Ranty Friday — Bowlplex

This is a personal one on Ranty Friday today.  So forgive me.

On Wednesday night my daughter, the lovely C, got a phone call from an employee at Bowlplex in Basingstoke to say she was banned from entering the premises for six months.

Right after she had been in.

And had been in last month, and a couple of times in the previous few months.

What had she done?  Worked for them for nearly a year and left with a glowing reference.

Yep, that’s it.

Admired by senior management, told she was great and the area manager didn’t want her to leave, the branch manager has a vendetta against her.   Has decided that because C speaks her mind, politely, and won’t stand for injustice, she is to be banned from the premises.

The same C who was always happy to work 16 hour shifts, cover for people at the last minute, got compliments from customers, got promoted within a couple of months, never had a day off sick has been banned.

Did this manager tell her this to her face?  No.  She hid in a back room and got another employee to do it.

Did she write to C and tell her this?  No, she got that employee to phone her

Did she explain when the six months starts?  No, is it from the day C left (three months ago) or from Wednesday night?

Did she say if this was company policy?  No, she just said C was banned.

Was C abusive the night she came in?  Nope she was trying TO PAY TO BOWL.  Trying to be a customer.  With a friend.

I am disgusted.   Absolutely disgusted.   If C told all the stories she could about employees in that organisation or how they run their Human Resource policies there would be some serious questions asked.   But no, she kept it professional.   At 19 she has been more professional than any other person within that branch.

And if I ever come across that branch’s manager I wont be hold accountable for where I threaten to shove a bowling ball.

 


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  • That’s just wrong on so many levels! I think you should send a formal complaint to head office threatening to sue fir defamation of character! Your daughter must be devastated!

  • Seriously? That’s awful! I agree with Michelle, above, is there anyone you could take this further with?? I wouldn’t want to be that manager if he ran into you, I don’t blame you, I’d be fuming!! Poor kid, being on the end of such cowardly and unprofessional behaviour!

  • What a way to run a business!! This needs to be given a bit of publicity.

    Why not:
    An open letter to the manager asking for reasons for the decision, this to be published in the “Basingstoke Bugle” or whatever it’s called?

    Ditto – but to a National?

    Might it be of interest to Ann Robinson (“Watchdog”)?

    A pithy letter from a solicitor?

    This person should not be allowed to get away with what amounts almost to character assassination.

  • That is so wrong!! So unfair to your daughter who has done nothing wrong! I would go higher then the branch manager and complain….Wrong, wrong, wrong!!

  • That actually sounds illegal. I hope that you and your family find some recourse! Some people are so petty! They will use whatever meager power they have and lord it over others. Good for you for raising a daughter who is above all of this.

  • Hello, sorry to hear about your experience please contact me @ the Birmingham site and I would be happy to talk to you about this incident. Kind regards, Martin.