I think my reaction would be "Shove it up your bloody arse!"


www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,3523974a10,00.html

BNZ staff encouraged to increase business over break

27 December 2005

Bank of New Zealand staff were sent on holiday encouraged by management to use "life event clues" to go "social prospecting" for business among family and friends.

The Finance Sector Union (Finsec) said staff were told in a memo that it was important the bank maintain its sales and service focus through the holiday season to ensure a successful 2006.

"It does not matter where you are over the holiday period ... at work or on the beach ... there will be numerous opportunities to provide financial solutions to family and friends by referring them to Bank of New Zealand," the memo said.

It was followed by a sheet with advice on "Social Prospecting - Christmas 2005".

"Christmas is a time for friends and family to catch up," the sheet said.

"Your friends and family respect you. They appreciate you supporting their goals with sound advise (sic)."

Among "Life event clues for social prospecting" were a child attending university, purchases of property, cars or boats, bonus payments, overseas holidays, and transient cashflow during Christmas.

Finsec campaign director Karen Skinner said staff delegates she had spoken to about the memo were "gob-smacked by how extreme it is".

"It shows the sales culture has got to the absolute extreme," she said.

"They are trying to get workers to use personal relationships to make further profits for the bank and staff don't want to do that."

Staff desperately needed a well-deserved break from the pressure to sell, Ms Skinner said.

The memo had been sent around by BNZ marketing and business development general manager Shona Bishop.

She was not available when NZPA tried to contact her, but an Auckland newspaper quoted her saying she was disappointed by Finsec's reaction.

She had received numerous emails of support from staff for the opportunity to win one of two trips to the Commonwealth Games - for staff who provided the most referrals.

The bank was "absolutely not" asking staff to work over Christmas. The programme was "an opportunity for us to make sure that the people who are thinking about work are well supported".

An entrepreneur is always looking for opportunities.  As an employee, I would either:

A) Look for another job; or
B) Demand compensation for any additional business I brought in; or
C) Ignore it and enjoy the holidays

SRM

ETA: Better?

Hell, I am in sales in a fairly competitive market.

I am not working my family, friends, neighbors, during the weekends off.

There is a time and place for business.

Quoted: An businessman is always looking for opportunities.  As an employee, I would either: A) Look for another job; or B) Demand compensation for any additional business I brought in; or C) Ignore it and enjoy the holidays SRM

I'll take C for $1000, Alex.

Quoted: An businessman is always looking for opportunities.  As an employee, I would either: A) Look for another job; or B) Demand compensation for any additional business I brought in; or C) Ignore it and enjoy the holidays SRM

An is used when the word after it starts with a vowel.

NEVER NEVER NEVER do bussiness with famliy and friends
I thought this would go 100X more if you did finace stuff

Are they going to pay you for working over the holidays? I thought not.

My wife's employer did something similar; she moved from CVS to Weis Pharmacy. There was a Weis grocery store without a pharmacy next door to the CVS she worked in. They encouraged her to go there and hand out $10 grocery coupons if they'd switch their prescriptions from CVS to Weis. I think the intent was for her to get her good customers to switch. She balked and insisted she had to be paid. They caved, and all was well...