially viable in the cold light of day...
I think it does us all good to look at things from another point of view, I just wish rather than doing meetings or coming up with management mumbo jumbo they'd actually DO something. Use these dedicated people, give them what they need to get on with their jobs - be it better equipment or more time!
I wish I had a small percent of the work ethic some of the people that have been featured in these episodes... hats off to you all...
-FatVik
ps - flame suit on and mini rant over
pps - my first rant on PH (I know, it'll only score 1 out of a 100)
The first chap, he figured out that if inspections are planned, people can prepare for it and they were doing just that... And his board member colleague who was in charge of all this was shocked that things like these took place, WAKE UP!
He then figured out that the people on the ground do not know the brand. Common! these poor guys work for minimum wage and have been doing so for yonks at a hotel that they know only as franks tavern for instance and have known it as franks tavern since they started working there tens of years ago! They do not know (or care in my opinion) that they are a part of a franchise and they should promote other franchises..
The second chap was not impressed with the fag drop fine and freely admitted that the idea that the market inspector chap had would most likely not be financially viable in the cold light of day...
I think it does us all good to look at things from another point of view, I just wish rather than doing meetings or coming up with management mumbo jumbo they'd actually DO something. Use these dedicated people, give them what they need to get on with their jobs - be it better equipment or more time!
I wish I had a small percent of the work ethic some of the people that have been featured in these episodes... hats off to you all...
-FatVik
ps - flame suit on and mini rant over
pps - my first rant on PH (I know, it'll only score 1 out of a 100)
Jasandjules said:
Mojooo said:
Personally in those curcimstances I think they did the right thing. Most people probably dont know you need a licence to sell things on the street whereas everyone knows its wrong to litter. If they want to use it as a revenue raising exercise then they would be better of going after little droppers!
Fatvik - I think some of these top dogs really ARE that out of touch with floor staff that they really dont know the kind of stuff that goes on
If anything at least it might show them what the workers have to put up - i.e meals on wheels lady under pressure etc
I am guessing off camera they will be making decisions based on what they saw.
Mojooo said:
Are you suggesting dropping fag ends shouldnt be a hangable offence?!?!
I have no idea if that is to me based upon your quote I am afraid.Fatvik, the reason they didn't DO anything is because they are management. Once you reach management your time is spent attending meetings to discuss the attendance of meetings, meetings to discuss whether there are enough/too many meetings etc.. and you actually end up doing very little.
But how is a mysterious 'employee C/W film crew' explained away when they walk in off the street.
Great western guy was as you say, told to help swap this sofa/clean curtains/door numbers about from room to room,
all in the full glare of camera & sound,
wouldn't even the most stupid of full time staff smell a rat?
Great western guy was as you say, told to help swap this sofa/clean curtains/door numbers about from room to room,
all in the full glare of camera & sound,
wouldn't even the most stupid of full time staff smell a rat?
Tonight was about Harry Ramsdens.
I used to live near the Guiseley branch in the 70's and 80's, the original when it was the only one and there would be queues most nights and the F&C were superb.
It got taken over by Merryweathers in the late 80's and that's when I stopped going as the quality started to go downhill and the queues died down.
Discovered Bryans in Headingley and that became the plaice* of choice for me.
Still not as good as Chez Fred in Bournemouth, but it's a long way for me.
I used to live near the Guiseley branch in the 70's and 80's, the original when it was the only one and there would be queues most nights and the F&C were superb.
It got taken over by Merryweathers in the late 80's and that's when I stopped going as the quality started to go downhill and the queues died down.
Discovered Bryans in Headingley and that became the plaice* of choice for me.
Still not as good as Chez Fred in Bournemouth, but it's a long way for me.
*Forgive my little pun!
Only been to HR once, about 11 years ago to the one in Cardiff. After a distinctly average meal I asked for the bill, left the cash on the table and headed for the door. With half a foot in the car a minion came running out from the restaurant and stopped us, somwehat angrily accusing us not paying the bill. I explained that I'd left the cash on the little plate on the table as you do in most restaurants to which he rather testily replied that I had to pay the bill at the 'pay station', wherever the hell that was. I'd had enough by this point and left him in no doubt about the likelihood of us ever returning. I've been true to my word, too.
Gassing Station | TV, Film, Streaming & Radio | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff