tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post8924859553115040703..comments2023-05-10T05:24:22.552-04:00Comments on Sears Portrait Studio Sucks: Get off the breathing machine and IV and get back to workSPShttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12680508373273418565noreply@blogger.comBlogger57125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-64087070364887533172012-08-27T11:33:37.063-04:002012-08-27T11:33:37.063-04:00One individuals reply is not the reply of all at t...One individuals reply is not the reply of all at that company. And even though there is a policy of customers being right, you hgave the right to plee your side. If you don't make an effort you will get walked on and that is how they are ably to get away with what they do.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-38789206933575091282012-03-24T18:35:15.495-04:002012-03-24T18:35:15.495-04:00Dear random customer you posted this:I am a custom...Dear random customer you posted this:I am a customer and I have a question I am hoping some SEARS PORTRAIT employees can answer: What is the value of the portrait club membership if you can only use 1 FREE offer per visit? I used to be able to get my FREE 8 X 10, then BOGO 1 or 2 pictures, then get my FREE Collage or whatever FREE COUPON they had out:<br /><br />Let me translate this into the retail world: I want a free item and then buy one get on free, and another free item...so even though you are grossly under paid and the 7.99 I am spending taking up 2 hours of store time...well you should be on your knees thanking me for coming.<br /><br />An ex retail answer, you'd get more free if you SPENT MORE!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-81853759348977049002011-12-30T13:21:08.388-05:002011-12-30T13:21:08.388-05:00Ok I worked at CPI for 4 years...I started as an a...Ok I worked at CPI for 4 years...I started as an associate worked up to assistant mgr(back when they had them) and then progressed to studio mgr in which i was in the top 5 of the company in all the main areas of focus. I tought I would receive an award or get to meet the vp or something nooooo i got a letter not spealized ty me for hard work that is it. I will say my DM wen out of her way to give me plaques from her own money because she felt bad. I had my review got the top score and my raise was0.10 REALLYY thats it. I at this point decided I was done with CPI all together enrolled in school and planned on quitting and to my surprise got pregnant with my husband and decided to stay but was all of the sudden not eligiable for dmit program and someone else who performed way less than me was let in. I again considered quitting unfortunetly i ended up miscarrying and was in the hospital from 10pm to 7AM SO I CALLED THE STUDIO I WAS GOING TO COVER TO LET THEM KNOW I CAN NOT COME IN....she said to bad i need you to come in i dont have babysitter...so i ended up working the whole time balling my eyes out because i was miscarrying as i sat in the studio...But know all of the sudden they want me in the dmit program me being stupid accepted. I eventually got interviewed for dm position after about 3mo. in dmit program. I did get the job...I was so excited and scared at the same time. I started out loving it and about 3 mo. in all hell broke loose I had barely any training my studio mgrs never did anything bc there previous dm always went drinking with them, my rd made me do and tell my mgrs things that would get HR called on me then he would deny he told me to do it. I was never alowed a day of I had studios over 9 hours away and spent more time in hotels than home, i got no sleep ,no help no direction, no respect and not once met the vp or any of the top corp ppl constantly barking out orders. I had to constantly tell my district things i did not believe in. I noticed certain dm's got away with doing nothing but hard workers were punished. CPi layd off half the company gave me double the district with no more pay and expected results over night. Trust me you may think DM's are these horrible people but they are doing what they are made to do by there spineless RD's and VP's. I finally told my husband i cant physically and mentally take this anymore so he got a new job in another state I quit CPI and now work for an amazing company that respects and appreciates my talent and cares about its people.<br /><br />ALL I CAN SAY IS GET OUT WHILE YOU CAN....your life will be so much better.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-40042758844965018112011-12-07T23:47:56.431-05:002011-12-07T23:47:56.431-05:00I realy gotta say Ive got no clue what any of you...I realy gotta say Ive got no clue what any of you are talking about <br /><br />I was recently hired on at cpi and I gotta say its been a great experince , I enjoy working with the people I do and while it can get stressfull when its realy busy the job is mostly FUN . My boss was straight forward with me at hiring and made it clear that she ould only keep the best 2 of us. We work hard but she treats us all well , often brings in food for us etc all jobs have good and bad points and this is no differnt but I find that at least at my studio (and the one other I assisted at) that the good FAR outwieghts the few bad points . Now perhaps some of you were unfortunate enough to work for some unpleasant studios but I wouldnt claim that all of them are the same as so far Ive seen nothing like the experince you guys seem to be descibingAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-18404502048438306702011-08-28T19:24:44.834-04:002011-08-28T19:24:44.834-04:00I agree that it was unfair and hate they wrote you...I agree that it was unfair and hate they wrote you up, ive had similar situations but never been wrote up for it,if your unhappy with