To the all knowing business minds of DFWMustangs

[slow06]

Recognizing that someone failed to enforce the last change, I'd restart the process by including the guy's input - what he didn't like and why he didn't use the old system. Involve him because it serves two purposes; he might have a bit more interest if it's something he's part of from the beginning, and he might actually have insight into improving efficiency since he's the one doing it.

Then, with the new system in place, make it clear to him that he uses it or you'll document his willful misconduct to have any unemployment claims denied, and find someone who will. If he stays on and works within the new system, you save the cost of training someone new from the ground up.

I tried to get him involved in the last system and he even pissed me off. All he wants is exactly what he has now built into the new system.

Problem is he cannot see past his one job. Overnight shipping is the end of the world, throws a fit when somebody calls a product by the wrong name, and gets extra stubborn when supplies are dropped off on his doorstep and he was not notified about a new program, as if he needs to be notified when a new product or collateral piece is created.

He needs to learn the new system. It sounds like the orders are being shipped, he is just not marking them as shipped.

That makes it impossible for everyone else to do their job. Client calls in wondering why their supplies are two weeks late.. and someone has to check with HIM to see if they were shipped or lost?

I would do what is best for EVERYONE in the organization, not what is best for this one guy. That being said, the shipping process should be as efficient as possible, but not optimized only to his personality.

short answer: learn the new system or fuck off.

Yes, the job is getting done, and the orders are logged, just in the wrong system that only he has access to. I don't think it has had any effect whatsoever on actual business, it just bothers me.

If I were his boss, he'd have been fired the last time. You can't manage a business based on the personality of your employees. In this case, his resistance to change. The bottom line is what is best for the compay.
Sure, you can try to make things easier. Give detailed people detail oriented tasks, etc. But you shouldn't take any bullshit from an employee, because he is afraid of change.


Then again, I'm probably not the best person to ask. I have no patience for nonsense when it comes to business. I don't give a fuck about your personality, I don't give a fuck about your life, and I don't give a fuck about the case you are trying to make, or your excuses. You're here to do a job, and you're going to do it correctly, in a timely manner, and how I told you to do it; or you've rendered yourself worthless to me, and you'll be out on your ass .2 flat.

Haha, now that is a salesman's attitude right there. People are a hundred times less direct on the operations side of things. For the most part I agree with you though.

Time for early retirement, for him.

Wouldn't be early, this guy is almost 70.

I am not in a position to make any decisions here, I was just wondering if I was alone in thinking things were a little backwards.

[Forever_frost]

A system that only he has access to? I'd have him teach someone how to work that system while training him on the new one just in case he decides to make sure no one else can do his job and shuts you down

[Ratt]

The real questions are why do you still have the old system and why does he still have access to it? He shouldn't have been allowed to retain his access to the old system in the first place, let alone be the only one who has access to it.

[YALE]

You can't let people walk all over you. If you tell someone to do something, and it's a reasonable directive, and they ignore you, fire them. The whole point of having process tracking software is to be able to track processes. If he won't get on board with that, he can get the fuck out. Here's something else to consider: if your records show unfulfilled orders into the tens of thousands, someone in accounting should be getting in someone in operations ass like a bicycle with the seat off. That just won't do.

[slow06]

The real questions are why do you still have the old system and why does he still have access to it? He shouldn't have been allowed to retain his access to the old system in the first place, let alone be the only one who has access to it.

If I were to guess I would say his boss doesn't want the hassle. He reports directly to the COO, who hired him 25 years ago. COO tends to let things go for a while. He has much more important things to deal with, and it works fine so he lets it go.

We are a small company, but a bottom level employee shouldn't be reporting to the COO in the first place IMO. Again though I would guess his mindset is that it works ok for now and he doesn't have time to deal with the BS that would inevitable follow.

