[WTF] "You're lucky you still have a job."

[KEVIN900]

OK, I get it. The Recession, the lay-offs, the economy. I haven't gotten a raise since 2007. Neither has anyone else in my company. But things have really picked up. Yet every time I've asked about a raise, the answer has been " No money for raises yet." I'm no slacker; Employee of the year 2009. This after eliminating the Christmas, er sorry, Holiday Bonus, which I always considered part of my pay package, not a gift from above. Well you're bleeding talent, and I just joined the exodus. Got a new job today with the competition. My fellow technicians, if you are in the same boat I was in yesterday, it is definitely time to polish the resume, hit the bricks, and give notice to those employers who may have taken advantage of the situation, with an eye toward greed as well as survival to this now over recession. Thoughts ?

[OMD-227]

Well done Kev.

All the best in your new role mate. I hope you now earn what you are worth and can see a brighter future ahead.

[KEVIN900]

Thanks wazza, I hate to leave my employer 15 years. I learned to love copiers and customers with these folks. But I guess we all have your tipping point. My company devolved from customer to bottom line oriented a little to drastically in the last few years. To the point of using inferior parts & supplies, to practically eliminating trunk stock. Customers wait now for days for every part. Off brand staples and toner reek havoc on the reliability of the copiers. Premature failure of non OEM parts. It's just sad to see the dealership I worked for go from BMW to Daewoo so quickly. No disrespect to Daewoo drivers out there.Yugo.jpg

[Stirton.M]

I too am giving this some serious consideration. Like you, I've been given the line that the company is trying to survive and I observe on average some half dozen new machines out every week, sales of at least 10 Press C8000s nationally and more on the way, a huge sale to a provincial government on the east coast (can't seem to recall specifically which province...Cape Breton, Nova Scotia...)

And gas prices are on the rise again. As for recession, WHAT &^*^&*&^ RECESSION????? From a personal perspective, Canada barely felt a thing on the grand scale of things. Nothing like the rest of the world did. And I have to do without a *^&*% raise on top of that for going on 3 years now.

Yep, the pressure cooker is maxed out, the clock is tickin

[charm5496]

Good luck with the new position Kev. Sounds like you made the right call. I luckily work for a private company who still takes care of the employees who bust there but and help to turn a profit. Granted it might not be a bog profit compared to years past, but we are not losing any money!!!! My raises the past 3 years have been smaller than normal, but I am happy to getting one all the same.

[Jules Winfield]

Same exact thing happened to the company I used to work for. Customers would tell us all the time how much service has deteriorated since the new owners took over and they were right. Overnight us techs turned from valued employees to necessary evils. I'm so glad I got out of there...

[blackcat4866]

This happened at Ikon a few years back. Copy Technologies generic toner, Katun rollers, ... now they send out graveyard parts when you order new. I am definitely happy with my decision to leave. =^..^=

[Jules Winfield]

This happened at Ikon a few years back. Copy Technologies generic toner, Katun rollers, ... now they send out graveyard parts when you order new. I am definitely happy with my decision to leave. =^..^=

It must be the Ikon Business Model that is ruining the copier industry. When the dealership I used to work for went south it was because it was sold to two guys that used to be upper management at Ikon who formed their own Ikon clone company.

[JR2ALTA]

Looks like the gas price scare of a couple years ago will be back soon. That could really be the final nail in some of these dying companies.

BTW congrats on your new job! I hope the work environment pleases you as much as the pay.

[Stirton.M]

Did I mention that all those suits from Xerox Canada now work for KM Canada? Xerox Canada was tanking for service support last I heard, virtually gutted the service in favour of these overpriced suits. I fear the same thing might happen to KM. I seriously hope not, but some things I have been noticing of late are giving me pause for concern.

[JustManuals]

Well done, I boosted your rep too!

[mjunkaged]

Went thru the same thing more than once. Moving on is always an option.

[WOETC]

Same thing here in Australia. Wages Stagnant, boss getting tighter, graveyard parts and hardluck stories from the top. I think it is partly related to Government buyers who screw down contract prices, and that trickles down through industry - Though they they screw down on the pricing as well. I'm over 60 changing is a difficult option now, so I'm just planning on retirement. Service Pension means I can live in independant poverty.

[longshot0127]

Ya I feel the squeeze. I have been trying to decide if its hard times or my employer going as far as we let them. In the last 3 years we have lost 30% of our staff, 401k, health insurance, and zero raises. I want to think its all due to the economy but I don't think the books would totally agree.

[Shadow1]

Union time. Much as I hate them, I'm tired of getting screwed. Ricoh is following the IKON death march even though we bought them - how f***ing stupid do you have to be that you can't see they ran themselves into the ground? I don't want to be forced to find another job - my customers don't deserve the substandard service we seem to be moving to.