your job why not quit!darbydollhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07307031714617537520noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-16360410113266614452011-01-21T15:35:45.559-05:002011-01-21T15:35:45.559-05:00If an order was messed up, I was the one to fix it...If an order was messed up, I was the one to fix it. One time the AM was on the phone with a customer who was yelling about not getting her 20x20 at Christmas time, so she covered the phone said "Here, you did her order, you deal with it" and gave me the phone. I didn't even know what had happened, and I had to explain that there was a mix up and that her 20x20 had to be reordered but no one had done so. In reality there was a little bit of green boarder that was showing, so the big pic wasn't printed. My manager got an email about this, but failed to mention it to anyone or fix it herself, so this customer (who spent 400$) was very angered. I didn't blame her! There was another time when we were doing bad on PRSs and sales in general that my manager tacked on extra charges to a customer because she "didn't want to lose the sale". At the time I didn't know and I tried correcting her in front of the computer only for her to tell me no I was wrong. Yet when another employee was selling the CD for 100$ with a framed art for 135 so she could boost her sales she got in trouble. Wasn't it pretty much the same thing?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-86541492524503191132011-01-21T15:30:05.974-05:002011-01-21T15:30:05.974-05:00One of the final straws where I realzied I couldn&...One of the final straws where I realzied I couldn't wait to quit was when I was about 7 months pregnant and I wasn't scheduled until 3. I was called at about 1130 and told I needed to come in right then at that minute. I have an older daughter, who at the time was 3. My fiance was out getting food and I told her no I was going to eat and spend time with my family first. She was angry, said whatever, and hung up. When I did finally get there at 1 or so, the manager and asst manager were standing around laughing and joking with someone who had come to pick up pictures. The other two employees were working. I took the appt who was there 30 minutes early and did their pics. Everyone else got to leave for lunch, I had to stay there until 230 or 245 selling (we were suppose to be closed 2-3). I had enough and actually avoided my manager, then yelled at her in the store that it was ridiculous that I had to come in early so she and the asst could sit around joking and laughing. She told me she wasn't even suppose to be in the studio, she was suppose to be working the popcorn machine downstairs (seriously?). I was always called in early and always had to stay late. There were times I was told to just come in wearing jeans and flip flops and bring my daughter too because the managers wanted to leave! I worked all the way up until I gave birth because I needed all the extra money I could get. That didn't stop my manager from constantly calling me to see when I'd be coming back and that I could sit at a sales table sellnig while I breast fed my newborn. This was because I was the ONLY one who knew how to do anything correctly; they didn't know how to do basic retouching, reorders, canvas, etc. They reordered a 10x30 3 times because they didn't know how to remove the glare from the kids' glasses correctly until I stepped in and did basic retouching (they just kept putting in the comments that it was a reorder).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-70220844760787205402011-01-21T15:11:20.352-05:002011-01-21T15:11:20.352-05:00A few months later I was working with two other pe...A few months later I was working with two other people, one being my asst manager. We each had a customer (mine being a graduate). My asst managers customer decided to come back and view pics after another photo session at another company, so my asst manager clocked out and left. I was allowing my graduate to change clothes so I was waiting at the counter, the other photographer was taking pics of her group when the one lady came back. She immediately wanted me to stop what I was doing and tend to her needs. I explained it would be at least 30-45 minutes before I could get to her because I was with a customer and so was our other photographer. She began screaming that that was unacceptable and to just cancel the whole thing and I politely and calmly said ok. She then started screaming at me to stop looking at her "like that" and that she was about to punch me in the face. I was shocked! She stormed off and about 5 minutes later her friend called and said that she would be back to view her pics. No apology. So my manager called to check up on things and when she found out she called our asst manager and told her to come back, which apparently was a huge deal. (She had gotten off early!) While she was selling to this customer the lady told my asst manager that I was smirking and laughing at her. When I told my AM that no I didn't she brushed me off, held her hand up, and told me she knew I had been smiling and that I needed to not be rude to the customers because it was ridiculous that she had to come back! WTH?! Really?!<br />I had also been told that once that AM left that I would become the new AM. They decided to not tell me and hire a new girl who had no experience and made more than any of the other girls there (minus the manager) and worked better hours (10-5, never having to close). She ended up not working out so they brought another manager from another studio in the become AM because they didn't want to give me my well deserved raise. When I quit the trainies were makign the same as me who had been working there 2 years! They just told me that's how it goes and that they couldn't afford to give me a raise. I was the only one making money for that studio. The one day I sold over 1800 by myself between 10-3. Yet they couldn't give me a raise.