You can't let people walk all over you. If you tell someone to do something, and it's a reasonable directive, and they ignore you, fire them. The whole point of having process tracking software is to be able to track processes. If he won't get on board with that, he can get the fuck out. Here's something else to consider: if your records show unfulfilled orders into the tens of thousands, someone in accounting should be getting in someone in operations ass like a bicycle with the seat off. That just won't do.

Nobody except me and 1 unrelated employee knows that there are 12000 unfilled orders out there because nobody actually follows up on them. If by chance they do, it is because their customer hasn't gotten their order, and they just call this guy directly.

To your last point we are shipping contracts and brochures to customers for the most part, so we aren't talking about expensive inventory. Accounting doesn't stick their nose into anything that happens in shipping.

Oh well, I guess I'm not off base. One day that job is going to be managed by my boss and I will either be the replacement (if I want) or train the replacement . Either way I will have the chance to make some changes that will help the company out.

[Ratt]

Wow. Sounds like the most organized company ever! I'd probbaly looking for a new job after I found all that shit out...

[slow06]

Wow. Sounds like the most organized company ever! I'd probbaly looking for a new job after I found all that shit out...

Haha, yeah as I was typing that out I felt bad airing out all the dirty laundry. Keep in my this is just one low level employees opinion, management may have reasons beyond what I see and hear.

I look at it as an opportunity to help improve the company. No we aren't perfect, but that is where the challenge is. I feel like I have a lot of good ideas to make that position run a lot more efficiently and I look forward to having the opportunity to make an impact.

Lucky for me my job has little to do with those things, and we are only getting more solid by the day.

[yellowstang]

Have you tried hitting him?

[Dave586]

A system that only he has access to? I'd have him teach someone how to work that system while training him on the new one just in case he decides to make sure no one else can do his job and shuts you down

Time to make the old system go away. Tell him it broke, and it's not cost effective to keep it running. Cite auditing compliance/tax compliance/whatever.

There are creative ways to get people to switch - as in when they can't perform their job anymore they have to change.

Get his access removed from old system

It's a mgmt call - obvisouly someone likes him doesn't want to pull rank on him - forcing you to work with him. If it's your job to work with him - then work with him - if he doesn't work with you - report it as such.

[Big A]

There are creative ways to get people to switch - as in when they can't perform their job anymore they have to change.

There's no need to get creative, management needs to tell (not ask) him to use the new system, or look for another job.

[Dave586]

There's no need to get creative, management needs to tell (not ask) him to use the new system, or look for another job.

Oh I agree with that 100% - but how many people in mgmt positions have the balls to do it? From my experience - they usually wait until they can find someone with the balls to do it.

I have been involved with telling people their employment was terminated - it's no fun, and people generally like to avoid the situation unless their employment/bonus/review is on the line.

[Rreemo]

He should've already been replaced. People who are blind to change for their own personal reasons have no place in an organization that is trying to keep up with it's market and maintain it's part of that market share.

I've been in management for a while, and in an industry that is constantly changing...I've heard all too often people asking "why can't I just do the job I was hired to do?".....my answer is simple....you can, but it'll have to be somewhere other than here. We work in an industry where change is the norm...if you can't adapt to that, then you need to do something different.

Employees who pull back on your business operationally can ruin it in a hurry. Leaders who fail to see that and/or choose to look the other way will ruin it even quicker....and failed leadership sounds to be a bigger problem in this scenario.

[EW]

Make him train his replacement in the new system.

[Big A]

Make him train his replacement in the new system.

He doesn't know the new system because he hasn't ever used it.

[4king]

As a manager myself I can say I would manage his performance until he drank the cool aid and realized he was costing me more money by working for me than his replacement would be

My gimmick as a manager is to tell them this is my fucking career, you are treating it like a job. I can hire new workers any day, I need people who are dedicated to this company and are serious about themselves and their place here.

Basically fire him. He gets annual raises every year and is hurting your company. As a good co worker you should report his incompetence to the his best level supervisor