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-18416644269071351922011-01-21T15:10:54.399-05:002011-01-21T15:10:54.399-05:00Ah I remember working at Sears. During my first C...Ah I remember working at Sears. During my first Christmas season ALL of the new hires (with the exception of two) quit before Thanksgiving because they expected WAY too much from them. We were all told we had to stay until closing (which a few times I didn't get out of there until 11 pm after the whole store closed!!!) and had to make sure we cleaned the entire studio, yet my manager refused to ever close (she didn't know how!!!) A few times I would be there from 830 am to 11 pm because two other people besides myself knew how to close (out of 15). Near the end of the season I was checking out my customer on one of our computers (we had two) and it turns out my asst manager froze it so it wouldn't work, and two other employees were trying to divide totals among a group, so I went to the computer where you actually pay and rang up my customer (I knew the subtotal already) and got him checked out. This other customer comes up to me screaming because I "cut" in line of her. In reality I didn't because she wasn't even the customer of either of the girls at the counter, instead she still hadn't even fulfilled her order! while she screamed and cussed me out, I got her rung up and finished her order and even gave her a percentage off to make her stop screaming. Then I had to go to the other computer and divide the numbers for them, because they still somehow didn't understand how to divide certain things amoung each customer in the group. Where were the managers during this time? They had left early while we still had a bunch of customers to go to a Christmas party. The lady called the next day screaming about how rude I was and my manager just put the phone down and my DM refused to speak to the customer because she didn't want to get yelled at. How professional!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-32356129356257336742011-01-02T23:04:29.953-05:002011-01-02T23:04:29.953-05:00Just discovered this blog... good to know I'm ...Just discovered this blog... good to know I'm not alone. I was a military photographer and because of my love for kids I thought this would be a good transition while I was in school... but CPI is nuts. For instance, my DM just announced that my manager (who, I'm lucky to say, is awesome) is only allowed to give hours to the employees with the highest PRS. Wait... what?? First of all, the company sends out ridiculous coupons but does no advertising. Second... how are the new girls supposed to get experience without hours? Third... how can I take walk-ins who I KNOW are 9.99ers when that means I won't get hours the next week because my PRS is shot? And lastly... how do they expect to keep their employees who rely on hours just to live? training a new kid is going to make labor and sales suck. Sheeeeeeesh.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-80329288851329168312010-12-31T00:07:12.660-05:002010-12-31T00:07:12.660-05:00OK 866 appt line..LISTEN UP: quit F%*#&!G book...OK 866 appt line..LISTEN UP: quit F%*#&!G booking double appts when you can book the hour before OR the hour after the requested time.. we are on SINGLE coverage til Feb. and can't call someone in for 1 double booking ~ CANNOT go over alloted hours under any circumstances! The guidelines for appt line I thought was to book every hour first, THEN go to 1/2.. double book when necessary. Having two camera rooms does NOT mean 2 people are working!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-33364943252062782612010-12-22T16:42:17.445-05:002010-12-22T16:42:17.445-05:00I was on time for my sitting and waited 30 mins wi...I was on time for my sitting and waited 30 mins with a 11 month old and a 3 years old. The place was utter caos. Obviously OVERBOOKED!!!!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-67621843339026818672010-12-05T21:50:45.648-05:002010-12-05T21:50:45.648-05:00For all you employees that are complaining about y...For all you employees that are complaining about your lunch time in Ohio. <br /><br /> Rewww.ehow.com/list_7249990_ohio-laws-regarding-lunch-breaks.htmlad it and weep.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-76482063687803618072010-11-19T03:34:27.178-05:002010-11-19T03:34:27.178-05:00So it seems like we are all aware of the conflicts...So it seems like we are all aware of the conflicts of interest CPI has between attracting customers and raising PRS...<br /><br />..I had a thought... perhaps I should stop recommending the customer visit the website over the phone (as mentioned in the CIC and reinforced by the DM) in order to reduce the amount of 7.99 packages coming in through the door. Personally.. I'm just barely managing to convert 5% of them into bronze... WITHOUT the CD. I mean, if I have them on the line, they were probably going to come in anyway! Best keep the website hush hush from now on.. I'm not going to tell the DM if you don't!!!<br /><br />~West Cost AssociateAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-78396619248528603222010-11-15T16:36:01.983-05:002010-11-15T16:36:01.983-05:00I am a customer and I have a question I am hoping ...I am a customer and I have a question I am hoping some SEARS PORTRAIT employees can answer: What is the value of the portrait club membership if you can only use 1 FREE offer per visit? I used to be able to get my FREE 8 X 10, then BOGO 1 or 2 pictures, then get my FREE Collage or whatever FREE COUPON they had out....now I can no longer do that....also, the price going up to 9.99 a sheet is crazy. JC PENNY HAS 3.99 a sheet but I do like SEARS for their free cute collages....Let me know if anyone out there knows...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-4322612250326919732010-11-06T06:15:38.565-04:002010-11-06T06:15:38.565-04:00Well...I worked at sps for 8 months, I just put in...Well...I worked at sps for 8 months, I just put in my 2 weeks and it's all over and done with. I was the best employee my manager had on her staff, not to toot my own horn, I worked my ass off and for what? Crap pay and to be jerked around 24/7 I was flex(on call) 3pm-6pm 2 Saturdays ago, my co-worker was supposed to close, I had to work the afternoon because I needed to work on sales, when I got back form lunch not only did I not hear about sales, but my co-worker who was going to close got to go home early and my manager leave too, but I also was treated like shit when i asked for some help. Wow, what an awesome place to work. honestly picking up elephant shit at the zoo would be more rewarding.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-23831532934922646302010-10-22T21:35:28.603-04:002010-10-22T21:35:28.603-04:00To the person who posted on September 18th I compl...To the person who posted on September 18th I completely understand what your saying I just started recently and it really is about the money and not about the photography. I have two weeks to get my PRS up or there writing me up when I’ve only been there for a month. Some things just are not right.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-29619151639418223942010-10-22T20:34:37.213-04:002010-10-22T20:34:37.213-04:00My current position with the Internal Revenue Serv...My current position with the Internal Revenue Service is less stressful than this job ever was!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-74902616217640355452010-10-21T20:05:54.413-04:002010-10-21T20:05:54.413-04:00So lets send out 50 trillion coupons, NOW FEATURIN...So lets send out 50 trillion coupons, NOW FEATURING NO SESSION FEE AND NO PURCHASE REQUIRED!<br />Well you better darn well make your EXTENDED goal for the day anyway, with single coverage, while your training, etc..!<br />how did I get in this mess, someone help me get a lifeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-71538090474372411622010-09-27T02:54:38.778-04:002010-09-27T02:54:38.778-04:00http://www.zimmreed.com/Sears-Portrait-Studio-Empl...http://www.zimmreed.com/Sears-Portrait-Studio-Employees/19236/<br /><br />get in on lawsuit adainst sears portraitAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-36966310701841849992010-09-19T11:04:21.554-04:002010-09-19T11:04:21.554-04:00What happened to this blog?What happened to this blog?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-88994746144491242252010-09-18T22:38:09.017-04:002010-09-18T22:38:09.017-04:00After I was hired at SPS I found this website and ...After I was hired at SPS I found this website and was immediately taken aback. I became worried that I made a mistake with this job, but decided to stick it out for a bit and see how things would go. I figured this blog was just a bunch of bad experiences that overlooked the good and boy was I wrong.<br /><br />To start, my manager never once told me that I was hired as seasonal. She put me in the computer as part-time, come to find out that of the 6+ people she hired, only two are going to remain once the holiday ends. Some were hired before us, so I'm assuming it's some of them, despite the fact that I'm a better photographer. I'm well over qualified for the job, but am getting paid less than some other girls. I still have yet to hear from the manager's mouth that we're seasonal as I heard she told someone else this. Also, I was told I would be working at several different locations and didn't have to work at the one that's quite a hike away. Well, that was a lie since I'm only working at my location of hire and the location I specifically said I wasn't interested in.<br /><br />I don't understand the point of extensive training when I'm going to be let go when the holiday is over, especially when it's six+ weeks of this. Honestly, if you work here, you will get more hours in training than anything else. You'll be lucky if you get over 8 hours a week when it isn't the holiday season. I'm sure in the end, the two people the DM will want to keep after the holiday season will be whoever has the most sales, NOT who is the best photographer. This saddens me because clearly SPS isn't about photography -- It's about money.<br /><br />Also, so far, I've seen two completely rude customers. One who thought it was okay to use the F word to the workers, another who claimed we're all brainwashed because of the 12 pose requirement.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-37217895313104533512010-09-15T18:49:16.278-04:002010-09-15T18:49:16.278-04:00Unemployed has never felt so good. I am free!Unemployed has never felt so good. I am free!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-45531204025741509302010-09-06T21:37:19.189-04:002010-09-06T21:37:19.189-04:00Type in your browser search page: lawsuit cpi sea...Type in your browser search page: lawsuit cpi sears portrait studio I'd get in on it. Its going to be huge.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1487903560605549635.post-43107097348094300432010-09-02T20:13:12.073-04:002010-09-02T20:13:12.073-04:00I wonder how long CPI will last with all the compe...I wonder how long CPI will last with all the competition folding. And everyone is an amateur photog now so who needs a studio? I still hear horror stories from my friends that are still trapped in CPI hell, but what is it like in the rest of the country?<br />Bunny ladyAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com